THE TOWN OF HARRISON. 379 



county, which is some ten miles from the former town. Sowerby was 

 in the great manor of Wakefield, which was thirty miles in length. The 

 rolls of this manor exist from about the beginning of the fourteenth 

 century. From the earlier part of them, to about 1650 the delffelds, or 

 Fields, are repeatedly mentioned. The first entry in 1306, is of a suit 

 of Richard delffeld of Sowerly vs. Robert, son of William de Satton- 

 stall. In 1307 Thomas delffeld of Sowerby was a juror, and in the fol- 

 lowing year Richard, son of Roger delffeld, held that same position. 

 Sowerby was a " graveship " and different members of the family, at 

 various times, held the office there of " prepositus," who was the chief 

 official, as the name implies. It is highly probable that Adam delffeld 

 settled at Sowerby, after selling his estate at Falenge. This is partly 

 confirmed by the reappearance at Sowerby, shortly after, of this rather 

 unusual Christian name. Adam delffeld is mentioned there in 1333, 

 and a little later there were two of the name, — Adam, son of Richard 

 delffeld in 1336, and' Adam son of Thomas delffeld in 1349. In this 

 last year an Adam delffeld was chosen "propositus." In 1350 there 

 was an Adam, son of Thomas; and a Thomas, son of Adam. 



Down to 1 410 the family name is always as above. From that date 

 to 1450, it is sometimes with, and sometimes without the prefix, after 

 which date, this last is finally dropped, and it is simply field till 1570, or 

 so, when the modern spelling came in and it is written ffield, or ffeild. 

 The family has disappeared from Sowerby, but on their old estate, the 

 name survives in "Field House," the residence of Col. Stansfeld, built 

 about a century and a half since. Adjoining it is " old Field House," 

 once the home of the family, and erected probably in the sixteenth 

 century. An addition in the rear, of a later period, has on it the date 

 1630. It is a large edifice resembling the manor houses of that time, 

 now somewhat modernized and divided up, giving shelter to half a dozen 

 families. About a quarter of a mile from this building formerly stood 

 on higher ground a more ancient one, called " Upper Field House," 

 which was pulled down about fifty years since by Col. Stansfeld's father. 

 " Field House," Sowerby, is mentioned in the Wakefield Manor rolls as 

 early as 1440, and in 1500 there appear to have been there, two build- 

 ings of the name, one of which is distinguished as " Nether Field House." 



From Sowerby the family spread itself around the neighborhood, and 

 during the latter half of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries they are found 

 at various places within a radius of twelve or fifteen miles, and mostly at 

 or near Halifax, Bedford and Wakefield. 



William Field, the father of the emigrant, resided at Sowerby, where 

 his two eldest children were born; but removed to North Ouram, a 



