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Early Problems
(5/15)
The twelfth century was in general a time of growth and expansion
for Kirkstall’s monks, but it was not trouble-free. Shortly
after their relocation to Kirkstall in 1152, the monks were faced
with the loss of their lands at their original site at Barnoldswick,
which was reduced to a grange. Barnoldswick had been given to
the community by its founder, Henry
de Lacy. However, as Henry
actually held this land of Hugh Bigod, the earl of Norfolk, for
an annual rent of five marks and a hawk, which he had neglected
to pay for several years, the land here was not, strictly speaking,
Henry’s to give. This paved the way for problems and in
1152, when the community moved to its new site at Kirkstall,
Hugh Bigod claimed and won for himself the land at Barnoldswick.
The monks were thus deprived of their lands here, but fortunately
for them Abbot Alexander’s plea for mercy did not fall
on deaf ears. The earl agreed that the community might hold its
grange and appurtenances of him and his heirs for an annual rent
of a hawk and five marks - or a saddle-horse (palfrey) to the
same value. Fortunately, this arrangement was short-lived, and
following Hugh’s death the king exempted the community
from this payment.
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