GARSTANG
Cherestanc, Dom. Bk.; Geresteng, Grestein,
1204; Gayrestan, 1236; Gayerstang, 1246; Gayrstang, 1274; Gayrestang, 1292.
This township, which gives its name to the parish, (fn. 1)
extends for about 2 miles along the western bank of
the Wyre, but its breadth seldom exceeds half a mile,
and the area measures but 502½ acres. (fn. 2) The little
town of Garstang lies along the main road from
Preston to the north, which here crosses the Wyre
by a two-arched stone bridge. (fn. 3) At the south end of
the town is the modern church, and at the north
end is a station on the single-line railway which
branches from the London and North-Western main
line to go to Pilling and Knott End. (fn. 4) Various roads
lead to Cockerham, Pilling and Churchtown. The
Preston and Kendal Canal comes into the township
by an aqueduct over the Wyre and crosses into
Nateby.
The surface is generally even, between 50 ft. and
70 ft. above sea level for the most part, but at the
north end attaining 100 ft. The population in
1901 was 808.
The relative importance of the place has greatly
declined since the opening of the railway route to
the North. There are no manufactures, and the
land is entirely in pasture. The township is now
governed by a parish council. Gas is supplied by a
private company formed in 1880 (fn. 5) and water by the
Fylde Water Board.
William Lancaster issued a farthing token in 1663. (fn. 6)
In 1690 Ogilby described Garstang as 'a good
thoroughfare, with a market for corn, cattle, &, on
Thursdays.' Pococke in 1750 thought it 'a very
poor town'; he 'saw to the east the smoke of some
iron-smelting houses, which are erected there on
account of the great plenty there is of wood.' (fn. 7)
The market cross, restored in 1897, stands in the
main street. Near it were formerly the well and
pump and the fish-stones. The old stocks are preserved in the town hall. (fn. 8)
Manor
As already explained, Garstang usually
denoted the lordship of Nether Wyresdale, but a smaller subordinate manor
was created in 1246 in the present township of
GARSTANG by one of William de Lancaster's
death-bed gifts—that of 4 oxgangs of land, which he
granted with his heart to Cockersand Abbey. (fn. 9) This
manor, after the Suppression, was given by Philip
and Mary to the Savoy Hospital (fn. 10) ; it afterwards
reverted to the Crown, and was let on lease, (fn. 11) but was
in 1750 sold to the lessee, the Hon. Edward
Walpole, under a special Act of Parliament. (fn. 12) Through
his daughter the lordship has descended to Mr.
Bertram William Arnold Keppel of Lexham, Norfolk. (fn. 13)
Courts baron have been held down to the present
time.
In 1310 the canons of Cockersand obtained a
royal charter for a market every Thursday at their
manor of Garstang and a yearly fair on 28–9 June. (fn. 14)
The right fell into abeyance, and Leland's statement
that 'some said' it was a market town shows that
markets had ceased to be held long before the Reformation. In 1597 Elizabeth granted the inhabitants a
weekly market and two yearly fairs 'for the relief of
the poor.' (fn. 15) In this way the distinction between
Garstang Churchtown and Garstang Market-town
became established, and now the latter is known as
Garstang absolutely, the former being Churchtown.
Borough
In 1679 a charter of incorporation
was granted by Charles II, constituting a free borough of Garstang with
bailiff and burgesses. The charter appointed William
Spencer the first bailiff, the office to be an annual
one, and named the seven burgesses, who held for
life. A common seal was allowed, and the market
and two fairs, with court of pie powder, were ratified
and extended. (fn. 16) Freemen were elected and a town
hall was built. (fn. 17) The corporation was dissolved in
1886 under the Municipal Corporations Act of 1883,
and the Garstang Town Trust was then formed to
manage the property, viz. the town hall, with offices,
warehouse and cottage, market tolls, piccage and
stallage; fair tolls; furniture of the town hall; two
constables' halberds, a silver-topped staff, the common
seal and documents. The gross income is about
£50 a year; any balance over expenses is to be
applied to the establishment of a library or other
institution for the benefit of the inhabitants. (fn. 18)
In 1654 Jane Hodgkinson, widow, of Garstang,
desired to compound for the two-thirds of her estate
sequestered for recusancy. (fn. 19) Roger Green and Richard
Richardson registered estates in 1717 as 'Papists.' (fn. 20)
Church
In 1437 the inhabitants obtained a
licence for one year for the chapel of
Holy Trinity in Garstang. (fn. 21) This is
supposed to refer to a chapel in what is now called
Garstang. No clear evidence of its continuance is
forthcoming (fn. 22) till 1646, when the Committee of
Plundered Ministers made a grant of £50 a year
from Royalists' estates in order to provide a minister
for 'the chapel of the Market town of Garstang.' (fn. 23)
Bishop Gastrell in 1717 found that it had no endowment, but was 'supplied by the vicar.' (fn. 24) In 1734
the churchwardens reported that service was 'seldom
performed' there. (fn. 25) It was rebuilt on a new site in
1770, and some endowments were obtained. It is
now called St. Thomas's, and has been enlarged and
restored. (fn. 26) A separate district was assigned to it in
1881, (fn. 27) and the vicars are presented by the vicar of
Garstang. The net value is £197. The following
have been in charge (fn. 28) :—
|
| 1723 | Thomas Parkinson (fn. 29) |
| 1736 | John Sutton, B.A. (Trin. Coll., Camb.) |
| c. 1738 | John Hunter (fn. 30) |
| 1762 | James Fisher (fn. 31) |
| 1773 | John Moss (fn. 32) |
| 1800 | William Wayles Thornton, B.D. (Emmanuel Coll., Camb.) |
| 1822 | James Pedder, M.A. (fn. 33) (Christ's Coll., Camb.) |
| 1835 | William Armitstead |
| 1879 | George Boys Stones, M.A. (St. John's Coll., Oxf.) |
A school was built in 1756, the lord of the
manor, Sir Edward Walpole, granting a piece of
land at the north end of the great street of Garstang
at a rent of 2s. 6d. (fn. 34)
John Wesley visited Garstang in 1765 and 1770,
but the Wesleyan Methodist chapel was not built
till 1814. (fn. 35) He preached in the Congregationalist
chapel, (fn. 36) which is of unknown origin, but the lease
had thirty years to run in 1823. (fn. 37) A fresh beginning
was made by the Congregationalists in 1829, and
the chapel was altered and improved in 1868. A
graveyard is attached. (fn. 38)
Roman Catholics during the time of the penal
laws were served by the missionary priests harboured
at a number of the houses in the district, such as
Dimples in Barnacre (fn. 39) or Bowers House in Nateby. (fn. 40)
They had a chapel in the town from 1784 until
1858, when the church in Bonds was opened. (fn. 41) The
old building is now a public institute.