| 1 |
The Census Rep. of 1901 gives 2,392
acres, including 22 of inland water. |
| 2 |
The mines are not at present worked. |
| 3 |
T. Hampson, Hist, of Blackrod (1882),
64. |
| 4 |
Baines, Lancs. (ed. 1868), i, 581. |
| 5 |
Lond. Gaz. 9 July 1872; for borrowing powers see an Act of 1869, 42 & 43
Vict. cap. 43. |
| 6 |
Hampson, Blackrod, 66–70. |
| 9 |
The name is preserved. Alan del
Castel was a tenant of Hugh le Norreys
in 1283; Norris D. (B.M.), no. 1003.
In Hampson, Blackrod, it is stated that
a former vicar said: 'At this place the
remains of an ancient castle, the entrance
to which and the foss were plainly discernible within the memory of many who
are now alive (1846) . . . Many relics
were found in the field in which the
edifice was built. A key weighing 1½ lb.
and a crown were found' (p. 20). |
| 10 |
Gent. Mag. Mar. 1803, p. 220. |
| 11 |
Subs. R. Lancs, bdle. 250, no. 9. |
| 12 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc.
Lancs, and Ches.), i, 68, 121. Peverel's forfeiture was the punishment of
compassing the death of Ranulf Gernons,
Earl of Chester, by poison; Ormerod,
Ches. (ed. Helsby), i, 25. |
| 13 |
Norris D. (B.M.), no. 1002; the
seal is broken. Hugh le Norreys also held
the adjacent manor of Haigh in Wigan,
and in 1194 is called Hugh de Haigh;
Farrer, Lancs. Pipe R. 78. |
| 14 |
Cal. Rot. Chart. (Rec. Com.), 26;
dated 10 Oct. 1199. Hugh offered 10 marks
and two chasours for this confirmation of
his charter; Lancs. Pipe R. 116. It
appears that the old rent of Blackrod was
only 10s.; ibid. 127. |
| 15 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 68. |
| 16 |
Ibid. 121–2. William Ferrers married Margaret daughter and heir of William Peverel, and their great-grandson
William, Earl Ferrers, was placed in possession of all the Peverel lands soon after
the accession of Hen. III; Rot. Lit. Claus.
(Rec. Com.), i, 318,414. In 1324 the
'Earl of Ferrers' was supposed to be the
mesne lord of Blackrod; Dods. MSS.
cxxxi, fol. 37b. |
| 17 |
Rot. Lit. Claus. i, 480. |
| 18 |
He paid 10 marks for his relief, and
livery was ordered in May 1223; Excerpta
e Rot. Fin. (Rec. Com.), i, 103. |
| 19 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 133, 138. |
| 20 |
In 1278 Margery widow of Hugh
le Norreys claimed dower in Blackrod
against Hugh son of Margery de Haigh
(i.e. no doubt Hugh le Norreys son of
Alan), and against Cecily daughter of
Hugh le Norreys and Robert le Norreys;
Cecily and Robert called Hugh le Norreys
of Haigh to warrant them; De Banco R.
24, m. 47; 27, m. 54 d.; 28, m. 35 d.;
Cal. Close, 1272–9, p. 557. The same
plaintiff appeared against Hugh and Henry,
sons of Alan le Norreys and Robert de
Holland, claiming dower in 30 acres of
wood; but the jury found that she had
received 2 oxgangs for her third of the
wood, except pannage and bees, and the
claim failed; Assize R. 1238, m. 33.
In another suit Emma daughter of
Hugh le Norreys claimed two messuages,
20 acres of land, &c., against Hugh le
Norreys, Robert le Holland, and Roger
Thunwath, when Hugh stated that his
uncle Hugh had died seised, and he, as
nephew and heir, had entered. The jury,
however, found that Hugh and Roger had
disseised Emma; Robert de Holland was
not present; ibid. m. 31 d.
About the same time inquiry was made
if Hugh le Norreys had held 87 acres of
land and 19 acres of meadow, &c., in
Blackrod, which had come to his brother
Alan's son Hugh le Norreys; and the jury
found that the elder Hugh had enfeoffed
Alan son of Hugh le Norreys, Robert le
Norreys, Cecily daughter of Hugh le
Norreys, and Hugh son of Haynon (Anian)
le Waleys; ibid. m. 33.
In 1280 Robert le Norreys and Cecily
daughter of Hugh le Norreys claimed a
tenement in Blackrod against Hugh le
Norreys of Haigh; De Banco R. 34, m. 8;
R. 36, m. 55.
Hugh le Norreys in 1277 and 1283
made grants to his sister Emma and to
Robert, son of Alan le Norreys; Norris D.
(B. M.), no. 1003–5. The seal shows
a fleur de lis, with the legend: + s'
hvgonis norrais.
In 1292 Margery widow of Alan le
Norreys (no doubt the Margery de Haigh
above named) was non-suited in claims
against Henry de Rockeley for dower in
certain lands, &c., in Blackrod. It was
alleged that Alan son of Hugh le Norreys
had granted them to the defendant and
his wife Ellen; Assize R. 408, m. 5, 49 d.
For further details of Alan le Norreys
see the accounts of Speke, Sutton, and
Formby. |
| 21 |
Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and
Ches.), i, 185 ; ii, 9; settlements of the
manors of Haigh and Blackrod in 1298
and 1312 by William de Bradshagh and
Mabel his wife.
John de Chisenhale in 1301 and 1302
claimed common of pasture in Blackrod
against William de Bradshagh and Mabel
his wife; Assize R. 1321, m. 10; R. 418,
m. 13.
In 1312 William de Atherton released
to Sir William de Bradshagh all claim
upon the manor; Norris D. (B.M.), no.
1006.
In 1317 William de Bradshagh, an
outlaw, was said to hold the manors of
Haigh and Blackrod of Robert de Holland;
Kuerden fol. MS. 52. |
| 22 |
By fine in 1337 between Mabel,
widow of William de Bradshagh, and
William son of John de Bradshagh the
manor was settled on Roger son of Richard
de Bradshagh of Westleigh, with remainders to his brothers Adam and Henry,
then to Richard, son of John de Bradshagh, and to Hugh son of Robert le
Norreys; Final Conc, ii, 105.
The official returns seem to conflict
with this, for in 1324 Roger de Bradshagh
was stated to hold Blackrod for one
plough-land by the yearly service of 20s.;
while in 1346 Maud (Mabel) de Bradshagh, as heir of Hugh le Norreys, held
it in socage by a rent of 20s. and the
usual relief; Dods. MSS. cxxxi, fol. 37b;
Add. MS. 32103, fol. 146b.
The descent of this branch of the
Bradshagh family is given in the account
of Westleigh. |
| 23 |
Henry son of Richard de Ince in
July 1351 recovered a rent of 10s. in
Blackrod, which he claimed against Roger
son of Richard de Bradshagh; Duchy of
Lanc. Assize R. 1, m. 3.
Roger de Bradshagh in 1356 allowed
Hugh de Adlington and others to make
an attachment of water for the walk
mill in Adlington; Norris D. no. 1008.
In 1367 Mabel, widow of Richard de
Kighley released to her father, Roger de
Bradshagh, all right in the manor; ibid,
no. 1009.
In 1383–4 it was found that Hugh de
Bradshagh held two-thirds of the manor
by knight's service and 20s. rent; Dods.
MSS. cxxxi.
In 1400 William son of Hugh de
Bradshagh made a settlement of the
manor, with the reversion of lands held
as dower by Margaret widow of Roger
de Bradshagh, and Margaret widow of
Hugh de Bradshagh. William's wife was
named Joan; Norris D. no. 1010, 1011.
A further settlement was made in 1414,
with remainder to Elizabeth wife of
Richard son of Sir James de Harrington;
Richard and Elizabeth received a third
part of the manor; Final Conc, iii, 72.
For the marriage covenant see Dods. MSS.
cxlix, fol. 33. Sir William de Bradshagh
died in the following year, and it was
found that he held Blackrod of the king
as of his Duchy in socage by the service
of 20s. a year; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet.;
Soc), i, 109–111. |
| 24 |
It was found in 1445–6 that Sir
Richard Harrington held Blackrod in
socage, rendering 20s. a year; he held it
by the courtesy of England; Duchy of
Lanc. Knights' Fees, 2/20. In 1483
Sir William Harrington held the manor.
Sir James Harrington held it at his
death in 1497 by the same service; its
clear annual value was 40 marks; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iii, no. 40. The
estates became divisible among his daughters; see Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.),
ii, 170. |
| 25 |
The deed of partition (1507) is among
the Norris D. (B.M.).
Sir William Stanley and Anne his wife
were to have in Blackrod the messuages,
&c., occupied by Gilbert Taylor (Mitten
Greaves), and Alexander Vaces(Vaus); the
rents amounted to 32s. with five capons
valued at 2d. each.
To Richard Hoghton and Alice his
wife were given the tenements of Robert
Ormishaw, John Almon, Nicholas Huyton,
Henry Hodgkinson, Christopher Ainscough, Agnes Vaus, John Jackson, John
Taylor, Lawrence Jackson, Oliver Browne,
Nicholas Almon, Christopher Wood,
Nicholas Smith, Roger Caterall, and
Elizabeth Rigby. The total rents were
£15 6s. 4d., with sixty-seven capons and
four hens, and 16d. for 'average' (from
one tenant). The advowson of the
chapel was included with this share.
Richard and Alice had a son and heir
Thomas, whose daughter and heir Jane
married Roger Bradshagh of Haigh, and
carried the inheritance to this family;
Duchy of Lane. Inq. p.m. xiv, no. 26.
The jury did not know the tenure of
Blackrod. Thomas Hoghton in 1561
made a grant of part of his estate in
Blackrod to Gabriel Hesketh of Aughton; Pal. of Lane. Feet of F. bdle. 23,
m. 179; see also Ducatus Lanc. (Rec.
Com.), ii, 227. Gabriel died in 1573,
holding the lands of the queen as of her
manor of Salford, in socage by a rent
of 2s.; Duchy of Lane. Inq. p.m. xii,
no. 32.
Sir Richard Hoghton, of Hoghton, in
1606 sold to Hugh Adlington a messuage, water-mill, &c., in Blackrod, lately
held by Richard Shireburne in right of
his wife Anne; Add. MS. 32106, no.
753.
Henry Norris and Clemency his wife
received the tenements of James Barker,
Hugh Watmough, Nicholas Ainscough,
wife of Nicholas Heaton, Lawrence
Wood and Margaret Hodgkinson, Ewan
Vaus, Elise Haworth and John Vaus,
Henry and Hugh Vaus, John and Egyan
Holme, Gilbert Taylor, and James Catterall. The rents were in all £15 14s. 8d.
in money and thirty-six capons; or
almost exactly the same as the Hoghton
share. From other deeds it appears that
Clemency Norris in her widowhood resided at Park Hall in Blackrod; thus in
1551, describing herself as 'of Park
Hall,' she made a lease to John Vause.
Her name appears in the subsidy roll of
1541; Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lanes, and Ches.),
i, 142. Sir William Norris's joy at the
recovery of this part of Blackrod through
his mother is expressed in his genealogical
account of the family preserved among
the Aston Hall D. (now in the British
Museum), and printed in Topographer and
Genealogist, ii, 363–73. Sir William states
that he and his cousin Hoghton paid 9s. 6d.
each, the other is. of socage rent being
paid by the Stanleys. |
| 26 |
Sir William Norris states that he
purchased a part of his cousin Hoghton's
land, and the whole of Sir Rowland
Stanley's portion; Topog. and Gen. ii,
372. The Huytons' estate was afterwards acquired. |
| 27 |
Sir William Norris died in 1568
holding half the manor of Blackrod and
half a twentieth part of it of the queen
as of her manor of Salford in socage, by
a rent of 10s. 6d. for all services; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. xi, no. 22. The manor of
Blackrod was included in a settlement
made by Sir William Norris in 1613;
Pal. of Lane. Feet of F. bdle. 81, no.
49.
From deeds in the Aston Hall collection it appears that Sir William Norris
sold a large part of his estate in 1608
and later years; the occupiers seem to
have purchased their holdings. Edward
Norris, late of Speke, 'esquire,' who died
in 1627, held a messuage and land in
Blackrod of the king; Towneley MS.
C, 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), 914. He was either
the younger brother or the eldest son of
Sir William, and left a daughter and heir
Margaret, twenty years of age. |
| 28 |
Baines, Lancs. (ed. 1836), iii, 107;
this lordship probably represents the
Hoghton part of the manor. At the
same time the chief landowner was Sir
Robert Holt Leigh of Hindley Hall,
whose estate is now held by Mr. Roger
Leigh. |
| 29 |
Hugh le Norreys about 1283 granted
to Robert le Norreys, probably a halfbrother, the fourth part of the Croft in
Blackrod (to be taken near the boundary
of Anderton), with acquittance of multure and hopper-free for his corn in the
grantor's mills of Croft and Arley. Sir
Henry de Lea, then sheriff, was a witness. The charter is endorsed 'For
Hyton's lands in Blackrod;' Norris D.
(B.M.), no. 1004. Another deed, dated
1277, describes the bounds as beginning at Merestock, following the Blacklache, which fell into the Douglas at that
point, to the middle of the wood between
Blackrod and Croft; thence to Sidale
Clough, where it fell into the Douglas,
and so to the starting-point. Common
of pasture of Haigh and Blackrod was
allowed, together with pannage in the
woods of both manors, except the grantor's
park of Haigh. A yearly rent of 1d. was
to be paid; ibid, no. 1005. Another
grant in 1283 by Hugh le Norreys to
Emma his sister seems to refer to a part
of the same land; the rent was to be a
pair of white gloves or 1d.; ibid. no.
1003. Robert le Norreys was, as above
stated, a defendant in suits of 1278
respecting dower, &c, in Blackrod.
Robert le Norreys, perhaps the same
person, in 1322 made a settlement of his
estate in Blackrod and Adlington, with
remainders in succession to his sons Hugh,
Henry, Robert, John, and Roger; Final
Conc, ii, 48.
In 1348 William son of Richard de
Penketh and Amice his wife claimed the
latter's dower in Blackrod against Hugh
son of Robert le Norreys, and John his
son; also against Randle Starkie and
Margery his wife, and John the son of
Randle; De Banco R. 355, m. 226.
The Huyton family may have been a
purely local one, or a branch of that of
Huyton near Piescot, and of Billinge.
They appear in Blackrod at the end of
the 15th century. In 1497 Nicholas
Huyton, who was son and heir of William Huyton and his wife Isabel or Elizabeth, made a deposition of his estate in
Blackrod, Longton, Hutton, Ashton, Golborne, Abram, and Lowton, and in 1504
and 1511 made wills; Hugh his son was
dead, leaving a widow Agnes; Thurstan,
another son and heir apparent, was of
weak mind; Richard and Thomas, other
sons, were living in 1511; and there were
daughters Clemency, Margery, Ellen, and
Alice; Towneley MS. CC, no. 667, 715,
716; Dods. MSS. lxxxvii, fol. 148b;
Dep. Keeper's Rep. xl, App. 545. In
1511 Nicholas seems to have married
Margaret sister of Henry Kighley; or
else his son did so.
Nicholas Huyton died in 1527, his son
and heir Thurstan being then over forty
years of age. The lands in Blackrod
were held of the heir of Sir James Harrington by the rent of a pair of white
gloves or 1d. yearly; Duchy of Lane.
Inq. p.m. vi, no. 53.
Though Thurstan was of 'faint wit'
he was married, and in 1544 his son and
heir apparent Nicholas granted a lease of
a house in Abram; William, another son,
is named in it; Norris D. The younger
Nicholas was also short-witted; he had
two sons, William and Hugh, and a
daughter Katherine, who married Ralph
Whitfield, and had a son David. William,
the above-named brother of Nicholas, had
a son William. |
| 30 |
It appears that William, the son and
heir apparent of Nicholas, was murdered,
and that his brother Hugh was pressed
to death at Lancaster Castle on account of
the crime. On the morning of his execution Hugh Huyton conveyed all his lands
to Sir William Norris in trust for his
sister Katherine and her husband, though
the widow of William Huyton retained
possession for a time. Afterwards Edward
Norris of Speke acquired the lands from
the Whitfields. These transactions occupied many years, from 1568 to 1582, and
full particulars are given in the Norm
deeds (B.M.); see also fines of 1563
and 1569, by which settlements of
the Whitfields' estate were made, and of
1582, by which Edward Norris secured
lands in Blackrod, &c.; Pal. of Lanc.
Feet of F. bdle. 25, m. 32; 31, m. 168;
44, m. 83; see also Ducatus Lanc, ii,
243; iii, 115; Lancs. and Ches. Rec.
(Rec. Soc. Lanes, and Ches.), ii, 253.
Edward Norris sold a messuage, &c., in
Blackrod to Arthur Finch in 1582;
Pal. of Lane. Feet of F. bdle. 44, m.
136.
Nicholas Huyton, the father of William and Hugh, complained in 1562 that
Ralph Whitfield and Katherine his wife,
the latter as heir of her brothers, had
obtained the deeds and entered into possession of Blackrod Hall and the rest of
the estate 5 they alleged a settlement
made in 1548; Duchy of Lane. Plead.
lii, H, 5; lv, H, 13. About the same time
Katherine widow of William Huyton
alleged that Sir William Norris and others
had in Oct. 1561 broken into Blackrod
Hall, which had been settled on her on
her marriage, and obtained possession of
certain deeds; ibid, xlix, H, 11. |
| 31 |
It is possible that this was the estate
granted by Hugh le Norreys to his sister
Emma, referred to in an earlier note.
The mill of 'Erelegh' is mentioned in
1283; Norris D. (B.M.), no. 1004;
and Erley occurs as a surname in local
charters. Hugh son of Haynon le Walsh
has been named in a suit of 1278, cited
above. John le Walsh of Arley is named
in 1345; De Banco R. 344, m. 162.
William le Walsh was a plaintiff in 1374;
Ibid. R. 456, m. 598 d. William le
Walsh died on 22 Sept. 1393, holding a
messuage, 50 acres of arable land, &c.,
called Arley, of William de Bradshagh,
lord of the manor of Blackrod, by the rent
of 1d. or a pair of gloves; the clear value
was 5 marks. Joan, the daughter and heir,
was ten years of age. The estate also included a messuage and land in Standish;
Lanes. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.), i, 49. |
| 31 |
a In 1362 William le Walsh of Arley
granted to Robert son of Edmund de
Standish all his lands, &c, in Blackrod
and Worthington, together with the dower
which Ellen his mother held in the same;
Standish D. (reprinted from Local Glean.
Lanes. and Ches.), no. 51*. In the 16th
and 17th centuries the Standishes of Standish had lands in Blackrod, held of the
heirs of Sir James Harrington (e.g. Duchy
of Lane. Inq. p.m. viii, no 21; Lanes. Inq.
p.m. [Rec. Soc], i, 185); but there was
also a family of Standish of Arley, probably
descendants of the above-named Robert.
About 1442–5 James Standish of Arley
was charged with waylaying certain persons in order to kill them; Oliver his
brother and others were implicated; Pal.
of Lane. Plea R. 4, m. 4b; R. 5, m. 16;
R. 8, m. 2. The same James Standish
occurs also in the Standish D., e.g. no. 131,
138. In 1459–60 he had licence to erect
a mill-dam on the Douglas; ibid. no. 146,
148. His son Peter was a year or two
later divorced from Katherine daughter
of John Hawarden; ibid. no. 149. A
feoffment of lands in Blackrod, &c, was
made by Peter Standish in 1465; ibid.no.
151. Peter Standish, James, his son and
heir, and Constance the wife of James,
occur in 1483; ibid. no. 169–70. James
and Constance occur again in 1513; ibid,
no. 218, 222; he died in or before 1525;
ibid, no 281. Peter Standish of Arley
occurs in 1581; Kuerden MSS. iii, W, 31.
An Alexander Rigby of Arley appears in
1564; Standish D. no. 317–18; see also
Ducatus Lanc. (Rec. Com.), iii, 116.
Arley Hall was a century ago owned
by J. Chisnall Johnson. At present it is
the property of the trustees of the late
Colonel Fell and Gidiow Fell his son,
having been part of the estate of James
Gidiow. |
| 32 |
In 1540 Clemency Norris, widow,
granted to her son Thomas and Anne his
wife her house called Park Hall in
Blackrod; Norris D. (B.M.). Edward
Norris, the son of Thomas and Anne, in
1572 leased to his brother Henry the
Mytingreaves in Blackrod; ibid. Edward
died in or before 1578, and left a son
William of Staple Inn, in 1584, and Park
Hall was surrendered to Edward Norris of
Speke; ibid. Alice widow of Henry
Norris of Blackrod made a feoffment of
her estate in 1580; Add. MS. 32109, fol.
123b, 124. William Norris of Blackrod,
'esquire,' is named in 1598; and in 1609
George Norris of Blackrod, 'yeoman,' purchased a tenement lately in the occupation of Dorothy widow of James Rigby;
Norris D.; see also Ducatus Lanc. (Rec.
Com.), iii, 35, 98.
The estate of William Norris of Blackrod was confiscated by the Parliament in
1652; Peacock, Index of Royalists (Index
Soc), 43. He afterwards desired to compound, and showed that he held lands in
Blackrod and Adlington; after his death
the inheritance would go to Thomas,
infant son of George Abbot of Heapey;
Royalist Comp. Papers (Rec. Soc.Lancs. and
Ches.), iv, 230–1. |
| 33 |
Isabel wife of Robert de Worsley and
widow of John de Worthington in 1376
claimed dower in an estate in Blackrod
held by William de Worthington; De
Banco R. 462, m. 235.
Thomas Fleetwood of Norbreck died in
1576, holding lands in Blackrod of the
queen as of her manor of East Greenwich
—being the chantry estate—and left a son
Edward.
Roger Shepherd, who died in 1601, also
held lands in Blackrod as of the manor of
East Greenwich; he left a son Thurstan,
fourteen years of age; Lancs. Inq. p.m.
(Rec. Soc. Lanes, and Ches.), i, 71–3,
where his will was printed. The Shepherd
family occur a century earlier; Duchy
Plead. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i,
51–3.
Arthur Holme (Hulme) in 1603 held a
messuage and lands in socage of the manor
of East Greenwich; his heir was his
nephew George, son of James Holme;
Lancs. Inq. p.m. i, 71. Hugh Whittle,
clerk, in 1622 held lands by a similar
tenure; ibid, iii, 305.
William Fleetwood of Eyton, in Bedford,
had in 1574 made a settlement of his
estate in Blackrod; Pal. of Lane. Feet of
F. bdle. 36, m. 51. Afterwards he appears
to have sold it to Peter Nelson of Heskin,
coal and coal mines being included; Pal.
of Lane. Plea. R. 272, m. 5 d. A further
settlement was made in 1591 by Hugh
Nelson, Dorothy his wife, John Nelson,
James Robinson and Alice his wife; Hugh
and John were the sons of Peter Nelson,
and had an elder brother William; Pal. of
Lane. Feet of F. bdle. 53, m. 52.
Thomas Molyneux of Speke had an
estate in Blackrod by grant of the Norrises;
see Norris D. and Pal. of Lane. Feet of F.
bdle. 22, m. 35.
Edward Holden held a messuage and
lands of the king in socage by a rent of
5½d.; he died in 1620, leaving a son
Henry, of full age; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec.
Soc. Lanes, and Ches.), ii, 236. Henry
died 10 Sept. 1636, leaving a son William,
eleven years of age, to succeed him;
Towneley MS. C, 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), fol.
517.
John Crompton, who died in 1629, also
held lands of the king; Elishahis son and
heir was nineteen years of age; ibid. 241.
George Hulme, George Shorrock, and
— Longworth, were freeholders in 1600;
Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 249,
250. |
| 34 |
Royalist Comp. Papers iv, 29. It is
called 'the manor or seigniory of Park
Hall in Blackrod.' His estate was confiscated under the third Act of 1652;
Peacock, Index of Royalists, 43. The
estate of Henry Ashton of Blackrod was
ordered to be sold under the same Act;
ibid. 42.
George Janion was born about 1609,
being the son of Dr. 'Jennion' and Ellen
his wife, daughter and co-heir of George
Rogerley of Park Hall, who recorded a
pedigree in 1613; Visit. (Chet. Soc), 13.
The Norris deeds show that George
Rogerley in 1608 purchased an estate in
Blackrod which had just been sold by Sir
William Norris to Cuthbert Clifton.
John Genyon, gentleman, was a recusant in 1678; Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv,
App. iv, 109. Ralph Vauce was the purchaser in 1654. From the Visitation of
1664 it appears that the above-named Ellen
afterwards married Lawrence Worthington, but had no issue by him; Dugdale,
Visit. (Chet. Soc), 342. |
| 34 |
a James Barker of Blackrod, yeoman,
compounded for his estate of 3 acres by a
fine of £10; his delinquency was that he
had gone into the king's quarters and
stayed there, but he took the Negative
Oath in 1646 and also the National Covenant; Royalist Comp. Papers, i, 133.
By a lease of 1596 Edward Norris of
Speke granted to James Barker of Blackrod, John his son, and Jane the wife of
John, the tenement which James Barker
already held; the services included one day
ploughing with a team, one day harrowing,
one day leading of compost with a team,
and six days gleaning in harvest time;
Norris D. (B.M.). John Barker became
the owner in 1609; ibid. Richard Barker
at the same time purchased his holding;
ibid.
George Mort of Blackrod, who had also
taken the oaths, was allowed to compound
for a fine of £46; Royalist Comp. Papers,
iv, 195; Dugdale, Visit. 211.
Adam Mort of Tyldesley and Thomas
his son in 1609 purchased from Sir
William Norris a tenement lately held by
George Hulme, deceased, and Katharine
Hulme; Norris D. (B.M.). |
| 35 |
They were Elizabeth widow of William Brown; Ellen widow of John Shepherd; and James Makinson; Estcourt
and Payne, Cath. Nonjurors, 106, 152–3.
Thomas Gillibrand of Chorley was in
1734 found to have an estate in Blackrod;
Piccope MSS. (Chet. Lib.), iii, fol. 252
(from Roll 5 of Geo. II, at Preston). |
| 36 |
Plac. de Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.), 375. |
| 37 |
Kuerden MSS. v, fol. 84; the rent
was 12d. |
| 38 |
See the account of Manchester
Church. There are many references to
the family in the Norris D. (B.M.); the
name is spelt in a great variety of ways,
e.g. Vails, Vauce, Wawse, &c. In 1605
Sir William Norris sold to Edward Vause
of Blackrod the tenement lately held by
Alexander, the father of Edward, with the
usual moss-room, quarries, and delphs of
coal and stone, &c.; the Red Moss is
mentioned. Four years later Sir William
sold to John Vose son of Ralph the tenement in Blackrod he then held. |
| 39 |
Returns at Preston; together they
paid over a quarter of the tax. |
| 40 |
Lich. Epis. Reg. iii, fol. 52. The
licence of the prebendary of Bolton had
been obtained. The endowment consisted of two messuages, 62 acres of land,
8 acres of meadow, and 10 acres of wood
in Blackrod, with appurtenances, including
turbary. The chaplain was to have charge
of the chalices, books, &c, and was to pay
to the parish church of Bolton all great
tithes, &c., according to custom. Should
the chantry fall vacant after Easter and
before the collection of autumn fruits, the
new chaplain should receive the moiety of
such fruits, together with four oxen and
two horses and a plough.
The royal licence to alienate in mortmain was granted in 1335; Cal. Pat.
1334–8, p. 122. |
| 41 |
Henry de Wakefield, 1349; Raines,
Chantries (Chet. Soc), i, 128. On his
resignation in 1376 John le Archer was
admitted; Lich. Epis. Reg. iv, fol. 88.
In 14.99 Hugh Holme was admitted in
place of James Culcheth, deceased; ibid,
xiii, fol. 232. Hugh Holme was there in
1535; Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), v, 226.
The patrons were the Bradshaws and
Harringtons. On the division of the
estates the chapel, as already stated, became part of the Hoghton share. In
Aug. 1542 Sir Richard Hoghton claimed
to present to the 'free chapel of Blackrod' (Pal. of Lanc. Writs Proton. 34
Hen. VIII), but it appears that Sir Alexander Radcliffe and others had presented
in the preceding June, George Robinson
being then instituted on the death of Hugh
Holme; Raines, Chantries, loc. cit. (from
Chester Consistory Records). Sir Richard's
claim appears to have been justified, for
in Oct. 1543 his nominee was instituted—
Ralph Forster; ibid. |
| 42 |
Ibid. 125–9. The chapel is described
ai 'standing upon the King's Street between Lancaster and London,' and 5 miles
from Bolton Church.
The chantry lands were in 1553 sold
to Edward Spany of Tunstall in Norfolk,
and he at once sold to Thomas Fleetwood,
of whose property an account has been
given above; Pat. 7 Edw. VI, pt. xi;
deed recited in Pal. of Lane. Plea R. 272,
m. 6. The 'Chantry Fields' were in
1882 in the possession of the Marquess de
Rothwell; Hampson, Blackrod, 35. |
| 43 |
Cb. Gds. (Chet. Soc), 31, where it is
treated as if a separate parish church; three
small bells and a hand-bell were the town's
property. The ornaments were sold for
8s. 4d.; Raines, Chantries, ii, 276; for
two of the bells; ibid. 274. |
| 44 |
No curate is mentioned in the Visitation list of 1563; the next curate, 'no
preacher,' known occurs about 1590;
S.P. Dom. Eliz. xxxi, no. 47. No name
is given. In 1592 the churchwardens had
not exhibited any presentments; Lancs,
and Ches. Antiq. Soc. xiii, 57. |
| 45 |
Common-wealth Cb. Surv. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), 33. The commissioners recommended that Blackrod should
be made a parish church. Half the tithes
were in 1648 ordered to be paid to the
minister; Plund. Mins. Accts. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs, and Ches.), i, 62. Nothing was
decided as to the separation of Blackrod
from Bolton; ibid, ii, 226. |
| 46 |
Gastrell, Notitia Cestr. (Chet. Soc),
ii, 15–17. The Duchy rent is given as
£4 4s. 1½d., and £16 6s. 6d. was the
interest of the chapel stock. There was
one warden. |
| 47 |
Raines, loc. cit. (in notes). |
| 48 |
Lond. Gaz. 2 Aug. 1858. |
| 49 |
Mancb. Dioc. Dir. |
| 50 |
Visitation List at Chester Dioc. Reg. |
| 51 |
Ibid. No curate's name occurs in
the clerical subsidy lists of the time. |
| 52 |
He was a Royalist, but after being
ejected from Mottram near Stockport
(Earwaker, East Ches. ii, 128–30), appears to have conformed to the Presbyterian discipline, and was in charge of
Blackrod from the end of 1646 to 1651,
when he moved to Cockerham and afterwards to Burton in Kendal, conforming in
1662; Bury Classis (Chet. Soc), 18, &c,
219–20. In 1650 he was described as 'a
painful, godly, and orthodox minister, and
a man of pious life and conversation';
Commonwealth Ch. Surv. 34. |
| 53 |
William Hilton seems to have intruded himself during the vacancy; Bury
Classis, i, 127.
Thomas Isherwood (Christ's Coll.
Camb.) was ordained to Blackrod in 1654;
ibid. 136, &c. He was vicar of Eccles
1671–8. |
| 54 |
Note by Mr. Earwaker. At the visitation in 1671 it was presented that there
were fourteen Papists, and that the Rigbys
were Quakers. |
| 55 |
Ibid. The curacy appears to have
been vacant in 1689 and 1691. |
| 56 |
The Church P. at Chester Dioc. Reg.
are available from this point. |
| 57 |
One of this name was B.A. 1727.
Brasenose Col. Oxf.; Foster, Alumni. |
| 58 |
Became vicar of Eccles. |
| 59 |
From this time the curates and vicars
are stated to have been presented by the
vicars of Bolton; see Hampson, Blackrod,
57. |
| 60 |
Previously incumbent of Walmsley. |
| 61 |
Previously vicar of Great Marsden,
1882, and of St. Augustine's, Bolton, 1893. |
| 62 |
Gastrell, Notitia, ii, 16; End. Char.
Refi. for Bolton, 1904. |
| 63 |
It was addressed by Roger Haydock
in 1674. |