Re: Westmorland High Sheriffs

Further to my email yesterday, I have just realized that I wrongly

located one of the references to Gilbert de Kirketon at "c. 1357",

which should have read as "c. 1257".

The reference: "History of Westmorland & Cumberland" by Nicholson &

Burns, (1777), Volume 1, page 33, states:- "......Gilbert de Kirketon then

sheriff of Westmorland (that is, undersheriff to the then Robert de

Vetripont ),........"

The date of this event has to be after 1246, but before 1264, so we

can narrow it down to 1257, in which year the only possible Robert

de Vetripont did indeed become High Sheriff.

However, I am suspicious of this identification of Gilbert, because by

the year 1257 Gilbert de Kirketon of Screveton would have been at

least 72 years old. Thoroton shows him as an adult in 1207, holding

the gift of the Screveton Parish Church, so he could not have been

born any later than about 1185.

Perhaps Nicholson & Burn made an error and inserted Gilbert's name

instead of the name of his son, John de Kirketon ??

Sincerely,

Jonathan Kirton .