Sat in a field that once belonged to a loving neighbour of my 8th Gt Grandfather?

Well, it is fair to say that my 52 Ancestors in a Year project motivation has dwindled in 2018 and I have not been actively doing any family history for about 3 months,  and then I do the usual... go on holiday, in the caravan (obviously taking my family history with me!) and start looking for "dead people" in the area.

And as usual something turns up that fascinates me and one of those coincidences that only fate can answer!....

We have come to a lovely (fantastic actually) caravan touring site; Thornbrook Barn in Thornton in Lonsdale, Yorkshire Dales. Chosen by Ian, I had nothing at all to do with choosing the area nor the site!

One rainy evening, i get my laptop out and look for any ancestors recorded as living near this area and of course there was:  a Myles LAYFIELD being married near by in Ingleton.  I couldn't recall who Miles was, but after a little digging this is how he was showing in my tree:

• My Mother Edna TRATTLES b.1926 Middlesbrough, daughter of
• John James TRATTLES b. 1890 Stockton on Tees, son of
• Frederica Sophia BRADLEY b. 1859 Richmond, daughter of
• Dorothy LAYFIELD b1828 Scorton , daughter of
• John LAYFIELD b.  1784 Melsonby, son of
• Thomas LAYFIELD b.1756 Bolton Upon Swale, believed to be son of
• John LAYFIELD b.abt 1700,  (married in Bolton upon Swale), believed to be son of
• Allan LAYFIELD b.abt 1674 Bolton on Swale, believed to be son of
• John LAYFIELD b.abt 1623, (married in Thornton in Lonsdale), believed to be son of
• Miles LAYFIELD b.abt 1595 (married in Thornton in Lonsdale)

I had the following info on Myles re his marriages and wives: Miles married twice, first to Ellin and then on 27 Oct 1647 in Thornton in Lonsdale to Jennet Wildman. Ellin died Mar 1642/3 in Ingleton District.

So, having refreshed myself on the Layfield branch of my tree, I began to re-investigate via the wonderful world wide web (and thankfully Thornbrook Barn having excellent wi-fi!) and I came across some research work undertaken by the "Ingleborough Archaeology Freebooters" (IAF)

Now, of course, I cannot be 100% certain that Myles is really and truly my 8th Great Grandfather. Much of the latter generations are based on assumptions, however it is easier to start with "some" info to disprove than to prove something that is not at all known.

So my search begins for more info on Myles.

IAF have transcribed parish register records and show on their website:

Baptisms in Ingleton

Marriages in Thornton in Lonsdale

Ingleton Burials 1607-1812

IAF also have transcribed a number of wills from Ingleton parish

Firstly I located the will of the late John Gibson, who had named Myles Layfield as a witness to his will, however then I came across the following:

LAYFIELD Myles of the Moorgarth Will & Inventory 1651 (June the 21st 1651)…. it is quite weird that I am sat here typing, making notes of these events and the date is…. 20th June 2018, one day short of 367 years to the day of this will!.

Now to the coincidence…. 
Myles last will & testament states " I appoint my Loveing Neighbours Lawrence Butterfield and John Balderston of the Hallsteads, desireing them to see this my will performed….."

The below map (courtesy of OS Maps online), shows Moorgarth and also highlighted is Halsteads. Whilst Ian and I are not staying at what is named as Halsteads today, we are staying where the ¶Is located (Thornbrook Barn), which according to the current owners was an old barn built in 1700s, so I think it is fair to assume that this barn / field would more than likely have been part of the Halsteads estate back in the 1600's.

So it looks like we are staying in the field of my 8th Great Grandfathers loving neighbours!

Will transcription (courtesy of IAF)
Unfortunately I am unable to reproduce any part of the will as I do not have written consent from IAF, however you can access the pdf document yourself here

One thing that is evident in Miles' will is that he only mentions 1 son, Myles (born in 1651, the year before his fathers death)  However I believe there is a chance that John, his first son from his first marriage, could have moved to Bolton upon Swale at the time of Myles death and was no longer considered as part of Myles close family. John would have been aged 24 by the time of Miles second marriage and he himself already married to Jane/Jean since 1644. 

You will notice from the parish records transcripts, there is a baptism of John to Myles Layfield in Ingleton in 1623, with a  John Layfield marrying Jane Guye at Thornton in Lonsdale parish 1644 and it is believed they are the same John & Jane that were living in Bolton upon Swale in 1660s with many of their children being baptised here.

Clearly there is more to investigate to try and prove or disprove this theory - but for now I am happy to think I am sat In my caravan in a field ( a very nice one at that!) that once belonged to a loving neighbour of my 8th x Gt Grandfather.