| Where | Ingleby Greenhow Village Hall | Type of Event | Illustrated Talk |
| When | Monday 13th July 2026 at 7.30 pm | Tutor | Nigel Copsey |
The lecture was delivered by Nigel Copsey, who as well as being an expert on stone masonry, has an expertise in the study of the Eure family more generally. Nigel has a well-deserved reputation as a scholar in this field. We had a good sized audience on a pleasant evening in early summer. Nigel’s lecture was clear, lively and well organised, and full of illustrations. This was a well-researched and mastered subject.
The evening passed through several phases of activity. The first part had a very agreeable social aspect. The lecture commenced at 7.30pm, as usual, but before the lecture refreshment was provided. A most generous invitation for which we would wish to express our sincere thanks.
Secondly, the lecture started. Nigel stated most of the lecture would not be about Ingleby but other areas and properties. In any event, he thought the audience would know more about Ingleby than he did. There are no complaints about the knowledge he brought to bear on this subject. Although the Manor is thought to date from the 16th century Elizabethan period, Nigel expressed the opinion that there were medieval features. Even that there were was probably a medieval core to the structure. No doubt that is a subject that will continue to tantalise.
Thirdly, the lecture progressed to the Eure family more generally. The family was Norman. They acquired possessions in the Stokesley and Ingleby areas quite early. They were closely associated with the Balliols. Land acquisition was a feature of the activities of the family. For example, they also held Baysdale Priory after the Dissolution. Like many of the landowning families at this time they held land in various parts of the country. Northumberland, Durham and Yorkshire featured strongly. And in Yorkshire nowhere was more significant than Malton. There were more acquisitions over the centuries. A lot of the illustrations at the lecture were of land plans and images of fine houses they built.
There was more to the family than this. They seemed to be of a warlike disposition and appeared in significant events in English history. Also they were strongly wedded to the Catholic faith. A large part of the attention was to recusancy and the heavy fines associated with it. The family finances declined. Nigel outlined a time that the house in Malton was besieged as efforts were made to collect a fine.
The material was absorbing and the audience was attentive. The time passed easily and the audience was informed and entertained. There were questions at the end of the presentation and some continued into the later evening. An enjoyable evening.