On March 12, 1686.
Interest and Bonds for ye Schoole
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Antho. Armitstead | 00 | 10 | 00 |
| Tho. Brayshay | 00 | 05 | 00 |
| Antho. Barrows | 00 | 05 | 00 |
| Tho. Stackhouse | 00 | 08 | 09 |
| Robte. Cookson | 00 | 10 | 00 |
| Tho. Carr, of Settle, at ½ year for £20 | 00 | 10 | 00 |
| Nathaniel More at £20 | 01 | 00 | 00 |
| Robte. Cookson at £100 | 05 | 00 | 00 |
| Hugh Stackhouse at £10 | 00 | 10 | 00 |
| Mr. Wildman at £20 | 01 | 00 | 00 |
The Mr. Wildman here referred to may have been the Usher, who belonged to a Giggleswick family but had given up the post of Usher, which at this date was held by John Sparke formerly of Christ's and possibly the same as the John Sparke who was Vicar of Long Preston in 1703. William Brigge had also left in 1684 and for six months his work was taken by a former Usher, John Parkinson, who had matriculated as a Sizar at Christ's in 1676 and after taking his degree came for two years as Usher in place of Wildeman. On Brigge's death he acted as Headmaster, but whether he was definitely appointed such or was intended to be in charge for a short time only is doubtful, as he died in six months.
June 12, 1685. "Mr John Armittsteade entred to ye Schole."
John Armitstead was born at Long Preston in 1660, and after being at Giggleswick as a boy, he went up to Cambridge at the age of nineteen with a Burton Exhibition. He was entered as a Sizar at Christ's, and commenced B.A. in 1682-3 and M.A. 1688. The name of Armitstead has been very closely connected with the School even to the present day.
Henry Roome was Usher for one quarter in 1688 and then gave place to Richard Atkinson or Akinson, whose salary varied from year to year, but never exceeded a certain limit, viz.: just half the Master's, which consisted of "ye ancient Master's Stipend" of twenty marks and a gratuity which brought it between £40 and £50. There are also small entries in places, such as:
October 1, 1687.
Paid to Mr. Armitstead for repairs about ye schoole loft and garden that he had laid out, as particulars may appeare, which noate of particulars he delivered to ye summe of £4 17s. 06d. In which noate theire was a Presse that stands in ye schoole chamber, it is theire to remaine to belonge to ye schoole.
Richard Ellershaw, the Vicar, took a very great interest in the School, and in 1718 he wrote to Christ's College, Cambridge, seeking information about the Carr Scholarships. It was probably due to him that in 1693 two shillings was laid down for transcribing part of Carr's Will, which money "the schollars that receive Burton Exhibitions must then (i.e. 1694) allow to the school stock."