MIDDLETON
Middleton; Pilsworth; Hopwood; Thornham; Birtle-With-Bamford; Ashworth; Ainsworth; Great Lever
This parish, originally a single manor, comprises
1 2,101 acres, and in addition to the central portion—
Middleton proper, with Pilsworth, Hopwood, and
Thornham—has a number of outlying portions, some
distant several miles from the parish church. Great
Lever, one of these detached parts, though like the
others a 'hamlet' of Middleton, appears to have had
an independent history, and was perhaps early added
to Middleton to compensate for the loss of Radcliffe.
The history of the parish is that of the lords of the
manor until recent times, when coal-mining and
manufactures have caused great changes. Formerly a
large part of the area was moorland, and considerable
portions are still used as pasture lands.
The 'hamlets' appear to have become 'townships'
in the 18 th century. (fn. 1)
In 1624 the parish was assessed to the county lay
as a single township, paying £5 16s. when Salford
Hundred contributed £100. (fn. 2) In consequence of
disputes, the proportions to be borne by the several
hamlets had been agreed upon in 1590. (fn. 3) To the
fifteenth Middleton contributed £2 out of
£41 14s. 4d. paid by the hundred. (fn. 4)
Several distinguished men have sprung from the
parish—Cardinal Langley, William Holt the Jesuit,
Thomas Jones, Archbishop of Dublin, Ralph Assheton
the Parliamentary leader in the county; William
Assheton and Charles Burton, (fn. 5) divines; and Samuel
Bamford. Sir Ralph Assheton, who acquired the
manor with his wife, may also be mentioned, as
also his descendant, Sir Richard, who fought at
Flodden. In religious and political matters the
people seem to have gone with the times, embracing
Protestantism without reluctance and siding with the
Parliament in the Civil War, though the lord of Ashworth and one of his tenants suffered for taking the
other side. In more recent times the people became
strongly Radical, as in other places where there was a
large manufacturing population. Luddite riots
occurred in 1812. Middleton gives a name to one
of the parliamentary divisions of the county.
The following is the apportionment of agricultural
land in the parish: Arable land, 1,394 acres; permanent grass, 5,060; woods and plantations, 142.
The details are given thus:—
|
| Arable acres | Grass acres | Woods, &c. acres |
| Middleton | 99 | 54 | — |
| Middleton | 604 | 777 | — |
| Middleton | 506 | 909 | 50 |
| Birtle-with-Bamford | 28 | 1,164 | 62 |
| Ashworth | 17 | 815 | 28 |
| Great Lever | — | 321 | — |
| Ainsworth | 140 | 1,020 | 2 |
INDEX MAP of the PARISH of MIDDLETON
The Lower Coal Measures or Gannister Beds
underlie the greater part of the parish, but a broad
belt of the Coal Measures occurs from Heywood to
Middleton, overlying the greater part of the townships of Middleton and Hopwood, whilst other areas
are found at Bamford and over the eastern half of the
township of Thornham.
Church
The church of ST. LEONARD (fn. 6) stands
in a commanding position on the north
side of the town, on high ground overlooking the valley of the Irk. It consists of chancel,
with north and south chapels and south vestry, nave
with north and south aisles, south porch and west
tower. There is no structural division between the
nave and chancel, the nave taking up the first five
bays from the west, and the quire seats occupying the
sixth. The sixth bay is inclosed by screens on the
north and south, and a line of screens runs across the
church on its west side. The east part of the chancel
projects 16 ft. 6 in. in front of the line of the chapels
and is lighted by a modern
window of five lights, and by
north and south windows of
three and two lights respectively.
The greater part of the
church was rebuilt in the 16th
century, but there are remains
of much older work, and the
tower dates from the beginning
of the 15th century. The
earliest part is the tower arch,
which is built up of 12thcentury masonry belonging to
a former building. Other
fragments of 12th-century
masonry have also been used
up in the later rebuilding. Of
the extent of the 12th-century
church no evidence remains,
but its nave was most likely
about 40 ft. long by 18 ft.
wide, covering approximately
the space occupied by the
three western bays of the nave
before its extension northward.
This church appears to have stood till the beginning
of the 15th century, when Thomas Langley, Bishop
of Durham, pulled it down and built an entirely new
structure 'of well hewn stone, with a roof of wondrous beauty. (fn. 7)
The new building was consecrated 22 August
1412, but the only part of it which can with any
certainty be said to remain is the tower. The extent
of Langley's church can only be surmised, but he
seems to have retained the width of the 12th-century
nave, lengthening it eastward and adding, or perhaps
only rebuilding, the north and south aisles. Its plan
is, however, only a matter of conjecture; it may be
suggested that the nave was of about the length of the
four existing western bays, and that the chancel was
continued some 30 ft. eastward. The door now
called Langley's door at the south-east end of the
south aisle appears to be of older date than the rest
of that part of the building, but it is very doubtful
whether it is in its original position.
Middleton Church
Langley's work seems to have stood little more than
a hundred years, for the greater part of the present
building dates from 1524, when Richard Assheton
reconstructed it, setting up the present nave arcades
and clearstories, and the north and south aisles. The
line of Langley's south arcade was retained, and the
south aisle widened to its present extent; but the north
arcade was pushed 5 ft. to the north, giving a nave
24 ft. 6 in. in width, and throwing the tower out of
the centre. (fn. 8) The chancel now assumed its present
shape, though its north wall was probably solid, being
pierced with an arch at a later date, when the socalled rector's chapel (now the organ chamber) was
built. The Assheton Chapel on the south side was
founded at this time, though the fact that its east wall
does not bond with that of the chancel suggests its
having been an addition, or that this wall was rebuilt
at a later time. The north chapel, by the evidence of
its windows, as well as of the straight joint in the pier
north of the chapel, which was evidently originally a
respond, appears to be of later date than the north
aisle, probably of the first half of the 17th century.
To a later date than 1524, too, must be assigned the
south-east vestry, which is below the level of the floor
of the church, probably to avoid blocking the windows
of the chancel and south chapel. The vestry walls,
for which the ground had apparently to be lowered,
are not bonded with those of the main building, and
though their exterior detail is similar to that of the
north aisle, they seem to be later work.
West and side galleries were erected at the end of
the 18th century, (fn. 9) that on the south side being carried
over the Assheton Chapel, but these were taken down
in the restoration of 1868, when the church was
reseated and a doorway, which formerly existed in the
north wall of the tower, was built up. (fn. 10)
There were extensive alterations and restorations
in 1846–7 and 1868–9.
Plan of Middleton Church
The walls of the building are constructed of rather
rough masonry, except those of the tower, which still
retain the more finely wrought work of Langley's
time. The walls of both aisles and clearstories are
embattled, and the roofs are covered with lead. The
aisles have lean-to roofs, those of the north being of
flatter pitch than the south, and the external detail of
the north side of the building is generally plainer
and poorer than that of the south, which has an
elaborately panelled and moulded embattled parapet
to the aisle. On the middle of the parapet of the
south aisle is the inscription: ric. assheton et anna
uxo. ei. anno d'ni movoxxiii,' and at its east end are
two stones with inscriptions, the upper one of which
is uncertain, and the lower has the initials SBB STD.
The chancel, 24 ft. 6 in. by 30 ft., preserves none
of its ancient ritual arrangements. The east wall
above the window sill was rebuilt in 1847, and the
present five-light window substituted for a late
window of seven lights with transoms, but no tracery.
The window on the north has three trefoiled lights
under a three-centred arch, and is the original 16thcentury one; that on the south side, which contains
the 'Flodden' glass, is of two lights, and belongs to
1847. A doorway on the south side to the vestry
was blocked up in 1872, and the entrance removed to
the east end of the Assheton Chapel. The west half
of the chancel has an arch north and south to the two
chapels, that on the north, as already mentioned,
being apparently a later extension eastward when the
chapel was built or reconstructed. The north chapel
is now used as an organ chamber, but was formerly
known as the Rector's or Langley's Chapel, presumably from the fact that the altar of the Virgin and
St. Cuthbert, endowed by Langley, was on this side
of the nave. There is nothing to show, however,
that a separate chapel existed on the present site
before the existing one was erected. The east window
is of five and the north window of four uncusped
lights under three-centred heads. The windows to
the Assheton Chapel have a similar number of uncusped lights, that on the south being under a segmental head, while the two-light window at the east
end of the south aisle, together with the window over
the 'Langley door,' are of similar plain detail. All
the other windows to the north and south aisles have
four-centred arched heads and cusped lights. There
is a descent of seven steps from the Assheton Chapel
to the south-east vestry, and the oak door is probably
the original one brought from its old position on the
south side of the chancel. There is what appears to
be the remains of a piscina at the east end of the
south wall of the Assheton Chapel under the window,
about 3 ft. 3 in. from the floor. The vestry is lighted
by a two-light window on its east and south sides,
and a recess in the north wall shows the position of
the original doorway.
The nave is 24 ft. 6 in. by 70 ft. in length, and
has an arcade of five bays with octagonal piers and
pointed arches of two plain chamfered orders. The
capitals and bases are coarsely moulded, and the eastern
arch on the north side has a line of 12th-century
billet ornament in its outer order, a piece of detail
from the former church. There is nothing to show
why this particular arch should have been thus distinguished. The arcade is continued one bay
eastward into the chancel, and the eastern pier on
each side, between the chancel and the nave, has a
cable-moulded necking which slightly distinguishes it
from the others. The clearstory runs the whole
length of nave and chancel, and has twelve uncusped
three-light square-headed windows on each side. The
roof to nave and chancel is of flat pitch with brackets
carried down the wall resting on corbels between the
clearstory windows, and is a modern restoration of the
original oak roof of the 16th-century church. The
weathering of a former roof remains in the east wall
of the west tower, showing the centre line of Langley's
nave. Above, on the south side, is a door which
formerly led from the upper stage of the tower to the
roof. The tower arch is pointed, but is constructed,
as before stated, of 12th-century masonry, probably
dating from about 1140. It is now of two orders,
sitting rather awkwardly on the three shafts below,
the inner order being plain, but the outer one made
up of stones carved with cheverons with an outer ring
of variously ornamented stones. The arch rests
on three 12th-century shafts at either side with
moulded capitals and bases, raised some height above
the floor in the rebuilding. Of the six capitals five
are of the scalloped type with cable-moulding under;
the sixth is an ornamented variety of the cushion
capital. The abaci are of different patterns, but the
square billet ornament is much used.
The north aisle is 14 ft. wide, and has a narrow
pointed door with moulded jambs and head and external label opposite the second bay from the west,
with a three-light window to each of the other bays,
and one at the west end which is entirely new, with
three cinquefoiled lights under a pointed head. At
the east end of the north wall, between the third and
fourth windows from the west, is a recess in the wall
2 ft. 2 in. deep and 6 ft. 6 in. wide under a fourcentred arched head 4 ft. high, and raised above the
floor 13 in., containing a coffin slab with a foliated
incised cross. Above the recess is the indent of a
small brass of a hooded female with inscription under.
There is nothing to indicate whom the brass commemorated or whether it has any connexion with the
recess underneath, but the latter is popularly styled
the ' founder's tomb,' and there is a tradition that the
original north aisle was built by Maud Middleton
early in the 14th century, and that she was buried
under the north wall. It is possible that the incised slab
marked her burial-place, and that in the rebuilding of
1524 the recess was made to contain it, and a brass
placed above to commemorate the lady whose remains
it formerly covered. (fn. 11) There is also a plain corbel
above the recess about 7 ft. from the floor.
The south aisle is 21 ft. 6 in. wide, but narrows to
15 ft. 6 in., the width of the Assheton Chapel, near its
east end. It has three three-light windows in the
south wall, in two of which the mullions have been
renewed, and one at the west end. The east end of
the wider part is occupied by the Hopwood Chapel or
pew, which has a two-light window in the east wall,
and is inclosed by a Jacobean oak screen with twisted
balusters along the top. The pew is 10 ft. 6 in. by
12 ft. 6 in. and has four linen pattern panels inserted
at its north-east corner. The walls on the east and
south are likewise panelled, hiding a piscina at the
south-east. There is a moulded bracket on the east
wall 8 ft. from the floor. At the east end of the south
aisle is the 'Langley door,' which has a squareshouldered lintel and a two-light window over. The
door itself is ancient and nail-studded, and the
masonry, as before stated, is older than that on either
side of it, though the evidence of the head and jambs
suggests that it has been moved. The east wall of
the south aisle, however, does not bond with that containing the doorway, and it is just possible that the
latter is part of the 15th-century church in its original
position. It is to be noted that the south wall of the
Assheton Chapel sets back 3 in. on the inside at a
height of 6 ft. above the floor.
The south porch projects 11 ft. 6 in. in front of
the aisle wall opposite the second bay from the west,
and has a low pointed outer arch with ogee crocketed
label over, flanked by canopied niches. Like the rest of
the building it has an embattled parapet, and the whole
of its south face has been elaborately panelled, though
the detail is now much worn away and its beauty
lost. Over the entrance are the initials A RA, seeming
to imply that it is the work of Richard and Ann
Assheton. There are also two shields, one of which
shows the Assheton molet, but the other is defaced.
The porch is an open one with seats on each side, and
the inner doorway has a four-centred moulded arch
and retains its old nail-studded door with wicket and
wooden draw-bar.
The tower is 10 ft. 6 in. square inside, and is of
three stages with diagonal buttresses and a vice in the
south-west corner. The west window of the ground
story is of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery over,
and above this is a window of two trefoiled lights
with a quatrefoil in the head. The jambs of both
are old, but the mullions and tracery have been
renewed. The upper stage of the tower contains a
clock with faces on the north, south, and west sides,
above which is a string-course crowned with an embattled parapet. The north and south sides of the
tower are plain, but there are slits to light the vice
in the south-west corner on both faces. In 1709 a
further story was added in the shape of a wooden
belfry stage with a roof gabled on all four sides, giving
a curious and not very attractive finish to the tower.
The original outside oak boarding, having decayed,
has been replaced by pitch pine.
The rood screen, though damaged in the 18th
century and probably also by repairs in the early part
of the 19th century (c. 1835–44), is a good example
of 15th-century work. The whole was repaired in
1898, when the rood was set up over it. It has a wide
central opening with double doors,and four openings on
each side, with traceried heads, and above are modern
canopies with richly carved cornice and cresting.
The lower part is filled with panels with carved
shields on which are displayed in bad heraldry the
arms of the Asshetons and their alliances. (fn. 12) The
screen formerly extended across the full width of the
church, but the parts in front of the two chapels
appear to have been demolished when the galleries
were erected. These have now been replaced by
modern screens in character with the older work.
The screen between the chancel and the north chapel
(organ chamber) is ancient, and has nine openings
with traceried heads and a four-centred arched doorway at the west end with carved spandrels. The
cornice is carved with the vine trail, but the cresting
is broken and mutilated. The screen opposite,
between the chancel and Assheton Chapel, is modern
and very plain, but retains a little old work in a leafpattern cornice on the chancel side.
There are four old stalls at each side of the chancel
door, the misericordes being very simply carved with
leaves, and in the quire are six old bench-ends—three
on each side, now used as ends to the quire stalls.
Otherwise all the fittings, including the font, pulpit,
and seating, are modern. The font is at the west end
of the south aisle, and was plain till 1846, when it
was carved as at present. There is an old oak almsbox at the east end of the north aisle.
There are several brasses to the Asshetons within
the altar rails, the most interesting being that of Sir
Ralph Assheton and his wife Margery (Barton) with
seven sons and six daughters, and a shield of Assheton
quartering Barton. There is no inscription, but the
details point to a date at the end of the 15th century.
Other brasses are those of Edmund Assheton, rector,
1522, Richard Assheton, 1618, and Ralph Assheton,
1650, the Parliamentary General (his monument
was removed from the Assheton Chapel in 1889),
his sister Alice and her three husbands. (fn. 12a)
The east window of the Assheton Chapel contains
some fragments of 16th-century glass in the outer
lights, including a shield in the west light (1 and 4
now blank, probably Assheton; 2 and 3 Middleton
quartering Barton); and in the south light a fragment
with the heads of a bishop and a priest. The three
middle lights have each three shields of modern glass
with the arms of various families connected with
Middleton Church. (fn. 12b) There is a fragment of ancient
glass in the middle window of the south aisle, but the
most interesting glass in the church is that known as
the Flodden window on the south side of the chancel.
Up to 1846–7 this glass was in a three-light window
in the north aisle, but was at that time removed to its
present position, suffering a good deal in the process.
'It contains the figures of some of the principal
persons of Middleton and neighbourhood who
accompanied Sir Richard Assheton to Flodden, and
represents first himself and his lady in scarlet, in long
garments, with an attendant squire in blue, his
chaplain also in blue kneeling before an altar, and
seventeen bowmen . . . also in blue with long hair,
and the name of each man originally placed over each
figure.' (fn. 13) In many parts the window is little better
than a patchwork of mutilated fragments. The figures
of the archers are fairly recognizable, but Sir Richard
and Lady Ann are so broken up and mixed with other
parts that it is difficult to trace them. (fn. 14) Most of the
names can still be read,but some have become obliterated.
The following can be read: Henricus Taylyer,
Richard Kylw—, Hughe Chetham, James Gerrarde,
John Pylkyngton, Philipe Werburton, William
[Ste] le, John Scolefede, Wylliam—, James Taylier,
Roger Blomeley, Crystofer Smythe, Henry Whitaker,
Robart Prestwyche, Richard Bexwicke. The archers
stretch across the upper portion of the two lights, and
Sir Richard and other figures are below. These no
doubt were originally in a third light, but of the
exact disposition of the parts there is unfortunately no
record. (fn. 15) In 1786 Philip de la Motte visited the
church and made an engraving of part of the window, (fn. 16)
which has preserved the names of the archers and the
dedicatory inscription as it was in the latter half of
the 18 th century. The inscription, which has since
been transposed, is given thus: 'Orate pro bono statu
Richardi Assheton et eorum qui hanc fenestra[m]
fieri fecerunt quoru[m] no[m]ina et imagines ut supra
ostenduntur anno d[omin]i mcccccv.' (fn. 17)
There is an interesting description of this window
in a poem called Iter Lancastrense written by the Rev.
Richard James, of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in
1636:—
Now go we to ye church of Middleton
To find out there summe glorye of our owne.
At chardge of those good men, whoe went out far
In suite of our brave Ashton to the warre.
There stands à painted windowe, where I weene
The showe of their departure may be seene:
The Lord and Ladye first in skarlett; then
One neere attending of ye chiefest men;
Their garments long, his short and bliew, behinde
The chaplaine of ye warfare you may finde
In robe of ye same colour, for to say
Before an altar praiers of ye daye
On bended knees; him follow neighbours bould
Whoe doe bent bowes on their left shoulders hould,
Their girdle sheaft with arrowes; as the squire
So are they all, court mantells in attire
Of blewe; like Greeks in Trojan warre, their haire
In curles long dangling makes ye semblance faire
And sterne; each hath his name, and people tell
That on ye same lands now their children dwell
As yet so called. (fn. 18)
In 1869, during the restoration, a stone coffin containing human remains was found in the north side
of the nave in the third bay from the west. (fn. 19) Part
of a stone altar slab was formerly preserved in the
church, but has now disappeared. (fn. 20)
In the Assheton Chapel are preserved a crested
helmet, sword, banner, and three spurs, popularly
associated with Sir Richard Assheton, the soldier of
Flodden. The crest (boar's head) and banner were
probably carried at the funeral of Sir Ralph Assheton
in 1765, and afterwards deposited here. The banner
was cleaned in 1895, and the arms of Assheton impaling Copley, together with the Ulster red hand,
were disclosed, proving it to be not earlier than 1739.
It is now inclosed between two sheets of glass. (fn. 21)
There is a ring of eight bells. Six were cast by
Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester in 1714, and two
were added in 1891, by Mears & Stainbank. (fn. 22)
The plate is all modern, and consists of two
chalices, a paten, and an almsdish of 1843, and a
paten of 1842. There is also a silver-plated flagon.
The ancient plate (seven pieces) was stolen from the
vestry in 1784.
The registers begin in 1541, (fn. 23) and the churchwardens' accounts in 1647. (fn. 24)
At the east end of the south aisle wall is a wooden
sundial with the date 1788 and motto 'Lose no time.'
The churchyard is principally on the north and
south sides of the building, with gates at the northwest and south-west. It is paved with gravestones
laid flat. The modern graveyard or cemetery lies to
the south of the church, separated from it by a road.
Advowson
The patronage has always been an
appurtenance of the manor of Middleton. The church is mentioned
early in the 13th century. (fn. 25) In 1291 the value of the
rectory was given as £13 6s. 8d., (fn. 26) but fifty years
later the ninth of sheaves, wool, &c., was worth only
£4. 8s. 10d., for which Middleton answered. (fn. 27) About
1534 the income was estimated at £37 0s. 8d., to
which the tithes of grain contributed £20. (fn. 28) The
parsonage house and glebe were estimated as worth
£40 a year in 1650, when the tithes and prescription rents amounted to £188 12s. 4d.; besides this
Ralph Assheton, the squire and patron, had 300 acres
of demesne lands on which he had never paid tithes. (fn. 29)
Bishop Gastrell records that it was certified as worth
about £250 a year, early in the 18th century. (fn. 30) The
value is now £950. (fn. 31)
The former rectory was in 1840 described as 'a
large and ancient structure, supported in part by
buttresses; at a comparatively recent period it was
surrounded by a moat with a drawbridge and a
wooden bridge-house; part of the moat is perceptible, and in some walls loopholes for the discharge of arrows are visible. There was formerly
much stained glass in the room called the Hall, and
there is a very curious specimen of a carved oak.
screen.' (fn. 32)
The following is a list of the rectors:—
|
| Instituted. | Name | Patron | Cause of Vacancy |
| c. 1180 | ?Adam (fn. 33) | — | — |
| oc. 1202 | ? Thomas (fn. 34) | — | — |
| c. 1230 | Peter (fn. 35) | — | — |
| — 1297 | John de Middleton (fn. 36) | Roger de Middleton | — |
| 21 July 1328 | Thomas de Newbold (fn. 37) | Agnes de Barton | d. J. de Middleton |
| 23 Dec. 1339 | Richard de Downton (fn. 38) | Agnes de Middleton | d. T. de Newbold |
| 8 Oct. 1340 | Robert de Radcliffe (fn. 39) | " | d. R. de Downton |
| 15 Oct. 1343 | Richard de Beckingham (fn. 40) | " | res. R. de. Radcliffe |
| 3 Dec. 1348 | Richard de Blythe (fn. 41) | — | exc. R. de Beckingham |
| 19 Feb. 1350–1 | Richard de Cudworth (fn. 42) | Bishop of Lichfield | — |
| 3 June 1351 | William de Langley (fn. 43) | Duke of Lancaster | res. R. de Cudworth |
| 29 Aug. 1386 | William de Preston (fn. 44) | Ralph de Barton | d. W. de Langley |
| 16 June 1390 | William de Ferriby (fn. 45) | Ralph de Barton | res. W. de Preston |
| 3 Apr. 1395 | Robert Collan (fn. 46) | Ralph de Barton | d. William |
| 14 Apr. 1402 | Robert de Hopwood (fn. 47) | The King | d. R. Collan |
| —1462 | John Barton (fn. 48) | Richard Barton | — |
| c. 1492 | Mr. Edmund Ashton (fn. 49) | — | d. J. Barton |
| ? 1522 | Mr. John Claydon (fn. 50) | — | — |
| 23 Feb. 1540–1 | Robert Assheton (fn. 51) | Edmund Hopwood | d. J. Claydon |
| — 1559 | John Assheton (fn. 52) | — | res. R. Assheton |
| 13 Jan. 1584–5 | Edward Assheton (fn. 53) | Will. Assheton | d. J. Assheton |
| 10 Oct. 1614. |
| 24 July 1618 | Abdie Assheton, B. D. (fn. 54) | Robt. Holt, &c. | d. E. Assheton |
| 10 Jan. 1633–4 | William Assheton (fn. 55) | Ralph Assheton | d. A. Assheton |
| — 1659 | ? Thomas Johnson, M.A. (fn. 56) | — | d. W. Assheton |
| 8 Nov. 1662 | Robert Simmonds (fn. 57) | Sir Ra. Assheton | — |
| 15 June 1682 | Richard Warburton, M.A. (fn. 58) | Sir Ra. Assheton | d. R. Simmonds |
| 16 Sept. 1701 | Henry Newcome, M.A. (fn. 59) | Sir Ra. Assheton | d. R. Warburton |
| 26 Mar. 1714 | Samuel Sidebottom, M.A. (fn. 60) | The Queen | d. H. Newcome |
| 17 July 1752 | Francis Pigot, M.A. | Sir Ra. Assheton | d. S. Sidebottom |
| 26 July 1757 | Richard Assheton, D.D. (fn. 61) | Sir Ra. Assheton | d. F. Pigot |
| 20 Jan. 1801 | Robert Walker | Lord Suffield | d. R. Assheton |
| 16 Mar. 1818 | John Haughton, M.A. | " | d. R. Walker |
| 30 Jan. 1829 | James Archer (fn. 62) | " | d. J. Haughton |
| 21 July 1832 | Charles John Way, M.A. (fn. 63) | " | d. J. Archer |
| 1 July 1835 | Richard Durnford, M.A. (fn. 64) | " | res. C. J. Way |
| 9 Aug. 1870 | Waldegrave Brewster, M.A. (fn. 65) | The Crown | prom. Bp. Durnford |
| 16 Oct. 1888 | Thomas Ebenezer Cleworth, M.A. (fn. 66) | A. Butterworth | d. W. Brewster |
| 2 July 1909 | Robert Catterall | " | d. T. E. Cleworth |
Before the Reformation the scattered parish was
served by the rector, chantry priests, and some six or
seven others. (fn. 67) The church appears to have been
fairly well furnished, possessing an organ and 'regal.' (fn. 68)
The visitation list of 1548, however, contains only
five names beside the rector's, one of them being
that of Thomas Mawdesley, who apparently remained there as schoolmaster, though decrepit,
till his death. Two of the others reappear in 1554,
with two more names; in 1562 there are still
six names, but Mawdesley's is the only one of
the old clergy; three years later the rector, newly
appointed in 1559, was at Durham, his curate was
in charge, and Mawdesley's and one other name
appear. (fn. 69) After this time it is probable that the
rector and one curate constituted the clerical staff,
service being maintained at Cockey or Ainsworth
Chapel, and perhaps at Ashworth also. (fn. 70) Bishop
Bridgeman about 1630 built a domestic chapel at
Great Lever, which appears to have been used by the
neighbouring people for a time. (fn. 71) The Commonwealth surveyors of 1650 recommended a division of
the parish and the building of new churches at
Thornham and Pilsworth; (fn. 72) but nothing seems to
have been done, and it was not till recent times that
any new districts were formed.
There was an endowed chantry in the church—
that of St. Mary and St. Cuthbert, founded in the north
or 'Rector's Chapel' by Thomas Langley, CardinalBishop of Durham, for a priest to celebrate for the
souls of the kings of England, the bishop and his
family, and to keep a grammar school free for poor
children. At the confiscation the incumbent was
celebrating and teaching according to his foundation,
the endowment amounting to £6 clear. (fn. 73) Another
chantry chapel—that of St. Chad and St. Margaret, on
the south side of the chancel—had no endowment,
but is supposed to have been built by the lords of
the manor, who subsequently used it as their own. (fn. 74)
The grammar school appears to have been coeval
with the Langley chantry, 1412; it was continued
after the Reformation, and re-endowed by an old
pupil, Alexander Nowell, Dean of St. Paul's, in 1572. (fn. 75)
The schoolhouse built after the re-endowment still
stands, and is of the usual type, with a schoolroom in
the middle in one story, lighted by large five-light
mullioned and transomed windows, and living-rooms
in two stories at either end. The roof is of low
pitch, and covered with stone slates without parapets
or copings, but on each gable-end is a small finial.
The walling is of stone rubble, with wrought stone
quoins and window dressings, and the windows are all
square-headed with chamfered mullions, and labels
formed by the weathered string-courses which run
round the building.
Charities
In addition to the school the
parish possesses several charities (fn. 76) applicable generally for the relief of
the poor and for apprenticing children. (fn. 77) The township of Middleton has some benefactions for the
poor, (fn. 78) and in conjunction with Thornham shares in
the widows' gown charity. (fn. 79) Thornham has an
educational fund, (fn. 80) and Ainsworth a small sum for
the poor. (fn. 81) Some benefactions have been lost. (fn. 82)
Middleton: The Grammar School