| 1 |
Land was claimed in 'Wrethington,'
but the defendant replied that there was
no vill in the county so named; the
tenements were in 'Wrythtynton';
Assize R. 408, m. 37 d. |
| 2 |
The Census Rep. of 1901 gives
3,917 acres, including 29 of inland
water. |
| 3 |
–6 Lancs. and Cbes. Antiq. Soc. xvii, 17,
18. |
| 4 |
For this and other interesting places
in the township see an essay by Mr. W.
F. Price in Trans. Hist. Soc. (new ser.),
xv, 208, &c. |
| 5 |
Subs. R. Lancs. bdle. 250, no. 9.
Other houses were those of Thomas
Nelson, William Crook, Oliver Halliwell,
six hearths each; John Halliwell, five;
John Halliwell of Hill, five; and Thomas
Wilson, four. |
| 6 |
It is so recognized in inquisitions
quoted later. Some dues or services
were received from it by the lord of
Manchester, as appears by Mosley fines of
1653 and 1680; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F.
bdle. 151, m. 152; 204, m. 66. At the
same time the constables of Wrightington
and Parbold were summoned to attend
the Manchester court; Court Leet Rec.
iv, 148, &c. |
| 7 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 55; in 1212 'the
heirs of that Orm held' the land. |
| 8 |
Farrer, Lancs. Pipe R. 405. |
| 9 |
Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and
Ches.), iii, 172. From a Dwerryhouse
deed, quoted below, it appears that Roger
de Ashton, perhaps the father of the
Roger and Orm of this fine, gave land in
Wrightington to the Hospitallers.
Somewhat later, in 1202, Margaret
widow of Richard de Lancaster made an
agreement as to her dower with Robert
son of Bernard (de Goosnargh), Orm son
of Roger and his brother Roger; ibid. i,
18.
From the former fine it will be seen
that Wrightington was assessed as two
plough-lands and Parbold as one. Hence
in 1302 Thomas Grelley contributed
to the aid for three plough-lands in
Wrightington and Parbold, whereof ten
made a knight's fee; Inq. and Extents, i,
315. It is thus seen that in the case of
Wrightington, Parbold and Dalton four
plough-lands had been granted out as one
knight's fee, though the superior lord
rendered only the service of four-tenths
of a fee.
Hence it is the less surprising to find
it recorded that Robert de Lathom in
1242 held the fourth part of a knight in
Parbold and three-fourths in Wrightington of the fee of Manchester; Inq. and
Extents, i, 154. The 'three-fourths'
may be an error or may include Dalton,
for in 1320 Robert de Lathom and John
de Kirkby were stated to hold half a fee
in Wrightington—the old service; and
again in 1473 Richard Kirkby and his
partners held the half fee by a rent of 3s.,
paying also 5s. for castle ward; Mamecestre
(Chet. Soc.), ii, 288; iii, 479. |
| 10 |
In 1282, after the death of Robert
Grelley, it was returned that Wrightington, Parbold and Dalton were held of him
for the fee of one knight by Robert de
Lathom, Adam de Hoghton, William le
Boteler, Ralph de Catterall and Geoffrey
de Wrightington; Inq. and Extents, i,
248. |
| 11 |
Richard de Catterall of Goosnargh
about 1244 held land in Wrightington
worth 14s. of Thomas Grelley; ibid. i,
160. Later inquisitions record Richard's
holding as either 4 or 22/3 oxgangs—i.e. a
quarter or a sixth part of the manor—
held of John de Kirkby by knights'
service; ibid. i, 211, 212. Richard son
of Swain (de Catterall), with the
consent of his wife Isoult, about 1220
granted to the canons of Cockersand his
land within bounds fixed by Linley Brook,
the great Clough to Risenbridge, a line
across to Vivinhac, and south to the start;
Cockersand Chartul. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 502.
Ralph de Catterall claimed the sixth
part of a tenement of John de Chisnall's
in 1292; Assize R. 408, m. 74; see also
m. 30. He granted his son Alan in
1305 all his lands, demesne, services, &c.,
in Wrightington; Carr Hall MS.
Adam de Catterall, who died in 1397,
held a fourth or third part of the manor
of Sir John La Warr by knights' service;
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.), i, 66.
Later inquisitions describe the Catterall
estate as held in socage of Lord la
Warr; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iv,
no. 62, 4. In that of Thomas Catterall
in 1579 it is described as the fifth part of
the manor, twelve messuages, &c., and
10s. free rent; ibid. xiv, no. 4.
It in part at least descended to the
Townleys of Barnside, heirs of Thomas
Catterall's eldest daughter Anne. Lawrence Townley died in 1623 holding a
sixth part of the manor of Wrightington,
with messuages and land there, of Edward
Mosley as of his manor of Manchester in
socage, and a similar return was made
after the death of his son Richard in
1630; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), iii, 410; Duchy of Lanc.
Inq. p.m. xxv, no. 19.
Another part, however, was held by
John Grimshaw and Mary his wife,
another daughter of Thomas Catterall, and
was in 1580 sold to William Stopford;
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 42, m. 150.
Thomas Procter and Elizabeth his
wife (another daughter) also made a sale
or settlement of the 'manor' in 1581;
ibid. bdle. 43, m. 130. |
| 12 |
The origin of the Butler interest is
not clear, but as it was sometimes called
a sixth part of the manor it was probably
the share of a daughter of Robert de
Goosnargh.
Richard le Boteler in 1262 purchased
from Alan de Wolvemoor and Alice his
wife land and wood in Wrightington,
giving 11 marks of silver, and promising
a rose as rent; Final Conc. i, 136. To
the same Richard, Henry son of Wenne
released all his title in lands granted him
by Richard de Catterall in Wrightington;
Add. MS. 32104, no. 1321. William le
Boteler, as stated above, was one of the
lords in 1282. Nicholas le Boteler was
defendant in a claim made by John de
Chisnall in 1292; Assize R. 408, m. 41.
Nicholas son of William le Boteler in
1337 granted to Lucy de Lathom, lady of
Parbold, all his share of the Mene wood in
Wrightington, between Hawksbrook and
Linley Clough, at a rent of 2s.; Add.
MS. 32104, no. 1318.
Sir John Boteler died in 1404 holding
lands in Wrightington of John La Warr,
lord of Manchester, by the rent of a rose;
Towneley MS. DD, no. 1460. Lands in
Wrightington were included in a Boteler
settlement of 1443; Final Conc. iii, 108.
James Boteler died in 1504 holding three
messuages, 20 acres of land, &c., of Lord
la Warre by services unknown; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iii, no. 109. In a
subsequent inquisition the tenure is called
socage; ibid. vii, no. 4. The estate is
not described as a manor, but in 1567
Henry Butler, a grandson and the eventual
heir, sold the manor of Wrightington
with the appurtenances and lands there
to William Stopford; Pal. of Lanc. Feet
of F. bdle. 29, m. 43. It seems to be
the sixth part of the manor afterwards
held by the Heskeths of Rufford. |
| 13 |
Avice daughter and co-heir of Robert
de Goosnargh married Oliver de Longford and secondly Michael de Ellaston
(Athelackston) and Nigel de Longford
and Michael de Ellaston both granted
lands in Wrightington to Cockersand
Abbey; Cockersand Chartul. ii, 504, 503.
Henry de Ellaston gave all his right in
his mother's lands in Wrightington,
Goosnargh, &c., to Adam de Hoghton;
Dods. MSS. cxlii, fol. 23b. Thus Adam
appears as one of the lords of Wrightington in 1282. He was defendant in pleas
of 1284–5; Assize R. 1268, m. 13;
1271, m. 11 d.
Thomas de Hoghton in 1313–14 claimed
the sixth part of the manor of Wrightington formerly held by Adam; it appeared
that Adam had granted it to Geoffrey de
Hoghton, who had died without issue;
Assize R. 424, m. 7 d. The verdict was
for the defendants Master Richard de
Hoghton (son and heir of Adam) and his
son Richard, who were in possession.
Three years later Richard son of Sir
Adam de Hoghton gave to Edmund de
Greystock and Richard his brother and
their issue all his manor of Wrightington
with its appurtenances to be held by the
service of a rose annually; Towneley
MS. OO, no. 1297. From another deed
(ibid. no. 1296) it appears that Edmund
was son of William son of Adam de
Greystock; he gave his lands to Richard,
his brother. A further release was in
1316 given to Richard de Greystock by
Thomas de Hoghton; Add. MS. 32106,
no. 710.
The Greystocks became accordingly
lords of a portion of the manor. Edmund
had a son Adam, a minor in 1347; Assize
R. 1435, m. 19. John de Brereworth
the elder, in right of his wife Margery, in
1358 claimed the sixth part of the
manor, &c. (except 30½ acres), against
Edmund de Greystock and Amice his
wife; and 30½ acres were held by Geoffrey
de Wrightington, John son of Robert de
Heskin, William de Tunstall, Richard
son of Robert de Wrightington, Henry
de Tunley, Henry Banastre and John son
cf Adam the Tailor; Assize R. 438, m.
9. In 1364 Robert de Greystock son of
Diota de Pleasington surrendered his life
interest in lands in Wrightington granted
by Edmund de Greystock to Sir Adam
de Hoghton; Towneley MS. OO, no.
1287. Probably, therefore, Edmund had
died without issue, and this sixth part of
the manor had reverted to the Hoghtons.
Messuages and lands in Wrightington
were among the estates of Sir Richard
Hoghton in 1468; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet.
Soc.), ii, 81. They were also mentioned
among those of Thomas Hoghton in 1580,
but no tenure was recorded; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. xiv, no. 26. Thomas
Hoghton had in fact sold his estate in
Wrightington in 1567 to Alexander and
Nicholas Rigby of Arley and Harrock
respectively, and the former released to
Nicholas all his interest in the sixth part
of the manor; Towneley MS. OO, no.
1331, 1334, 1330. |
| 14 |
See further in the account of the
Wrightington family. The fourth part of
the manor had come into the possession
of John de Kirkby by 1320, as appears by
a preceding note, and seems for a time to
have been granted to a younger branch of
the family. Thus Alexander de Kirkby
in 1331 gave lands in Wrightington in
Appley to William son of Richard de
Hoole; Kuerden MSS. ii, fol. 211.
Richard de Catterall in 1344 claimed a
messuage, &c., against Sir Thomas de
Lathom and Eleanor his wife, who had a
fourth part of the manor, William son of
Alexander de Kirkby and others; Assize
R. 1435, m. 38. Nicholas le Boteler and
Edmund de Greystock are named among
the lords of the manor.
In 1356 John de Kirkby granted his
son Richard, among other lands, &c., the
manor of Wrightington with the homage
of William son of Alexander de Kirkby;
Kuerden MSS. ii, fol. 211. From pleas
of the same year by William de Kirkby it
appears that he and Sir Thomas de Lathom
the elder, Sir Nicholas le Boteler, Richard
de Catterall and Edmund de Greystock
were lords of Wrightington, holding lordship in common; Duchy of Lanc. Assize
R. 5, m. 26 d. (Easter), m. 20 (July).
About the same time William de Kirkby
and Alice his wife made a settlement of the
fourth part of the manor, the remainders
being to their sons William, Adam, Roger,
Richard and John; Final Conc. ii, 150.
The younger William and his wife Katherine are mentioned in Sept. 1351;
Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 1, m. 3 d.
William de Ashton and Katherine his wife
in 1361 claimed tenements in Wrightington against William de Kirkby, Alice his
wife and William his son; Assize R. 441,
m. 5.
In 1374 Roger son of William de Kirkby
was in possession; Kuerden, loc. cit.
Afterwards, in 1395–6, he resigned all his
estate to Sir Richard de Kirkby, and this
was agreed to by his sister Agnes and a
brother Gilbert; ibid. and fol. 221. Thus
the superior lord regained possession of
this fourth part, and it was included in a
settlement made by Sir Richard de Kirkby
in 1407; ibid. fol. 211.
Lands in Wrightington and Appley
Wood are named in 1465 as having belonged to Richard Kirkby attainted in Parliament of high treason; Dep. Keeper's
Rep. xxxvii, App. 179. See also Cal. Pat.
1467–77, p. 40.
Richard Kirkby of Kirkby Ireleth died
in 1547 seised of lands, &c., in Wrightington held of Lord La Warr in socage by a
rent of 18d.; among the fields were Sterclough Meadow and Pekeshey; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. iii, no. 1; ix, no. 40.
In the inquisition after the death of his
son John in 1551 the rent is stated as
2s.; ibid. ix, no. 20; see also xi, no. 21.
John Kirkby had been distrained by
Thomas Lord La Warr for arrears of the
rent of 2s. due from his fourth part of a
knight's fee in Wrightington, and denied
that he held by such a service; Duchy of
Lanc. Plead. Edw. VI, xxxi, D 2. The
manor was still held by the Kirkbys in
1610 (Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 78,
m. 17), but was sold to Thomas Lathom
of Parbold before 1623; Lancs. Inq. p.m.
(Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), iii, 405. |
| 15 |
There seems no sign that the Ashtons
of Ashton-under-Lyne, the heirs of the
Orm of 1196, ever had any interest in
Wrightington. Possibly, therefore, it
was Orm's right which came into the
possession of Robert de Lathom before
1242. |
| 16 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 154; threefourths of the fee was in Wrightington.
Thomas son of Robert de Lathom in
1385 held a fourth part of the manor of
John La Warr by knights' service;
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.), i, 17. It is
called a 'third part' in 1376; Final Conc.
ii, 190. |
| 17 |
Thomas son of Sir Thomas de
Lathom gave the fourth part of the manor
to his brother Edward, and thus it descended with Parbold; Duchy of Lanc.
Inq. p.m. ii, no. 7; v, no. 7, &c. As
above stated, Thomas Lathom of Parbold,
who died in 1623, purchased another
fourth part of the manor from Roger
Kirkby. See also the account of Parbold.
Henry son of Robert de Lathom
granted land in Wrightington to John
son of Henry de Whittle; Kuerden MSS.
iii, W 26 d. Lands in Wrightington were
also held by the Torbock family: idid, ii,
fol. 266; Final Conc. ii, 139. |
| 18 |
Roger de Burton granted the canons
land in Wrightington for building, and
2 acres in Linleys near the spring;
Cockersand Chartul. ii, 501. William son
of Roger confirmed his father's grants;
ibid. ii, 505.
A 'Roger de Wrightington son of Orm
de Ashton' made a grant to Cockersand
of land in the Menewood; ibid. ii, 504.
It is not clear whether the grantor was
father or nephew of the above-named
Roger de Burton. Appley Wood is named
in this and some other charters. |
| 19 |
Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 248.
William son of Geoffrey de Wrightington in 1292 claimed the fourth part of
a tenement against John de Chisnall;
Assize R. 408, m. 74, 30. In 1293
Roger de Burton gave to William son of
Geoffrey de Wrightington all the lands
formerly held of him by Geoffrey, a rent
of 2s. 6d. (or 2s.) to be paid; Kuerden
MSS. ii, fol. 212; iii, K 8. Agnes
widow of Geoffrey was a defendant in
1295; Assize R. 1306, m. 16. William
de Wrightington occurs in 1301; Inq.
and Extents, i, 310. William de Wrightington granted to John son of Henry de
Wrightington land in the Scholefields
formerly held by William the Smith;
Rev. W. Michell's D. |
| 20 |
This is clear from the actual descent
of the manor. Alice widow of John de
Wrightington in 1309–10 demised to
John de Kirkby her dower lands for a
term of years; Kuerden MSS. ii, fol. 211.
In 1324 Thomas son of Adam son of
Geoffrey de Wrightington was non-suited
in a claim for lands against Alexander de
Kirkby and others; Assize R. 426,
m. 9. |
| 21 |
A Robert son of Robert de Wrightington occurs in 1284; Assize R. 1268,
m. 13. Agnes widow of Hugh son of
Roger le Ferrer about the same time
claimed dower against Bernard son of
Mabel de Wrightington; De Banco R.
55, m. 30 d. John son of Thomas de
Wrightington was a defendant in 1306,
but the position of the tenement is not
given; Assize R. 420, m. 8. William
son of Alexander de Kirkby gave land in
Towncarr to Richard son of Robert de
Wrightington in 1339; Towneley MS.
OO, no. 1278. William son of Robert de
Wrightington occurs in 1345–6; Assize
R. 1435, m. 19; De Banco R. 356, m.
583. |
| 22 |
In a pleading of 1441 the descent is
thus set forth: Ambrose de Wrightington
—s. Geoffrey —s. Henry (s.p.), Geoffrey
(s.p.), and Robert, who had —s. Geoffrey
—da. Katherine, who married Thomas
Halsall; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 3, m. 24b.
In 1339 Ambrose de Wrightington leased
to Edmund de Rigby and Joan his wife a
moiety of Smithscroft; Towneley MS.
OO, no. 1281. William his son was a
defendant in 1351; Duchy of Lanc.
Assize R. 1, m. 3 d. The children of
William son of Ambrose de Wrightington
in 1378–9 released their right to Geoffrey
the elder son of Ambrose; Kuerden MSS.
iii, W 28. Geoffrey son of Ambrose was
a plaintiff in 1366; De Banco R. 423, m.
348 d.
Geoffrey de Wrightington and Ellen
his wife were concerned in the manor of
Billinge in 1374; ibid. 454, m. 141. |
| 23 |
Kuerden MSS. ii, fol. 266. Sir
Henry de Torbock in 1414 released the
manor of Welch Whittle to Robert son
of Geoffrey de Wrightington; ibid. See
also the accounts of Tarbock and Welch
Whittle. In 1372 Roger son of William
de Kirkby of Wrightington made a grant
to Geoffrey de Wrightington; ibid. iii,
W 28.
In 1385–6 the feoffee granted to Henry
son of Geoffrey son of Ambrose de
Wrightington a messuage and land which
had formerly belonged to William son of
Ambrose de Wrightington, and land in
the Carrhouses, &c., in Wrightington—
the tenants being John de Chisnall (3d.),
Nicholas de Tunstall (3d.), Thomas
Haunson (1d.), John son of Thomas (8d.),
Thomas de Sutton (12d.)—with remainder
to Geoffrey the brother of Henry; ibid.
ii, fol. 266b, no. 14. Geoffrey the father
seems to have been living in 1390; ibid.
no. 11.
In an action for the restoration of a
box of charters in 1445 an abstract of the
contents was given by John Wrightington,
the plaintiff. They included grants by
Henry son of Geoffrey; Pal. of Lanc.
Plea R. 7, m. 7.
In 1441 a general settlement seems to
have been made. Richard de Langtree,
one of the trustees of Henry de Wrightington, released various tenements in
Wrightington, Welch Whittle and Dalton
to Robert de Wrightington; Kuerden
MSS. ii, fol. 266. The trustees stated
that Henry had demised the lands to
his brother Robert, with remainders to
Geoffrey, John, Alexander and William,
sons of Robert, and their male issue; ibid.
Robert died about that time, for his widow
Katherine was claiming her dower in
1442; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 4, m. 14b.
A long dispute was maintained between
the descendants of Katherine wife of
Thomas Halsall and those of John
Wrightington, the heir male. An arbitration between John Wrightington and
Thomas Halsall as to Halgh, Peel, &c.,
was agreed upon in 1455–6; Kuerden
MSS. iii, W 28. Katherine had a son
James, whose daughter Katherine married
Roland Kirkby, and by an arbitration in
1532, when she was a widow, it was
ordered that she should have £100, while
Thomas Wrightington, the heir of John,
should have the manors; ibid. W 29.
Two years later she made a feoffment of
her lands; ibid. ii, fol. 267. See also
Ducatus Lanc. (Rec. Com.), i, 149; ii, 27. |
| 24 |
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.), ii,
133; Dep. Keeper's Rep. xl, App. 543. |
| 25 |
Duchy of Lane. Inq. p.m. vii, no. 26.
A younger son Robert had an annuity of
53s. 4d. from messuages in Wrightington
and Welch Whittle.
Thomas Wrightington had made a
settlement of his estate in 1520–1;
Kuerden MSS. ii, fol. 267.
John Wrightington died in 1558, and
desired to be buried in his parish church
of Standish, near the place where his wife
had been buried. He names Richard as
his son and heir-apparent, who had a son
John, already old enough to be one of
the executors, and other relatives. He
desired 6s. 8d. to be given yearly to the
poor of Wrightington, Heskin and Eccleston. See his will in Piccope's Wills
(Chet. Soc.), i, 69. Margaret widow of
Richard Wrightington made her will in
1579 and it was proved in 1580. She
also wished to be buried in Standish
Church. She was probably a second wife,
for, while making John Wrightington, esq.,
one of her executors, she provided for
'her four children,' Alexander and others;
Wills (Chet. Soc., new ser.), i, 77. John
Wrightington was a freeholder and justice
of the peace in 1600; Misc. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 244.
William Wrightington, vicar of Poulton-le-Fylde from 1566 to 1573, made
his brother John his executor; Kuerden
MSS. ii, fol. 267.
Sir Edward Wrightington of Gray's Inn
was the son and heir of John Wrightington. He entered Brasenose Coll., Oxf.,
in 1594, being then thirteen years of age;
Foster, Alumni Oxon. He paid £25 on
refusing knighthood in 1631; Misc. (Rec.
Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 214. Sir
Edward Wrightington was a Royalist and
therefore removed from the commission of
the peace in 1642 by the Parliament; Civil
War Tracts (Chet. Soc.), 60. Afterwards
he appears among the captors of Liverpool, but made his peace with the Parliament; Royalist Comp. Papers (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 45; Cal. Com. for
Comp. i, 506. He died in Oct. 1658,
aged seventy-eight, and was buried in
Standish Church, where a monument
still remains, erected by his nephew
(nepos) and heir Hugh Dicconson. |
| 26 |
Two other daughters of John
Wrightington are named: Martha wife
of Roger Winkley, living in 1613 (Visit.
[Chet. Soc.], 38), and Mary wife of
William Leigh, rector of Standish; Dugdale's Visit. 183. This family's 'manor'
of Wrightington is first mentioned in
1632; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxvii,
no. 27. One of the fragments of the
manor may have been purchased by that
time. |
| 27 |
For the Dicconson family see also
the account of Eccleston township.
Fines concerning lands in Wrightington,
Mawdesley and Lathom, in which William
and Edward Dicconson were concerned,
are Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 59, m.
222, 241. Hugh Dicconson, grandson of
Edward and Anne, is stated to have inherited the Wrightington family estates
under the will of Sir Edward Wrightington; Piccope, loc. sup. cit. For a dispute as to the estate in 1663 see Exch.
Dep. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
37. |
| 28 |
Dugdale, Visit. (Chet. Soc.), 98.
Hugh Dicconson and his sons William,
Roger, Hugh and Edward were enrolled
at Preston in 1682; Preston Guild Roll
(Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), 185. |
| 29 |
William Dicconson, father of Edward
above-named, died in 1604 holding only
a few acres in Wrightington of Roger
Kirkby; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 16–18. |
| 30 |
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 291,
m. 126. For a settlement in 1753 see
Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 579, m. 8. |
| 31 |
It was William who bought the
Parbold estates. |
| 32 |
The above account is taken chiefly
from Burke's Landed Gentry; see also
the account of Scarisbrick. |
| 33 |
Gillow, Bibl. Dict. of Engl. Cath. ii,
60, 61.
Jane wife of William Dicconson and
daughter and heir of Hugh Nelson was a
recusant in 1628, but her husband was
not; Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
i, 186. Hugh Dicconson, a justice of
the peace in 1664, was a recusant in
1679; Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv,
110, 152. |
| 34 |
Hugh Dicconson and his wife Agnes,
parents of William, Juliana wife of
William and daughter of Richard Walmesley of Dunkenhalgh, as to lands in
Wrightington and Shevington: whether
£300 a year was secured by William
Dicconson for the support of the secular
priests of the Church of Rome or maintenance of the Romish religion, or any
such uses; Exch. Dep. 86. Agnes widow
of Hugh Dicconson registered her annuity
of £200 in 1717; Engl. Cath. Nonjurors, 116. |
| 35 |
Gillow, op. cit. William Dicconson
in 1699 granted to Thurstan Heskin of
Heskin and others the hall of Wrightington with the demesne lands for ninetynine years, they paying £200 a year to
Agnes Dicconson and discharging certain
of William's debts; Duchy of Lanc.
Misc. Bks. xxv, p. 111 d. He was
accused of participation in the so-called
Lancashire Plot of 1694, and there are
numerous references to him in the reports, e.g. in the Kenyon MSS. (Hist.
MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv), where
two of his letters are printed (357,
375). In the former he expresses the
opinion that the Government should
acquit him and others tried for their
lives 'from double taxes for seven
years, but I doubt they will scarce consider us so far.' See also Month, cix,
573–90.
Some notices of the family estates are
given in Payne's Rec. of Engl. Cath. 119,
120. See also Duchy of Lanc. Special
Com. no. 1264–a forfeiture by William
Dicconson in 1707. |
| 36 |
Gillow, op. cit. In a deed (c. 1730)
Edward son of Roger Dicconson refers to
his wife Mary and his possession of a
capital messuage at Wrightington with
the fifth part of the manor; Piccope
MSS. (Chet. Lib.), iii, p. 196, quoting
R. 10 of Geo. II of deeds at Preston. |
| 37 |
He was born in 1670, left Douay for
the English mission in 1720, made vicar
apostolic in 1740 and died in 1752;
Gillow, op. cit. ii, 56–9; Dict. Nat. Biog.
His will is in Piccope, op. cit. iii, 278,
from R. 26 of Geo. II at Preston; in it
he is described simply as 'gent.' |
| 38 |
The spout heads have this date with
the initials E. D. |
| 39 |
A number of charters, apparently of
this family, are contained in Add. MS.
32104, no. 522, &c., 1311, &c. In 1404
Richard de Stopford and Alice his wife
daughter of Robert Banastre were enfeoffed of the Banastre lands in Wrightington and Parbold; ibid. no. 1368. By a
charter dated at Wrightington in 1441
Richard Stopford and Alice his wife
made a feoffment of all their lands there
and in Parbold and Martin by Burscough; Towneley MS. RR (Add. MS.
32108), no. 929. The feoffee in 1444
gave them up to Thomas Stopford, except
certain parcels including Moldesfield in
Wrightington; ibid. no. 954. From
another deed (no. 928) it appears that
Thomas was the son of Richard Stopford.
In 1473 Thomas Stopford and John
his son and heir-apparent granted to
Robert, another son, land in Grimscarr
and Dedecarr in Wrightington; Add. MS.
32104, no. 1327. John Stopford seems
to have succeeded by 1488; he made
feoffments of his lands in 1496 and 1498;
ibid. no. 1337, 1347–50. In the latter
year also Thomas son and heir-apparent
of John Stopford granted lands he had
received from his father to George Lord
Strange and William Wall, rector of
Eccleston; ibid. no. 1344. In 1519
William Lathom of Parbold released to
Thomas Stopford of Wrightington his
claim in Dedecarr, Woodhey, Fairhurst,
Newearth, Ambrose Acre and Dethfield
in Wrightington and Parbold; ibid. no.
1324. An inquisition as to the lands of
John Stopford was made in 1534; he had
held Dobhey in Parbold by a rent of 11d.
Thomas, his son and heir, was then over
sixty years of age; ibid. no. 1359.
William Stopford of Martin seems to
have been a son of John son of Thomas
Stopford from a deed of Robert Stopford,
another son of Thomas; Towneley MS.
DD, no. 370. He acquired lands in
Wrightington from Thomas Standish of
Ormskirk in 1543; Add. MS. 32104,
no. 1366. In 1581 William Stopford
of Bispham the elder and William Stopford the younger, 'cousin' of the elder
William, and then of Barnard's Inn,
acquired the right of Thomas Kirkby of
Kirkby Ireleth in Wrightington; ibid.
no. 1390. The tomb of William Stopford, with the date 1584, is in Eccleston
churchyard. |
| 40 |
As already stated, the shares were
those of John Grimshaw and Mary his
wife, one of the co-heirs of Thomas
Catterall, in 1573–80 (ibid. no. 524,
1369, 1378—'the twentieth part' of the
manor), and that of Henry Butler; see
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 29, m. 43;
35, m. 179; 42, m. 150.
Feoffments were made by William
Stopford (no doubt 'the younger') and
Anne his wife in 1587 and 1589; ibid.
bdle. 49, m. 80; 51, m. 254. In another
fine the estate of William Stopford is in
1598 called a third part of the manor of
Wrightington, together with fifty messuages, &c., there and in Bispham,
Mawdesley, Shevington, Parbold, &c.;
ibid. bdle. 60, m. 396. Thomas Hesketh
and William Ashhurst were the plaintiffs.
Some further particulars may be
gathered from the Plea Rolls. In 1596
John Stopford alias Langley made a
settlement of the capital messuage of
Bispham, the third part of the manor of
Wrightington, with courts, view of
frankpledge, &c., with remainders to his
male issue, and to James another son of
William Stopford; Pal. of Lanc. Plea
R. 279, m. 10. William Ashhurst in
1610 gave 50s. for leave to concord with
Richard Nelson and William, Ursula,
Dorothy, Blanche and James Stopford as
to messuages, water-mill, &c., in Bispham,
Shevington and other places, and a sixth
part of the manor of Wrightington;
ibid. 305, m. 6. In the following
year Anne widow of William Stopford
claimed dower in Bispham and Wrightington against William Ashhurst. She
relied upon a settlement made by William
Stopford (who died in 1584), grandfather
of her deceased husband, with remainder
to the use of his wife Blanche for life
and then to their male issue. Blanche
widow of the elder William afterwards
married Robert Hesketh; ibid. 307, m.
20 d. For Blanche (Twyford) see Dugdale, Visit. (Chet. Soc.), 135. |
| 41 |
Lands in Bispham, Wrightington,
&c., are named in Ashhurst of Dalton
settlements in 1629, &c.; Pal. of Lanc.
Feet of F. bdle. 115, no. 3; 256, m. 3.
The Ashhurst family had land in the
township at a much earlier time; Final
Conc. ii, 121. |
| 42 |
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 347,
m. 26. |
| 43 |
A number of deeds are in Towneley's
MSS. DD, RR, &c., from the Hesketh
muniments. Thomas Hesketh in 1505–6
purchased from Ralph Fairclough and
Grace his wife lands, &c., in Wrightington and Shevington; Pal. of Lanc. Plea
R. 101. Thomas Hesketh died in 1523
holding a few acres in Wrightington, but
the tenure was not known; Duchy of
Lanc. Inq. p.m. v, no. 16. In 1589,
however, it was found that the Hesketh
land in Wrightington was held of the
heirs of the lord of Manchester by fealty
only; ibid. xv, no. 56. |
| 44 |
Robert Hesketh of Rufford in 1623
held a sixth part of the manor, with
messuages, lands, &c., of Edward Mosley
as of his lordship of Manchester, by
fealty only; Lanc. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), iii, 356. See also
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 237, m. 52
(of 1696), and later. |
| 45 |
A number of Stopford deeds are
among Towneley's collection of Hesketh
charters. |
| 46 |
Parbold is named in 1292 among the
places where the Knights of St. John had
land; Plac. de Quo War. (Rec. Com.), 375.
Robert de Whittle son of Jordan gave
the Hospitallers 3 acres in the wood of
Wrightington next to his land on the
other side of Southbrook; Abstract
(c. 1660) in Agecroft deeds, no. 359.
There is a note appended: 'This is that
part of Pemberton's tenement which lieth
at the brook side,' &c. Henry de Seveton
(? Shevington) and Alice his wife in 1256
surrendered 20 acres to the prior on being
received into the good works and prayers
done in the order; Final Conc. i, 128.
Roger de Walton gave them part of his
land in Wrightington, the bounds beginning at Blacklache and going west by
the ditch as far as the cross; Kuerden
MSS. v, fol. 82b.
The rental compiled about 1540 shows
the following tenants in Parbold and
Wrightington: Nicholas Rigby for Harrock, 5s. 6d.; Ralph Standish, Hanhey,
1d.; James Barton, Lindley Close, 8s.;
Katherine widow of William Hornet (?),
The Crook, 12d.; Richard Banastre,
Bewhouse (?), 11d.; Nicholas Richardson,
12d.; Thomas Westhead, 12d.; Robert
Smith, 4d.; Margery widow of John
Strange, 20d.; Richard Lathom, 6d.;
Edward Earl of Derby, 2d.; Bartholomew
Hesketh for Borkerfield, 4d.; Thomas
Stopford for Dobhey, 11d.; Richard
Banastre, 4d.; Richard Lathom, Broadfield, 6d.; part of Fisherfield, 2d.;
Nicholas Halliwell for Dwerryhouse (?)
6d.; James Scarisbrick, Christians and
Pighill, 1d.; heirs of Thomas Banastre
of Lostock, 16d.; ibid. fol. 83–4.
It was probably the Hospitallers' lands
in Harrock Hill, Wrightington and
Parbold which were sold by the Crown
to Lawrence Rawstorne in 1546; Pat.
37 Hen. VIII, pt. v. |
| 47 |
There is a collection of Rigby of
Harrock charters in Towneley's MS.
OO, no. 1270–1339. By one Robert
lord of Lathom granted to Henry de
Rigby land in Wrightington (no. 1272)
and by another Henry de Rigby gave to
Alan his son land held of St. John of
Jerusalem by 12d. rent (no. 1275).
Henry de Rigby in 1284 complained
that Adam de Hoghton and others had
disseised him of common of pasture in
26 acres of moor, &c., in Wrightington;
Assize R. 1268, m. 13. He was also
plaintiff in 1294; ibid. 1299, m. 15.
Edmund and Alan de Rigby appear in
1332 and Richard in 1351; Exch. Lay
Subs. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), 50;
Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 1, m. 3 d.
Alan de Rigby made a settlement of
land in 1337, the remainders being to his
daughters Agnes (wife of Richard de
Perburn) and Maud, and then to Richard
son of Robert de Wrightington; Towneley
MS. OO, no. 1280. The feoffees in
1342 granted certain lands to Richard
son of Edmund de Rigby and Ibota his
wife, daughter of Henry de Byrom; ibid.
no. 1279.
Richard son of Edmund de Rigby in
1357 made a grant of a Pighill by Ellencliff and Turnetcliff to Henry son of John
Banastre, Alice his wife and Robert their
son; Towneley MS. RR, no. 893. In
1380 Richard de Rigby gave land to
William de Croft; Add. MS. 32104,
no. 1354–5.
Nicholas de Rigby appears in 1379
obtaining leave to take turbary from Sir
Adam de Hoghton, Richard de Catterall,
Edward de Lathom and Robert de Kirkby;
Towneley MS. OO, no. 1292. John Rigby
of Wrightington in 1387–8 released to
Nicholas all his right; ibid. no. 1288. In
1391 Nicholas made a grant of Gayescrooks (elsewhere Kailscrooks) to Robert
Banastre; ibid. RR, no. 902. In 1408
the feoffees released lands to Nicholas de
Rigby and Katherine his wife, daughter
of Ralph de Standish; ibid. OO, no.
1317.
The long succession of Nicholases renders it difficult to distinguish between
them. In 1433–4 Nicholas son of
Nicholas Rigby had lands in Wrightington
and Derby from the feoffee; ibid. no.
1302. Nicholas Rigby made a settlement of lands in Wrightington, Parbold,
Eccleston and Heskin in 1457; ibid. no.
1298. Then in 1474 Nicholas Rigby
the elder granted to Nicholas the younger
and Agnes his wife, daughter of Gilbert
Urmston, lands called Alansfields, Priestfield, &c., in Wrightington; ibid. no.
1307. Another Nicholas Rigby the
elder in 1507–8 made a settlement in
favour of his son and heir Nicholas, who
was to marry Margaret daughter of Hugh
Anderton of Euxton. |
| 48 |
Nicholas Rigby of Harrock Hill in
1547 settled his capital messuage, windmill, houses, lands, &c., in Wrightington
on his son and heir Nicholas and male
issue, with remainders to younger sons—
John, Edward, William, Alexander and
Ralph; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 13,
m. 211. |
| 49 |
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. x, no. 12. |
| 50 |
A feoffment of lands in Wrightington,
Parbold, &c., was made in 1568 by
Nicholas Rigby, Mary his wife and
others; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 30,
m. 159. |
| 51 |
Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xvii,
no. 62.
It seems to have been a younger
son of Nicholas named John who was
executed at St. Thomas Waterings,
London, in 1600 for having been reconciled to the Roman Church. The process
of beatification in his case was allowed
to be introduced by Leo XIII in 1886.
See Gillow, Bibl. Dict. of Engl. Cath. v,
420. |
| 52 |
Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.),
p. 1000. The Town Carr was held of
Richard Lathom, the Pighill of the king
as of the priory of St. John, and the
rest in Wrightington of William Earl of
Derby as of the same priory. |
| 53 |
See above; Towneley MS. OO, no.
1330–4.
There was, it should be noticed, a
minor Rigby family in the township, or
perhaps more than one. Robert Rigby
acquired land from Richard Mawdesley
in 1557; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle.
19, m. 86. John Rigby died in 1619
holding land of the Earl of Derby as of
his manor of Woolton by a rent of 2d.;
Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and
Ches.), ii, 117. |
| 54 |
Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
i, 169. In 1631 Nicholas Rigby (perhaps
on his father's account) paid £10 on
refusing knighthood; ibid. i, 214.
Nicholas Rigby, the son, must have been
a Protestant; he fought for the Parliament in the Civil War, being a captain,
and was appointed a county commissioner
in 1645; Cal. Com. for Comp. i, 745;
ii, 1117; Civil War Tracts (Chet. Soc.),
210.
Peter Rigby of Wrightington conformed
to the established religion in or before
1628, as appears by the composition lists;
so did John Bank of the same place. |
| 55 |
Visit. (Chet. Soc.), 74. It begins
with the Nicholas of 1474. |
| 56 |
Ibid. 24. |
| 57 |
Ibid. 243. |
| 58 |
For the later descents see Piccope
MS. Pedigrees (Chet. Lib.), ii, p. 197;
Farrer, North Meols, 84; Raines in
Notitia Cestr. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 374. |
| 59 |
The plan does not materially help in
the matter, the building having been so
entirely altered, but it would appear most
likely that the porches occupy pretty
much their original positions, the end
wings being rebuildings of others formerly
existing. |
| 60 |
There seem to have been two
Banastre families in the township, for in
1332 Richard and Geoffrey appear on the
subsidy roll; Exch. Lay Subs. 50, 51.
Roger Banastre claimed lands in
Wrightington against Richard de Lathom
in 1301–2; Assize R. 1321, m. 10; 418,
m. 13. Richard Banastre of Fairhurst
attested a charter in 1339; Add. MS.
32104, no. 1327. John Banastre and
Roger son of Richard Banastre were
defendants in 1348; De Banco R. 356,
m. 583. In 1361 Roger Banastre settled
his estate in Wrightington, Parbold and
Bispham (a hamlet of Chorley), the
remainder being to his son Thomas,
whose wife was Alice daughter of John
de Heaton; Add. MS. 32104, no. 1320.
Contemporary was Henry son of John
Banastre, who gave Robfield to his son
John in 1368, and had another son
Robert; Kuerden MSS. iii, W 31;
Towneley MS. RR, no. 905. In 1383–4
Almarica widow of Thomas Banastre
of Fairhurst granted land in Bispham
to Robert Banastre of Wrightington;
Towneley MS. DD, no. 376. Then
in 1392 Edward de Lathom granted
lands near Fairhurst to Robert Banastre;
ibid. RR, no. 957. Six years later
Robert's feoffees gave lands in Wrightington and Parbold to Geoffrey Banastre;
ibid. no. 953. As formerly stated, Richard
de Stopford married Alice daughter of
Robert Banastre.
Robert de Bamford in 1393 granted to
Ellis Banastre a stream of water in
Wrightington, beginning at the head of
Grimscar following a ditch to Dethefield head, so to Newearth head and the
pasture of Meanwood; Add. MS. 32104,
no. 1357. Gilbert son of Ellis Banastre
in 1426 became bound to abide the
result of an arbitration in disputes with
Richard de Stopford; ibid. no. 1356.
The feoffees in 1496 granted Agnes
daughter of Award Singleton for life
various lands in Wrightington, the remainder being to Richard son and heir
of Gilbert Banastre; Dods. MSS. cliii,
fol. 73. William son and heir of Richard
Banastre died in or before 1534–5 seised
of a messuage, to which Richard his son
and heir sought admission at the court of
St. John of Jerusalem; Kuerden MSS.
iii, W 31. Richard Banastre was in
1524 to marry Ellen daughter of John
Crane of Bispham; ibid.
In 1547 the following fragment of the
pedigree was given: Gilbert Banastre of
Fairhurst -s. and h. Richard -s. and h.
Gilbert; Pal. of Lanc. Writs Proton.
Lent 1 Edw. VI.
The estate of Banastre of Fairhurst
seems to have descended to Richard
Banastre, who about 1536–40 mortgaged
and sold it to Richard Nelson; Pal. of
Lanc. Plea R. 163, m. 12; 170, m. 15;
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 13, m. 265,
272. See also Ducatus Lanc. i, 179, 291. |
| 61 |
Kuerden (loc. sup. cit.) states that
Rigby had a twelfth and Nelson a twelfth
part of the manor. In a deed of 1586
Roger Kirkby, Richard Lathom, Thomas
Catterall, William Stopford, Nicholas
Rigby and Thomas Nelson, as lords of the
manor, made an agreement with John
Wrightington as to the wastes; ibid. W 29.
Thomas Nelson of Lathom in 1565
complained that Richard (son of Robert)
Stopford and others had broken down the
hedges of land he had inherited from his
father Richard in 'a great waste called
Meanwood'; the defence was that it
was common land, which plaintiff had
inclosed; Duchy of Lanc. Plead. Eliz.
lxiv, N 1. In 1578 his son Richard
Nelson complained that Thomas Lathom
of Parbold had taken possession of part
of the Meanwood. The disputed boundaries are thus described: Between
Linley clough and Hawks brook in
breadth and length, the one head abutting
upon Hoghton riding (alias Hoghton lees)
and the Rymor's riding (alias Rymor's
lees) towards the west, and the other
head towards the east to the fields of
Wrightington and Parbold; ibid. cviii,
N 2. The defence was that the land
was in Parbold.
The family adhered to Roman Catholicism, for, though Maxie Nelson had in
1628 avoided conviction, his mother and
wife were fined as recusants; Misc. (Rec.
Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 170, 187. Maxie
is said to have been slain at the battle of
Marston Moor in 1644, being then a
captain of foot in the king's army (Visit.),
and the estates of his son Thomas were
sequestered and ordered to be sold for
treason by the Parliament in 1652–3;
Royalist Comp. Papers (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), iv, 212; Index of Royalists
(Index Soc.), 43. It appears that he
had a capital messuage in Wrightington,
a water grist-mill, parcels of meadow,
arable and pasture lands in the same
township and in Parbold, Bispham and
Mawdesley; also in Alston, Dalton and
Croston. There was a sum of 21s. payable as quit-rents to various lords of
manors. The fine was £699.
Several of the Nelsons of Fairhurst
became Benedictine monks; Trans. Hist.
Soc. (new ser.), xiii, 136–7. |
| 62 |
Dugdale, Visit. (Chet. Soc.), 216.
Maximilian Nelson, aged eight at the
visitation, registered his estate in 1717
as a 'Papist,' the value being £100 18s.;
Engl. Cath. Non-jurors, 112. He had
a son Maximilian, and an only sister
Margaret, whose issue failed; Piccope
MS. Pedigrees, ii, 288.
In a deed of James Nelson Ashton of
Fairhurst, 1764, he is described as nephew
and devisee under the last will of Maximilian Nelson of Fairhurst, and second
son of John Ashton and Elizabeth his
wife; Piccope MSS., iii, 380, from deeds
at Preston, R. 4 of Geo. III.
The estate 'descended to the Riddells
and was recently sold to the present occupier'; Baines, Lancs. (ed. 1870), ii, 150.
The Fairhurst estate was owned by
Hugh Ainscough of Burscough, and now
by his executors; information of Mr.
James Ainscough of Fairhurst. |
| 63 |
They are not named in the Hospitallers' Rental, but Peter Worthington in
1577 held messuages in Wrightington as
of the late priory by a rent of 12d.; Duchy
of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xii, no. 18, &c. |
| 64 |
Ralph Standish's 1d. is entered in the
above-cited rental, but in the inquisitions
his land is stated to have been held of
John Wrightington by 1d. rent.; ibid. vii,
no. 17; see also Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec.
Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 190. |
| 65 |
The name appears in the Hospitallers'
Rental as succeeding Dwerryhouse.
A number of Dwerryhouse charters are
in the Kuerden MSS. vi, fol. 41. By one
Robert, Prior of St. John, granted to
Adam son of Robert de Dwerryhouse land
within bounds beginning at the brook of
Dwerryhouse croft, passing beyond Stanneres west to the brook coming from
Dwerryhouse wall, following the foot of
the Great hill to 'Extremoor cornell' to
the Fernyhurst in the south-west, and so
ascending beyond the Great Stanere to the
Blackbutts, saving the footway to the
neighbouring villagers, thence to Whitcar
and the starting point. Adam had leave
to build a windmill; a rent of 6d. was to
be paid. Another is a grant by Robert,
chaplain of Eccleston, to Richard the Carpenter of land in Wrightington held by
gift of Roger de Ayston (Ashton) to the
Hospitallers, together with the service of
3d. a year to Robert son of Adam; a rent
of 6d. was due to the Hospital.
In 1514 it was agreed that Nicholas
son of John Halliwell should marry Jane,
a daughter and co-heir of Richard Dwerryhouse; Agnes was another daughter.
Kuerden fol. MS. 88. Three years later
testimony was given as to the true heir
of 'little Henry' Dwerryhouse, Towneley
MS. RR, no. 908. Thomas Hesketh in
1516 had given to William Tarleton all
his lands called Dwerryhouse lands in
Wrightington, Heskin and Eccleston;
ibid. no. 972. See also Ducatus Lanc.
i, 162; ii, 71.
Robert Halliwell of the hall of Tunley
was about 1578 concerned in a lease of
land made by Roger Kirkby to a certain
John Fisher. There were in later years
disputes concerning the property between
Thomas Fisher son of John and William
and Richard Fisher sons and executors of
John. See Duchy of Lanc. Plead. Eliz.
cxxi, F 7.
William Halliwell died in 1609 holding
a messuage and land (by descent) of the
heirs or assigns of John Butler; also Newfield (by purchase) of Thomas Lathom of
Parbold and Richard Nelson of Fairhurst.
John, his son and heir, was seventeen years
of age; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs.
and Ches.), i, 140. Lawrence Halliwell
died in 1619 holding a messuage, &c., of
Edward Mosley, Thomas Lathom, Henry
Ashhurst and Maxie Nelson by rents of
8d., 5s. 10d., 9d. and 3s. 4d. respectively;
Robert the son and heir was thirty-three
years old; ibid. ii, 180.
John Halliwell in 1631 paid £10 on
refusing knighthood; Misc. (Rec. Soc.
Lancs. and Ches.), i, 244.
The Halliwells adhered to the Roman
Catholic religion. |
| 66 |
Cockersand Chartul. iii, 1260–1. |
| 67 |
Henry and William de Tunley contributed to the subsidy in 1332; Exch.
Lay Subs. 51. |
| 68 |
Richard Wilson was a landowner in
1628; Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and
Ches.), i, 169. This Tunley family were
Protestants, and Thomas Wilson was a
member of the Presbyterian classis of
1646. After the Restoration 'Mr.
Wilson of Tunley' gave shelter to Adam
Martindale for a time; Autobiog. (Chet.
Soc.), 178; see Loc. Gleanings Lancs. and
Ches. ii, 247.
The Wilsons continued to own Tunley
and reside there until 1821, when on the
death of the owner, a bachelor, it passed
to a relative, a solicitor at Preston, and
was let as a farm. It descended to his
grandson, the late Edward Wilson of
Broughton House, near Preston, who
afforded this information. |
| 69 |
See Trans. Hist. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.
(new ser.), xii, 187–90, where a description
of the building with illustration is given. |
| 70 |
See Trans. Hist. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.
(new ser.), xv, 210. |
| 71 |
Subs. R. Lancs. bdle. 130, no. 126. |
| 72 |
Ibid. bdle. 131, no. 210. |
| 73 |
Ellen de Torbock in 1283 (? 11 Edw.
II, Ambrose de Wrightington being a
witness) granted to Thomas son of
William de Sutton a piece of the waste
near the mill of Welch Whittle called
the Bank hey; it was bounded on one
side by the Almsland; Agecroft D. no.
353, 354. The same Thomas also
acquired in 1326 the right of William
son of William Bimmeson in lands in
Whittle and Wrightington belonging
to the grandfather, 'Bimmeson' being
otherwise William the Parson's son;
ibid. no. 355. In 1340 he acquired land
from Robert son of Warine de Heskin,
the bounds touching Rowley syke and
Little Shaw; ibid. no. 356. In 1366
the feoffee delivered lands in Whittle,
Coppull and Wrightington to Thomas
son of William de Sutton, Richard,
Thomas and Robert, sons of Thomas,
and others; ibid. no. 357. The lands
descended to Sutton of Gorsuch in Scarisbrick; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. v, no.
67. They were held (in 1518) of
Thomas Wrightington by a rent of 12d.
and descended like Gorsuch, being sequestered by the Parliament: S.P. Dom.
Interreg. G 58a, fol. 526. |
| 74 |
The Chisnalls occur as early as
1292; Assize R. 408, m. 30, 41, &c.
John Chisnall del Holt and his wife
Maud in 1385 had a messuage and lands;
Final Conc. iii, 25. The land of John
Chisnall in 1528 was held of John
Butler by a rent of 6d.; Duchy of Lanc.
Inq. p.m. vi, no. 66. |
| 75 |
Thomas Fleetwood of Rossall, &c.,
who died in 1576; the tenure is not
stated; ibid. xii, no. 2. |
| 76 |
A messuage, &c., was in 1632 held
by Richard Lancaster of Edward Wrightington; ibid. xxvii, no. 27. |
| 77 |
Richard Lassells, who died in 1640,
held a messuage, &c., of Richard Lathom,
as of his manor of Wrightington, and
left a son and heir Richard, aged twentyfour; ibid. xxx, no. 39. |
| 78 |
Roger Sankey of Ormskirk died in
1613 holding a messuage and lands in
Wrightington (in the occupation of
Richard Wrennall) of William Ashhurst
and Roger Kirkby by rents of 6s. 2d. and
1s. respectively; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec.
Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 276. Richard
the son and heir was then forty years of
age; he died in 1634 holding the same
tenement of the lords of the manor by a
rent of 7s. 2d.; Duchy of Lanc. Inq.
p.m. xxviii, no. 2. The heir was a
granddaughter Clara Sankey (daughter
of Richard the younger), born in 1632.
There are some Sankey deeds in the
Liverpool Free Library. |
| 79 |
William Hawett held lands in Newburgh, Parbold and Wrightington, the
last-named being held of Richard Lathom.
William the son and heir was twenty-two
years of age; Towneley MS. C 8, 13
(Chet. Lib.), pp. 511–12. From the inquisition last cited it appears that Mary
daughter of Richard Sankey the elder
married Thomas Hawett. |
| 80 |
Richard 'German' in 1575 purchased a messuage, &c., in Wrightington
from Thomas Langtree and Anne his
wife; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 37,
m. 74. Robert 'Jarman' died in 1619
holding a similar estate of William Earl
of Derby by a rent of 8d. and leaving a
son Richard, aged thirty; Lancs. Inq.
p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), ii,
134. |
| 81 |
The surname occurs early. In 1374
William Finch confirmed William de
Croft and his heirs in a tenement in
Wrightington and Parbold; Towneley
MS. RR, no. 996. Robert Finch 'of
the Hill' was a feoffee of Nicholas Rigby
in 1508; ibid. OO, no. 1316. The
Ven. John Finch may have belonged to
this family. Margaret and Katherine
Finch, widows, were recusants in 1628.
Arthur Finch died in 1619 at Parbold
holding lands in Wrightington, part of
which had been purchased from William
Ashhurst and Henry his son and heir,
and another part had belonged to Cockersand Abbey. Lawrence the son and heir
was over fifty; Lancs. Inq. p.m. ii, 179. |
| 82 |
Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.),
i, 244–5.
Richard Porter had lands in 1564;
Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 26, m.
142. |
| 83 |
Two-thirds of the tenement of
Thomas Eccleston was sequestered for his
recusancy in 1643; he died in 1654, and
his son Henry, being 'conformable,'
prayed for restitution; Royalist Comp.
Papers, ii, 277. John Halliwell had had
two-thirds of his estate sequestered for
the same reason; ibid. iii, 251. The
Nelson case has been recorded above. |
| 84 |
In addition to Dicconson and Nelson
were William Halliwell, gent., George
Bannister, William Mawdesley and Seth
Woodcock; Engl. Cath. Non-jurors, 109,
110, 125, 129. |
| 85 |
Land tax returns at Preston. |
| 86 |
According to the statements recorded above about 1700 Dicconson of
Wrightington held a moiety of the manor
and Hesketh of Rufford a sixth part—the
only 'manors' thenceforward claimed;
while other fractions were held by Nelson
of Fairhurst, Rigby of Harrock and
Towneley of Barnside. But sales and
transfers may have been made which have
not been traced. |
| 87 |
Kuerden MSS. vi, fol. 42b. |
| 88 |
A district was assigned in 1877;
Lond. Gaz. 17 July. |
| 89 |
One in Carrhouse Lane was built in
1831. |
| 90 |
Nightingale, Lancs. Nonconf. iv,
23–36; a view is given. The chapel is
also known as Mossy Lee. |
| 91 |
See list of recusants in 1628 in
Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i,
187–9. A list forty or fifty years later
in date is printed in Misc. (Cath. Rec.
Soc.), v, 93–4. |