Robert "Robin the Bold" Inman

Birth

1586 • Fellbeck, Yorkshire, England

Death 1 MAY 1662 • Northpasturehouse, Bowthwaite, Netherdale, York, England

Today has been a beautiful rainy day with thunder rolling across the heavens. Here in my office as I am occupied with other matters that do not include any searches for ancestors, or the telling of anyone's stories, it appears there are literally thousands of ghosts whispering over my shoulder. They all want their stories to be heard. I tell them I am only one woman, and they must wait their turn, much like Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi's character in 'Ghost') told the ghosts waiting to come through her. Today, though, a hint came up that I was curious to see. It led me to an actual book that I have now downloaded for free on Google, which details a few scenes from Robin the Bold's life. I guess he didn't want to wait until I am really eleven generations back in time. So, I listened to him, and I read the passages in the book and I must say I did enjoy the laughs. The best part of all is that I really am just retelling the story as previously written by others. 

                                      

Pateley Bridge photo by David Armitage

http://www.davidarmitagephotography.co.uk/pateleybridge.html

"During the Civil War the men of Nidderdale were up in arms either on the side of the King or Parliament; several of the leaders being Nidderdale squires. Upon the restoration of peace a good deal of the house renovation and rebuilding took place, and nearly all the houses at Pateley Bridge appear to have been built after that time. That there was at least one hostelry in the town in the period of the wars appears from an indictment in 1648, wherein it is stated that one Robert Inman ("Bold Robin" of Bouthwaite, elsewhere mentioned) was returning from Skipton Fair through the village of Pateley Bridge. Here he encountered, drinking at an alehouse, a surgeon named Webster and a number of soldiers belonging to the Protector's army, who were conveying medications and ammunition to Barnard Castle, for the forces there, to repel the Duke of Hamilton's invasion. "Bold Robin" was challenged to guide the party over the moors to Kirkby Malzeard but refused to do so; the Report before the Council states that the said Robert Inman (being a man of great size and muscular power) did dismount and openly fight and assault the soldiers.  At any rate the mare on which "Bold Robin" rode was "annexed" and used in the service of the Parliament; whereupon arose three actions at law, and in the end the surgeon Webster was indemnified.

The Depositions before the barons were published, from which it appears that Captain Anthony Beckwith, a son-in-law of Robert Inman, raised a troop (in which Owine, the son of the said Robert Inman was a Lieutenant) in the Parliament's service. It is also stated that this troop was stationed at Pateley Bridge, that Robert Inman had "received many woundes for that his affection to the said Parliament ; that his house had been spoyled, his cattle stolen, and that he had lost to the value of one thousand pounds owing to the war ; further that he had been cast into prison at Rippon by Lieut.-Col. Norton, in that he refused to take the oath of allegiance with the Cavaliers."

These incidents serve to show that Pateley Bridge was not only mixed up with the great civil broil during which much native blood and treasure were expended, but that the old town was one of the chosen centres for the "gathering of the clans."

Bouthwaite Grange

"Bouthwaite Grange was for many generations the home of the family of Inman, from which the Inmans of Liverpool, the well-known owners of the Inman Line of Steamers, trace their descent.

William Inman, by his will dated 1614, devises to his sons Robert and John jointly his land at Bouthwaite, "Lately leased to one James Chambers," and to his eldest son, Robert, all the rest of his lands and tenements at Bouthwaite. It is this Robert who is still known as "Bold Robin of Bouthwaite," and of whom I have spoken of before in connection with the Civil War fracas at Pateley Bridge."

"Being a man of uncommon stature and strength he is credited with many strange and remarkable deeds; the most memorable however, and the one by which he would appear to have earned his sobriquet, was the slaying of four men in his own house at Bouthwaite. These men made an attempt to rob him a few hours after he had returned home from collecting his rents, when the family had retired for the night. The thieves had surreptitiously crept into the house, when "Bold Robin" aroused by the creaking of the wooden floors, got up and hastily dressing himself, encountered one of the thieves at the bedroom door, He at once seized him by the throat and threw him I a half strangled condition head foremost down the staircase, by which action the man broke his collar bone and appears to have succumbed instantaneously; the remainder of the gang attempted to seize "Bold Robin," but the daring defender of the home wielding a deadly weapon, and attacking first one and then the other, in a little time had the horrible satisfaction of seeing the dead and bleeding bodies of the would-be thieves lying in various parts of the premises."

"Whether any trial or inquest followed this affray I have not ascertained. There is no doubt however that Inman would be quit of any charge or accusation of willful murder; the punishment for robbery, or attempted robbery, being very severe at that time. The weapon, I am told, by which the burglars were killed was kept in the family to the beginning of this century, when it was sold."

"Bold Robin" died in 1662, and was succeeded by Charles Inman, the eldest son, who made his will at Bouthwaite in 1670, leaving his land there to his eldest son, Robert Inman, whose initials, and the date 1673 may still be seen over a doorway of the old garage. From that time until the present Bouthwaite Grange remained in the possession of this branch of the Inmans." (1)

The back door of Bouthwaite Grange still shows his initials

The following Will of Robert Inman is very interesting:

PROBATE RECORDS: INMAN of Nidderdale

1662 -ROBERT INMAN of Northpasturehouse
(also known as "Bold Robin of Bouthwaite")

In the name of God Amen I Robert Inman of Northpasturehouse in Nidderdale within the county of Yorke gentl: beinge sicke in body but of sound and pfect memory (praised be Almighty God for the same) doe ordain and make this my last will and testament in manner and forme following viz: First I bequeath my soule into the hands of Almighty God my Creator assuredly trusting through the death passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ my saviour to have free remission of all my sinnes And my bodie to the earth from whence it came to be interred at the discretion of my executor hereafter to be nominated. And for my worldly goods as followeth viz: My mind and will is that my debts and funerall expenses be firs payd and discharged out of my whole goods. And then I doe hereby give and bequeath unto Jane Inman my granddaughter (naturall daughter of my sonne Willm Inman) twenty pounds of good and lawful money of England to be payed unto her by my executor within one whole yeare next after my decease. And for the rest of my goods and chattells rights and credditts whatsoever moveable and unmoveable, I doe hereby give and bequeath unto Michael Inman my sonne whome I doe hereby nominate and appoint sole executor of this my last will and testament, utterly revoking all former willes by me made or ......., whereunto I have sette my hand and seale the twentye eight day of Aprill In the fourteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles the Second by the grace of God Kinge of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the faith .......1662

Robert Inman 

Sealed signed & published in the presence of

Charles Inman
Grace Richardson
Mary Darnebrooke her mk M
Philip Richardson Jurat

[NOTE...The testator Robert Inman (Bold Robin of Bouthwaite) was buried at Pateley Bridge 2 May 1662. His family were as follows:

• JOHN died before 1631
• WILLIAM probably died before 1646, tho' Bold Robin writes of "my sonne Willm Inman" and not "my late son" .He married 29 Aug 1635 Eleanor WYSE.
• CHARLES who died 1619.
• GRACE bap 5 Oct 1617 Pateley Bridge. She married (1)1636 Captain Anthony BECKWITH, and (2) about 1658 Philip RICHARDSON.
• MARY bap 14 Nov 1619 Pateley Bridge, died 1629
• CHARLES bap 16 June 1622 Pateley Bridge, married Anne BAYNE, and died about 1670.
• RICHARD bap 18 Sep 1624 Pateley Bridge, died 1641.
• OWEN (Owine) bap 24 Sep 1626 Pateley Bridge, died 1654. He was Lieutenant to Capt Anthony Beckwith (his brother-in-law) in the service of Parliament.
• ROBERT bap 2 Sep 1628 Pateley Bridge, a soldier in the service of Parliament, died circa 1657.
• MICHAEL born 29 Sep 1630, baptised 5 Oct 1630, married 1 July 1656 Elizabeth DARNBROOKE. Also a soldier in the service of Parliament. Of Northpasture House (1657), and later of Bewerley. He was buried 22 Mar 1690/91 at Pateley Bridge.
• MARY bap 4 July 1634 Pateley Bridge.]

Contributed by Nancy Mclaughlin (2)

If you are interested in purchasing our ancestor's home, it is for sale as of this writing: 

Please take time to look at the following flyer about Bouthwaite. It is a beautiful home!

https://media.onthemarket.com/properties/1693371/doc_0_0.pdf

If you plan a visit to Bouthwaite Grange link here, 

http://www.inman-family.org/documents/northpasturefarm.html to see how to stay at the Inman Ancestral Home.

If you love history and want to read more about Robert Inman please use this link 

http://www.inman-family.org/documents/nidderdale3.html

(1) pg  448, 449, 477, 478  Nidderdale and the Garden of the Nidd: A Yorkshire Rhineland: Being a Complete Account, Historical, Scientific, and Descriptive, of the Beautiful Valley of the Nidd. Author Harry Speight

(2) http://www.inman-family.org/wills/boldrobin.htm