MARSDEN
Merkesden, 1195; Merclesden, Merkelstene, 1242;
Merclisden, 1258.
The township of Marsden is or was divided into
two parts, Great Marsden, at one time called Aske
Marsden, (fn. 1) with an area of 3,108 acres, and Little
Marsden to the south-west, with an area of 1,581
acres—4,689 acres in all. The boundaries are to a
great extent marked by streams. Colne Water is the
northern boundary, and flows into Pendle Water,
which forms the western one; Great and Little
Marsden are separated by Walverden Water, flowing
north-west to join Pendle Water near Reedyford,
while Catlow Brook, an affluent of the Walverden,
forms the southern boundary of Great Marsden. On
the north-east the brook flowing down Foxclough
divides Marsden from Trawden and part of Colne.
In Great Marsden, Shelfield in the south-east attains
1,110 ft. above sea level, and the surface descends
from it to the bounding streams in all directions
except the south-east, on which side after some fall
higher levels are attained on the moorlands, 1,117 ft.
near the Deerstones, and 1,200 ft. on Willy Moor.
In Little Marsden, in the south-east, an elevation of
900 ft. above the sea is reached near Marsden Height,
from which point the surface descends in all directions.
The lowest ground is of course along the streams
forming the north and west boundaries, the fall of
the water being from 450 ft. at Colne to 375 ft. at
Reedyford and 320 ft. at the border of Reedley.
In Great Marsden near the centre is Marsden
Hall with the ancient earthwork known as Castercliff (fn. 2) to the north-east; further away are Birchenley
and Lenches, this last being by Waterside Bridge,
where there is a crossing into Colne. (fn. 3) East and
south-east of the hall are Slitterforth and Shelfield;
to the south are Townhouse, Southfield and Catlow;
to the west Hendon and Bradley; to the northwest Lee and Swinden; and to the north White
Walls, Grindlestone Hurst and Whackersall, this
last being near Primet Bridge, another passage into
Colne. In Little Marsden the village of Marsden is
or was a little north of the centre: it has been
absorbed in the town of Nelson, growing up to the
north-west; Linedred is to the west. Another town
is Brierfield in the south-west; this has Limefield and
Chamber Hill to the north and west; Lane End
and Catlow Row to the east, with Scholefield,
Marsden Height and Finsley further away. Walverden Reservoir has been formed at the junction of
Catlow and Walverden Brooks.
Owing to the progress of the cotton manufacture,
Colne has extended itself into the northern part of
Marsden, while the new town of Nelson has grown
up in the west; and in 1894 the old township was
dissolved, about 430 acres being added to Colne, and
the remainder divided between the new townships of
Nelson (3,464 acres) and Brierfield (807 acres). (fn. 4)
The population of the former Marsden was 44,045
in 1901, including 3,945 in Colne, 32,717 in
Nelson, and 7,383 in Brierfield. (fn. 5)
The principal road is that from Burnley through
Brierfield and Nelson to Colne; from Brierfield a
road goes west by Quakers' Bridge into Pendle, and
from Nelson one goes north by New Bridge to
Barrowford. Other roads go east from the same
places. The Accrington and Colne branch of the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway also passes through
Brierfield and Nelson, with stations at these places.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal also winds north
through Brierfield and Nelson, passing into Barrowford over an aqueduct near Swinden. Tramcars run
constantly between Burnley, Nelson and Barrowford;
electric traction was adopted in 1902.
In addition to the staple manufactures of cotton
and worsted goods there are minor industries, such as
brewing, quarrying, corn milling, the making of soap,
confectionery, bricks and sanitary pipes and iron
foundries. A newspaper called the Nelson (or Brierfield) Leader is published weekly. The agricultural
land is almost entirely used for pasture, the return
showing (fn. 6) :
|
| Arable land ac. | Permanent grass ac. | Woods and plantations ac. |
| Nelson | 19½ | 2,564½ | 20 |
| Brierfield | 17 | 425 | — |
There were formerly coal mines in the northeast and north of the township at Foxclough and
Swinden. (fn. 7)
The towns of Brierfield and Nelson have grown
up near the canal and along the road from Burnley
to Colne. Nelson is also on the older road between
the same places, and at the place where the northward road branched off; it has spread south to
include Lomeshaye and east over Bradley. As stated
more fully below, it is now a municipal borough.
Brierfield, which obtained a local board in 1868, (fn. 8)
has been an urban district since 1894, with a council
of twelve members chosen equally from the East,
West, North and South Wards.
One of the Pendle witches of 1634, Margaret
Johnson, a widow aged sixty, confessed that she first
met her 'familiar' in Marsden. (fn. 9) There was a cross
in Little Marsden; 'Walton Spire' is a monolith
on Shelfield. (fn. 10)
The Colne sewage works are on the north-west
border of the township.
Manors
There does not appear to have been any
manor of MARSDEN, (fn. 11) Great Marsden
being part of Colne, and Little Marsden
of Ightenhill, and tenanted by copyholders. The first
inhabitants to come into notice are Peter, Richard
and Osbert de Marsden, who in 1194–5 were fined
for some fault of Uvieth, for whom they were pledges. (fn. 12)
The value of Great Marsden to the lord of Clitheroe
was estimated at £5 2s. in 1241, Little Marsden
rendering £2 11s. (fn. 13) In 1251 Marsden was named
in the grant of free warren to Edmund de Lacy, (fn. 14)
and this right was defended in 1292. (fn. 15) At the death
of Edmund de Lacy in 1258 it was found that there
were in Marsden 6 oxgangs of land, each of 9 acres,
rendering 4d. an acre; the tenants of each oxgang
were bound to plough one perch of land yearly and
to reap for three days in autumn, each of these
services being valued at 1½d.; the total value was
thus 19s. 6d. One free tenant is named, Robert de
Marsden, who held 31 acres of land by charter, each
acre being worth 4d. (fn. 16) In 1296 the farm of Little
Marsden was 79s. 0½d., and 14d. was paid for works
remitted (fn. 17) ; a slight increase is shown in the account
for 1305. (fn. 18)
The inquest of 1311 taken after the death of
Henry de Lacy shows that there were 16 oxgangs of
land held in bondage in Marsden, 12½ in Great and
3½ in Little Marsden by twelve and four customary
tenants, and that each oxgang rendered 3s. as in
1258. The earl also had 335 acres in Great Marsden
let to tenants at will at 4d. an acre, and 243½ acres
in Little Marsden, let similarly. Cottars held four
tofts at will at 6d. each in the former part of the
township, and in the latter part two cottars held two
cottages at 4d. each. The customary tenants paid
6s. 3d. and 14d. respectively for works remitted, and
those in Great Marsden paid 10½d. for the fishery
there. (fn. 19) In a rental of 1527 the rents amount to
£7 15s. 9½d., perhaps for Little Marsden alone. (fn. 20)
In 1553 inquiry was made as to improving the
wastes near Colne called Castle Townfields and
Grindlestone Hurst. (fn. 21)
A number of free tenancies were created from
time to time, but it is not possible to give a clear
account of them. Robert de Lacy gave an oxgang of
land in Great Marsden to William de Vescy son of
Eustace Fitz John, his uncle, before 1183, (fn. 22) and also
gave 2 oxgangs of land there to the Cluniac Priory
of St. John, Pontefract. (fn. 23) These oxgangs were later
held by Robert Mey, who surrendered his claim in
them to the priory, (fn. 24) as did his son William. (fn. 25)
Edmund de Lacy in 1258, on granting Barnside to
the priory, confirmed the gift of 2 oxgangs of land in
Marsden made by William de Vescy. (fn. 26) After the
suppression of monasteries this land was sold by the
Crown to Richard Crombleholme of Dutton in 1543. (fn. 27)
One or more families took a surname from the
township. (fn. 28) Henry Duke of Lancaster in 1352, in
reward for the good service of Richard de Walton,
his stock-keeper in Blackburnshire, confirmed Richard's
tenements, with remainders to John son of Alice de
Rossendale, James his brother and Joan their sister,
and granted a modified charter in 1354, naming
lands in Colne and Marsden, including Whackersall
and Northman Hill. (fn. 29) The Waltons were long connected with Marsden, (fn. 30) and the residence called the
Hall belonged to them, having been rebuilt in 1740
by Henry Walton, who inherited the lordship of
Altham from his mother. (fn. 31) It is now owned by
Mrs. Haworth of Altham. The Banastres also held
lands in Great Marsden. (fn. 32)
Adam son of Nicholas de Holden in 1311 gave to
Richard de Marsden, clerk, perhaps as trustee, lands
at CATLOW in the vill of Marsden demised to him
by Robert de Catlow, who attested the charter. (fn. 33)
Robert and Adam de Catlow occur in 1332. (fn. 34) In
1435 all the lands Sir Nicholas Radcliffe had of the
gift of Sir Richard Radcliffe of Clitheroe at Catlow
in Marsden, he granted to Sir Richard's son James
Radcliffe. (fn. 35) This James in 1449 granted his manor
of Catlow and lands in Marsden and Scholfield to
Richard Radcliffe of Clitheroe. (fn. 36) William Radcliffe
of Winmarleigh had land in Great Marsden at his
death in 1561, (fn. 37) and it descended to Sir Gilbert
Gerard, who had lands at Chamber in Little Marsden
also. (fn. 38) In the 17th century a family named Sagar (fn. 39)
was established at Catlow in Great Marsden and
continued to hold it till recently. William Sagar
died in 1616 holding a messuage at Catlow, &c., of
the king as duke in socage; his heir was his grandson Henry Walton, aged six. (fn. 40) Another Sagar family
had land at Southfield, (fn. 41) where in 1407 William
Marsden of Swinden gave Henry his son land called
'The Six-acre' (fn. 42) ; Henry in 1432 gave it to his son
Richard. (fn. 43) William Sagar of Southfield, who died in
1809, and Richard Sagar were strong supporters of
the Methodist movement in this district. (fn. 44) Mr.
William Berry is the present owner of Southfield
House.
SWINDEN was another estate sometimes called a
manor or lordship. (fn. 45) John de Lacy, constable of
Chester, granted Adam de Swinden 16 acres of land
in Great Marsden in fee at a rent of 5s. 4d. for all
services. (fn. 46) John de Marsden in 1323 held a field
called Swinden by charter, paying 17s. 6d. for all
services. (fn. 47) John Banastre of Wakefield in 1427
agreed with Christopher Marsden respecting the
manor of Swinden; John's title was acknowledged,
but Christopher was to hold it for life. (fn. 48) Henry
Banastre, Alice his wife and Robert his son and
heir in 1565 sold two messuages in Marsden to
John Halsted, (fn. 49) and John Halsted of Swinden had
John de Lacy's charter in his keeping in 1660. (fn. 50)
The same grantor gave 12 acres in Heggengrene to
Adam de Swinden in fee at the rent of 4d. an acre;
in 1655 the owners were Lawrence Robinson and
Richard Hartley of Wycoller. (fn. 51) In 1693 Swinden
Hall was in the possession of William Hargreaves,
and in 1719 was acquired by James Folds of Trawden,
from whom it descended to Mary Folds, living a
century ago. (fn. 52)
The Towneley family (fn. 53) and others also had estates
in Great Marsden. (fn. 54) Henry Mancknowles died in
1561 holding the messuage called Townhouse with
40 acres of land; his son John was sixty-five years of
age. (fn. 55) The estate of Henry Mancknowles, 'Papist,'
was sequestered by the Commonwealth authorities. (fn. 56)
Lawrence Mancknowles of Townhouse was a benefactor to the poor of Colne. (fn. 57) Edmund son and heir
of John Parker of Colne in 1443 released land at
Birchinley to Lawrence Lister of Middop. (fn. 58) Henry
Farrer in 1597 claimed from various persons the
expenses incurred in obtaining a decree about the
wastes of Marsden, according to agreement. (fn. 59) Bradley
was the subject of a dispute in 1598. (fn. 60)
Little Marsden contained part of the Radcliffe
of Winmarleigh estate called 'Chamber in Pendle,'
now marked by Chamber Hill. (fn. 61) Families named
Legh had Linedred and Claverhole, and were in the
former succeeded by the Towneleys. (fn. 62) Coldweather
House was in 1586 in dispute between Thomas and
Henry Willisill. (fn. 63) Lawrence Townley of Barnside
died in 1623 holding messuages in Little Marsden
of the king in socage by a rent of one rose yearly. (fn. 64)
Lower Lomeshaye and Reedyford at one time
belonged to the Banisters of Park Hill in Barrowford. (fn. 65) The former is the property of Mr. W. Farrer
Ecroyd, in whose family it has continued for nearly
200 years. Reedyford House is owned by Mr. H.
Tunstill, and Edgend, long the estate of the
Hargreaves family, by Mr. Edward Ecroyd.
The lord of Clitheroe had a mill at Walverden in
1311. (fn. 66) Some time before 1482 Richard Towneley
made a corn-mill called Walverden Mill within the
lordship of Colne, and had the tenants to grind there
to the loss of the king's mills at Colne and Burnley.
Hence Lord Strange was commanded to see that
none but the king's mills should be used by the
tenants. (fn. 67) In 1495 John Towneley was forbidden
to use the mill for grinding corn or malt, but the
king granted him a lease of the Colne Mills for
fourteen years. (fn. 68)
The following contributed to subsidies for their
lands:—In 1524 Nicholas Legh, John Kippax,
John Hargreaves, John Wilson, Henry Walton and
Lawrence Legh. (fn. 69) In 1543 John Higgin, Richard
Kippax, Lawrence Legh, Henry Walton and Lawrence Towneley. (fn. 70) In 1564 John Taylor and
William Hartley. (fn. 71) In 1597 Alexander Banister
and George Hartley. (fn. 72) In 1626 William Hartley
and Ambrose Walton. (fn. 73)
Marsden in 1666 had 240 hearths liable to the
tax. There was no very large house, but Giles
Hammond's had eight hearths, George Hartley's of
Bradley six, and the following five each: Richard
Hargreaves, John Halsted, Lawrence Hargreaves,
Miles Whitaker, Henry Walton and William
Hargreaves. (fn. 74)
Borough
As already stated the town of
NELSON has sprung up at the
junction of the old roads between
Burnley and Colne, a crossing being formed by the
road north through Barrowford. At this point an inn
called the 'Lord Nelson'
existed as early as 1818, (fn. 75) and
it gave a name to the town
which grew up owing to the
rapid development of the
textile trade. (fn. 76) In 1864 a
local board was formed for
'the district of Nelson,' (fn. 77) and
directly afterwards the existing
gas-works were purchased (fn. 78)
and waterworks were established. (fn. 79) In 1890 a charter
of incorporation was granted;
under it the town is governed
by a mayor, six aldermen and
eighteen councillors, chosen
by the six wards into which the area is divided, viz.
Central, Whitefield, Bradley, Netherfield, Walverden,
and Southfield. A coat of arms has been granted.
The corporation possesses a town hall, begun in 1882
and greatly enlarged; a park, 1888–97; market
hall, 1889; free library, opened 1890, building
1895 and 1908; technical school, 1895; electric
light and power works, 1902 (fn. 80) ; sewage works, 1893;
cemetery, 1895. There is a smallpox hospital at
Catlow, built in 1902. A separate commission of
the peace was granted in 1893. (fn. 81) In the same year
a school board was formed. The police belong to
the county constabulary, but the fire brigade is the
town's. In addition to the public buildings, schools
and churches, Nelson has political club-houses, banks
and a theatre.
Borough of Nelson. Azure on a cheveron argent between two sprigs of the cotton-tree in chief and a fleece in base or two reed-hooks cheveronwise proper.
Church
A small chapel existed at Marsden
before the Reformation, its chalice being
seized by the Crown about 1547. (fn. 82)
Whitaker describes it as 'a very poor and mean
structure, apparently of the age of Henry VIII, and
with the cipher IHS on the little belfry. In the
yard was a very large block of freestone, the base of a
cross.' (fn. 83) It was secured for the inhabitants (fn. 84) and
served by the curate of Colne, but used only
occasionally, (fn. 85) though a small endowment belonged to
it. (fn. 86) In 1809 it was pulled down and rebuilt, and at
the next vacancy at Colne a resident incumbent was
appointed. (fn. 87) It is called St. Paul's, Little Marsden,
and has a net income of £348. (fn. 88) A district was
assigned to it in 1877. (fn. 89) The Hulme Trustees are
patrons.
The following have been curates and vicars:—
|
| 1814 | John Hutchinson |
| 1852 | Thomas Molineux Jackson, M.A. (Brasenose Coll., Oxf.) |
| 1864 | James Wilson Taylor, M.A. (Brasenose Coll., Oxf.) |
| 1876 | Horatio Bentley, M.A. (Brasenose Coll., Oxf.) |
| 1891 | Henry Joseph Stephens, B.A. (Brasenose Coll., Oxf.) |
| 1898 | Herbert Taylor, M.A. (fn. 90) (Brasenose Coll., Oxf.) |
More recent churches and patrons are: St. John
the Evangelist's, Great Marsden, 1848, (fn. 91) the Crown
and the Bishop of Manchester alternately; St. Luke's,
Brierfield, 1872, (fn. 92) the Bishop of Manchester; St.
Mary's, Nelson, 1879, (fn. 93) five trustees; and St.
Philip's, Nelson, 1902, the Bishop of Manchester.
To Great Marsden belong the mission churches of
Holy Trinity, Primet Bridge and St. James,
Waterside.
Methodism has long been represented in Marsden.
The Wesleyan Methodists now have four churches
at Nelson and one at Brierfield (fn. 94) ; the Primitive
Methodists two at Nelson and another at Brierfield;
the Methodist Free Church and the Independent
Methodists each one at Nelson.
The Congregationalists in 1837 built Providence
Chapel on Marsden Height, the result of services
begun in 1835. Evening services were begun at
Brierfield in 1873, where a school-chapel was opened
in 1878, when the old chapel ceased to be used,
except as a school. (fn. 95) At Nelson services were begun
in 1865 and soon afterwards Hope Chapel was built,
which has been succeeded by the present church in
Manchester Road, begun in 1884. The old building
was sold in 1890. (fn. 96) A second church has been opened
more recently.
The Baptists have three churches at Nelson, the
earliest dating from 1874, and another at Brierfield.
The Society of Friends has had members in
Marsden since about 1660. (fn. 97) A meeting-place on
Marsden Height was erected early in the 18th
century. (fn. 98) It was afterwards converted into cottages,
when the new Meeting House was erected near
Edgend about the year 1760. (fn. 99)
The Roman Catholic church of St. Joseph, Nelson,
was built in 1897, having been preceded by a schoolchapel in 1883 (fn. 100) ; St. Saviour's, Bradley, was opened
in 1898, and there is a cemetery chapel, All Souls',
which is used for service. At Walverden is a chapel
of ease, St. George's, 1899, served from St. Joseph's.
There are two convents, those of the Franciscan
Sisters and St. Joseph's Foreign Missionary Sisters.
The mission of Holy Trinity, Brierfield, was established from Nelson in 1895–6.