Occasional Booklet No 5: Pedigree & Patronage, the Scaifes of Winton Hall (2003) by Dr. John Scaife, available online through membership of the Scaife Study Group (of which Dr. Scaife is the chairman) at www.scaifestudygroup.org.uk.

The excerpts below are reproduced with the permission of the author, who retains copyright on this material. For a detailed account of the Scaife Armorial a full reading of the article Pedigree & Patronage is recommended.


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“On receipt of the Manor of Shap from the Crown, Wharton alienated parcels of land, the former possessions of Byland Abbey, to Myles Scaife and Thomas Warcop. At a later date (1554) Miles Scaife appears to have received further tenements near Ormside, for in that year he was involved in the exchange of parcels of land and tenements with his neighbours Robert Barton of Mykyll Ormside, and James Warcop of Breaks. These acquisitions and exchanges, which involved Lord Wharton, may relate to activity north of the border in the reign of Edward VI.”


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“Of all the potential armigerous Westmorland families the Arms of Barton are the most interesting from a Scaife perspective. The Bartons are an ancient Westmorland family with several armigerous cadet branches. The link between Scaife and Barton stems from the union of Rowland Scaife of Winton and Anne Barton of Ormside, in 1558. Here, I believe, lie the origins of the Scaife Arms. That belief is strengthened when we recall that Rowland Scaife and Anne Barton were the grandparents of Robert, Arthur and Lancelot Scaife.

The earliest reference to the Barton surname is to Barton de Rydale, Westmorland, in the reign of Henry IV, 1399-1413. The British Museum Library holds a Tudor 'Booke of Arms', dated 1520 (Harleian MS 2169). Folio 80 depicts the Arms of BARTUN of Rydale, in the County of Westmorland as: -

“Argent 3 boars' heads palewise couped 2 and 1 sable."

The family took its name from the strip of land south of Lake Ullswater, called Bartun, which they held as feoffees of the De Lancaster Lords of Kendal. As early as 1436 a cadet branch of the Bartons of Rydale held Ormside Hall of the Radcliffes. Christopher Barton was appointed Constable of Lancaster Castle, in 1441, and his Arms are still visible at Shire Hall, Lancaster: -

“Argent 3 boars' heads erased couped Gules armed or, Azure.”

From Christopher descend the Barton's of Lunesdale and Ribbledale, Lancashire. John Barton held Ormside, in 1482, and his son, Robert, who died without issue, was the owner of Ormside in the reign of Henry VIII. The family also owned nearby Breaks Hall. 'Robert Barton of Mykyll Ormside, gentleman', exchanged parcels of land, formerly monastic property, with Myles Scaife of Asby Grange, in 1554. Myles also conveyed a tenement called 'Hessygyll, near Breaks Hall' to Robert Barton. This close family connection was enhanced, in 1558, with the marriage of Rowland Scaife and Anne Barton. According to Machel (Cumb. Rec. Office, Machel MSS, V. 59), the Arms of Barton of Ormside were -

“Azure a fess between 3 bucks' heads cabossed or.”

So, finally we have a blue field with 3 golden beasts' heads, but of far more interest - the crest of Thomas Barton of Warcop, who succeeded to Ormside Hall in the reign of Elizabeth I, was:- “A wolfs' head erased or”. It would be a simple matter to replace the 3 stags' heads with those of the wolf in the crest, and create a new coat of arms. Equally interesting, the Tudor 'Booke of Arms' of 1520 displays another Barton coat of arms belonging to Thomas Barton of Whenby in the North Fading, Yorkshire. The Whenby Arms are described as -

“Sable, a chevron argent between 3 owls crowned and legged or.”

No crest is given in this early description, dated 1520, however, the same Thomas Barton of Whenby married Alice Braithwaite of Burneside, Westmorland, and he appears in a pedigree listed by Tonge in his Visitation of Westmorland, dated 1615. The Arms described are the same as those of 1520, but in 1615 a crest is given. The crest is that of a “Wolf's head erased”. The Arms of Thomas Barton of Westmorland and Whenby, Yorkshire, in association with those of Barton of Ormside provide many of the devices and colours contained in the Scaife Arms of 1664 - a chevron argent, 3 beasts or beasts' heads, whether boars, stags or owls, and a wolve's head erased in the crest. All that is lacking is a trefoil device.

In the churchyard of Holy Trinity, Ulverston, may be seen a large tombstone, very badly weathered and in a state of collapse. It is dated 1780, and contains the remains of the Rev. Roger Barton, Rector of Hoole near Preston. Although badly weathered the tombstone still displays many of the heraldic features of the various cadet branches of the Barton family established in Westmorland, Yorkshire and Lancashire. The Arms displayed on the tomb are quarterly,

  1. “Three boars' heads erased”;
  2. “A chevron Gules between 3 cinquefoils on a canton”;
  3. “Per pale, dexter an eagle with 2 heads displayed sinister on a bend 3 owls”;
  4. “Azure on a fess between 3 stags' heads cabossed”.

Above the coat of arms is a feint outline of what appears to be the head of a beast, - could it possibly be the head of a wolf?”