Contents of the fikst volume

grants to the abbot and convent of Stanlaw licence " falcandi ftenum in foresta mea de

Rossyndale, ad sustentanda in yeme averia sua quoe illic habent." 5
We are not to suppose that this charter has any reference to inclosed and cultivated

meadows, but that it was merely a permission to cut and carry away the native herbage of

the forest ; which, as it was probably much understocked either with deer or cattle, would

afford some moist and level spots of luxuriant vegetation.

This representation will give a modern farmer very low ideas of the husbandry of the

thirteenth century in the forests ; but, in truth, the vast quantities of sheep and cattle

1 [It has been remarked: " The etymology is obvious. Brent-wood, firewood from the forest; brent for burnt,

and brenning for burning, being still provincialisms in the neighbourhood." Coucher Book, Chetham Soc. p. 153. It

is probable that the name arose from a wood burnt by some memorable conflagration, as Pontefract was named from

its broken bridge. There is in Essex, in the parish of South Weald, a Brentwood, which, being on a high road,

grew into a considerable market town.]
2 Probably miswritten for Futebacope, or Bacop Foot. [See note in p. 320.]
3 Which I suspect to be an error of the writer for the Lenesgreve, or Ledmesgreve, of Liwlphus. [This conjecture

is contradicted by a tracing of the original charter, which is preserved in the Author's copy of the last edition (at

p. 436), and which is now followed in the text ; and also by the copy entered in the Cartulary, as printed by the

Chetham Society. Denesgreue might possibly be a greve, or boundary-ditch, of the ancient deans of Whalley: although,

in ordinary acceptance, a dene is simply a valley.]
* But more probably Morce unless Musa be meant for Moss. [See under Billington a grant of turbary to

the Abbey of Whalley " in mus-sa et mora mea.""] 6 [Cartulary, Chetham Soc. edit. p. 154.]

318 HISTORY OF WHALLEY. [BOOK III. CHAP. IV.

which were anciently slaughtered at the approach of winter prove a general inattention to

the important article of winter-fodder throughout the kingdom at that period.

The ahbots of Stanlaw set an example of inclosure and improvement which had no

followers during three centuries ; for, in the 3rd Hen. VIII. the inhabitants of the several

vaccaries within Rossendale describe themselves as consisting of no more than 80 souls, or

about one family to a booth.

This and some other interesting facts, 1 with respect to the progressive population of

Rossendale, appear from a decree of the commissioners of pious uses, 4th Edw. VI. which

recites a petition of the inhabitants, stating " That forty-four years before, or thereabouts,

(referring to the date of Henry VII. 's commission of improvement,) the forest of Rossendale

was replenished only or chiefly with foresters and keepers of the deer ; but upon repre-

sentation to King Henry VII. and afterwards to King Henry VIII. that if the deer were

taken away, the forest was likely to come to some good purpose, the said forest was dis-

forested and granted, demised and let forth in divers sorts, some for a term of years, some

by copy of court-roll ; so that, whereas before that time was nothing else but deer and

other savage and wild beasts, there is since, by industry of the inhabitants, grown to bo

very fertile ground, well replenished with people. And forasmuch as the Castle Church of

Clitheroe, being their parish church, is distant twelve miles from the said forest, and the

ways very foul, painful, and perilous, and the country in the winter season is so extremely

and vehemently cold, that infants borne to church are in great peril of their lives, and the

aged and impotent people, and women great with child, not able to travel so far to hear the

word of God, and the dead corpses there like to remain unburied at such times for want of

carriage, till such time as great annoyance doth grow thereby : the premises considered, the

inhabitants of the said forest, about thirty-eight years past (1512), or thereabouts, at their

proper costs made a chapel of ease 2 in the said forest ; since the disforesting of which, from

eighty persons in the forest there are grown to 1,000, young and old." A remarkable

increase, but more than equalled in later times.
At the same time (3 Hen. VIII.) one Lettice Jackson, widow, vested in feoffees certain

lands situated in different parts of Rossendale, for the use of the New Church of our

Saviour in Rossendale, which the commissioners of chantries, 8 either from their inconsi-

derable value at that time, or for some other reason which we are not acquainted with,

forbore to seize upon (an instance of forbearance never practised by them in any other

case), and decreed that Laurence Ashworth should hold and occupy the place of parson of

the said church.
1 This circumstance, together with the peculiar dialect of Rossendale, so different from the rest of the parish of

Whalley, so similar to that of the adjacent district of Brandwood, proves to me, beyond a doubt, that the population of

Kossendale was a colony from Brandwood. The small number of surnames in this tract proves, if any proof were

wanting, its recent colonization.

* [In the will of Sir George Gregory, priest, of Eossendayle, 1548, quoted by the editor of Notitia Cestriensis,

this is called " y c Sedenayse chappell in Rossendayle," and there is still on the north of the village a high ground called

the Seeton-heys, from which that name was evidently derived.]
3 [Newchurch was not a Chantry, but a Chapel of Ease to the Castle Church of Clitheroe, and therefore the Chantry

Commissioners had no power to divert, the pious gift of Letticc Jackson. Note by Canon Raines in Kolitia Cestriensis.]

BOOK III. CHAP. IV.]

NEW CHURCH IN ROSSENDALE.

319

These lands, though some part of them appears to have been, lost by the neglect, or

something worse than neglect, of the feoffees, were valued in the latter end of the last

century but one at 501. per annum * ; and form the endowment of the chapel, the most

valuable curacy in the patronage of the Vicar of Whalley. Its value occasioned, as we

have already seen, 2 a long contest for the patronage, betwixt Dr. Keene, then Bishop of

Chester, and Mr. Johnson, the Vicar of Whalley, grounded on a decree of the chancellor of

the duchy, 4 Edw. VI. that the ordinary should appoint a minister : but as the original

decree could not be found in the registry at Chester, or elsewhere, the vicar presented as of

common right, and the ordinary was compelled to license his antagonist's presentee.
[The following is a catalogue of the incumbents of this church :
George Gregory, ob. 1548 ; his will and inventory count of him in the church register: "Tho. Saunders
presbyter, Christi Dni nostri servus humilis, honestis

moribus prseditus, ecclesias Anglicanse pastor vigilans,

artium bonarum studiosus, in hac gente rustica Ros-

sendaliie per spatium 33 annorum plus minus com-

moratus est. Qui per varies casus longo tempore

jactatus delude in patriam suam nativam Com. Cest.

decessit. Et ipsa hora in qua domum suam ingressus

cst, placide inter familiares expiravit. Sopultus apud

are printed in Lane, and Chesh. Wills and Invento-

ries, (Chetham Soc. ii. 199).
Laurence Ashworth, 1548.
James Kershaw, 3 licensed Sept. 1, 1598.
William Horrox clericus, sacri Dei verbi predica-

ior apud Newchurch in Rossendall. (Lane. MSS.

xxii. 80.) Died 1641.
Robert Dewhurst occurs 1650. By the Lambeth

Inquisition of that year it is found that the chapel

of Newchurch in Rossendale is parochial, the chapelry

consisting of Dedwen Clough, Tunsted, Woolfenden

Booth, and part of Wolfenden and Bakcop, which

contain in all 300 families desiring to be made a

parish : that the minister received no allowance but

what was paid by the inhabitants. (Lamb. MSS. 912.)

Mr. Jonas Browne, 1660.
Thomas Saunders, clerk, licensed to this curacy

Sept. 5, 1662. His successor has given this ac-

Mag. Budworth, 9" die Nov. 1695.

Thomas Leigh, B.A. Nov. 29, 1695.
John Welsh, licensed Nov. 5, 1730 (formerly at

Todmorden) ; died after 1762.

John Shorrock, A.M. Feb. 1767.
Nicholas Rigby Baldwin, A.M. 1802; ob. Nov. 1824.
Philip Abbot, 1 825, res. 1833 ; died 1852. Writing

Master at Clitheroe School.

Edward Burrow, 1833.
John Bartholomew Phillips, A.M. 1850.]

The original chapel of the 3rd Henry VIII. having been calculated only for the

slender population of that period, was pulled down, and the present church erected upon

its site in 1561. It is a very decent structure, with a nave, side ailes, choir, and tower, but

without any sepulchral memorials of importance. 4
1 [They were valued at 40?. per ann. in 1718, a case then pending in the Duchy Chamber; and in 1724 the

Chancellor of the Duchy, with Lord Chief Justice King and Mr. Eeeves as assessors, decreed the lands in question,

being by estimation 150 statute acres, to the Church, with mean profits and costs. Notitia Cestriensis, ii. 341.]
- See before, p. 215.
3 [James Kersliay, Curat of Rossendale and Scholemaster, was excused appearance at the Bishop's visitation of

Blackburn deanery 1609. He was still Minister of Newchurche in Eossendale, 2 Nov. 1622. Lane. MSS. vol. xxii.

To one of this family there is a gravestone in the churchyard thus inscribed : " In memory of JOHN KERSHAW

of Wolfenden Booth Fold, the beneficent donor of the estates situated in Heald, in Bacup Booth, for the benefit of New-

Church School. He was buried the 1st of February 1701, at the age of 85 years. ANNE KERSHAW his wife was buried

4th January, 1709. They lived long beloved, and dy'd bewailed, And two estates upon our School entail'd." The

Schoolhouse was finished in 1711, and rebuilt in 1829-30. Notitia Cestriensis, ii. 342, 343.]
* [Again rebuilt in 1824-25: see Baines's Lancashire, 1870, ii. 46.]

320 HISTORY OF WHALLEY. [Boon III. CHAP. IV.

Not thirty years after the erection of Newchurch arose a Chapel of Ease, high up in

the forest at GOODSHAW, a proof of the rapid increase of population, for by deed of cove-

nant 1 dated Dec. 16, 32 Hen. VIII. it was condescended and agreed between, &c. &c. that

" they should found, edifie, and build one chapel in the honour of God, our blessed Lady,

and all Saints, in a certain place within the forest of Rossendale named Morrell height, for

the easement of the said parties and of their neighbours the inhabitants of Crawshaw

Booth, Gamblcside, Goodshaw, and Loveclough, and all other the King's liege people which

shall be disposed to hear mass and other divine service in the said chapel."

A very humble edifice was erected accordingly ; and, growing ruinous a few years ago,

was replaced by another not much more ornamental. 2

By the Lambeth Inquisition of 1650, it was found that the chapel of Goodshaw was

not parochial ; that the chapelry consisted of seventy families ; no minister or maintenance ;

but a house and backyard, value 10s. and that they desire to be made a parish.
In the course of the last century the manufacturing village of BACOPE, 3 within this

forest, increased from seven or eight families to 306 houses, and 1,426 souls, of which it

was found to consist by an accurate enumeration in October 1798. In consequence of

this rapid increase of population, a spacious and handsome chapel was erected by the very

laudable zeal of sonic of the principal inhabitants, in the year 1788, and consecrated by

Dr. Cleaver, then Bishop of Chester, August 16th in that year.

On the ridge of the hill, which forms the north-east boundary of Eossendale, are

considerable remains of the Haia Dominicalis, now called the Old Dyke ; within this,

but in a piece of ground, though anciently included in the forest, now by prescription

belonging to Cliviger, is the real source of the Irewell. 4 Of this rich and useful stream

the Historian of Manchester, b. 1, c. 7, informs us, " That it wells gently from a double

fountain near the upper part of an hill between Broadclough and Holme in Rossendale ;

that it carries its waters on the western side of Mancenion, and was therefore denominated

Ir Gaeil, Irwcll, Irwill, or the Western Torrent." A more accurate acquaintance with the

face of the country, and with the dialect of its inhabitants, compels me to differ from the

learned antiquary both in his statement of facts, and in his conjectures on this subject :

for, in the first place, Holme, as I have reason to know, is not in E-ossendale, but in

Cliviger ; and, secondly, the only genuine source of this river is at the foot of Dirplay Hill,

once within the forest, but now in Cliviger, as above stated, where it flows from a copious
1 [Mr. Newbigging, at p. 134 of his History of Rossendale, has printed this document at length. Its date is in

the 32d Hen. VIII. (not 35 as given by Whitaker). The said Chapel was to be in length 16 cloth-yards, in wideness

7 cloth-yards, the walls in height 3 cloth-yards, with two doors of hewn stones and three windows of hewn stones,

" to be timbered accordingly, and to be made, thached, and finished afore the feast of Mari Mawdlin next."]

2 [Again rebuilt 1829: see Barnes's Lancashire, 1870, ii. 52.]
8 Qu. Bay-cop, the cop or hillock where the deer stood at bay ? [This etymology is less probable than Beck-

hope, the valley of the beck or brook, and if Fulebacope (see p. 317) was the original name, it was the valley of the

full beck. Bacup is now a large town, the church dilapidated, and about to be rebuilt: see its modern history in

Baines, 1870, ii. 48.]

4 Irwel (saith Harrison), a notable water, " riseth above Bacop, and goeth thence to Eossendale, and in the way to

Aytonfield it taketh in a water from Haselden. After this confluence it goeth to Newhall, Brandlesam, and Bury, and

above Eatcliffe joineth with the Rache, a fayre stream."

BOOK III. CHAP. IV.] ACCRINGTON. 321

fountain universally known by the name Erewell. Not far beneath, however rises another

spring called Whitewell, which, after a course of several miles, unites with the principa

streanij and these, I suppose, constitute together the double fountain of which Mr

"Whitaker was told.

And with respect to the etymology of the word, I fear we must be contented to deduce

it from a nearer and less venerable source than the British language, for Ere in the semi-

Saxon dialect of this neighbourhood is hoar used as a substantive ; and very high grounds

which are often grey with sleet or hoar-frost while the meadows and pastures beneath

remain unsprinkled are said to be in the Ere. Now this remark is strikingly verified in

Derplay Hill, which many times in every winter presents an hoary head while the low

lands of Rossendale retain their native brown. Erewell therefore is the spring in the Ere.

The neighbouring Whitewell probably derives its name from the same circumstance, and

the very next elevation north-west of Derplay-hill, in ancient charters (for the present

coarse orthography of the word rests on no authority) is styled Hor or Ilorelaw.

Irwell is first mentioned in the charter of Brandwood l by Roger de Lacy about the

year 1200, and should any future litigation arise in which the name of this stream is

involved a reference to that authentic document would determine its real course.
The great increase of population both here and over the whole chace of Hosscndale is

solely to be ascribed to the woollen manufactory, which appears to have been attracted

hither by the smallness of the estates into which the country was distributed, not sufficient

to support the owners or employ their dependants ; by the plenty and cheapness of coal ;

and, above all, by the great abundance and rapid descent of the streams, of which almost

every foot of fall is employed in working mills ; so well have art and industry compensated

for blessings which had been denied by nature.
Last among the chaces of Blackburnshire is ACCKINGTON, sometimes considered as a

member of Rossendale, but more anciently as an independent portion of the demesnes of

Clitheroe.
At the time of the great Inquisition in 1311, here was a capital messuage veil, nihil ;

in demesne, xxx acres, xs. ; demised to tenants at will, cvi^ acres, and half a rood at 4

an acre, Cxvs. vj d. ; four vaccaries, at xs. each, ij li. : one water-mill, j li. ; total,

vli. v s. vj d. In consequence of a deficiency in my copy of the commission of Henry VII.

I am not able to give the names of these vaccaries, or the improved rents paid severally by

each ; but the whole sum, as settled under that commission and paid at present, is

33Z. 4*. 2f d.
However, by a lease (date uncertain) the vaccary of Antley, in the forest of Rossen-

dale, was granted to John Rushton for ten years. Towneley MSS. g. 13.

[Et de cvj s. viij d. de Johanne Ruyssheton pro firma vaccarie de Antley sic sibi dimissa per Senescallum

predictum ad terminum predictum (10 years) solutis, etc. (terminis Pasche et Michaelis) hoc anno quinto,

1 See p. 317.

VOL. I. 2 T

322

HISTORY OF WHALLEY.

[BOOK III. CHAP. IV.

que quidem vaccaria onerari solebat nisi ad iiij li. iij s. iiij d. (Compotus Collectorum herbagii de Blakbourue-

shire, 1 and 2 Hen. VI. Duchy of Lane. Class xxix. Bundle 220.)
The lease had been made by Roger Flour, Chief Steward of the North, five years before, that is, in

6 Hen. V. It began 29 Sept. 1417.

By a lease dated 20 Mar. 1 Ric. III. 1484, the vaccary of Anteley was granted to Hugh Garthside

and his son Nicholas for seven years from Michaelmas last past, at 61. a-year rent and Lufclough rent 60s.

prout ultimus firmarim et 20s. ultra. (Duchy of Lancaster, Register t. Ric. III. f. 87.)
Et de iiij d. de novo reddito pro minere lapidi ferr' invent' in Acryngton sic dimisso Galfrido Russyngton

tenendo sibi et assignatis suis ut in Rotulo Curie de anno secundo Regis Ed. iin u . (Compotus of the Master

Forester of Blackburnshire, 11 and 12 Edw. IV. Duchy of Lane. Class xxix. Bundle 220.)]
Having now considered the four Chaces of Blackburnshire particularly, it may be

proper to attend to a few circumstances recorded in the great Inquisition of 1311 as

common to them all :

The winter agistment and herbage of Trawden, Penhull, Rossendall,

Hoddesdene, and Romesgrevo, was found to be worth .
Summer agistment of the same .......
Profits of the sale of hay, viz. for every cart-load mown and carried

away id. comm. ami. .........

Profits of old wood, charcoal, &c. sold for the use of iron forges,

comm. ann. .....

ili. ixs. viiid.

ijli.
vis. viijd.

ix s.

ivd.

ivli. vs. viijd. :

"With respect to these statements of ancient economy, the following observations occur :

1st. The profit of winter agistment must have arisen principally from sheep, which in

most countries require a change of air and herbage at different seasons of the year, and in

the mountainous parts of Lancashire must necessarily be withdrawn from the high grounds

in winter, yet cannot be trusted to meadows or very fertile plains : lower grounds, there-

fore, comparatively barren, must be sought out for their winter habitation ; and such were

the more sheltered parts of the forests.

2nd. The smallness of the profits arising from wood and charcoal proves that the

native forests were in a great measure decayed in 1311, for, if we multiply the sum of

9*. 4

the old wood, &c. grown upon the same grounds at present.

But, perhaps, a demand for these articles might be wanting.
1 [The following is the original text of these items : Pannagium de Penhill aliquando valet, aliquando nichil

valet, et ideo communibus annis extenditur ad vi a. viij d. Agistamentum herbagii yemalis de Troweden, Rossiudalf,

Penhill et Romesgrave valet per annum xxix s. viij d. Agistamentum herbagii estivalis in eisdem locis valet xl s. quo-

libet anno. De proficuo feni venditi in eisdem videlicet de quolibet falcante levante et asportante i carrucam feni, summa

communibus annis vi s. viij d. Item proficuum Minere ferri de veteri bosca sustentata et annuatim vend, in eisdem

forestis, communibus annis ix s. iiij d. Summa iiij li. xij s. iiij d.]

BOOK III. CHAP. IV.]

323

THE MANOR OF TOTTINGTON.
Another member of the Honor of Clitheroe, which belongs not indeed to the demesnes

and forests of Blackburnshire, but, as it never formed a part of the original parish of

Whalley, has no claim to any other place in this account, and may, therefore, most pro-

perly be considered here on account of its contiguity to Rossendale. And as this district

has no other than a feudal connection with the Honor of Clitheroe, it will be considered

principally in that relation.

I have said that Tottington belonged not to the forests, and, in strictness of language,

it did not, yet in the very first charter in which the name is found Robert de Lacy grants

certain lands abutting upon " Pilgrim-crosse-slack in Foresta de Tottington. Dat. ap.

Ightenhill, 1 22 Hen. II. Test. Galf. Dec. de Whalley." Thus Saddleworth is called a

forest, 2 and for the same reason only, viz. that both were dreary and uncultivated tracts,

rejected or overlooked at the first distribution of property, and therefore fallen, as lauds

unclaimed, into the hands of the lords.
Tottington, however, had another and better claim to the name of forest, for I find

that Roger de Montbegon gave to the priory of Monk Brctton, in the county of York, the

pasture of Holecombej reserving to himself the wild beasts, and pasture for his cattle

within certain bounds. By a second charter, about 1236, he grants all Holecombe : and

by a third, totam forestam de Holecombe, thereby releasing the reservation of his first

. grant. 3 By a fourth charter, the same grantor conveys to the said priory three acres of

meadow near Pilgrim-crosse-chahe, 4 which seems to countenance an opinion that this was

a resting-place of the pilgrims (see under WHALLEY ABBEY), and that they had a chapel

here for their devotions.
[The charters of Roger de Montbegon are highly curious and important from the names