Townships: Didsbury

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1911.

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'Townships: Didsbury', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4, ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1911), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/pp293-297 [accessed 8 November 2024].

'Townships: Didsbury', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. Edited by William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1911), British History Online, accessed November 8, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/pp293-297.

"Townships: Didsbury". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. Ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill(London, 1911), , British History Online. Web. 8 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/pp293-297.

In this section

DIDSBURY

Dydesbyre, Dydesbiri, Didsbury, all c. 1280; Dodesbury, 1292.

Didsbury (fn. 1) has the Mersey for its southern and western border. Along the river the surface lies open, but the interior is urban in character. The area is 1,552½ acres. (fn. 2) There was a population of 9,234 in 1901.

The principal roads are that on the western side from Manchester to Cheadle, with a modern branch to Northenden and Altrincham, and that through the centre and east from Stockport to Stretford. (fn. 3) The Midland Company's railway from Manchester to Stockport crosses the northern part of the township, and has two stations called Albert Park or Withington and Didsbury; the latter was opened in 1875.

Cattle fairs were formerly held on 30 April and 22 October. The village rush-bearing used to take place on 5 August. (fn. 4)

The most stirring event in the history of the old village was the passage of the Young Pretender in 1745; he crossed the Mersey there. (fn. 5)

A Roman coin has been found. (fn. 6)

Didsbury, formerly part of the Withington local board district, was taken into the city of Manchester in 1904.

Among the old names may be mentioned Stenner Lane, leading west from the church, Parr, and Didsbury Eea.

MANOR

Although the 'manor of DIDSBURY' is named in some deeds of the Longford family, it seems clear that there was no separate manor, Didsbury being held as a portion or hamlet of Withington. (fn. 7) It is named in a Mosley settlement of 1653, but not later. (fn. 8) The land descended to the Blands, whose improvidence resulted in the gradual dispersal of the whole. Among the chief purchasers were the Broome family, who acted as agents for the Blands and Barlows. (fn. 9) By an heiress the Broome estates passed to the Feildens; (fn. 10) in 1844 the principal landowner was the Reverend Robert Mosley Feilden, holding over a third part. (fn. 11)

The local name occurs as a surname, but the family do not seem to have been of long continuance. (fn. 12) The Byrons had lands in Didsbury, (fn. 13) Withington, and Heaton Norris, which were sold in 1546 to John Pycroft, mercer. (fn. 14) Sir Edward Warren, who died in 1558, held lands in Didsbury of Nicholas Longford, as of his manor of Hough, in socage, by a rent of 12d. (fn. 15) A messuage known as Broad Oak, with land in Didsbury Moor and Hough Moss in Withington was in 1576 secured to Thomas Rudd. (fn. 16) One Walker of Didsbury was a freeholder in 1600, (fn. 17) and the Goodyers and Twyfords also are named about the same time. (fn. 18) Richard and Robert Twyford in 1649 compounded for 'delinquency' in adhering to the forces raised against the Parliament, their fines amounting to £44 and £45 respectively. (fn. 19)

In 1789 the Broomes and Feildens together paid nearly a third of the land tax; the Reverend Mr. Bayley and William Bamford were the next considerable landowners. (fn. 20)

The college of Newark had a small rent from Didsbury, which was in 1549 sold by the Crown to Richard Venables. (fn. 21)

The mill of Didsbury is mentioned in a charter, granted about 1260, by which Sir Simon de Gousill released to Henry de Trafford and his men of Chorlton-with-Hardy all suit of the mill and liability for the maintenance and repair of the mill pool, and like services. (fn. 22)

CHURCH

The church of ST. JAMES (fn. 23) stands on high ground, to the south-west of the village, the land sloping down on the west side of the site towards the River Mersey. The view from the churchyard on that side, towards Cheshire, is very extensive.

Plan of Didsbury Church

The building consists of a chancel 27 ft. by 19 ft. with south vestry and organ chamber, nave 73 ft. 3 in. by 19 ft., with north and south aisles, and west tower 10 ft. by 11 ft. 3 in., these measurements all being internal. There is also a small building 12 ft. by 8 ft. 9 in., formerly a vestry, at the south-west of the south aisle, and the two eastern bays of the aisle have been extended 11 ft. southwards, so as to form a kind of transept or chapel, the outer wall being a continuation of that of the vestries.

Of the original building which stood on the site nothing is known, and so little ancient work remains in the present structure (or what may be ancient is so effectually concealed by modern plaster and paint) that nothing can be said of the development of the plan, and little as to the date of the older parts. The ancient chapel is said to have been entirely rebuilt of stone in 1620, and the building of that date is described as consisting of a chancel 24 ft. square, nave with north and south aisles 45 ft. long by 34 ft. 6 in. wide over all, and west tower. (fn. 24) It had two threelight windows on each side of the nave, with entrances north and south opposite to each other at the west end of both aisles. There was also a separate entrance on the south side of the chancel. A gallery was erected at the west end in 1751, and a short one on the south side in 1757. In 1770 the chancel was declared to be 'very old, ruinous, and decayed,' and was taken down and rebuilt on a large scale 'by taking in 8 ft. on the north and also 8 ft. on the south side thereof, so as to make the said intended new chancel of the same breadth or width with the nave or body of the said chapel.' Galleries and pews were erected in the new chancel, and at the same time the old pews in the body of the church were taken away and 'handsome and convenient pews or seats all of one decent, regular, and uniform order' put in their place. About twenty years after a north gallery was erected, and the south one extended to the chancel, but there seems to have been nothing done to the structure from this time till 1841, when a faculty was granted to pull down the north and south walls from the tower to the chancel, which were 3 ft. 6 in. thick, and rebuild them of a thickness of 2 ft. so as to obtain more room for seats. Only about half the length of the wall, beginning from the west, was thus dealt with, however; the walls beyond this point are still the original thickness. (fn. 25)

In 1855 the building underwent a thorough restoration, in the course of which the outside walls, with the exception of the tower, were cased in stone, new traceried windows inserted, the roof raised over the aisles (north and south galleries), the north and south doors at the west end of the have done away with and windows substituted, and a large entrance door made through the tower at the west end. By these alterations the building lost any traces that remained of its original appearance, and assumed more or less its present aspect. In 1871 a new chancel was added, the north and south galleries taken down, (fn. 26) and a second door opened out in the tower on the north side; and in 1895 the south aisle was extended and vestries and an organ chamber built on the south side of the chancel.

The walls are built of red sandstone and have plain parapets, the buttresses marking the ends of the old nave, the old chancel, and the present chancel being carried up as pinnacles. The chancel roof is slightly lower than that of the nave, and is separated from it externally by a stone gable surmounted by a cross. The nave roof is continued at a slightly lower pitch over the aisles, (fn. 27) and all the roofs are slated. A portion of the exterior walling on the south side between the vestry and the extension shows an old rubble facing, having apparently been left untouched in the restoration of the last century.

The chancel has a five-light window at the east end and two windows of two lights on the north. The south side has two pointed arches opening respectively to the organ chamber and vestry.

The nave consists of six bays, the two easternmost of which formed the 18th-century chancel. These have four-centred arches 13 ft. wide on octagonal piers and responds, which appear to be of later date than 1770. (fn. 28) As all the piers, arches, and walling of the nave are stuccoed and painted it is impossible to tell how much of the work belongs to the period of restoration and how much is original. The old chancel walls, however, seem to have been thinned and rebuilt a little in advance of those of the rest of the nave in one of the restorations (probably in 1855). The old nave arcade consists of four semicircular arches 9 ft. wide, resting on circular columns 16 in. in diameter, with square abaci and circular moulded bases, much cut away. The arches and columns have the appearance of 18th-century work, but may possibly belong to the previous century, and be part of the rebuilding of that date. (fn. 29) A portion of the old wall 3 ft. long behind the east responds of the old nave arcade still stands, and the former chancel arch divides the nave into two unequal parts. The windows to both north and south aisles are all modern, and are placed without regard to the position of the piers. They are mostly of three lights, with a singlelight window at the west end of each aisle. (fn. 30) The south-west vestry already referred to is built in front of the south doorway, and appears to be modern, never having been intended as a porch.

The tower is of three stages with a vice in the south-west angle, with diagonal buttresses of unequal projection on the west side. The two entrances on west and north sides are modern, and above the west door is a modern pointed window of four lights, lighting the ringers' chamber, the floor of which is on a level with the springing of the tower arch. The arch is filled with modern glazed wooden tracery, and below the floor with screen doors. Externally a string-course runs round the tower at about midheight above the west window, and the belfry stage has a two-light pointed window with stone louvres on each face, above which is a string-course. The original embattled parapet is on the old south vestry, the tower now finishing with a nondescript parapet of four semicircular arches on each side, with angle and intermediate pinnacles, erected in 1801. There is a clock dial in front of the parapet on the east side facing the village. On the north side of the tower are three stones in a line, the two first inscribed thus:—

The inscription on the third stone is partly obliterated … 'DOMNI 16/20,' alone being visible.

The initials are those of Sir Edward Mosley, kt., and Ann Mosley (Sutton), second wife of his elder and deceased brother Rowland of Hough End Hall, who are called founders. 'E. M. Esq. Patron' is Edward Mosley, son of Rowland Mosley of Hough End, and afterwards first baronet, and 'Sir G. B. K. Baronet' is supposed to be Sir George Booth, of Dunham Massey (knighted 1595, baronet 1611), but this is uncertain. (fn. 31) The stones do not appear to be in their original positions, as when Owen visited the church only the first two are described as on the north side, the dated stone being then 'on the east.' The tower is said generally to have been built in 1620, but more probably an older tower was refaced in stone, as there appear to be traces of older work inside. (fn. 32)

The fittings are all modern. There is a chancel screen (1871), and a second screen separating the vestries and organ chamber from the south aisle. The present font, which stands at the west end of the north aisle, dates from 1881, but an older plaster font is preserved at the rectory. (fn. 33)

There is no old stained glass.

Between the windows of the south wall of the extension of the south aisle (sometimes called the Mosley Chapel) (fn. 34) is a fine marble and alabaster monument to Sir Nicholas Mosley, kt., 1612, sometime Lord Mayor of London, with three lower compartments containing the kneeling figures of his two wives and of three of his sons. Above is his own figure in mayoral robes. Over the figure of Sir Nicholas are his arms (Sable, a cheveron between three pickaxes argent, quartering Or a fesse between three eagles displayed sable), and below on either side over the figures of his wives two shields in oval frames, the first having the arms of Mosley impaling Gules, a chessrook argent, on a chief argent three roses gules, for Elizabeth Rookes, widow of — Hendley, his second wife, who survived him; the second, Mosley impaling Whitbroke, Argent a lion rampant gules, for Margaret Whitbroke, his first wife. There are four male figures in the lower central compartment, being probably those of Rowland Mosley (died 1616), son and heir of Sir Nicholas, with his eldest son; Anthony Mosley, and Sir Edward Mosley, the two latter still living when the monument was erected. (fn. 35)

At the east end of the north aisle is a mural tablet with good plaster ornament to Ann, Dowager Lady Bland (died 1734), erected by her son 'in memory of one of the best of women'; with a lozenge over bearing the arms of Bland, Argent on a bend sable three pheons of the field, impaling the quartered arms of Mosley, as on Sir Nicholas Mosley's monument; on an escutcheon of pretence the Mosley coat is repeated. There is also a mural monument on the west wall of the Mosley Chapel to Sir John Bland (died 1715). (fn. 36)

There are six bells all cast by Abraham Rudhall of Gloucester 1727. (fn. 37)

The church plate consists of a small paten (4½ in. diam.) inscribed 'Given to the chappel of Didsbury in the parish of Manchester 1741'; a small chalice 4 in. high, inscribed 'Belongs to the chapel of Didsbury 1743'; a paten, 'the gift of Thomas Briarly of Heaton Norris to Didsbury Chapel April 10, 1748'; a large silver flagon, 'the gift of Joseph Boardman of Manchester to the Church of Didsbury A.D. 1753'; a chalice marked 'A.M.' with crest, a demilion rampant issuing from a coronet (supposed to be the gift of Ann Mosley); a chalice, 'the gift of Mrs. Frances Bayley to Didsbury Church 1813'; an almsdish of 1843, and two breadholders of 1845.

The registers begin in 1561, and have been transcribed (1561–1757) by Mr. H. T. Crofton and Rev. E. Abbey Tindall (vols. 8 and 9 Lancs. Parish Reg. Soc.). The entries from 1561 to 1600 have been apparently copied from previously existing loose sheets.

ADVOWSON

A chapel, it is believed, existed at Didsbury from the middle of the 13th century, (fn. 38) and the chapel yard was consecrated in 1352 in order to provide for the interment of those who died of the plague. (fn. 39) The chapelry, in later times at least, was considered to include Didsbury, Withington, Burnage, and Heaton Norris.

The chapel and its ornaments were confiscated by Edward VI, but the former were acquired by the inhabitants for 13s. 4d. (fn. 40) Unlike other chapels in the parish, after the Elizabethan reform it seems to have been served as a rule by a curate of its own. (fn. 41) A church library was founded and a few volumes still remain in the vestry. (fn. 42) A stock of £48 belonged to the chapel in 1650, (fn. 43) and had grown to £104 by 1720, (fn. 44) when the voluntary contributions amounted to £10 a year. (fn. 45)

The patronage, which legally belonged to the Warden and Fellows of Manchester College, was conceded to Dame Bland in 1726 on her undertaking to improve the endowment; (fn. 46) it has frequently changed hands, (fn. 47) and is now held by Mr. William Norris Heald. A district chapelry was assigned to it in 1839. (fn. 48) The incumbents have been styled rectors since 1850. The following is a list of them: (fn. 49)

1605 Thomas Rycroft (fn. 50)
1612 John Davenport (fn. 51)
1639 John Bradshaw
1647 Thomas Clayton, (fn. 52) M.A. (St. John's College, Camb.)
1650 Peter Ledsam (fn. 53)
1664 No curate
oc. 1671–86 John Walker, M.A. (Magdalene College, Camb.)
1686 Peter Shaw, (fn. 54) B.A.
1700 Joshua Wakefield, (fn. 55) M.A. (Queens' College, Camb.)
1705 Roger Bolton, (fn. 56) M.A. (Jesus College, Camb.)
1709 David Dawson, B.A. (St. John's College, Camb.)
oc. 1716 James Leicester, B.A. (fn. 57) (St. John's College, Camb.)
1719 Thomas Wright, B.A. (fn. 58)
1721 Francis Hooper, M.A. (fn. 59) (Trinity College, Camb.)
1726 Robert Twyford, B.A. (fn. 60) (Brasenose College, Oxf.)
1747 William Twyford, B.A. (fn. 61) (St. John's College, Camb.)
1795 John Newton, M.A. (Queens' College, Camb.)
1807 John Gatliff, M.A. (fn. 62) (Brasenose College, Oxf.)
1840 William John Kidd (fn. 63)
1881 Charles Dunlop Smith, M.A. (fn. 64) (Wadham College, Oxf.)
1894 Edward Abbey Tindall, M.A. (CaiusCollege, Camb.)

Emmanuel Church, Barlow Moor, was consecrated in 1858; the Bishop of Manchester collates to the rectory. (fn. 65) Christ Church was consecrated in 1882; the patronage is vested in trustees. (fn. 66)

A school was established in 1685. (fn. 67)

The Wesleyan Methodists began services about 1824 in a room over a blacksmith's shop; a larger place was built about 1840. (fn. 68) In addition a college for the training of students preparing for the ministry was established in 1840–42; the chapel was intended for the people of the village as well as for the students. (fn. 69) The Wesleyans have now a church (St. Paul's) in Albert Park.

The Baptists have a church in Beaver Park.

The Presbyterian Church of England has a place of worship called St. Aidan's, built in 1901. The congregation was founded in 1894.

Footnotes

  • 1. Use has been made of Mr. Fletcher Moss's Didsbury (1890), a book of 'sketches, reminiscences, and legends.' A description of the village as it formerly was is given by him in the opening chapter. The natural history of the district has a special section.
  • 2. 1,546 acres, including 24 of inland water; Census Rep. 1901.
  • 3. The first bridge is supposed to have been made by the Highlanders in 1745; it was a rude wooden one. There were also Gatley Ford, Northen Ford and Ferry, Barlow Ford, Jackson's Boat, and another passage across the river; Moss, Didsbury, 61, 62.
  • 4. Ibid. 48, 49; a description of the old wakes. See also A. Burton, Rushbearing, 160, where the date is given as 8 to 10 Aug.
  • 5. The Duke's Hillock on the village green is supposed to have been so named from the Duke of Perth taking his stand there.
  • 6. Lancs. and Ches. Antiq. Soc. x, 250.
  • 7. In 1323 Margaret widow of Adam de Pendlebury claimed dower in one ploughland in Didsbury against Sir Nicholas de Longford; De Banco R. 248, m. 154 d.
  • 8. Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 151, m. 152.
  • 9. Booker, Didsbury (Chet. Soc.), 8. The 'daily bullying' of Lady Bland's steward Broome is mentioned in 1720; ibid. 40, 41. William Broome of Didsbury, in or before 1749, married Elizabeth Dawson, and died in 1781; their son William died without issue in 1810. There are monuments in the church; ibid. 29. Richard and William Broome occur in a recovery of land of Sir John Bland's in Withington in 1753; Com. Pleas Recov. R. East. 26 Geo. II, m. 14.
  • 10. Booker, op. cit. 8. Henry (son of Robert) Feilden by Mary Broome his wife had a son Robert, who married Anne daughter of Sir John Parker Mosley of Ancoats, and died in 1830 aged 69; their son, the Rev. Robert Mosley Feilden, was rector of Bebington from 1826 to 1862; Burke, Commoners, ii, 445; Booker, Didsbury, 27.
  • 11. Ibid. 10. The next considerable landowners were James Heald and H. Ll. Bamford Hesketh.
  • 12. William de Didsbury claimed common of pasture in Didsbury against John de Byron and Simon de Gousul in 1276 and 1278; the jury, however, found that he had sufficient. John and Simon were at that time sharers of the vill, which, so they pleaded, was neither vill nor borough, but a hamlet of Withington; Assize R. 405, m. 2; 1238, m. 32. William was plaintiff in some other actions about the same time; Assize R. 1235, m. 12; 1238, m. 31; 1239, m. 39; 405, m. 4 d. He also appears as witness to charters; Booker, op. cit. 8. Some more recent bearers of the name are mentioned; ibid. 9. Adam de Didsbury in 1292 complained that the descendants of one Adam de Stretford had disseised him of a toft in Withington, which he had held by grant of his father Thomas. It appeared that Adam de Stretford had three children— Henry, William, and Cecily—and that Cecily had left two daughters, Margery and Agnes, of whom the latter was occupier of the disputed land. She said she was heir of her father, William son of William the Chaplain, who had owned it and demised it to Thomas, father of the plaintiff, for a term then expired. The jury accepted this version; Assize R. 408, m. 10.
  • 13. Margaret widow of Roger the Crowther of Cheadle in 1305 released to Sir John de Byron all her right in half an oxgang in Didsbury, which she held by the gift of Sir Nigel de Longford; Byron Chartul. no. 29, fol. 18.
  • 14. Earl Egerton of Tatton's D. In the corresponding fine the purchaser is called Ralph Pycroft; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 12, m. 274. Thomas Pycroft sold land to the Mosleys; see Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), ii, 66.
  • 15. Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xi, 66. For his family see Ormerod, Ches. (ed. Helsby), iii, 683. Sir Robert Lovell, noticed in Heaton Norris, had lands in Didsbury also.
  • 16. Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 38, m. 28; the deforciant was Nicholas Longford, the remainder being to Thomas Rudd. See Ducatus Lanc. (Rec. Com.), iii, 26. Broad Oak stood south or southeast of the church.
  • 17. Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 249.
  • 18. Booker, op. cit. 5, 6. For a Goodyer case in 1657 see Exch. Dep. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), 31.
  • 19. Cal. of Com. for Compounding, iii, 1747, 1950. In 1666 Edward Mosley of Hulme leased a messuage in Didsbury (formerly William Wood's) to Richard Twyford of Didsbury, gent., then occupier, for the lives of the said Richard, William his son, and Hugh Yannis; Earl Egerton's D. There is a Yannis meadow in the bend of the Mersey west of the church.
  • 20. Land tax returns at Preston.
  • 21. Pat. 3 Edw. VI, pt. 9.
  • 22. De Trafford D. no. 133.
  • 23. It is supposed to have been dedicated to St. James, the rush-bearing on 5 Aug. corresponding to 25 July Old Style.
  • 24. Booker, op. cit. 14. A description of this building is given by Booker (op. cit. 17) from a ground plan of the chapel 'as it appeared at this time,' but the plan is not reproduced, nor its date given, and a drawing of 'Didsbury Chapel in 1620' by Jas. Croston, which forms the frontispiece to Booker's History, is apparently only an imaginary sketch, and of no value historically. The tower is shown with the battlement erected in 1801. Booker's description, therefore, while probably correct as far as the plan is concerned, must be accepted with great caution as respects the appearance of the building. The dimension of the chancel, 24 ft. square, would seem to be external.
  • 25. Other work, however, seems to have been done at this time. John Owen writes (Owen MSS. Manch. Ref. Lib. vol. 13): 'The east end and the greater part of the body of the church is built of brick with the date 1842.' There is no date to this passage, but Owen's visit was presumably some time before the alterations of 1855.
  • 26. The west gallery remained till 1895, when the organ was transferred to its present position.
  • 27. Originally there may have been a low clearstory, but this is not certain. The present roof to the aisles dates from the raising of the outside walls in 1855.
  • 28. If this work belongs to 1770 the Gothic revival must have penetrated at a very early date to Didsbury.
  • 29. Without a proper examination of them stripped of the coat of stucco, the date of the columns must remain uncertain. One of them is said to have been thus stripped during a recent restoration, and found to consist of a single stone to the height of 3 ft. below the abacus—a length of about 8 ft. 9 in.—the total height of the column being a little over 12 ft.
  • 30. The east end of the old north aisle, now the aisle space in the fourth bay, was formerly known as the Barlow Chapel, and here is said to have been found a portion of an early piscina during one of the restorations (article in Manch. Courier, 3 June 1907), apparently proving the existence of a stone church prior to the 17th century.
  • 31. Edward Mosley, the patron, would be an infant at the time; possibly Sir George Booth was his guardian.
  • 32. There are remains of two small round-headed openings on the north and south in the ringing chamber, which do not show outside.
  • 33. It has been several times taken to the church of late years to be used for adult baptisms, and being by tradition the font in which Barlow was baptized, is still an object of reverence to Roman Catholics.
  • 34. The Mosley Chapel was originally at the south-east corner of the chancel.
  • 35. The inscriptions read as follows:— 'This is in memory of Sir Nicholas Mosley, Knight, sometyme Lord Mayor of London, who dyed the 12 day of December 1612 of ye age of 85, and lyeth here interred.' 'Margaret Whitbroke, his 1st wife, by whom he had 6 sonnes and 2 daughters.' 'Elizabeth his second wife, at whose cost this monument was erected, dyed without issue.' '1. Rowland Mosley, Esq. sonne and heyre of Sr Nicholas, first married Anne Houghton, by whom he had issue a son and daughter.' 'After, the aforesaid Rowland married Anne Sutton, one of the co-heiresses of Sutton, by whom he had issue Edward his son and heyre, and Ann his daughter yet living; and he dyed 23rd Feby. 1616, and lieth here interred.' '2. Anthony Mosley his second son yet living. 3. Sir Edward Mosley, Knt. his youngest son, Atty Genl of the Dutchy of Lancaster now living at Rolleston in Staffordshire.'
  • 36. The inscriptions on these two monuments are given in Booker, op. cit. pp. 25–6.
  • 37. a The inscriptions on these bells are as follows: (1) 'Let us ring for the Church and the King, 1727'; (2) 'Prosperity to all our benefactors, 1727'; (3) 'Lady Ann Bland and Sr John, her son, bart. Benefactors, 1727'; (4) 'Robert Twyford, Minister, 1727'; (5) 'Wm. Twyford and Thos. Whitelegg, Ch. Wardens, 1727'; (6) 'Abr. Rudhall of Gloucester cast us all, 1727.'
  • 38. Alexander, chaplain of Didsbury, was a Barlow feoffee about 1300; Booker, op. cit. 251. In 1352 the Bishop of Lichfield gave his licence to celebrate divine service in the chapel there; service had been performed time out of mind, though only seldom of recent years. A chaplain was to be paid by the people. At the same time the cemetery was to be consecrated, the bishop having had testimony of 'their devotion in the time of the late pestilence,' when it was inconvenient to carry the dead all the way to Manchester; Lich. Epis. Reg. iii, fol. 127.
  • 39. On 16 Sept. 1361 the Bishop of Lichfield granted licence to the inhabitants of the vill of Didsbury to bury in the cemetery of the chapel there, by reason of the mortality; Lich. Epis. Reg. Stretton, v, fol. 7.
  • 40. Raines, Chantries (Chet. Soc.), 277. The chapel had two bells which the people had refused to surrender; ibid. 274, 259. The inscriptions are in the Owen MSS.
  • 41. Robert Lowe was curate of Didsbury in 1563, according to the Visitation list. The following occur in the registers of the chapel:—1580, Ottiwell Baguley; 1588,— Loydes; 1589, Richard Massey; Booker, op. cit. 53, 54. About 1610 the chapel was described as 'annexed to Manchester the mother church'; Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv, 11.
  • 42. Christie, Old Lancs. Libraries (Chet. Soc.), 97; Moss, Didsbury, 18.
  • 43. Commonwealth Ch. Surv. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), 13. There was also a leasehold house, worth about £10 a year. It was recommended that a distinct parish should be assigned to the chapel. The Committee of Sequestrations in 1649–50 ordered £30 a year to be paid to the minister of Didsbury; Plund. Mins. Accts. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 259. In 1652 the income was only £10 a year, and £40 out of the Manchester tithes was ordered to be added; ibid. ii, 35. The sum was afterwards reduced to £33 10s.; ibid. ii, 91.
  • 44. Gastrell, Notitia (Chet. Soc.), ii, 86, 87. The bishop notes that 'Rowland Mosley, esq., left lands to this chapel worth £20 per annum for 80 years after the death of a person mentioned in the lease; not known when the person died, but the lands are taken away. There was also a piece of ground called the Ogree meadow, long enjoyed by the curates, but taken away by Sir John Bland.' The correspondence concerning these lost endowments is printed by Booker, op. cit. 36– 51, where further particulars of the endowments may be seen.
  • 45. In 1720 a quarter of the people of the chapelry were Nonconformists (Presbyterians); Gastrell, loc. cit. The chapel had two wardens, one chosen by Lady Bland and the other by the people; ibid.
  • 46. Booker, Didsbury, 52, 53. Bishop Gastrell noted that Joseph Maynard and his wife had claimed the nomination of the curate in 1667, but the warden and fellows nominated in 1704; Gastrell, Notitia, ii, 87.
  • 47. Lady Bland, 1726; William Broome, 1775; John Newton, 1792; William Newall, 1829; Thomas Darwell, 1840; Booker, loc. cit. It was afterwards sold to James Lowe, who sold in 1878.
  • 48. Lond. Gaz. 29 Mar. 1839, and 16 June 1854.
  • 49. This list is taken chiefly from Booker, Didsbury, 53–63, as also the notes, where no other reference is given.
  • 50. He was cited for refusing to wear the surplice. Afterwards rector of Coddington.
  • 51. He was called 'preacher' or 'lecturer' in 1620 and 1622; Misc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs and Ches.), i, 54, 66. He was buried 18 Mar. 1638–9.
  • 52. Manch. Classis (Chet. Soc.), 33, &c. 423. He was described as a 'painful, godly, preaching minister' in 1650; Commonwealth Ch. Surv. 13; Booker, Didsbury, 55–9.
  • 53. Probably a Royalist, rector of Wilmslow, 1661–73; Manch. Classis, 186, &c., 437. At the later meetings of the Classis neither minister nor elder attended from Didsbury; Peter Ledsam was minister in 1659; Plund. Mins. Accts. ii, 289.
  • 54. Also of Stretford.
  • 55. Rector of Wilmslow, 1705.
  • 56. Fellow of Manchester, &c.; Raines, Fellows (Chet. Soc.), 199–202.
  • 57. Also Chetham Librarian.
  • 58. Also curate of Birch.
  • 59. Fellow of Trinity and Chetham Librarian.
  • 60. Nominated by Lady Bland.
  • 61. Son of the preceding curate.
  • 62. Also rector of St. Mary's, Manchester, 1804–43, and fellow of the Collegiate Church 1798; Raines, Fellows, 296–305.
  • 63. Previously incumbent of St. Matthew's, Manchester; author of sermons, &c. Some anecdotes of him are given in Moss's Didsbury, 17, 18.
  • 64. Previously vicar of South Malling, Sussex; resigned Didsbury in 1893.
  • 65. For district see Lond. Gaz. 16 May 1860.
  • 66. For district, ibid. 3 Mar. 1882.
  • 67. Gastrell, Notitia, ii, 88; also Booker, Didsbury, 96.
  • 68. Booker, op. cit. 11.
  • 69. Ibid. 10. The house was originally built for Richard Broome; Moss, Didsbury, 88.