The Bramley History Community Archive

‘BRAM’ – reputed to be an Anglo-Saxon Lord, who lived, certainly in Yorkshire, gave his name to the area known as Bramley, in the now West Riding of Yorkshire. The ‘ley’ part of the name means either a field or meadow.

‘BRAMELEIA’ – (it’s Latin name) came about following the Norman Conquest in 1066, as in 1086 the first mention of the area appears in the Doomsday Book:-

Land of Ilbert de Laci, Wapentake of Morley Manor. In Brameleia Archil had four carucates of land to be taxed, and there may be two ploughs there. Ilbert now has it, and it is waste. Wood pastures half a mile long and half broad. Value in Kind Edward’s time, twenty shillings.

Land of Gospratic Manor. In Brameleia, two carucates of land to be taxed. Land to one plough.

William had divided the arable land of Bramley between these two men; De Laci became the founder of a renowned family. His grandson, Henri De Laci, was the founder and patron of Kirkstall Abbey, built by the Cistercian Monks in a position on the River Aire, one mile northwest of Bramley. Gospatric was a powerful Northumbrian who opposed the Normans, but later made peace with William and was given an Earldom. Later history of Bramley makes no mention of him or his descendants.

No mention is made of the number of inhabitants at this time, but as a comparison one might consider the fact that Leeds (then a farming village) only had three hundred inhabitants. It would seem likely therefore, that Bramley was inhabited by a considerably smaller number of people.

Bramley and Kirkstall Abbey (founded in 1153), were closely linked and so many grants of land from Bramley were made to the Abbey, that in 1280 the Abbott of Kirkstall was returned Lord of the Manor of Bramley, and these close links between the two were maintained for many years to come.

This is just a taster to whet your appetite… if you want to learn more about the history & events in Bramley, you might want to look at the books & merchandise we have available to buy online.