Robert# Gale

  Notes:

Info from Jeremy Archer. Of Acomb Grange.

Administered his father's estate in 1578 and died sometime after 1590. He appears as eldest son to have got Acomb whilst younger brother John got Scruton.

Acomb Grange website; the late Jennifer Kaner and others;

The family is not listed in the muster rolls for the Ainsty. This is a puzzling feature until one realises that as Robert was five years old when his father died and, when Robert died in 1585/6, Francis, his heir, was aged only four years eight months and 15 days, they were too young to have been included in the muster rolls which survive; for example, in 1569 Robert would have been 13 years old. Robert Gayle left this servant William Harrison a £5 a year annuity in 1585/6 and, in 1569. a William Herryson had provided armour from Rufforth in the Ainsty rolls.

John Ingleby of the Ripley (Castle) family is described as of Acomb Grange in 1573.He appears in the Subsidy lists from the 1560s as having the wardship of Robert Gayle.

The Inquest Post Mortem for Robert Gayle in 1585/6 records that he held the site of Wilberfoss Priory, Nunpallions in Escrick, Rufforth rectory and Acomb Grange. He held the last from the Crown by 'military service for a rent of 22s 6d. [This rent was still being paid as a fee farm rent to the Earl of Bridgewater in the 19th century.]

The military service was a carryover of a feudal tenure that ensured that the heir had to pay a fine to inherit and, if he was under age, the wardship could be granted out by the Crown for a fee.

The Grange seems to have continued as a leasehold property into the reign of James I.

Like the Methams, the Gayle family were Roman Catholic and intermarried with other Yorkshire Catholic families, such as the Mallorys and Thwengs; but they are not as noticeable in recusant records as some of their contemporaries.

Perhaps they were more successful at dodging the law by moving from property to property. However, in an undated Elizabethan list of priests and Catholics, 'Mr Gayle of Acame Grangre nere Yorke doth lye sumtymes at Carlton. He hath been eight yeres maryed and yet never came at the church. He was marryed at the masse. He hath vi children who were all christened by the old lawe '.

Robert# married Thomasine# Stapleton, daughter of Brian# Stapleton and Elizabeth# Darcy, in 1578.