Cradock family of Gainford and Hartforth
Reference: D/Cr Catalogue Title: Cradock family of Gainford and Hartforth Area: Catalogue Category: Estate and Family Records Description:
Covering Dates: early 13th century-1893
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- Cradock family of Gainford and Hartforth
Catalogue Description
CRADOCKOF GAINFORD AND HARTFORTH
A Handlist of documents catalogued
by Durham County Record Office
July 1975
Introduction
The Cradocks
The pedigree of the Cradock family in Surtees' History of Durham ... shows the connection with Gainford to have begun in the late sixteenth century, with the appointment of Rev. John Cradock (d. 1627) as incumbent in 1594. Dr. Cradock, the youngest son of John Cradock of Baldersdale, was appointed archdeacon of Northumberland in 1619, but resigned this post in August of that year, on being selected as spiritual chancellor to Bishop Neile. During his incumbency of Gainford, he purchased an extensive property in the parish, and in 1600 began the erection of Gainford Hall on the supposed site of a previous manor house, but appears to have left it unfinished. Three of his sons had legal careers, Richard (1592-1624) being a counsellor-at-law in Durham, Toby (d. 1671) a barrister in Gray's Inn, and Joseph (1605-1686) commissary of the archdeaconry of Richmond; and this family profession was continued by Sir Joseph' s eldest son, Thomas Cradock (1633-1689), who was also elected M.P. for Richmond in 1678 and 1685. The estates, entailed by Dr. Cradock in 1619, passed to William Cradock (d. 1736), grandson of Toby Cradock, and it was he who enlarged the family properties by the purchase of Hartforth in 1720, which appears to have replaced Gainford Hall as the family residence, and also, by his marriage to Mary Sheldon in 1715, initiated the use of the Christian name, Sheldon. The most notable holder of this name was born at Hartforth in 1777, was colonel in the North Yorkshire militia, and was elected M.P. for Camelford in 1830.
Later members of the family, not represented in this collection, were Major Sheldon Cradock (1858-1922), who served with distinction in the Boer and Great Wars, and his brothers, Lt. Col. Montagu Cradock (1859-1929), whose military campaigns included those in Egypt and South Africa; and Sir Christopher Cradock (1862-1914) who rose to the rank of Rear Admiral, was mentioned in despatches when serving in the Sudan and China, and was killed in action during the battle of Coronel when his ship, the Good Hope, was sunk.
Of the families connected by marriage with the Cradocks, the most notable are the Heaths of Kepier (Dr. Cradock's eldest son, Richard, married Dorothy, daughter of Thomas Heath), the Bowes of Bradley (Margaret, daughter of Sir Joseph Cradock, married Ralph Bowes in 1649), the Places of Well and Bedale (Sheldon Cradock married Elizabeth Place in 1739), and the Chaytors of Witton Castle and Croft - this last alliance being through the marriage of Peregrina, daughter of Sir Joseph Cradock to Sir William Chaytor in 1715
The Collection
The collection can be divided into two sections - muniments of title to the various properties in Gainford, Harperley, Gilling and Hartforth, with a few estate papers; and personal papers of the individual members of the Cradock and related families.
The deeds, from the thirteenth century, have been arranged alphabetically by place in Durham and Yorkshire, and include a lease for the mill at Witton-le-Wear, which appears to have strayed from the Chaytor family papers. The estate papers are few in number, but include two seventeenth century plans of Hartforth, and an estate official's note book, 1757-1761, as well as some accounts for all the properties, 1775-1800.
The personal papers, although scanty for some members of the family, include wills and marriage settlements, which give useful family details; and also give some indication of the activities of Sheldon Cradock (1777-1852) as trustee of the Hutton Charity, and his financial affairs, as well as illustrating the naval career of his brother-in-law, Captain John Prince. Of the related families, the Place family is best represented, particularly by Rev. Edward Place (d. 1775), rector of Bedale, and his two sons, Edward and Marwood, also clergymen, the former becoming Dean of Middleham, while the latter was incumbent of Kirby Lonsdale in Westmorland.
Catalogue Contents
The following deeds form part of the Cradock interest through the marriage of Isabella Cradock and Lt. John Prince in 1821
Ref: D/Cr 65The connection of the Cradock family with Thorpe came with the marriage of Sheldon Cradock (1741-1814) to Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Wilkinson of Thorpe, in 1775
Ref: D/Cr 73This property belonged to the Place family, with whom the Cradocks were connected by the marriage of Sheldon Cradock (c. 1716-52) to Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Edward Place of Bedale, in 1739
Ref: D/Cr 107William Cradock of Gilling (d. 1736) married Mary Sheldon (d. 1742), daughter of Gilbert Sheldon of Holborn, in 1715
Gilbert Sheldon of Holborn (Ref: D/Cr 220-221)Ref: D/Cr 220Sheldon Cradock of Hartforth (c. 1716-1752) married Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Edward Place, rector of Bedale, in 1739
Thomas Place (d. 1729) of Well, Yorkshire (Ref: D/Cr 222-224)Ref: D/Cr 222Sheldon Cradock (1741-1814) married Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher and Isabella Wilkinson of Thorpe-on-Tees
Ref: D/Cr 252