Reginald ORTON,
Rector of Hauxwell, Yorkshire
Reginald Orton became Rector of the North Riding Parish of Hauxwell in 1799, at the age of 46 years; he had worked hard as a curate to gain promotion in the Church of England, but he was to enjoy his elevation to Rector for a few short years only. He died there in 1803.
The Chester Diocesan Records, papers largely concerning church appointments etc, revealed something of his career. The first document of interest to be found was a copy of his baptismal entry in the parish registers of Kirkby Stephen in Westmorland. Those recommending him for his first position as assistant curate had to include this document with their nomination. Thus it was signed by Thomas Cookson, the curate then of Kirkby Stephen, and two churchwardens, Philip Rudd and Anthony Dixon. Both churchwardens would have known Reginald Orton and his family for many years; they were contemporaries of his late father James Orton who had died in 1756 leaving a widow Christobella, and two little children, Reginald and his sister Agnes. James Orton took care with the making of his will not long before his death, and ensured that sufficient money was left in trust for the maintenance and education of these two children.
It is not known where Reginald Orton received his education. Certainly he attended no University; it is possible that he may have been a pupil at St Bees Grammar School, well known for the education of many young men for careers in the Church of England. Material held at the Borthwick Institute in York, indicates that in 1776 Reginald Orton was serving as curate at Ormside, in Westmorland. But it was the following year, 1777, that he was nominated for the position of Assistant curate, at a stipend of £26, for Hipswell-Hudswell in Yorkshire (then being run as a joint parish). Included with this nomination were "Letters Testimonial" signed by various members of the clergy, and recommending that Reginald Orton be ordained:
It was while he was at Hipswell that Reginald Orton met and married in 1781, Anne Thompson, the daughter of James Thompson of the small village of Colburn. From 1782 to 1790, four children were born to them at Hipswell and baptised by their father in the parish church. As there was no burial ground at Hipswell until 1811, all burials previous to this date took place in the mother church of Catterick. And so we read this entry under the date of 6th April 1785:
at whose house she died, having come from Kirkby Stephen upon a visit.
In the year 1791 the Reverend Orton sought another curacy – this time in the nearby parish of Hauxwell, at a stipend of £30. This parish was large in extent, and its small population was scattered between the hamlets of Hauxwell East and West, Barton and Garriston. The Church of St Oswald stands apart from the small village; it is said that it was once in the very centre of the village, but that after the plague the houses were all built further away. 
It was the following year, 1792, before Reginald Orton was licensed to preach there, but he was virtually in charge, as the Rector, Samuel Drake, lived elsewhere. There is little sign of Drake taking an active part in the life of Hauxwell Parish, as the only signature in the register during this period is that of Reginald Orton, the curate. This situation is explained further in a letter Reginald Orton wrote to the church authorities, 24th October 1796, in which he seeks an increase of his stipend to £50. He there stated that Mr Drake resided at Row in Wales in the Diocese of St Asaph on a small discharged Vicarage of £100 per annm., and "where he has built a house upon the Glebe and resided the last 22 years". Orton then gives some details of the situation at Hauxwell:
is tenanted by Mr Gale [ the patron of the Hauxwell living] and has lately had above £300
paid out upon it in repairs. I am accomodated with a house
in the village of Hauxwell rent free and a convenient portion of Land
part of wch. is Glebe, at an easy Rent….."
It was May 1797 before Reverend Samuel Drake finally had to increase his curate’s stipend.
Two further daughters of Reginald and Anne Orton had been born and baptised at Hauxwell during this time. Then, with the death of Samuel Drake in 1799, Reginald Orton was presented to the Rectory, a position he was to hold until his death there on 7th April 1803. His burial took place in Catterick Churchyard, the wording on his headstone still legible today, two hundred years later:
Here Sleeps
Reginald Orton, Rector of Hauxwell
Who died 7 April 1803 ae tatis 48.
A good life may be of few days
But a good name his forever.
Also his beloved wife
Anne Orton
Who proved her affection to his memory
By devoting herself to their family.
She entered into rest
25 May 1835 aged 82 years.
Visit the Genuki site for information on the ancient Parish of Hauxwell. For abstracts of the wills of Reginald and Anne Orton
and various members of their family, Click Here
