| 1 |
805 acres, including 7 of inlandwater;
Census Rep. 1901. |
| 2 |
Lay Subs. R. 250, no. 9. |
| 3 |
It was held by Richard de Molyneux
in 1212; Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec.
Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 12. The Molyneux lordship was recognized again in
1242; ibid. 147. Even down to 1355
Cuerden was still accounted part of the
Sefton fee; Feud. Aids, iii, 91.
In later times the Molyneux family held
land in the township, but this was a part
of the Hospitallers' holding; see Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xiii, no. 35; Lancs.
Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), iii,
383, &c. |
| 4 |
Roger de Kuerden in 1276 complained
that Robert Banastre had distrained him
to do suit at his court of Cuerden; De
Banco R. 13, m. 28.
Alice widow of Roger de Kuerden in
1281 and later claimed dower in 6 oxgangs
of land against Robert Banastre; ibid. 41,
m. 40 d.; 43, m. 47.
Simon son of Roger de Kuerden
claimed common of pasture against Robert
Banastre in 1284, and Roger, his brother,
claimed the like against Richard Banastre,
but they were non-suited; Assize R. 1268,
m. 12, 13. The lordship of Robert Banastre
was fully recognized in pleadings in 1292,
quoted below. |
| 5 |
To an aid in 1378 the 'lords of
Cuerden' contributed for the fourth part
of a knight's fee; Harl. MS. 2085, fol.
421, &c. Again, in an extent of 1445–6,
Henry de Langton is stated to have held
the fourth part of a knight's fee in Cuerden;
Duchy of Lanc. Knights' Fees, bdle. 2, no.
20. As the whole Sefton fee was held by
the service of half a knight, it appears
that a moiety had been placed upon this
single manor.
Cuerden appears frequently to have been
regarded as in Walton-le-Dale, no doubt
through its dependence upon the lords
thereof.
James de Lostock of Walton-le-Dale
complained in 1347 that Sir Robert de
Langton, John son of Robert de Langton
the elder, and others had with force and
arms disseised him of a mill in Cuerden,
and a verdict was given against John de
Langton; Assize R. 1435, m. 9 d. |
| 6 |
In an undated charter Ingelram
de Amelcotes is styled lord of Cuerden.
He gave to John son of Ellis de Kuerden
land on the east side of Ferncroft; also
land on Huntersty to John son of
Geoffrey son of William de Walton; Add.
MS. 32109, fol. 23.
Alice widow of Robert Banastre in
1291 claimed dower in the manor of
Cuerden against Ingram de Amelcotes;
De Banco R. 91, m. 157, 157 d.
In the next year Simon son of Roger
de Kuerden claimed common of pasture
in certain land against Ingelram de
Kuerden, brother and heir of Robert the
Serjeant; but it was shown that Robert
Banastre, 'chief lord of Cuerden,' had
approved the land out of his own waste,
and, after holding it for four years, had
granted it to Robert the Serjeant; Assize
R. 408, m. 33 d. Ingelram de Kuerden,
no doubt the same as Amelcotes, was
defendant in another case; ibid. m. 24 d.
Roger son of Roger de Kuerden in
1292 claimed common of pasture against
Geoffrey the Brewster, who answered
that he and Robert de Amelcote had
purchased the land from Robert Banastre,
lord of the vill and of the waste, and that
he then held it jointly with Ingelram the
brother of Robert de Amelcote. Roger
said that a partition had been made.
The verdict was for Geoffrey; ibid. m.
10 d.
By another charter Ingelram de
'Huntcoat,' lord of Cuerden, confirmed
to John de Foldringis (Faldworthings) the
half of Vendkarhey in Cuerden, the
boundary as defined in one part being the
Lostock. A rent of 2s. 6d. was to be
paid. John son of Ellis de Kuerden was
a witness; W. Farrer's notes. |
| 7 |
In 1316–17 Adam de Charnock
charged on John son of Geoffrey a rent of
2s. due to the lord of Walton-le-Dale for a
piece of the waste which Adam had granted
to John; Kuerden fol. MS. 71. Two years
later Adam granted a rood of the waste to
Robert son of Roger Woodcock; ibid.
Later still (1322–3) he gave to John son
of Geoffrey a part of the waste within
bounds beginning at the Lostock, with
remainders to Adam, Henry and William,
sons of John; ibid. A Robert de Charnock, of whom nothing further is known,
made a grant in almost the same terms to
John son of Geoffrey; ibid.
The latest grant by Adam de Charnock,
made to Alexander de Cliff in 1325, records many names of places and tenants.
For example, Long Castlegate, Short
Castlegate, Towncrofts, the Hanedings of
the Shortbottom, Longbottom, Balgreen
and Kilgreen; Roger son of Roger son of
Alice (formerly), William de Whithalgh,
John de Bradley, Richard son of Robert
Woodcock, Ellis son of John de Alt, John
de Faldworthings, William de Molyneux
and Richard de Hoole; ibid. |
| 8 |
For a settlement of the manor of
Charnock Richard by Adam, see Final
Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), ii, 57.
John son of Adam de Charnock Richard
granted land in Cuerden lying by the highway leading from Clayton to Preston;
Kuerden fol. MS. 72. In 1334 John son
of Adam de Charnock (lord of Cuerden)
licensed Richard son of Robert Woodcock
to make a new hearth upon the Smithridding; ibid. 71. The same John in 1338
demised to William de Whithalgh two
adjacent parcels in Cuerden called the
Whitfield and Walgate; ibid. 72.
John de Charnock in 1347 claimed land
in Cuerden against Adam de Clayton,
Adam son of Peter de Risley and others.
The defence was that the land was in
Clayton, but the jury decided in favour of
the plaintiff; Assize R. 1435, m. 19 d.
At the same time John complained that
William de Whithalgh and others had
been digging in his several turbary within
Cuerden; De Banc. R. 351, m. 340.
John de Charnock in 1348 allowed Roger
son of John de Faldworthings to remove
a hearth (astrum) formerly built on the
north side of Faldworthings to the south
side of the same; Harl. MS. 2042, fol.
103 (where his seal is drawn). In July
1351 he was unsuccessful in a demand for
a rent of 15s. made against Sir Robert de
Langton, John his son, and others; Duchy
of Lanc. Assize R. 1, m. 3. William son
of Walter de Burnhull and Margery his
wife did not prosecute their claim against
him; ibid. m. 1 d. |
| 9 |
John de Charnock the elder may have
died in or before 1355, in which year John
son of John son of Adam de Charnock
claimed a messuage and land in Cuerden
against Robert son of Henry de Kuerden,
Richard son of Henry son of Richard de
Kuerden, and Thomas son of Ellis de
Kuerden. It appeared that John the
father had obtained the land from Henry
son of Richard at a rent of 46s. 8d., and
had granted it to his son John; the rent
falling into arrear, a seizure had followed.
See Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 5, m. 23 d.
John son of John de Charnock in 1367
released to William de Faldworthings his
right in the service of William de Walton
and others; Add. MS. 32106, no. 535,
fol. 338. About the same time also he
released to Richard Lemon all actions;
Kuerden fol. MS. 71. He demised two
pieces of land in a field called Huntersty
to Robert son of Thomas de Kuerden in
1371; ibid. John son of John de Charnock in the following year released his
right in a certain rent to William Woodcock; ibid. |
| 10 |
In 1408 Robert de Charnock and
Roger his son demised 8 acres in Cuerden
to William del Cliff at a rent of 9s.; ibid.
72. |
| 11 |
Kuerden fol. MS. 76; Harl. MS.
2042, fol. 105. The manor, services
and all lands were transferred, except 9
acres then held by Richard Charnock and
his tenants. In exchange he received
22 acres in Walton-le-Dale and Cuerden.
Hence the Charnocks of Leyland still
continued to hold some land in this township.
In the inquisition after the death
of Richard Langton, 1511, lands in
Cuerden are named as parcel of the barony
of Newton, and in that after the death
of Sir Thomas Langton in 1569 the
tenure of the manor of Cuerden is not
given; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iv, no.
45; xiii, no. 41. Sir Thomas had recently purchased a messuage in Cuerden
from the Earl of Derby; Pal. of Lanc.
Feet of F. bdle. 29, m. 92.
William Charnock, as son and heir of
Richard, claimed common of pasture in
Walton and Cuerden; Ducatus Lanc.
(Rec. Com.), ii, 106. In 1554 he secured
three barns, &c., in Walton-le-Dale and
Cuerden from Sir Thomas Langton and
Anne his wife; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F.
bdle. 15, m. 144. For a brother, John
Charnock of Farington, see Piccope, Wills
ii, 208. William had a son Thomas, who
married Cecily, one of the daughters and
co-heirs of Peter Farington of Little Farington (Visit. of 1567, Chet. Soc. 76), and
was succeeded by his son William, who
died in 1598 holding lands, &c., in
Cuerden held of Thomas Langton, but
the tenure is not separately given; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xvii, no. 5. |
| 12 |
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 66,
no. 25. |
| 13 |
The manor of Cuerden was included
with other Banastre estates in 1608–9;
Pat. 6 Jas. i, pt. xxi. On the other hand
in one or two later inquisitions land in
Cuerden is stated to have been held of
the Fleetwoods, successors of the Langtons,
e.g. in 1639 Richard Sherdley is stated to
have held of Sir Richard Fleetwood as of
his manor of Cuerden; Towneley MS.
C 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), 1091. |
| 14 |
Thomas Haggerston and Alice his
wife held Cuerden Hall in right of Alice,
also 5 acres appurtenant in Walton-leDale; and demised them in 1637 to
Christopher Banastre, for 99 years, should
Thomas and Alice live so long; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxix, no. 15. The
tenure is not recorded. |
| 15 |
William Blundell of Little Crosby in
1673 stated: 'There was a fair estate
called Cuerden which was held by my
wife's father, Sir Thomas Haggerston,
only for the term of his life, the remainder
to his infant son in tail. This was sold
by Sir Thomas to Mr. Banastre of the
Bank in the year 1637, and security
given for the same out of some lands in
Northumberland'; Lancs. and Ches. Hist.
and Gen. Notes, ii, 117. |
| 16 |
See the account of Bretherton. |
| 17 |
Christopher's other daughter married
Thomas Fleetwood, and in 1703 the
manor of Cuerden was secured by Robert
Parker, Fleetwood being deforciant; Pal.
of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 250, m. 8.
The later descents are taken from
Burke's Commoners, i, 116, and Landed
Gentry; Foster's Lanc. Ped.
Robert Parker was sheriff of the county
in 1710 (P.R.O. List, 74), and died in
1718. |
| 18 |
Near Burnley. |
| 19 |
She afterwards married Sir Henry
P. Hoghton. |
| 20 |
P.R.O. List, 74. |
| 21 |
Ibid. |
| 22 |
Pink and Beaven, Parl. Repre. of
Lancs. 172, 174. |
| 23 |
There were four other sons and
three daughters. Among the sons were
Capt. Robert Townley Parker, who fought
at Aliwal and Sobraon and who is represented by a granddaughter, and Canon
Arthur Townley Parker, late rector of
Burnley. The former of these sons had
the Bradford estate, Manchester, from his
father. |
| 24 |
There are two illustrations of Cuerden
Hall in Twycross's Lancashire Mansions,
i, 142. |
| 25 |
Considering the date of its erection
Cuerden Hall as designed by Lewis
Wyatt is curiously 'modern' in feeling.
It is far in advance of the usual domestic
architecture, either classic or 'Gothic,'
of the early years of the 19th century.
A project for the remodelling of the old
house on strictly classic lines, and additions
thereto, from designs by J. Webb, architect, was abandoned in 1816. Webb's
drawings (1815) are preserved at the Hall. |
| 26 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 12. |
| 27 |
The land was near the present
Cuerden Hall, the boundaries including
the Lostock and the division between
Cuerden and Clayton; Cockersand Chartul.
(Chet. Soc.), ii, 488. The bounds of a
second grant also touched the Lostock,
following the stream as far as Holford;
ibid. ii, 489. |
| 28 |
Ibid. ii, 490. The place-names
include Aldfield and Halvedland. |
| 29 |
Kuerden fol. MS. 1. The lands lay
in several places, the names given being
Walleschaw, Wetriding, and Wallgate. |
| 30 |
Henry de Kuerden son of Siward
granted 3 oxgangs of land to Richard son
of Adam de Blackburn, who had married
his daughter Avice; and Avice daughter
of Henry afterwards granted land in Ferncroft to her son John; Kuerden, loc. cit.
In Henry's grant the 16 oxgangs of the
vill are mentioned; four of them were
held in demesne. Old Cuerden is named
in each of the charters. Avice's grant
was charged with 1d. a year for incense
for Leyland Church.
Margery widow of Roger de Blackburn
in 1292 claimed dower in tenements in
Cuerden against Alice widow of Peter de
Kuerden and against John son of Henry
de Walton; Assize R. 408, m. 64 d., 59.
William de Blackburn gave all his land
in Cuerden to his son William, and the
latter granted it to John son of Richard
son of Ralph of Much Hoole and Robert
son of Finian of the same; Kuerden
MSS. iv, K 5. |
| 31 |
Roger de Kuerden son of Henry
released to John son of William Woodcock and Gilbert his brother common of
pasture in Cuerden for all cattle belonging
to them; ibid. 2. Roger confirmed to
Gilbert land which the latter had formerly
held of Thomas the brother of Roger
together with mastfall for his pigs in
Cuerden wood; ibid. He also made a
grant to Uctred son of Gilbert; ibid. |
| 32 |
In 1253 Simon son of Roger de
Kuerden agreed with the brothers John
and Gilbert Woodcock that he would not
sell or alienate their homage or service
without their consent, under a penalty of
20s. to be paid to the fabric of Lancaster
Castle; Kuerden fol. MS. 3. Simon
exchanged a croft with Robert son of
Thomas de Clayton and made grants to
Roger son of Gilbert de Kuerden
(? Woodcock) and to Robert son of Roger
Woodcock; ibid.
The above-mentioned Thomas de Clayton is in another charter called Thomas
the Dispenser. Also Alice daughter of
Robert the Dispenser of Clayton in 1294
released to her son Thomas all right in
her hereditary lands in Cuerden. Her
husband's name was John; ibid. 4. |
| 33 |
A sale appears to have been under
consideration in 1253, judging by the
charter quoted above. |
| 34 |
Assize R. 408, m. 66; William de
Molyneux, father of the plaintiff, had been
seised of the service claimed. It will be
noticed that scutage was payable for the
fifth part of a knight's fee. |
| 35 |
Alice widow of Simon de Kuerden
in 1309 claimed dower in messuages and
lands in Cuerden held by Adam del Kirk
and Avice his wife; De Banco R. 179,
m. 11. |
| 36 |
One of C. Towneley's compilations
(Add. MS. 32109) contains a large
number of Kuerden deeds, referring,
apparently, to several families of the
name. There are also references in the
Kuerden MSS. (Coll. of Arms), iii, K 2,
iv, K 5; and Harl. MS. 2112.
Several references to the various
Kuerden families have been given above
from the charters and pleadings; to them
the following may be added:
There was a dispute as to a tenement
in Cuerden in 1283 between John son of
Uctred de Kuerden and William son of
Henry the Cookson; De Banco R. 49,
m. 19 d.; 54, m. 38 d.
In 1301 William and Thomas sons of
Henry de Kuerden had disputes as to
their inheritance; Assize R. 1321, m. 3, 13.
Thomas son of Roger de Kuerden in
July 1354 claimed land in Cuerden
against John and Robert de Arderne
(brothers, who had the reversion and
warranted), John son of Robert de Hoole,
Robert Lemon and Richard Woodcock,
the last-named being tenant for life. The
verdict was for the plaintiff, who had in
1325 released the land to Margaret
Banastre. The Ardernes were to compensate Woodcock; Duchy of Lanc.
Assize R. 3, m. 4 d. Robert de Arderne
had a life estate in half an oxgang of land
in Cuerden, the reversion being to his
brother John. He forfeited it by felony,
and John was allowed to have it in 1360;
Dep. Keeper's Rep. xxxii, App. 341. A
grant of land to Margery de Holland in
1346 by Robert son of Henry de Kuerden
is preserved in Add. MS. 32109, fol. 45b.
At the same time Richard son of Adam
son of Alan de Kuerden unsuccessfully
claimed a messuage, &c., against Robert
Coler, Margery his wife, and others;
Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 3, m. 9. There
are some Coler deeds of a later time in
Add. MSS. 32104, fol. 41b; 32109, fol.
81, &c.
The following pedigree of a family of
the time of Edward II and Edward III is
shown by deeds preserved by Kuerden
(ii, fol. 250):—Robert de Kuerden -s.
Roger -s. William -bro. Adam -s. John.
Roger de Kuerden in 1310 granted all his
lands, &c., in the vill to his son Richard,
with remainders to other sons—Thomas,
Robert and John; Add. MS. 32109, fol.
30. In 1318 Roger son of Roger son of
Alice de Kuerden granted a parcel of
land, the bounds of which began at the
Wallshawsykes, to John son of Thomas
Woodcock; ibid. fol. 27b. Thomas son
of Roger de Kuerden, who has already
been named, in 1355 gave his share of
Lostockhey to William de Walton; ibid.
fol. 41. In 1366 Robert son of Thomas
de Kuerden made a feoffment of his lands
in the vill; ibid. fol. 37. Robert appears
to have had the lands of John de Arderne;
ibid. fol. 34b.
Ralph de Kuerden and Margaret his
mother came to an agreement with Robert
de Pinnington in 1374 respecting shares
of the Holt; ibid. fol. 46b. A further
agreement was made ten years later;
ibid. fol. 48.
William Kuerden and Margaret his
wife made a feoffment of their lands in
Cuerden, Clayton and Walton-le-Dale in
1426; ibid. fol. 81. Margaret was a
widow in 1434; ibid. fol. 78. The
feoffees in 1441 granted the lands received
from William and Margaret to Adam de
Kuerden, who was to marry Margaret
daughter of Hugh Hilton; ibid. fol. 79b, 85.
A short pedigree was recorded in 1567
(Visit. Chet. Soc. 69), as follows:—
Richard -s. Edmund -s. Thomas -s. John
(1567) -s. Thomas. A settlement of
land in Cuerden, Walton-le-Dale and
Clayton was made by Richard Kuerden
in 1506, the remainders being to his sons
Edmund and Hugh; Add. MS. 32109,
fol. 92. Edmund was in possession in
June 1508; ibid. fol. 92b. John and
George Kuerden were parties to a fine in
1568 respecting lands in Cuerden, Clayton
and Walton; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F.
bdle. 30, m. 102. In 1589 John Kuerden
and Elizabeth his wife had not only lands
in Cuerden, &c., but a fourth part of the
manor of Longton; ibid. bdle. 51, m. 238. |
| 37 |
A fanciful pedigree appears in Dugdale, Visit. (Chet. Soc.), 167. Kuerden
himself says: 'Within this manor standeth
an ancient fabric called Cuerden Hall,
belonging to Christopher Banastre de
Bank, and below it on the west side of
London [road] another fair square fabric,
a brick building adorned about with tall
pine and fir trees, situated pleasantly upon
the edge of Cuerden Green, not long since
built in a fair court, and a spacious orchard
and garden on the south side thereof
planted by Richard Kuerden, Doctor
of Physic, being an ancient inheritance
descended upon him, and hath continued
in his precedent ancestors from King
Stephen's reign, then given in marriage
to the original of that family, Siwardus
filius Auti. . . . This inheritance hath
continued entirely in the Doctor's family
to this day, though the lordship itself hath
been twice or thrice alienated'; quoted
in Baines' Lancs. (ed. 1870), ii, 143.
The family was long known as Jackson,
Dr. Kuerden (or Keurden as he spelt it)
adopting for himself the local surname.
A John son of William Dicconson of
Kuerden appears in 1391; he released to
Margery widow of Robert de Pinnington
his right in land called the Sheetacre on
the Oldfield in Cuerden; Add. MS. 32109,
fol. 61. William was therefore probably
a brother of the Ralph son of Margaret
named in a preceding note; ibid. fol. 48.
In 1401 Elisota (Elizabeth) widow of
William Dicconson made a settlement of
her lands in Cuerden, the remainders
being to William's sons—John the elder,
John and Thomas; ibid. fol. 62, 63. In
1402 Elisota and her son and heir John
made a feoffment of their lands; ibid. fol.
65. A little later John son of William
Dicconson gave lands to William Cliff;
the names include Wellbutts, Croft at the
Town, and Ferncroft; ibid. fol. 64. In
1410 the same John granted lands in the
Bottoms and Longfield to William son of
Ralph Clayton; ibid. fol. 65b. In 1416,
as John Wilkinson of Cuerden, he made
a settlement of his lands, the remainder
being to his son Thomas, who had married
Eleanor daughter of John Harwood;
ibid. fol. 68, 71, 73. John Wilkinson
and Thomas his son in 1420 made a grant
of the Mickle Crofts; ibid. fol. 68.
Thomas Jackson Wilkinson of Cuerden
in conjunction with John Harwood of
Hoghton made a grant of land to John
Werden in 1434; ibid. fol. 78b. His son
Gilbert appears to have succeeded in
1454, when Richard son and heir of John
Harwood gave to Gilbert son of Thomas
Jackson various lands in Cuerden formerly
entrusted by Thomas to the said John and
to Geoffrey son of Thomas; ibid. fol. 74b.
In the same year there was granted a
divorce between Gilbert Tomlinson Jackson and his wife Elizabeth Whalley, on
the latter's petition; ibid. fol. 80.
It was probably the same Gilbert Jackson who in 1509 gave to feoffees land
called Werdenheys, abutting on Richard
Charnock's land called Huntersty and on
the Stony lane, for the use of Joan wife of
Richard Jackson son and heir-apparent of
Gilbert; ibid. fol. 96. In 1516 Gilbert Jackson and Richard his son and heir granted
land in the Townfield to John Jackson,
another son of Gilbert's; ibid. fol.
99b.
Richard Jackson granted Little Werdenhey to his brother John in 1528, and in
the following year made his will, desiring
to be buried in the churchyard of Leyland
near his father and mother, and making
bequests to his relatives, to priests for
masses, and to such as should go on
pilgrimage for him to our Lady of Burgh
and St. Anne, and to the Rood at Chester;
ibid. fol. 94–5. Richard did not die at
that time, for in 1537 he as Richard
Kuerden and his brother John agreed
upon the marriage of the latter's son
Gilbert with Grace daughter of Richard
Eyves; ibid. fol. 100b. From other deeds
it appears that Jackson and Kuerden were
used indifferently as the surname. Richard
died about the end of 1553, for early in
the next year his widow Janet and his
brother John (called of Walton-le-Dale)
came to an agreement as to the dowry;
ibid. fol. 104.
In 1568 John Kuerden of Cuerden
made an exchange of lands with John
Jackson of Walton-le-Dale and Gilbert
his son; the names given are: Tunstead,
Farthingbutt, Longtonhey; ibid. fol. 112.
Five years later John Kuerden gave pieces
of land in the Bentbutts and the Menchey
to Gilbert Jackson; ibid. fol. 118. A
deed of feoffment made in 1584 by Gilbert
Jackson records the names of his sons and
other relatives; the heir-apparent was his
son Richard; ibid. fol. 107; see also fol.
121b. In 1599 an agreement was made
between Richard Jackson of Cuerden and
Margaret widow of Gilbert Jackson as to
her lands; ibid. fol. 117. According to
the pedigree recorded in 1664 Richard,
who died in 1631, was father of Gilbert
(d. 1662), the father of the antiquary.
The only inquisition known is that of
Richard Jackson, who died 24 April 1631
holding a messuage and lands in Cuerden
of Lord Molyneux and Sir Richard Fleetwood, as of their manor of Cuerden;
Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), 699a.
Gilbert, the son and heir, was thirty-nine
years of age. |
| 38 |
A Richard son of Gilbert Jackson
was baptized at Leyland 7 March 1622–3. |
| 39 |
See Add. MS. 32109, fol. 127. |
| 40 |
Baines, Lancs. (cd. 1836), iii. 461,
from an account drawn up by Kuerden
himself and copied in the Palmer MSS.
(Chet. Lib.). There are notices of him
also in Wood's Athenae and the Dict. Nat.
Biog. (Jackson). For the date of his
death see Preston Guardian Sketches, no.
366. Eight volumes of Kuerden's MSS.
are in the College of Arms, two in the
Chetham Library, and one among the
Harleian MSS. in the British Museum.
For the prospectus of the work and other
notes on Dr. Kuerden see Loc. Glean.
Lancs. and Ches. i, 131, &c. |
| 41 |
Subs. R. 131, no. 210. |
| 42 |
Many references to them will be
found in the collections of Cuerden deeds
already noticed. Adam son of William
de Ulbas of Leyland in 1306 confirmed
to Robert son of Roger Woodcock lands
in Cuerden; Add. MS. 32109, fol. 26.
In 1342 Richard Woodcock exchanged
lands with Ellis son of John de Kuerden;
ibid. fol. 39b. In 1352 Adam son of
William Woodcock claimed a messuage
and land against William son of Thomas
Faldworthings; Duchy of Lanc. Assize
R. 2, m. 5. At the same time Adam
son of William del Knoll made a claim
against Richard Woodcock, who called
John son and heir of Robert Woodcock
to warrant him; ibid. m. 5 d.; 3, m.
5 d. There is a brief pedigree in A. E. P.
Gray, Woodcock Family, of Cuerden,
&c. |
| 43 |
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xviii,
no. 26; there was a rent of 6d. payable
to the Crown. For pedigree see Abram's
Blackburn, 733. |
| 44 |
Described by Kuerden as 'the
ancient inheritance of Mr. John Woodcock and his family for four or five
hundred years'; Baines, Lancs. (ed. 1870),
ii, 145.
Alice daughter and co-heir of Thomas
Woodcock is stated to have married
William Winstanley in 1762; see Burke,
Landed Gentry (Winstanley of Chaigley). |
| 45 |
John Woodcock of Cuerden and his
sons Thomas, Francis and William were
at the Preston Guild of 1622; Guild R.
(Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), 92. John
Woodcock of Cuerden and John Woodcock of Cuerden Green appear in 1642,
and Thomas Woodcock of the latter place
in 1662; ibid. 119, 155. |
| 46 |
On admission he stated that he was
son of Thomas and Dorothy Woodcock
and had been brought up at Clayton till
he was nineteen years old. 'His father
was a heretic or schismatic; his mother
a pious Catholic. He studied for one year
at St. Omer's, after having been a heretic
or schismatic until nearly twenty years
of age, when he was converted to the
Catholic faith, and suffered much for
a long time from a cruel father on that
account. He went to his grandfather, a
Catholic gentleman, viz. Mr. Anderton
of Clayton'; Foley, Rec. S. J. vi, 322.
At Rome he 'afforded a remarkable example of the mildest disposition.' |
| 47 |
Challoner, Missionary Priests, no.
185; Thaddeus, Franciscans in England,
69. His name in religion was Martin
of St. Felix. He was arrested early in
1644, and kept in prison for two years.
Two secular priests were executed with
him. His head was preserved in the
cloister of St. Bonaventure's, Douay, till
the French Revolution. The Franciscan
nuns at Taunton possess an arm bone.
The process of beatification was allowed
to be introduced at Rome in 1886. |
| 48 |
The Blundell of Preston family; see
their deeds in Harl. MS. 2112, fol. 96b–
137b. |
| 49 |
John son of Alexander de Cliff acquired land in Cuerden in 1341; Anct.
D. (P.R.O.), A 8174, 8176. Some Cliff
deeds may be seen in the Kuerden MSS.
iii, K2. By one of 1443 William Cliff
settled land on himself with remainder
to his son Thomas and to the latter's
son William; and by another in 1473
William Cliff, who had married Katherine
daughter of John Balshaw, settled land
with remainder to his son John. The
family occurs in other townships of Leyland and the neighbourhood.
John Cliff, who died in 1588, held two
messuages, &c., in Cuerden of Thomas
Langton, lord of Newton, in socage by
a rent of 19s. 3½d.; Richard Cliff, his
kinsman and heir, was five years old in
1594; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xvi,
no. 29. Richard Cliff died at Bretherton
in 1640, holding the same tenement of
Sir Richard Fleetwood; John, his son and
heir, was twenty-seven years old; ibid.
xxix, no. 88. |
| 50 |
Thomas Farington died in 1508
holding a messuage and land in Cuerden
of Richard Charnock by 1d. rent; ibid.
iv, no. 41. He also held the Cockersand
lands in the township. |
| 51 |
William Langley of Walton was a
ienant in the time of Elizabeth; in 1580
he sold part of his holding in Cuerden to
John Robinson; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of
F. bdle. 42, m. 147; Duchy of Lanc.
Inq. p.m. xvi, no. 52. |
| 52 |
The messuage, &c., of Robert
Langton in Cuerden was in 1548 held of
Sir Thomas Langton in socage by a rent
of 12d.; his son Peter's tenement was
in 1573 held of Thomas Langton in
socage, no rent being named; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. ix, no. 35; xii, no. 14. |
| 53 |
See Final Conc. iii, 36. William
Walton of Walton-le-Dale held 6 acres
in Cuerden in 1625 of Richard Fleetwood
as of his manor of Newton by a rent of
2s. yearly; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m.
xxv, no. 49. |
| 54 |
Some deeds of this family (of Whithalgh in Livesey) are transcribed in Add.
MS. 32104, fol. 40 on. William de
Whithalgh in 1367 confirmed to John
Finch and Margery his wife a tenement
in the vill of Cuerden and 6 acres in
divers parcels in Castlegate, Cilnegreve,
Sonerseld, Pighle and Blackhorde at a
rent of 12s.; ibid. fol. 46b. Henry de
Whithalgh appears in 1387; ibid. fol. 44.
In 1415 he settled his holding in Cuerden
on his son Uriel and other issue; ibid.
fol. 43. Henry and Uriel in 1424 demised a plot of land in Cuerden to Robert
Coler; ibid. fol. 46. Margaret widow
of Henry Whithalgh in 1430 released to
Uriel son and heir of Henry all her
right in the lands, &c.; ibid. fol. 43b.
Uriel frequently occurs; his widow
Janet and her children in 1467 agreed to
an arbitration concerning disputes with
Laurence the son and heir, Katherine his
wife, and James and other children of
Laurence; ibid. fol. 48. To Laurence
and Katherine (daughter of John Ward)
the feoffees in 1451 regranted lands in
Cuerden, including 2 acres on the west
of a close called Hanacres; ibid. fol. 44.
James Whithalgh and his wife Isabel
occur in 1475; ibid. fol. 50. Margery
was his wife in 1497 and his widow in
1525; ibid. fol. 41, 42b. Richard son
and heir apparent of James Whithalgh
appears to have married Isabel daughter
of Laurence Ainsworth in 1499, lands in
Mellor and Oswaldtwistle being settled on
them; ibid. fol. 45. Richard Whithalgh
and James his son and heir in 1528
agreed that James should marry Margaret
daughter of Miles Marsden; ibid. fol. 47b.
An exchange of land in the Broomfield
was made in 1568 between John Kuerden
and James Whithalgh; ibid. fol. 47.
James Whithalgh died in the same year,
holding his lands, &c., in Cuerden of Sir
Thomas Langton by a rent of 4s.; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xiii, no. 22. His
heir was his nephew John son of his
brother Lawrence.
For the family see Abram, Blackburn, 594. |
| 55 |
Elizabeth widow of Sir Henry
Kighley in 1524 held lands in
Cuerden of Thomas Langton as of his
manor of Walton; Duchy of Lanc. Inq.
p.m. v, no. 6r. In this document
Cuerden is described as in Walton-leDale. They were probably part of the
Hesketh of Rufford lands; ibid. v, no. 16.
Richard Sollam in 1555 purchased lands
in Cuerden, &c., from Sir Thomas
Hesketh and Alice his wife; Pal. of
Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 16, m. 164.
Edmund and John Burscough occur in
a fine respecting land in Cuerden in 1559,
and Peter and Roger Burscough in 1595;
ibid. bdle. 21, m. 87; 57, m. 74.
Thomas Burscough, the successor of
Peter, in 1611 held his land in Cuerden
of the king (as waste) by the hundredth
part of a knight's fee; Lancs. Inq. p.m.
(Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), ii, 37.
Robert Woodroffe died in 1626 holding a messuage and land of Sir Richard
Molyneux. He left his estates to his
wife; Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet.
Lib.), 1298. |
| 56 |
The charters have been cited above.
In 1451–61 the tenant was Christopher
Farington, in 1501 Thomas Farington,
and in 1537 Thomas' heir; Cockersand
Chartul. iii, 1260–1. |
| 57 |
See Plac. de Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.),
375. A grant to them has been
quoted. About 1540 the tenants and
rents were; John Woodcock for two
riddings on each side of smithy forge,
2d.; Thomas Kuerden for a toft, 12d.;
Thomas Walton, a messuage, 12d.;
James (? Whithalgh), a messuage, 6½d.;
Kuerden MSS. v, fol. 83b. |
| 58 |
Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
i, 244–5. |
| 59 |
Ibid. 170. |
| 60 |
Ibid. 182. |
| 61 |
Estcourt and Payne, Engl. Cath. Nonjurors, 97, &c. Their names were:
William Dawson, Robert Hilton, James
Carver of Farington, William Cuerden,
Eleanor Cooper and Richard Jackson.
The estates of Thomas Clayton and
Robert Cooper seem to have been forfeited altogether; Lancs. and Ches. Rec.
(Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 172. These
surnames occur much earlier; Ducatus
Lanc. iii, 35, 42, &c. |
| 62 |
Land tax returns at Preston. The
family continue to be practically sole
landowners. |
| 63 |
Trans. Hist. Soc. (new ser.), xiii,
160–1. In 1740 the magistrates issued
a notice threatening the prosecution of
anyone who should 'presume or dare to
exercise the office of a popish priest'
within the township, and forbidding any
assembly to hear mass, &c.; Salford Dioc.
Almanac, 1880. |
| 64 |
End. Char. Rep. |