LYDIATE
Leiate, Dom. Bk.; Lydyate, 1276; and Lydeyate,
1292; the usual spellings. Liddigate occurs 1202,
Lichet, c. 1240; Lydegate, 1296; Lidgate, 1299;
Ledeyate, 1414; Lidezate, 1481. (fn. 1)
This township has an area of 1,995 acres. (fn. 2)
Lydiate proper is bounded on the south by small
brooks which divide it from Maghull, and on the
east and north by the Sudell or Lydiate Brook; while
on the west the 25 ft. level is almost coincident with
the boundary. The township also includes the
ancient Eggergarth, (fn. 3) to the north of the Sudell
Brook, and forming a wedge between Aughton and
Downholland. In 1901 the people numbered 1,024.
The highest point in Lydiate is near the southern
boundary, where the windmill stands, about 87 ft.
above sea level; Eggergarth rises to 80 ft. on the
northern boundary. The country is chiefly agricultural, occupied by market gardens and fields, where
potatoes and cabbages alternate with wheat and oats.
The soil is sand loam over a subsoil of peat.
Pastures are found principally in the low-lying
parts westwards.
The Liverpool and Ormskirk road passes northeastwardly through the southern end of the township;
another road branches off from this at the southern
boundary and goes north to Downholland and
Halsall. The houses are scattered along this road;
the ruined chapel popularly called 'Lydiate Abbey'
is on the left side of it about a mile north of the
boundary; the old hall is just to the north. The
Leeds and Liverpool Canal winds its way through
the township.
There is a parish council.
'From the tower steeple' of the ruin, wrote a
visitor in 1813, 'the view over the low meadows of
Lydiate and Altcar, which are frequently flooded
after sudden and violent showers by the overflowing
of the River Alt, is very extensive, embracing the
whole of Formby Channel and part of the River
Mersey, and bounded only by the chain of mountains
terminating with the Ormshead.' (fn. 4)
Traces of seven crosses were known or remembered
recently. The base of one remains near the hall;
another, the School Brow cross, is buried beneath the
footpath; it is reported that funerals used to stop
there while the mourners repeated the De Profundis. (fn. 5)
The wake was held in Ember week. (fn. 6)
MANORS
Uctred held LYDIATE proper at the
death of Edward the Confessor. It was a
border township of the privileged three
hides, was rated as six oxgangs of land, and had woodland a league in length by 2 furlongs broad. (fn. 7) The value
was 64d., a great advance on the normal 24d., due
perhaps to the wood. Early in the twelfth century it
was granted to Pain de Vilers as part of his fee of
Warrington, to which it continued to belong, (fn. 8) and
Pain in turn granted it to William Gernet, to be held
by knight's service as three-fortieths of a knight's
fee. (fn. 9) In 1212 his six oxgangs in Lydiate were in the
joint tenure of Benedict and Alan, sons of Simon. (fn. 10)
That Alan was the elder brother seems clear by the
order of the names in a quitclaim in 1202 by Simon
Blundel and Siegrith his wife to Alan and Benedict
de Lydiate, after an assize of 'mort d'ancestor' had
been summoned between them, concerning two-thirds
of two oxgangs in Gildhouse and Sureheved. (fn. 11) As
Alan 'de Lydiate' he granted to Cockersand a portion of his land in the townfield in pure alms. (fn. 12)
His nephew William, son of Benedict de Lydiate,
gave his share of Orshawhead to Cockersand in alms, (fn. 13)
and added a further piece of land. (fn. 14) William le
Boteler, as overlord, ratified the Orshaw grants, giving
the bounds thus: In length from the cross on the
north side of Orshaw to the ditch on the south side,
in the further part of Orshaw field; and in breadth,
from the brook on the west to the ditch under the
law on the east. (fn. 15)
William de Lydiate was holding Lydiate of the heir
of Emery le Boteler, in 1242. (fn. 16) He seems to have
been still living in 1255, but to have died shortly
afterwards, leaving as his heir Benedict, probably his
son, whose widow Alice about 1270 made over to
Sir William le Boteler all her dower and whatever
claim she might have in land in the vill of Lydiate. (fn. 17)
In the middle of 1277 the same Alice prosecuted
her claim against Robert de Halsall. The defendant
called William son of Benedict to warrant him as to
part; as to the mill he denied that Benedict her husband was ever in seisin, all his interest being 4s. yearly
rent. (fn. 18)
In 1292 Emma, widow of William the Pinder,
claimed dower in a small holding from Robert de
Lydiate, and the latter called upon William son of
Benedict to warrant. This he failed to do. Emma
therefore recovered her dower against Robert, who was
to have the value of it out of William's lands. (fn. 19)
Who this Robert de Lydiate alias de Halsall was
there is nothing to show; he seems to have held a
small subordinate manor of William de Lydiate. (fn. 20) In
1303 Thomas son of Robert de Halsall gave 20s. for
licence to agree with Robert de Halsall of Lydiate. (fn. 21)
The double lordship of Lydiate again comes out in
1313 in a suit brought by the abbot of Cockersand
for common of pasture of which he had been disseised, as he stated, by Benedict son of William de
Lydiate and Thomas son of Robert de Lydiate. (fn. 22)
Two years later the succession to what may be called
the junior moiety of the manor was settled by fine
between Thomas de Lydiate and his son Gilbert, the
remainders being to Gilbert's brothers William, Adam,
and John in succession. (fn. 23)
About the same time (1315) Richard son of Benedict de Lydiate settled an oxgang of land, &c., on his
daughter Cecily, married to Elias de Occleshaw. He
had received this oxgang, which lay in Gildhouse,
from his brother William, and it had previously been
held by Adam de Churchlee. (fn. 24)
Benedict de Lydiate, at Easter, 1325, complained
that Gilbert de Halsall, John del Wolfall, and Denise
his wife, and others had disseised him of ten acres of
pasture in Lydiate. In this complaint he was joined
by Gilbert son of Thomas de Lydiate, and Margery
his wife; also by Alice, widow of Thomas; as representing the other moiety of the manor. (fn. 25) The defence
was that the land was 'wood, not pasture.' Benedict
and the others had enclosed the wood and so sought
to deprive the defendants of the right to send their
pigs there in mast-time. The jury took this view. (fn. 26)
This case introduces another family into the history
of the township, the Wolfalls. (fn. 27) A settlement was made
by fine in 1323 of two messuages, eighteen acres of
land, and 19d. rent in Lydiate upon John del Wolfall
and Denise his wife for life. (fn. 28) From this time the
Wolfalls constantly appear in the neighbourhood in
various relations.
Benedict de Lydiate must have died soon afterwards, (fn. 29)
for though he paid to the subsidy in 1327 he is not
named in 1332. For a time Gilbert de Lydiate was
the foremost man in the township, as in the assize of
1331 and the subsidy of 1332. (fn. 30) John son of Benedict
becomes prominent about 1350. (fn. 31) In that year he
pleaded that Sir William le Boteler of Warrington,
Elizabeth his wife, and many others, including the
Wolfalls and Elias de Gildhouse, had unjustly disseised
him of his free tenement in Lydiate, viz. two-thirds of
the manor. The recognitors decided in his favour,
saying that he was seised of it until the defendants
ousted him by force and arms. (fn. 32)
Shortly afterwards, in 1352, John de Lydiate and
two others were charged with having disseised Margery,
widow of Robert de Lydiate, of her third of the junior
moiety. (fn. 33) A year later Elizabeth daughter of Robert
de Lydiate claimed certain lands as her inheritance, of
which John de Lydiate and his tenants were in
possession. Their defence was that she was a bastard,
and the matter was referred to the bishop for inquiry. (fn. 34)
From this time the 'junior manor' disappears from
view. (fn. 35) John de Lydiate had suits later with Otes de
Halsall, (fn. 36) Robert de Wolfall, (fn. 37) and Adam Tyrehare,
a chaplain and trustee, (fn. 38) concerning various claims as to
lands in Lydiate.
One other family may be noticed at this point.
Simon son of Richard de Ince in 1306 claimed from
William del Halgh of Lydiate a tenement in the latter
place. (fn. 39) William del Halgh enfeoffed William Blundell,
clerk, of his holding in Lydiate and Maghull, who reenfeoffed him and his wife Anabel, with remainder to
John their son and his wife Agnes. John died, leaving
an infant daughter Isabel, who in 1359 claimed it from
Henry de Bickerstath of Aughton, senior, his wife
Agnes (Isabel's mother,) and others. (fn. 40)
John de Lydiate's daughter and heir Katherine
married Robert son of John de Blackburn of Garston;
and as a release to his father of lands received from him
in Downham and Much Woolton was made by Robert
in 1389, (fn. 41) the marriage probably took place then.
There were at least two children—a son born about
1400 and a daughter Agnes, eventually the heir of both
father and mother. (fn. 42) She married Thomas, a younger
son of Sir John de Ireland of Hale, who thus became
lord of Garston and Lydiate.
Katherine the heiress seems to have died in 1435. (fn. 43)
Her grandson Lawrence Ireland, son of Thomas,
would then come into possession of the manor. He
was a minor, and his mother had in 1433 married as
her second husband David de Standish. He married
Katherine, daughter of Henry Blundell of Little
Crosby, and by her had a son and heir John, who in
March, 1469, is described as 'lord of Garston,' so that
his father Lawrence probably died before that time. (fn. 44)
John Ireland of Lydiate, who married Beatrice
daughter of William Norris of Speke, died in May,
1514, holding the manor of Lydiate of Sir Thomas
Butler by the tenth part of a knight's fee; it was
worth 10 marks annually. He also held the manor
of Garston and lands in Downham, Allerton, Woolton, Halewood, and West Derby, which were the
Blackburn inheritance, the annual value being a little
over 14 marks. George, his son and heir, was fortyseven years of age. (fn. 45)
George Ireland held the manors for some twenty
years, (fn. 46) being succeeded about
1535 by his son Lawrence, who
in 1540 made an exchange
of lands with Thomas Lydiate
of Lydiate. (fn. 47) In 1539–40 he
had a grant of lands in Garston
from Thomas Ireland of the
Hutt, and four years later he
surrendered all his lands in
Garston and the neighbourhood to Sir William Norris
of Speke, receiving the Norris
lands in Lydiate and Maghull
in part compensation. (fn. 48) About
the same time he purchased
from Thomas Holt of Gristlehurst that portion of the possessions of Cockersand Abbey which lay in his own
neighbourhood—in Lydiate, Thornton, Melling, and
Cunscough; and in 1546 he acquired Eggergarth
from the Scarisbricks. (fn. 49)
Ireland of Lydiate. Gules, a hunting spear in bend head downwards or, between six fleurs de lis argent, all within a bordure engrailed of the second charged with ten pellets.
He died in March 1566, holding the manor of
Cunscough of the queen in chief; the manor of
Lydiate of Thomas Butler of Warrington by the
twentieth part of a knight's fee, paying a rent of
5s. 4½d., the clear value being 40 marks; the manor
of Eggergarth of the same Thomas Butler, as the
twentieth part of a knight's fee, paying 7s., the value
being £11; also lands in Aughton of the earl of Derby.
His son and heir was William Ireland, who was fortysix years of age. (fn. 50)
William Ireland died about three years after his
father. In 1567 he granted the reversion of Cunscough and Eggergarth to Gilbert Halsall and William
Ireland, (fn. 51) his youngest son, for ninety-nine years. He
had a dispute with his younger brother George of
Gray's Inn, who claimed everything under a feoffment
made by their father. (fn. 52) A pedigree was recorded in
1567. (fn. 53) The inquisition after his death records only
a messuage and land in Cunscough, in the tenure of
Thomas Tatlock, held of the queen in chief by the
service of the sixtieth part of a knight's fee, the value
being 23s. 4d. Lawrence Ireland, his son and heir,
was eighteen years of age. (fn. 54)
The heir was engaged in many lawsuits. (fn. 55) He
died 6 May, 1609, leaving a widow and ten young
children, for whose benefit he had in 1605 enfeoffed
Sir Richard Molyneux and others, of Lydiate Hall,
Lydiate chapel near the manor-house, the dove-house,
barns, &c. Lydiate and Eggergarth are stated in the
inquisition to be held of Thomas Ireland of Warrington in socage by the rent of a rose yearly, their value
being £5 clear; he also had tenements in Cunscough,
Melling, Aughton and Maghull. (fn. 56)
Edward Ireland, his son by his second wife Mary
Scarisbrick, was his heir, but only sixteen years of
age, and his wardship was granted by James I to
Barnaby Molyneux and Hugh Nelson. (fn. 57) He was
twice married; by his first wife he had two daughters;
by his second—Margaret Norris, a granddaughter of
Edward Norris of Speke—he had a son and heir
Lawrence. (fn. 58) He died on 1 April, 1637, (fn. 59) and the
inventory of his property has been preserved. (fn. 60)
His son and heir Lawrence was only about three
years of age, (fn. 61) and was still under age in 1651, when
his mother Margaret sent a petition to the Parliamentary Commissioners touching the sequestration of
his estate. Like many others of his faith he was
sent to one of the colleges abroad to be educated.
On account of religion two-thirds of the Ireland
estate was sequestered, and the widow was allowed a
fifth in 1651, to be increased to a third should she
prove that she was not a delinquent; (fn. 62) Gilbert Ireland
of the Hutt, a distant relative and a strong partisan
of the Parliament, was made guardian. Mr. Ambrose,
the Parliament's agent, 'had given reasons which
induced him to believe that young Mr. Ireland was
being brought up in popery; namely, that his mother
demanding from him how her son should be maintained, he answered that if she would please he should
be brought up in the Protestant religion he might be
provided for according to his rank and quality, she replied "she had rather see him hanged"; that he could
never hear of him going to church, but that he had been
kept secret and conveyed from one papist's house to
another, whereof Mr. Ditchfield, a papist at Ditton, was
one; and that it had then lately been given out that he
had been sent beyond the seas, where Mr. Ambrose
believed he then was.' It was replied that he had
been educated at Oxford, (fn. 63) and only sent abroad by
licence from the Council of State. Colonel Gilbert
Ireland refused to stir; 'he had heard they were
about to marry him (Lawrence) with Mr. Ditchfield
of Ditton's daughter, an arch-papist, signifying his
dislike thereof.' It appears therefore that the widowed
mother secured no better terms. (fn. 64)
Lawrence came of age in 1655, in which year he
granted a lease of Cunscough Hall to John Tatlock.
He married, about the beginning of 1658, Anne,
daughter of Edward Scarisbrick, but she died within
six years, leaving two daughters, Margaret and
Katherine. In 1664 he settled his estates on his elder
daughter and her heirs, with remainder to the younger
daughter and her heirs, and further remainders;
gave the children into the guardianship of his mother,
and for himself sought admission into the Society of
Jesus. He made his profession in 1666, and was
ordained priest, but there is little further record of
his career, (fn. 65) and his only connexion with Lydiate was
his settling a messuage in the place upon his younger
daughter Katherine in 1673; she afterwards became
a nun at Dunkirk. He died at York, 30 June, 1673.
His mother survived him, being buried at Halsall in
1695. (fn. 66)
The manor of Lydiate now went to Charles
Anderton, (fn. 67) who had married Lawrence Ireland's elder
daughter. He had first to meet claims to the estates
by William Ireland, brother of his wife's grandfather
Edward, and by William's son Francis; these claims
were based on a feoffment made by Lawrence Ireland
(d. 1609), the father of Edward and William, but never
executed. It is not certain
whether Charles Anderton ever
resided at Lydiate; on succeeding his father in 1678 he
lived at Lostock, and Lydiate
was leased to Thomas Lydiate;
old Mrs. Ireland lived in part
of it. (fn. 68) He died in 1691. His
eldest son Charles was then at
St. Omer's, where he died in
1705, being succeeded by his
brother James. The manors
of Lydiate, Melling, Cunscough, and Eggergarth
and other Ireland lands were in this year settled to
the use of his mother Dame Margaret for life, with
remainders to Francis and to his brother Joseph in
tail male; then to his sister Mary, the wife of Henry
Blundell of Ince Blundell. James, the legal owner,
had entered the Society of Jesus in 1703, and drew
a pension of £50 from the family estates; he died
in 1710, having in 1708 executed a conveyance in
order to enable his younger brother Francis to make
a marriage settlement. (fn. 69)
Anderton of Lostock. Sable, three shack-bolts argent.
Francis Anderton took part in the rising of 1715,
and was taken to London and condemned; (fn. 70) he was
pardoned, but the forfeited estates were recovered by
an elder brother Lawrence, who had been a Benedictine, renouncing his vows and his religion in 1724.
He died very shortly afterwards, and by his will left
his estates to his brother's children, with remainder to
the Blundells. Under this will the Blundells of Ince
Blundell succeeded to the Lydiate manors and estates
after the death of Sir Francis Anderton in 1760.
Sir Francis, after his pardon, had lived very quietly
at Lydiate Hall, devoting himself to country sports,
and especially to cock-fighting. (fn. 71)
A very singular dispute followed his death without
issue. By the will of his brother, as stated, the
Blundells of Ince Blundell were the heirs to the
Anderton properties; but Dame Margaret, who died
in 1720, had also by her will made a settlement of
the Lydiate estates as follows: 'As for and concerning
my manors or lordships of Lydiate, Melling, Cunscough, Eggergarth, Aughton, Maghull, and Aintree,
&c., I do hereby give, devise, and bequeath the same
unto Nicholas Starkie, his heirs and assigns for ever,
and to and for no other use, intent, trust, or purpose
whatsoever.' Mr. Starkie was a lawyer of good
repute, who though a Protestant had long been concerned in her affairs. (fn. 72) Her desire was to secure the
estate for her son Francis, but as he had been convicted of high treason to have named him directly
would only have led to forfeiture. After Lawrence
Anderton's death a settlement was drawn up in
accordance with Dame Anderton's known wishes. Her
daughter Mrs. Blundell, then a widow, refused to sign
it, on account of a clause indemnifying Mr. Starkie; the
latter, who was receiving the rents and was apparently
the legal owner, could not see his way to relinquish
the clause, but after some negotiation and the payment
of £1,000 he in 1728 made over the Lydiate estates
to three trustees, his son being one, for the use of
Sir Francis Anderton during life and then to the
heirs of his body, all mention of the Blundells being
omitted. Mrs. Blundell and Mr. Starkie died before
Sir Francis; and Robert Blundell of Ince, as heir, was
met by the claims of Edmund Starkie the son, the
only surviving trustee, who insisted that Dame
Anderton had made an absolute gift to his father, of
which he intended to avail himself, the allowance to
Sir Francis having been an act of compassion to him
personally. The Blundells, however, took possession,
but it is supposed they had to compensate Edmund
Starkie by a heavy payment. (fn. 73) Since that time the
manor of Lydiate has descended with Ince Blundell. (fn. 74)
The Halsalls of Halsall preserved an interest in
Lydiate, derived perhaps in part from Alan de Lydiate
of Halsall. In 1414 Archdeacon Henry de Halsall
acquired a quarter of the manor from Owen de
Penerith and Joan his wife; the origin of their title
is unknown. (fn. 75) Seven or eight years later (1422)
Sir Gilbert de Halsall bought lands there from
William Fletcher of Lydiate and Joan his wife. (fn. 76) At
the death of Henry Halsall in 1472 he was said to
have held half the manor, but the tenure is not
stated. (fn. 77) Sir Thomas Halsall, who died in 1539, is
stated to have held the 'manor' of Lydiate by the
tenth part of a knight's fee. (fn. 78) In the next inquisition,
in 1575, the lands in Lydiate and Eggergarth are said
to be held of Lawrence Ireland. (fn. 79)
The Molyneux family bought small parcels of land
here as early as the fifteenth century. Sir William
Molyneux in 1543 acquired from Sir William Norris
a fourth part of the manor of Formby in exchange
for lands in Lydiate (fn. 80) and Maghull. Then at the
beginning of 1561, John, son of Sir Edward
Warren, and Sir Richard Molyneux agreed to take
all the Halsall lands in Lydiate, charged with
20d. payable to the chief lord, in exchange for the
fourth part of the manor of Formby; the 20d. was
divided into 9d. and 11d. to correspond with the
purchasers' shares. (fn. 81) In 1595 Edward Warren, son
of John, sold his share of Lydiate to Sir Richard
Molyneux; (fn. 82) and in 1623, at the inquisition after
Sir Richard's death, he was said to have held the
'manor' of Lydiate and various lands there, but the
jury did not know by what services. (fn. 83) It remained in
the possession of the family till the end of the
eighteenth century, when it was sold as 'the moiety
of the manor,' to Henry Blundell of Ince, who thus
became sole lord; the price paid was £460.
EGGERGARTH
EGGERGARTH is not mentioned by name in
Domesday Book, being at that time probably included
in Halsall. Like Halsall and Lydiate it formed part of
the Warrington fee. In the survey of 1212 it is
stated that Richard le Boteler had given the two
oxgangs in Eggergarth to Matthew de Walton by
knight's service (one-fortieth of a fee), and that Henry
son of Gilbert was holding it at the date mentioned. (fn. 84)
Henry de Walton granted to the monks of Cockersand a ridding in Eggergarth. (fn. 85)
William de Walton and William de Lydiate held
Eggergarth and Lydiate of the heir of Emery le
Boteler in 1242 for the tenth part of a knight's fee. (fn. 86)
In 1355 Gilbert de Scarisbrick was holding it of the
lord of Warrington, (fn. 87) and it continued in this family
until, as stated above, it was purchased about 1546 by
Lawrence Ireland from James Scarisbrick, possession
being given in 1547. (fn. 88) The delay in payment of the
purchase money caused much disputing, the matter
remaining unsettled for twenty years. (fn. 89) From this
time Eggergarth has descended with Lydiate, in
which it has become merged, though mentioned
separately in inquisitions and settlements.
It seems to have possessed a mill from early times,
situated on the brook dividing it from Lydiate proper.
William son of Benedict de Lydiate in 1296 granted
4s. of annual rent from the mill to Gilbert son of
Richard de Halsall; (fn. 90) and four years later contention
having arisen between Sir William le Boteler, Adam
de Pulle and Alice his wife on the one part, and Gilbert son of Gilbert de Halsall on the other, respecting
the diversion of the course of the Alt, (fn. 91) which flowed
to the injury of a certain mill in Eggergarth and
Lydiate, an agreement was in June, 1298, made for
a diversion of the course. (fn. 92) The Halsall lands in
Lydiate adjoining the brook were in dispute early in
the reign of Henry VIII, when Nicholas Longback,
tenant of Sudell Close, complained that William Molyneux of Sefton, out of his covetous mind and malice
towards Sir Henry Halsall, had caused Katherine
Male to claim them in the wapentake court, where
William Molyneux was steward, and the twelve
suitors who tried the case were his tenants and forced
to do as he told them. (fn. 93) A little later Sir Henry
Halsall made further complaint as to this aggression. (fn. 94)
It was in respect of Eggergarth that Sir Thomas
Butler early in the reign of Henry VIII claimed the
wardship of Thomas son and heir of Gilbert Scarisbrick from the earl of Derby; by the first award the
custody of the manor was allowed, but about 1517
the wardship of the heir was confirmed to the earl,
and the custody of the manor was transferred to him,
Sir Thomas receiving £40 as compensation. (fn. 95)
Robert Blundell in 1598 asserted that from time
immemorial the lord of Ince Blundell and his servants and tenants and all the people of the manor
had had a right of way from Ince, over Alt Bridge
and through Altcar, and thence 'through Lydiate to
certain lands called Eggergarth, and thence to
Aughton, and so to Ormskirk church and the market,
and back again the same way by and near to a watermill in Eggergarth.' Of late the tenant of Lawrence
Ireland had stopped plaintiff's servants and tenants
near the mill, on their way to the market, and told
them that in future they would not be allowed to pass
through Eggergarth. (fn. 96)
The Orshaw family appears from time to time.
In 1529 Henry son and heir of Richard Orshaw,
deceased, complained that Thomas Halsall and others
had ousted him from his free holding in Lydiate. It
appeared that the lands had been bought in 1520 by
Sir Henry Halsall and given to found a chantry in
Halsall church. (fn. 97)
Families in the neighbouring townships also held
lands in Lydiate, as the Maghulls, Molyneuxes, and
Walshes, but the only freeholders recorded in 1600
were Lawrence Ireland and—Lydiate. (fn. 98) Descendants of the Molyneuxes of Melling were settled here
in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. (fn. 99)
James Dennett of Lydiate registered in 1717 a
small estate in Cunscough and Sutton; his son James
became a Jesuit. (fn. 100) Among the returns of 'Papists'
Estates' at the same time occurs the name of James
Pye of Lydiate, yeoman. (fn. 101)
In 1530 the Hospitallers received a rent of 2d.
from the heirs of Kirkby for Hollins Acre in Lydiate. (fn. 102)
In connexion with the Established Church St.
Thomas's was erected in 1839; a district was formed
in 1871. (fn. 103) The rector of Halsall presents.
Lydiate Hall was originally a quadrangular building
enclosing a small court, but the eastern range of buildings was destroyed about 1780. The other three sides
still remain, but the house is empty and dismantled,
and in spite of some amount of repair not many years
ago, is rapidly falling into decay. This is all the more
to be deplored because the chief rooms, the hall and
great chamber, have been but little altered since they
were first built, and preserve several charming pieces of
detail. The exterior is very picturesque, with its
panelling and bands of quatrefoils of white plaster set
in black wood, and the grey stone roofing slates make
an agreeable contrast to the varied patterns of the
walls.
Lydiate Hall from the East
The house is of two stories, the hall occupying the
west wing, with a range of rooms over it, while the
great chamber is to the south, and the kitchen wing
to the north. The destroyed east wing is said to
have been the oldest part of the house, and stone
built, but unfortunately nothing is left of it. What
remains is of timber and plaster on a low stone base,
and its earliest part seems to belong to the end of
the fifteenth century, having probably been built by
Lawrence Ireland, whose initials are on the doorway from the hall into the screens; he was living
about 1470. The screens are at the north end of the
hall, and are entered through a projecting porch,
altered in the eighteenth century, and bearing the
Anderton arms, above which is a small room with a
three-light window, setting forward on carved brackets
on which are three roses. The entrance door is
probably original, closely studded with nails after the
fashion of many others in old Lancashire houses, and
immediately to the left on entering is the door of the
hall with Lawrence Ireland's initials in the spandrels of
the arched head The hall has a flat ceiling with
moulded beams, and is lighted by a continuous row of
windows on east and west. It has a large masonry
fireplace at the north end on the line of the screen,
probably an early sixteenth-century addition to the
plan. At the south end is the canopy over the daïs,
a plaster cove panelled with wooden ribs, having
carved bosses at the intersections. On the bosses are
a variety of devices of which some are armorial, but
many seem to be merely decorative. Among them are
two with the initials J. I. and B. I., for John Ireland
and Beatrice (Norris) his wife. He died in 1514, and
the date of the canopy is probably a few years before
this. It is a beautiful and valuable example of its
kind, but in the present neglected state of the house,
is in no small danger of damage.
An earlier example from Boultons in West Derby
parish is now set up in safety in the Liverpool
Museum.
At the west end of the daïs was formerly a projecting bay, now destroyed, and the opening to it blocked
up; while at the east end is a projection balancing
the porch at the other end of the hall, and containing
the stair to the chamber on the first floor. In the
south-east corner of the hall is a door to the rooms on
the ground floor of the south wing, which now contains
little of interest except two good late seventeenthcentury fireplaces. In the larger of these rooms,
and in the hall, the sixteenth and seventeenthcentury panelling which formerly lined their walls
is carelessly stacked, at the mercy of any chance
comer who may see fit to carry off anything that
takes his fancy.
The great chamber has a ceiling panelled with
moulded wooden beams and light ribs crossing the
panels diagonally, the beams being slightly cambered.
This room has been lined with sixteenth-century
wainscot, full of good detail, and in it were inserted
two elaborately carved panels with figures in low relief said to represent Henry VIII and his wives. Only
one of these panels now remains, leaning against the
wall.
The rest of the south wing is gutted, and ends in a
plain brick gable.
The north wing has been nearly rebuilt, and retains nothing of its old fittings, its eastern half being
now used as a farmhouse. On the north are some
picturesque brick farm buildings, built by Sir Francis
Anderton in 1744.
To the south of the hall in an open field stands
the ruined chapel called 'Lydiate Abbey.' It was
dedicated in honour of St. Catherine. Its plan is of
the simplest form, a rectangle 46 ft. 9 in. long by
16 ft. 4 in. wide, internal measurement, with a small
west tower. Weather and the arch-enemy of ancient
buildings, ivy, are slowly destroying its ruins. It
has had an east window of five lights, and four threelight windows on the south side, with stepped buttresses between the windows, formerly capped by
pinnacles, which, with an embattled parapet, are
shown in Pennant's view, noted below. There are
no windows on the north side. There are north
and south doorways near the west end, with a south
porch, over the outer arch of which are the arms of
Ireland, and on the dripstones of the label the initials
LI and CI. There are stone seats on both sides of the
porch, and in the north-east angle is a holy-water
stone, while the remains of a niche and corbel,
formerly over the outer arch, lie near by. The
tower is of three stages with diagonal buttresses, and a
three-light west window. In the belfry stage are
two-light windows with tracery, and the tower has an
embattled parapet with angle pinnacles.
Parts of a broken altar-slab lie in the church,
enough remaining to show that the altar was 3 ft. 4 in.
high by 8 ft. 6 in. long and 2 ft. 6 in. wide.
The date of the building is probably fixed by the
initials on the porch of Lawrence Ireland, ob. before
1486, and Catherine (Blundell) his wife, though
the details would suggest a later date, especially the
absence of cusps in the window tracery.
Pennant thus describes it in 1773: 'A small but
most beautiful building, with a tower steeple, with pinnacles and battlements venerably overgrown in many
parts with ivy.' (fn. 104) Gregson also notices the building,
but was of opinion it was never completed. (fn. 105) This
however, is a mistake, fragments of stained glass and
roofing flags having been found within the walls.
The chapel was no doubt dismantled when the
worship for which it was erected was prohibited
by law. Four alabaster groups attributed to the
Nottingham school, and representing the story of
St. Catherine, probably formed the reredos; they
were preserved at the hall, and are now in the pulpit
of the church opposite. An alabaster figure of
St. Catherine, which has been supposed to have occupied the niche over the porch, has also been transferred
from the hall to the church. (fn. 106) The interior of the
chapel was used for burial occasionally—five priests
lying there. (fn. 107)
No details are known as to the continuance or
revival of the Roman Catholic worship in Lydiate, but
Francis Waldegrave, S.J., was in residence at the hall
in 1681. Margaret Ireland of Lydiate, widow, and
many others, occur in a list of recusants fined or
outlawed in 1680. (fn. 108) The mission was served by
the Jesuits down to 1860, (fn. 109) when the late Thomas
Ellison Gibson, a secular priest, was appointed. (fn. 110) He
was a diligent antiquary and author of the work
frequently quoted in this account—Lydiate Hall and
its Associations, issued in 1876. He also edited the
Cavalier's Note Book, Crosby Records, and N. Blundell's
Diary. Edmund Powell, appointed in 1885, must
also be mentioned. (fn. 111)
Gregson in 1816 records that 'the neighbourhood
still abounds with Catholic families, and mass is
regularly performed in the old hall.' (fn. 112) This domestic
chapel has been superseded by the church of St. Mary
(commonly called 'Our Lady's'), built in 1854 by
the late Thomas Weld Blundell, and consecrated in
1892. A burial ground was opened in 1860. Besides the alabaster groups and statue already mentioned
the church has the figure of a bishop seated (said to
have been brought from Halsall), a pre-Reformation
chalice, and an ancient processional cross. A roadside
cross, found buried in the neighbourhood in 1870,
has been erected as the cemetery cross. (fn. 113)