Catalogue description Muniments of Kirklees and the Armytage Family

This collection consists mainly of deeds, estate and manorial papers but with some family papers. The deeds relate chiefly to the areas of Clifton, Brighouse, Mirfield, Briestfield and Liversedge, including confirmations by Earl Warren and Henry III of grants to Kirklees Priory, but there are also some early medieval deeds relating to Clayton, Bradford and later deeds for property at Bewerley in Nidderdale, which was the subject of lawsuit with Sir Stephen Proctor, and at Bramham. Other items include an extract from a subsidy roll, 1594, acquittances to collectors of subsidies, 1609, a grant of the right to hold courts leet, 1615, warrant from Ferdinand, Lord Fairfax, protecting John Armytage from plunder, 1642, petitions concerning sequestration and expense of maintaining Lord Fairfax and his army, 1644, and papers concerning the 18th century enclosures of Clifton and Mirfield.

Armytage family, baronets, of Kirklees

Some files are subject to access conditions

Many of the documents in this collections were held in the billiard room safe, the estate office and the muniment room of Kirklees Hall.

• Kirklees Hall, Clifton, Hartshead, Dewsbury, West Riding of Yorkshire

The small Cistercian Priory of Kirklees was founded in 1155. At the Dissolution there was a scattering of its lands and possessions. The site of the Priory was granted in 1544 to John Tasburgh and Nicholas Savile, while some of the property passed William Ramsden, including three cottages in Huddersfield "in the tenure of John Armytage". The Saviles were a noted family in the area and much of the Kirklees estates were acquired by various family members. Robert Pilkington and his wife Alice Savile were in possession of the Priory in the early years of Queen Elizabeth and may have resided there. In 1565 they conveyed the manor of Kirklees to John Armytage of Farnley Tyas.

The Armytages are thought to have originated in Lincolnshire and the date of their arrival in Yorkshire is not known. The first baronetcy was granted to Sir Francis Armytage in 1641. Their estates are congregated in the area of Clifton, Brighouse, Mirfield, Briestfield and Liversedge and were at one time extensively worked for coal and other minerals.