Westgate Road, Earl of Westmorland's house

Gray describes St. John's as "a pretty little church… in this Parish the Earles of Westmerland had his House, as others, good Benefactors to this Towne". Bourne records that next to St. Mary's Hospital (HER 1502) there was a very old magnificent building, lived in by Sir Robert Shaftoe and later Mr Charles Clark, Junior. The house was built by the Baron of Bywell and Bolbeck in the reign of Edward III (1327-77). About the same time he built a defensive house "within the bounds of the castle" called Bolbeck Hall. The founders of this house was made Earl in the reign of Richard II in the year 1398. Ralph Nevil, Lord of Raby, became Earl Marshall, so the house was named Westmoreland Place in Westgate. Some have conjectured that Sir Robert Shaftoe's house was part of it.