Townships: Rumworth

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1911.

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'Townships: Rumworth', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5, (London, 1911) pp. 6. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol5/p6 [accessed 24 April 2024]

In this section

RUMWORTH

Rumhworth, 1242; Rumworth, 1278; Rumwrth, 1292; Romeworthe, 1346.

Rumworth is the central township, and contains the parish church. It measures about 2½ miles from east to west, but the average breadth is a little over a mile; the area is 1,244 acres. The River Croal forms the northern boundary, and from it the surface rises to the south. In the western part of the township is the reservoir called Rumworth Lodge.

The main road is that from Bolton to Wigan, passing by Deane Church; to the east is that from Bolton to Tyldesley, on which is the hamlet or suburb of Daubhill. The London and North Western Company's line from Bolton to Kenyon crosses the eastern end, with a station called Rumworth and Daubhill.

In 1901 the population of Rumworth and Middle Hulton was 14,053.

Agriculture is still an important industry; there are collieries; and cotton manufactures and bleach works are carried on.

The Bolton Industrial School is in Rumworth.

Part of the township was incorporated with Bolton in 1872; the remainder was added in 1898.

Manor

RUMWORTH was in 1212 joined with Lostock in Bolton as the third part of a knight's fee, held of the lords of Manchester. (fn. 1) In later times the Andertons of Lostock claimed a manor in Rumworth, (fn. 2) but the Hultons of Hulton and Farnworth were usually said to hold the third part of a fee in Rumworth and Lostock, performing suit of court and rendering for sake fee 4s. 6d., for ward of Lancaster Castle 3s. 6d., and puture of the serjeant and foresters. (fn. 3) The last-named service was commuted into payments of 28s. and 16s. respectively from the fourteen oxgangs of land in Rumworth, and the eight oxgangs of Lostock. (fn. 4)

With Farnworth the manor of Rumworth was purchased by the Hultons of Over Hulton, and has descended in this family. (fn. 5) Sir Charles Tempest, the heir of the Andertons, had a large estate in the township.

The local surname occurs, (fn. 6) but nothing is known of the family.

The Hospital of the Savoy had a rent-charge of 5 marks out of the manor of Rumworth. (fn. 7)

The contributors to the land tax in 1789 were Henry Blundell, who paid nearly five-sixths,—Blackburne, and William Hulton. (fn. 8)

The inclosure award is preserved at Preston.

The parish church of Deane has been described above. St. George the Martyr's, Daubhill, was built in 1880; the patronage is vested in trustees. (fn. 9)

The school at Deane was endowed in 1636; it probably existed already.

Footnotes

  • 1. Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 55. The heirs of Thomas de Pierpoint then held them, and Richard de Pierpoint in 1242; ibid. 154. Rumworth and Lostock together had three ploughlands.
  • 2. See for instance Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 156, m. 174., relating to a settlement in 1654. The Andertons' title was derived from the Athertons of Atherton, who had lands in the township, held (with Lostock, &c.) by a rent of 11d., but do not appear to have claimed a manor; Duchy of Lane. Inq. p.m. iii, 39; viii, 40. Richard son of Thomas de Pierpoint was defendant to a claim for a tenement in Rumworth in 1276; Assize R. 1238, m. 31. In 1282 and 1302 William son of William de Anderton and Almaria his wife held Rumworth [and Lostock] for the third part of a knight's fee; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 248, 314. In 1292 William de Anderton and Almarica his wife were defendants jointly with John de Bradshaw and Cecily his wife, in a claim put forward by Robert de Sunderland respecting land and a share of the waste in Rumworth; Almarica was the daughter and heir of Thomas de Pierpoint, while Cecily had dower; Assize R. 408, m. 9. The Athertons' holding in Lostock and Rumworth was the subject of disputes in 1337 and 1347; ibid. 1424, m. 8; 1435, m. 18.
  • 3. The title of the Hultons appears to have been derived from a purchase made by Richard de Hulton in 1310, Almarica or Ameria, widow of William de Anderton, selling the manor; Final Conc. (Rec, Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), ii, 4. The details in the text are from the survey of 1320, Richard de Hulton being tenant; Mamecestre (Chet. Soc.), 288, 341. In 1331 Richard de Hulton claimed certain tenements In Rumworth from John la Warre and Joan his wife, but did not proceed; Assize R. 1404, m. 27. John de Hulton, of Manchester and of Farnworth, received lands in Rumworth from Richard de Hulton, who made a division of his estates about 1334; ibid. 1435, m. 40. In 346 the heirs of John son of Henry de Hulton were returned as holding the third part of a fee in Rumworth and Lostock which the Pierpoints had formerly held; Feod. of 20 Edw. III in Harl. MS. 2042, fol. 181. In 1473 John Hulton held the lordship of Rumworth by the ancient services, rendering for sake fee 3s., and for castle ward 2s, 4d.—two-thirds of the earlier payments; Mamecestre, 480, 496. The manor remained with the Farnworth branch of the family till the middle of the 17th century. Thus William Hulton of Farnworth was in 1556 found to have held it of the lord of Manchester by the third part of a knight's fee and the rent of 4s. 6d.; Duchy of Lanc Inq, p.m. x, 32; see also Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), iii, 470. The manors of Farnworth and Rumworth were subjects of fines in 1658 and 1659; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 163, m. 67; 164, m. 52.
  • 4. Extent of 1322 in Mamecestre, 377, 401; the remaining two oxgangs in Rumworth must have been the glebe of Deane Chapel.
  • 5. The manor of Rumworth is expressly included with Over Hulton in a settlement of 1738; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 321, m. 3.
  • 6. In 1292 Ellen, widow of Richard de Lostock, alleged that Mabel, wife of Henry de Rumworth, was keeping two charters from her; Assize R. 408, m. 13. Richard son of Henry de Rumworth had lund in Middleton near Bury in 1317; Final Conc, ii, 22.
  • 7. Ch. Gds. (Chet. Soc), 30.
  • 8. Land tax returns at Preston.
  • 9. For a legacy to it see End. Charities Rep. (Bolton Borough) for 1904, p. 129.
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