MAWDESLEY
Moudesley, 1288; Moudeslegh, 1302; Maudsley, 1327.
This township, which was formerly closely connected with Croston, has an area of 2,934 acres, (fn. 1) and
the population in 1901 was 969. In the west and
north the moss-land is below the 25 ft. level, the
surface rising to 160 ft. above the ordnance datum on
the south-east border. The principal hamlet is at
Hurst Green, near the centre; another, called the
Nook, lies to the north-east. Black Moor is in the
south-west.
The chief road is that passing north-east and north
through the two hamlets mentioned; another road
near the Douglas, which forms the western boundary,
goes to Rufford, crossing the river at White Bridge.
Near the same place the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Company's railway from Liverpool to Preston passes
through a corner of Mawdesley.
The soil is a stiff clay, with subsoil of marl and
clay. Wheat, oats and beans are grown. Basketmaking and willow-growing have been important
industries for some fifty years. Mawdesley grown
rods, which are raised on dry, not marshy, land, have
obtained a reputation in the trade for strength. (fn. 2)
Mawdesley is governed by a parish council.
There are remains of ancient crosses at Hurst
Green and near the border of Eccleston. The latter
is called Robin Hood's Cross, and has a well near it. (fn. 3)
Near the eastern boundary is a place called Blue
Stone; about a mile to the south is a saline spring,
known as Salt Pit. (fn. 4)
Charles Leigh about 1700 noticed a sulphur water
spring at Humblescough Green in Mawdesley. (fn. 5)
In 1666 there were ninety-three hearths recorded
in the hearth tax list. The chief house was that of
Mr. Mawdesley, with eleven hearths; no other had
as many as six. (fn. 6)
Manor
The manor of MAWDESLEY was
anciently joined with that of Croston, (fn. 7)
and had identically the same history until
a century ago, when the moieties of both were held by
Hesketh and Trafford. The moiety of Mawdesley,
however, was not sold by Sir T. D. Hesketh together
with his moiety of Croston; and thus the present
lords of the manor are Sir Thomas George Fermor
Hesketh of Rufford and Mr. Sigismund Cathcart de
Trafford of Croston. Manor courts are held annually.
The townships having been thus closely connected,
Mawdesley being sometimes described as a hamlet of
Croston, (fn. 8) those who held land in the one usually held
it in the other, but some of
the resident freeholders seem
to have assumed the local
name. (fn. 9) One of these families
about the 16th century became prominent, (fn. 10) and their
house was known as Mawdesley Hall. Pedigrees were
recorded in 1613 (fn. 11) and 1664. (fn. 12)
The estate descended to the
Rev. Thomas Mawdesley, who
died in or before 1737, (fn. 13) and
his executors then sold it to
Alexander Kershaw, who
resided in the adjacent township of Heskin. (fn. 14) In 1870 it was sold by the Kershaw
trustees to William Bretherton, who died in 1890,
and has descended to his son the Rev. H. W.
Bretherton, rector of Eccleston. (fn. 15)
Mawdesley. Sable on a cheveron between three pickaxes argent as many annulets of the field.
Mawdesley Hall is situated at the north end of the
village at the top of an outcrop of red sandstone rock,
some 10 or 12 ft. above the road, from which it
stands back a distance of about twenty yards. The
house, which faces south, is of two stories, of the H
type of plan, originally built in the 17th century,
but much altered towards the end of the 18th or
beginning of the 19th century, the central hall being
of the first date and the two wings of the second.
A low lean-to building has also been added in
modern times at the back between the wings.
The central portion, which is of timber and plaster
on a low stone base, measures about 30 ft. across
outside, and like the rest of the house is of two
stories, the upper one projecting and carried by
carved brackets and a plaster cove. There is also a
cove under the eaves, but the 'half timber work' in
the upper part of the wall is paint on plaster, and the
windows are modern casements. The ground floor,
however, retains its original 17th-century timber
framing and doorway, one-half of its length, on the
west, being occupied by a large mullioned and transomed window. The west wing, which projects 8 ft.,
is built in red sandstone with yellow stone dressings
and chamfered quoins, and the windows have architraves
and keystones and corbelled sills. The east wing has
a projection of 9 ft. and is of brick with stone quoins
and plain square-headed windows, but the plainness
of its appearance is concealed by ivy. The roofs,
which are covered with stone slates, are hipped back
from the wings on the front elevation with very good
effect, but have gables at the back. The general
appearance of the house is one of much picturesqueness, the contrast of colour in the materials used being
very happy.
Mawdesley Hall
The central wing has a door at the east end opening
into a lobby, beyond which are the staircase and the
door to the hall on the left. The hall, which has a
flagged floor, is 21 ft. 3 in. long, 17 ft. 8 in. wide,
and 9 ft. 3 in. high, and is lighted on the south side by
a long window of eleven lights. The ceiling is divided
into three bays of unequal width by two round-chamfered oak beams, one at either side of the fireplace,
with supporting brackets to the wall posts. The
walls are wainscoted in oak on three sides to a
height of 6 ft. 8 in. in three stages, the west wall
alone being left plain, except for a panelled dado
2 ft. high. On the lintel of the doorway are the
letters W.M. for William Mawdesley. The same
initials with the date 1625 are cut in the stone
head of the fireplace. The fireplace is 8 ft. 4 in.
wide, making the middle ceiling bay of much greater
width than the others. Over the fireplace is a large
plaster panel of rather rough workmanship, (fn. 16) with a
shield bearing the Mawdesley arms with helm, crest,
and mantling, together with the date 1655 and the
initials R.M. for Robert Mawdesley. The different
dates and initials would seem to show that the hall
was originally erected by William Mawdesley, and
that alterations were being made before his death
(1659) by his son Robert. Except for the hall, the
interior of the house has little interest, the end wings
being comparatively modern, though some of the old
doors with their original furniture are retained. The
timber framing of the central wing shows on the
north elevation above the lean-to roof of the addition,
together with the old stone chimney of the hall, but
the framing is of a purely constructional character. The
gables at the back are quite plain, without barge-boards.
The garden in front of the house has a stone fence
wall with good moulded coping and is approached
directly from the road by a rocky incline and a flight
of eight steps leading to a small wooden gate, which
has a semicircular stone recess on one side, with a stone
bearing the initials of Robert Mawdesley and the date
1653. These steps and the built-up wall of the
garden form a very picturesque feature.
On the north side is a large timber and plaster
barn, probably of the same date as the house.
In addition to the local surname, the names of
Bispham, Germain, Bamford and Rigby occur in the
14th century. (fn. 17) Another noteworthy family of long
continuance was that of Nelson; a pedigree was
recorded in 1613 by the Fairhurst branch. (fn. 18)
Gilbert Nelson died in 1628 holding a messuage
and land of Thomas Ashton, and leaving a son and
heir Richard, seventeen years of age. (fn. 19) Others also
occur in the inquisitions as holding lands of the lords
of the manor. (fn. 20)
Steps to Mawdesley Hall
William de Ferrers died in 1288 holding 2
oxgangs of land in Mawdesley, occupied by John
Banastre, who rendered 40d. yearly. (fn. 21) In later times
the Banastres of Bank held land in the township of
Lord Mounteagle (fn. 22) ; Henry
Finch died in 1641 holding
10 acres of Lord Morley (fn. 23) ;
and other land was held of
the lords of Leylandshire. (fn. 24)
Nelson of Fairhurst. Or a cross patonce sable, over all a bendlet gules.
The freeholders named in
1600 were Robert Mawdesley,
Gilbert Nelson and William
Sharples (fn. 25) ; but the only
landowner in the subsidy roll
of 1628 was William Mawdesley. (fn. 26) A number of the
inhabitants suffered the sequestration of their property under
the Commonwealth, mostly
on account of religion (fn. 27) ; Hugh Waterforth had his
forfeited and sold. (fn. 28) A large number of yeomen
'Papists' registered estates in Mawdesley in 1717. (fn. 29)
In 1789 the principal contributors to the land tax
were the heirs of Alexander Kershaw and those of
Mr. Hesketh. (fn. 30)
In the reign of Elizabeth there was a dispute as to
turbary in the town fields of Croston and Mawdesley. (fn. 31)
For the Church of England St. Peter's was built
in 1840, (fn. 32) and has since been enlarged; the rector
of Croston presents.
There was a Wesleyan chapel built in 1844, (fn. 33) and
replaced in 1905 by a larger edifice.
A school was founded by Thomas Crook of Abram
about 1690. (fn. 34)
The adherents of the Roman Catholic religion
remained numerous after the Reformation, (fn. 35) but no
particulars are available as to means of worship. The
church of SS. Peter and Paul was built in 1830–1.