| 1 |
The Census Rep. 1901 gives 1,038
acres, including 5 of inland water. |
| 2 |
V.C.H. Lancs, i, 288a. |
| 3 |
Farrer, Lancs. Pipe R. 374; dated
between 1159 and 1164. |
| 4 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc.
Lancs, and Ches.), i, 34. In 1202 land
in Elswick was included in the agreement
between Roger de Freckleton and
William de Winwick and Maud his wife,
noticed under Freckleton; Feet of F.
Yorks. 4 John, no. 45.
Richard son of Roger de Freckleton
gave an oxgang of land in Elswick to his
son Richard on his marriage; Kuerden
MSS. iv, F 13. |
| 5 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 152. |
| 6 |
Ibid, ii, 135–6; some of the tenements are calculated. In the accounts
of the Penwortham fee in 1341–2 the
following tenants of Elswick are named:
Adam Banastre, ½ oxgang of land;
Thomat de Bradkirk, the same; William
ton of Ellen; Mins. Accts. bdle. 1091,
po. 6. |
| 7 |
Ralph de Freckleton held the demesne
of Elswick in 1371; Kuerden MSS. iii,
F 3. |
| 8 |
The Singleton part of the manor
descended like Little Singleton to
Banastre, Balderston and their heirs.
William Banastre was in 1323 found
to have had the reversion of a messuage
and 3 oxgangs of land held of Adam
de Freckleton by paying 22½d. towards a
scutage of 40s.—i.e. by three sixty-fourth
parts of a knight's fee; Lancs. Inq. and
Extents, ii, 159. Sir Thomas Banastre
had lands in Elswick in 1379; Lancs.
Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 14.
Elswick was in the time of Henry VIII
enumerated among the Balderston lands
in the inquisitions of Edmund Dudley,
Radcliffe of Winmarleigh, the Earl of
Derby and Sir Alexander Osbaldeston.
The Coppull of Coppull family had
land in Elswick, and this was probably
part of the estate told to the Stanleys;
Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 20, m. 14.
Lord Derby's rental in 1522 shows
101s. 3d. rents of the tenants at will, and
a few other payments. |
| 9 |
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 65,
no. 69; Thomas Lord Ellesmere, Alice
his wife and others were deforciants. |
| 10 |
See the account of Great Eccleston,
and Fishwick, St. Michael's (Chet. Soc.),
189. |
| 11 |
In 1489 John Dicconson and Cecily
hit wife held land in Elswick of Richard
Huddleston (of Freckleton); Pal. of
Lanc. Chan. Misc. bdle. 1, file 10. In
the same year they told to James Clifton;
Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.),
iii, 142.
Cuthbert Clifton died in 1512 holding
in Elswick of Thomas Earl of Derby;
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iv, no. 12.
The later inquisitions of the Cliftons of
Westby give a similar record. |
| 12 |
A William Molyneux of Westhonghton occurs in 1600; Misc. (Rec.
Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 248. |
| 13 |
William Swarbrick of Roseacre died
in 1619 holding land and a corn-mill in
Elswick of William Molyneux in socage
by 10d. rent; also another piece of land
of the king as of his honor of Clitheroe.
John, his son and heir, was twenty years
of age; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs, and Ches.), ii, 138.
It is stated that early in 1643 the Earl of
Derby 'stayed at Elswick whilst his company plundered Mr. William Swarbrick's
books'; War in Lancs. (Chet. Soc), 28.
The victim was not a mere student,
but shortly afterwards raised soldiers for
the Parliament, having the rank of
captain, and took part in the campaign;
ibid. 42, 49, 50. He was the son of
John Swarbrick of Roseacre, and his sister
Ellen married Cuthbert Harrison, the
founder of Nonconformity after the Restoration; Nightingale, Lancs. Nonconf.
i, 81. |
| 14 |
John Ballard held a messuage and
land by 10d. rent, and at his death in
1619 was succeeded by his son Thomas,
aged forty; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc),
ii, 141.
Thomas Ballard died in 1635 holding
a messuage, &c., in Elswick of Richard
Molyneux and land in Tarnacre of the
king as of the manor of East Greenwich.
He left four daughters as co-heirs—
Janet, Ellen, Anne and Dorothy—their
ages ranging from seventeen to eight
years; Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet.
Lib.), 60. |
| 15 |
Edward Turner of Goosnargh in
1604 held 12 acres and left a son Christopher, aged fifty in 1620; Lancs. Inq.
p.m. (Rec. Soc), ii, 191.
William Turner died in 1632 holding
a messuage, &c., in Elswick of the king
as of his manor of Clitheroe. Thomas,
his son and heir, was fifty years of age;
Towneley MS. C 8, 13, p. 1190. |
| 16 |
William Butler of Hackinsall in
1586 held land in Elswick of the queen
as of her duchy in socage; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. xiv, no. 47. See also
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.), i, 241.
John (son of William) Bell died in
1625 holding land and a mill in Elswick
of the king; his heir was William his
son, aged twenty-five; Towneley MS.
C 8, 13, p. 66.
Thomas Noblett died in 1636 holding
a messuage, &c., of the king as of his
duchy in socage. Edmund, his son and
heir, was twenty years of age; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m xxx, no. 67.
In some cases, as those of Eccleston
and Stanley of Great Eccleston, the
tenure has not been recorded. |
| 17 |
John Wilkinson of Little Eccleston
so held in 1628; Towneley MS. C 8,13,
pp. 1311–12. |
| 18 |
John de Whittingham gave to his
friend Thomas Banastre of Bretherton a
rent of 2s. from an oxgang of land in
Elswick in 1301; Dods. MSS. cxlix,
fol. 46b. |
| 19 |
Adam de Bradkirk (before 1226)
gave to Richard son of Alan in marriage
with Amabil his daughter 3 oxgangs of
land in Elswick, which had been given by
Warine de Whittingham; Whalley Couch.
(Chet. Soc), ii, 459. Amabil granted
one of the oxgangs to John de Elswick,
another to Adam son of Lewe, and the
third to Robert son of Hugh; ibid. She
was afterwards known as Amabil de
Sowerby; ibid. 462. |
| 20 |
Adam son of Adam de Bradkirk
gave land to Randle de Goosnargh son of
Robert, viz. one of the oxgangs which
Warine de Whittingham had given Adam
his father and which Adam son of Lewe
had released. A rent of 2s. was to be
paid to cover the rent payable to Warine
de Whittingham. This charter was enrolled because the wax fell off when in
the hands of the justices in eyre; Assize
R. 408, m. 44.
Alice widow of Randle de Goosnargh
in 1292 claimed dower in half an oxgang
of land in Elswick against Adam son of
Henry son of Ulf and Agnes his wife;
ibid. m. 24. In 1316 Maud widow of
Alexander de Goosnargh claimed dower
in 1 oxgang of land against Henry de
Carleton and Godith his wife; De Banco
R. 216, m. 194.
About the same time Hugh son of
Randle de Goosnargh released to Thomas
de Bradkirk his claim in 2 oxgangs of
land with a messuage in Elswick formerly
his brother Alexander's, of which 1 oxgang was formerly held by Adam son of
Roger, while the other was then held
by Henry de Carleton and Godith his
wife for life; Kuerden fol. MS. 154.
Hugh also gave his sons Richard and
Thomas a chief messuage in Withington
(Weeton) and the reversion of the lands
held in Elswick by Maud widow of Alexander de Goosnargh and Godith daughter
of Randle; ibid. The said Godith, as
widow, gave the 2 oxgangs of land to
Thomas son of Adam de Bradkirk in
1320–1 and her whole right in 3
oxgangs; ibid. |
| 21 |
Paulin de Preston, who had sons
William and Adam, held an oxgang of
land in Elswick in 1292; Assize R. 408,
m. 24, 76. Earlier than this he had
granted an oxgang of land there to his
son William; it had been purchased
from Adam son of Richard de Elswick;
Add. MS. 32108, no. 70. In 1295
Thomas Travers obtained a messuage
and the third part of an oxgang from
Hugh son of Paul de Preston and Alice
bis wife; Final Conc, i, 178.
Alice widow of Thomas Travers
claimed dower in 1317 in Elswick and
Thistleton against Robert son of William
Cowdray and Margaret his wife; De
Banco R. 219, m. 131 d. |
| 22 |
Amabil daughter of Adam de Bradkirk, as widow, granted to Robert son of
Hugh, de Elswick the oxgang of land
which Richard the Dispenser had when
he took his way to the Holy Land, at 2s.
rent, and this was confirmed by her
brother Adam de Bradkirk and her son
Richard de Sowerby; Whalley Couch, ii,
460–2. To a grant by the same Robert
son of Hugh de Elswick the following
were witnesses: Adam son of Hugh de
Elswick, Stephen his brother, Adam son
of John de Elswick and Alexander de
Elswick, clerk; ibid. 456. Richard son
of Adam de Elswick confirmed a grant by
Robert his uncle; ibid. 458. William
de Elswick released lands to his brother
Robert; ibid. 463. Alexander de Elswick, clerk, granted land in Sowerby to
hit son Richard; Kuerden MSS. iv, S 3.
William son of Alexander the clerk in
1292 called upon Adam son of Henry de
Elswick to fulfil an agreement made in
1280 that William's son and daughter
should respectively marry Adam's daughter
and son, but the decision was adverse;
Assize R. 408, m. 93 d.
Robert son of Alexander de Elswick
obtained half an oxgang of land in 1298
from Adam son of Ulf and Agnes his
wife; Final Conc, i, 184.
Some other early tenants occur. In
1304 Cecily widow of Alan de Warlowes
(Wharles) claimed dower in a tenement
(including 1 oxgang of land) in Elswick
against John de Fulborne and Joan his
wife, and William Banastre was summoned
to warrant; De Banco R. 151, m. 5 d.;
154, m. 28 d. Cecily, called widow of
Alan de Faisacre, gave all her right in
Elswick to William Banastre; Dods.
MSS. cxlix, fol. 5b.
William son of Ellen de Haighton was
in 1326 found to have held, in conjunction
with Alice hit wife, 4½ acres of arable
land in Elswick of the king in chief as of
the honour of Lancaster, by knight's
service and a rent of 3d. to the castle;
Chan. Inq. p.m. 19 Edw. II, no. 51.
Richard Southworth of Gressingham
and Alice his wife had lands in 1413;
Final Conc, iii, 72. The tenure of John
Southworth's lands in 1484 was not
known; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc),
ii, 113.
Nicholas son of Robert Mythop in
1413 released to Robert Taylor all right
in lands in Elswick and Great Eccleston
held of him by Robert; Dep. Keeper's
Rep. xxxvii, App. 174. |
| 23 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, ii, 138–9.
William had granted three messuages, a
horse-mill and 2 oxgangs of land to
Thomas de Singleton and Joan his wife,
who in return bound themselves to provide him with sustenance like that of the
free men in their household, a cloak at
Christmas, and 4s. 6d. for shoes at
Michaelmas. The inheritance having in
1322 descended to Adam Banastre, a
minor, William found himself deprived
of his sustenance. Order was thereupon
made that it should be restored to him. |
| 24 |
Robert (son of Hugh) de Elswick
granted to Stanlaw Abbey half an oxgang
of land (excepting that part already given
to Cockersand); the monks were to pay
12d. a year to Adam de Bradkirk, he
paying the same to the heirs of Whittingham; Whalley Couch. ii, 457. The gift
was confirmed by others interested (ibid.
463–4), and a toft was added; ibid. 454–5.
The lands of the abbey were described
about 1400 as eight 'lands' in the Page
Croft (next land of John Southworth), a
broadland on the Tunstead, a headland
in the Wadfurlong that shot upon the
Tunstead (next land of John Coppull),
land shooting into the Trathorne (next
Henry Marshall's land), and a toft called
the Granger yard; ibid. 465. |
| 25 |
Warine de Whittingham gave an
acre; Richard son of Roger de Freckleton
gave a messuage, &c.; and Robert son of
Hugh de Elswick gave land for a barn;
Cockersand Chartul. (Chet. Soc), i, 187–8.
Among the field-names are a selion
called Cock and Hen, Turmurfurlong and
Smerebrook.
For the tenants 1451–1537 see ibid, iii,
1266–9. John Southworth and his heirs
were among them. |
| 26 |
Plac. de Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.), 375. |
| 27 |
The grant to Thomas Fleetwood in
Elswick was said to be of lands formerly
of Whalley Abbey; Pat. 2 Mary. Elswick is named in the inquisition after his
death, along with Great Layton, and was
to go to his younger son William; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xii, no. 2. |
| 28 |
William Fleetwood sold to John
Hulton and John Hodgson in 1596;
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 59, m.
320.
John Hulton of Darleys died in 1606
holding lands in Elswick of the king by
knight's service; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec.
Soc), i, 68. Richard Hodgson of Layton
died in 1630 holding land there of the
king; Townelcy MS. C 8, 13, p. 514. |
| 29 |
The tenure is not recorded, but the
land in Elswick was probably acquired
with Singleton Grange. |
| 30 |
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxvi,
no, 4. |
| 31 |
Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 34. There
were 16 oxgangs of land in the vill,
each containing 24 acres of land and
meadow. |
| 32 |
Elizabeth Hoole, John Turner,
William Smith and John Clarkson;
Estcourt and Payne, Engl. Cath. Nonjurors, 105, 125, 134–5. |
| 33 |
Commonw. Ch. Surv. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs, and Ches), 148. No minister had
then (1650) been approved. The order
for £50 a year (out of Lord Derby's
estates) was made in Dec 1649, and
about a year later William Bell, a 'godly
and orthodox divine,' was 'settled minister there; Plund. Mins. Accts. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 83, 89, 103, 235. |
| 34 |
'Divine service was performed in
this chapel in the memory of several now
[1722] living,' was the vicar of St.
Michael's statement; Gastrell, Notitia
Cestr. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 452. |
| 35 |
Nightingale, Lancs. Nonconf. i, 83–92,
where a full account maybe read; a view
of the present church is given. Cuthbert
Harrison, curate of Singleton till 1662,
is said to have been minister at Elswick
in 1672. |
| 36 |
From 'King Jame's Toleration,'
according to the vicar of St. Michael's.
In 1689 Elswick Chapel was certified
'for John Parr and his congregation;
Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv, 231.
The first minister recorded by Mr. Nightingale is Jonathan Nightingale, 1703–5.
There is supposed to have been a lapse
into Arianism about 1760. The registers
are at Somerset House.
The chapel of 1753 is described in
Hewitson's Our Country Churches, 415–18. |