George# Gale M.P.

  Notes:

Info from Jeremy Archer. Purchased a reverson of the lease on Acomb Grange crica 1552. M.P. for York 1533, Lord Mayor of York 1534 and 1549. Treasurer of the King's Mint.

Burke's LG says he died 2 July 1557, also says he left 2 sons and 6 dau.

Will dated 11 Jun 1556. He bequeathed "to the Cathedrall Churche of York one frontclothe of purple, rede and blewe velvet, with the Resurrection opon it wrought in golde, for the highe altere, to be prayd for". His will also refers to his land, etc. at both Londonderry (near Northallerton) and Scruton.

Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century: Comprising Biographical Memoirs of William Bowyer; "The family of Gale, which was of eminence in the North and East ridings of Yorkshire in the 16th century, contributed so much to the 17th and 18th to adorn the list of British Antiquaries, that it would be inexcusable not to preface these anecdotes of the two learned brothers Roger and Samuel Gale with a short account of them". It goes on to say they were the sons of Thomas Gale, b1636 at Scruton, educated Westminster School and Trinity Coll, Cambs. It then shows a pedigree with George Gale etc on it, but hard to work out where Thomas etc fit in. ... later .... Thomas is only surviving son of Christopher of Scruton, and great grandson of this George Gale.

Acomb Grange website; the late Jennifer Kaner and others;

George Gayle, who had purchased a reversion of the lease in 1553, left it to his son Francis. In 1557 Sir Arthur Darcy purchased a licence from the crown to grant the reversion of the lease to Francis Gayle and Anne his wife. This was all part of the speculation in monastic property.

George Gayle, the receiver of the trees, a goldsmith and Master of the Royal Mint , had also obtained a lease of Rufforth rectory and is recorded as a farmer ie lessee of the manor of Acomb, in 1553, as well as the site of Wilberfoss Priory. George was a wealthy man. He had been M.P. for York in 1533 and was Alderman from 1529-56.

The Crown found his services as Master of the Mint so valuable that an instruction came from London 'Understandying that ye mynd tellecte George Gaill to the rome of Maryyaltie, the same beyng under tresouer of the mynt shall not be able to supple bothe chargs. .. therefore we requyre that.... ye will forbere telecte hym yeur Maier' . He was endeavouring to set up his son as a member of the landed gentry.

In 1556, when George Gayle died, he left his wife Mary '3000 wood yerely forth of Acorn Wood to be redy made carryed and layd at her dore'.

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The House/Estate;
It is remarkable to note that the freehold ownership of Acomb Grange has been in the hands of only four families in the period 1663 to 1995 and only five families since the reign of James 1st ,when the Gale family acquired the freehold. The Gale family previously held the lease created shortly after the dissolution of the monasteries,when the property passed out of the hands of St Leonard's Hospital.

In the 1120s, Acomb Grange was founded by the Master of St Leonard's Hospital to collect the tithes of Rufforth. Later , it became the residence of the Master. As at least one of the Masters, Walter De Langton, was also the Treasurer of England, events of major importance in the history of England occurred at Acomb Grange.

There are very substantial stone remains from the 12th and 13th Centuries.

The Pilgrimage of Grace, the rebellion to restore Catholicism after the reformation, gathered at Acomb Grange before its march on London. Its Catholic links continued, as the house was occupied by recusants related to the Catholic families of the Thwings and Mary Ward, the founder of the IBVM, a teaching order of Catholic nuns.

In 1644, it is thought that the last stand of the Royalist army at the battle of Marston Moor took place in the barn on the site.

In 1694 , the Master's House was demolished and replaced with a house designed by the famous architect John Etty. It was extensively remodelled in the Georgian period, in the period 1810 to 1820, when a whole series of new rooms were added.

Ref his sister-in-law Elizabeth; In 1553 the site of the priory of Wilberfoss was granted to her brother-in-law, George Gale; Reg. of Corpus Christi Guild, York, 174 n

George# married Mary# Lord, daughter of Robert# Lord and Unknown. (Mary# Lord died in 1557.)