Townships: Ashworth

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1911.

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'Townships: Ashworth', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5, ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1911), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol5/pp176-180 [accessed 25 November 2024].

'Townships: Ashworth', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Edited by William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1911), British History Online, accessed November 25, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol5/pp176-180.

"Townships: Ashworth". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5. Ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill(London, 1911), , British History Online. Web. 25 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol5/pp176-180.

In this section

ASHWORTH

Assewrthe, 1236; Hesseworthe, c. 1260; Asschewrth, c. 1270.

Ashworth is a narrow stretch of land lying between Cheesden Brook on the south, Naden Brook on the east, and its tributary, the Oldhouse Brook, on the north. The area is 1,021½ acres. The surface is hilly, rising to 1,000 ft. at one point near the western end. There is an extensive view from the hill on which the church stands. The population in 1901 was included with that of Birtle.

The principal road is that from Heywood to Edenfield, passing diagonally through the township.

The soil is of loam and clay, with subsoil of clay; the land is mostly in pasture. Stone quarries are worked.

There were only thirty-two hearths—Richard Holt's dwelling having twelve of them—liable to the hearth tax in 1666. (fn. 1)

The whole of Ashworth was in 1894 added to Birtle-cum-Bamford. (fn. 2)

Manor

Like the other hamlets or vills of the parish, ASHWORTH was held of the lord of Middleton, (fn. 3) but part of it was the free alms ofMiddleton Church. (fn. 4) The earliest deed concerning it is a grant made about 1180–90 by Roger son of Alexander de Middleton to Geoffrey son of Robert the Dean of Whalley of the whole of Ashworth, for the service of 40d. yearly for sake fee. Jordan de Ashworth, a witness, was probably the immediate tenant. (fn. 5) In 1236 Robert de Middleton gave the homage of Henry de Whalley for Ashworth to Geoffrey de Chetham. (fn. 6) About the same time Orm son of William de Wardle released to Robert son of Bernard de Ashworth his claim to 4 oxgangs in Ashworth, which he had demanded in the king's court. (fn. 7) Richard son of Adam de Birtle, who held an acre in Birkrod of Stephen de Ashworth, granted it to Robert son of Robert de Ashworth; a rent of 1d. was payable to the chief lord, Henry son of Randle de Ashworth. (fn. 8) From these and other deeds it is clear that the land was much divided, and that the local surname was used by any or all of the tenants.

Stephen de Ashworth, just mentioned, gave an acre of his church land to John Spode. (fn. 9) He was succeeded by daughters—Maud, Margery, and Edusa. Two of them are named in a grant of all his lands by Ralph de Ashworth to Robert de Ashworth son of Alexander de Bamford. (fn. 10) A Robert son of Robert de Ashworth married Tiffany daughter of Margery, and to him her sisters appear to have made over all their rights about the year 1290. (fn. 11)

Holt. Argent on a bend engrailed sable three fleurs de lis of the field.

It does not seem possible to make a clear account of the descent of the manor out of these materials. In 1294, however, Richard de Ashworth, whose father's name is not given, is called the chief lord. (fn. 12) Richard had a son Robert, whose daughter and heir Maud in or about 1349 married Hugh son of John del Holt, member of a Rochdale family. (fn. 13) The Holts retained the manor for 350 years. (fn. 14) Robert Holt, who died in 1560, held the capital messuage with eighteen others, a water-mill, four fulling-mills, 300 acres arable land, &c., in Ashworth, of Richard Assheton of Middleton, by a rent of 3s. 4d. His eldest son and heir, Robert, was sixteen years of age. (fn. 15) His second son, William, is the most famous member of the family. He was born about 1545, and sent up to Oxford, where he graduated, afterwards becoming Master of Arts of Cambridge also. (fn. 16) Dissatisfied with the Church of England he went to Douay in 1574, where he studied theology, and was ordained. (fn. 17) Being sent to Rome he entered the Society of Jesus in 1578, and three years later was sent on the English mission. He was then employed by the imprisoned Queen of Scots on an embassy to her son, King James. He was arrested at Leith in 1583 and put to the torture, Queen Elizabeth urging this in the hope of obtaining knowledge of suspected plots in England; nothing, however, was obtained from him. He was liberated in the following year and sent abroad. He died at Barcelona in 1599. (fn. 18)

Robert Holt lived on until 1624. (fn. 19) He procured the ancient rent of 3s. 4d. to be commuted to a pair of gloves. He had a son Robert, who died before his father, leaving a son and heir Richard, (fn. 20) who came of age in 1618, when a settlement of part of the Ashworth estate was made by Robert and Richard Holt; the latter had married Mary, a sister of Theophilus Ashton, and afterwards the wife of John Greenhalgh, and died in 1620, leaving an infant son Richard, born in 1619, who became the heir of his great-grandfather in 1624. William Holt, a surviving son of Robert, entered into possession of the estates, probably as guardian of the heir. (fn. 21)

Richard Holt came of age just before the outbreak of the Civil War, and, perhaps under the influence of the Greenhalghs, attached himself to the king's side. He returned home dangerously ill in December 1645, having taken part in the second defence of Lathom. His estates were sequestered, and having taken the National Covenant and Negative Oath, he compounded for a fine of £551, and took no further part in the struggle. (fn. 22) He recorded a pedigree at the visitation in 1665, (fn. 23) but died in 1668, leaving Ashworth by his will to his eldest son Robert. (fn. 24) Robert appears to have died without issue, for in 1700 his younger brother Richard, then in possession of Ashworth, joined with the other brothers, William and Thomas, in the sale of the estate to Samuel Hallows of Gray's Inn, for £3,960 and an annuity of £25. (fn. 25) The new owner, who appears to have been a Nonconformist, had no children, and left his estates in Ashworth, Newbold in Castleton, and elsewhere, to John Hatfield, son of his nephew John Hatfield of Hatfield, and to another nephew Samuel Hallows Hamer, son of Samuel Hamer of Newbold, expressing the wish that as Ashworth had always been an undivided property it might so continue on a division. (fn. 26) Accordingly it was taken by John Hatfield, who in 1751 sold it to Thomas Ferrand of Rochdale. (fn. 27) By him it was in 1767 sold to Samuel Egerton of Tatton, (fn. 28) and has descended to Earl Egerton of Tatton, the present owner. (fn. 29)

Richard Kenyon, a leaseholder in Ashworth, adhered to the royal side in the Civil War, and had his property sequestrated. (fn. 30)

Church

The chapel of St. James is of ancient origin. (fn. 31) It had probably been erected by a lord of Ashworth for his family and tenants, and was but poorly furnished. (fn. 32) It was a donative, and without endowment. The services were probably maintained but irregularly. (fn. 33) In 1650 the Commonwealth commissioners recommended that it should be made into a parish church, but this was not carried out. (fn. 34) Bishop Gastrell in 1724 found that the Holts of Ashworth had always allowed £4 to the ministers, but Samuel Hallows, who had recently purchased it, alleged it to be a domestic chapel. (fn. 35) It seems to have been at that time used by the Nonconformists. (fn. 36) The owner afterwards gave £200 to meet an equal grant by Queen Anne's Bounty in 1737,and the chapel ceased to be a donative. (fn. 37) The patronage remains in the owner of Ashworth, now Lord Egerton of Tatton. The registers begin in 1741. In 1751 the income was stated to be £50, viz., £30 from land and £20 from pew rents. (fn. 38) The following have been the curates:— (fn. 39)

1695 George Jackson, B.A.
1735 Jonathan Heaton, B.A. (Trinity Coll., Camb.)
1737 Peter Blakey, M.A.
1771 John Sutcliffe (Queen's Coll., Oxf.)
1806 William Horton, M.A.
1817 Thomas Hodgson
1821 Joseph Selkirk
1832 David Rathbone
1871 John Fish, M.A. (T.C.D.)
1883 Francis Edwin Waldie
1904 Thomas Earl Floyd

The church was nearly rebuilt in 1789, and was enlarged in 1837. It had a separate district assigned to it in 1867. (fn. 40)

Footnotes

  • 1. Subs. R. bdle. 250, no. 9, Lancs.
  • 2. Loc. Govt. Bd. Order 31671.
  • 3. It is usually named among the appurtenances of the lordship; see also the inquisitions, &c., cited in later notes.
  • 4. This appears from charters cited below.
  • 5. Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), iii, 448, from an imperfect copy. The phrase 'et Francis et Anglicis' occurs in the introductory clause. An old copy, transcribed by Canon Raines, introduces the words in the grant: 'salvo jure Ricardi de Blonda.'
  • 6. Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 74. Henry de Whalley was present when the concord was made, and did homage to Geoffrey.
  • 7. Raines MSS. (Chet. Lib.), xi, 252. Robert de Middleton and Alan his brother were witnesses. This charter and others were copied by Canon Raines in 1845 from the originals, then in the possession of James Dearden, lord of the manor of Rochdale; other Ashworth charters he copied from old copies in the same collection.
  • 8. Ibid. 253. Robert de Middleton was a witness.
  • 9. Ibid. 252. The seal bore an eightpetalled flower with the legend + s' stephan de asewrt. William de Middleton was a witness.
  • 10. Ibid. 253. The grant included the homage of Alexander son of Robert de Ashworth (½d.), and John son of Alexander (1½d.) ; also Molle and Margery (2½d.). The same Ralph, perhaps at an earlier time, granted land to Robert son of Robert de Ashworth; the bounds in one place followed the plough of the church, and they touched Penkesdene. Robert de Ashworth was a witness; ibid. Margery daughter of Richard de Ashworth son of Walter, in her virginity granted to the same Robert son of Alexander de Bamford her right in half an oxgang of land in Ashworth; and Robert her brother made a similar grant; ibid. 258.
  • 11. In 1287 Eduys daughter of Stephen de Ashworth in her widowhood granted land to Robert son of Robert de Ashworth and Tiffany daughter of Margery her sister (the bounds included Bentley Ford); and Maud, another daughter of Stephen, did the same; ibid. 259. Margery daughter of Stephen also granted, but perhaps at an earlier time, certain lands to Robert son of Robert; the bounds began at the dwelling of Sweyn, followed the metes between the church land and the lay fee to Ashworth, and by the syke to Pedkesdene; Kulnecloh is also named. Robert de Ashworth was a witness; ibid. It is difficult to decide on the identity of this Robert son of Robert, but perhaps his father was the son of Alexander de Bamford. There was, however, an earlier Robert, for Geoffrey son of John de Buckley granted to Robert son of Jordan de Ashworth all his lands in Ashworth; the bounds included Blachlache, Penkesden, Stanelciste, Warmedene, Wudulschae, and Russilache. One witness was Roger de Middleton, and if this be the earlier Roger (of 1212) the grantee would no doubt be son of the Jordan de Ashworth who attested the charter of the time of Henry II, already quoted; ibid. 258. Robert de Ashworth, son of Alexander de Bamford, granted 'as to his partner' to Robert son of Robert de Ashworth all the waste pertaining to the third part of an oxgang of land in Ashworth; ibid.
  • 12. Margery daughter of Stephen de Ashworth in that year released to Richard de Ashworth, her chief lord, all her lands; ibid. 254. Maud de Ashworth released to Richard de Ashworth, probably about the same time, land and house and all her part of the barn, held of the church of Middleton; ibid. The grant to Geoffrey son of Robert the dean seems to have descended to Henry de Whalley in 1236. Afterwards, as noted above, Henry son of Handle is called chief lord; and then in 1294 Richard de Ashworth is so entitled. The grant to the Chethams was perhaps redeemed, for the 3s. 4d. was afterwards payable to the lords of Middleton directly. In 1298 Geoffrey de Chadderton confirmed to his son Adam all his land in Ashworth; Clowes D. See also the case referred to below. As to the parentage of Richard de Ashworth, a Robert son of Richard son of Walter has occurred above, but appears to be too early for the Robert son of Richard whose daughter was living in 1405.
  • 13. Holt near Milnrow is thought to be the place from which this wide-spreading family took a surname. In Nov. 1349 Henry son of Henry de Greenhalgh gave to Hugh son of John del Holt and Maud daughter of Robert de Ashworth all Maud's lands; Raines, op. cit. 257. In Lent 1357 John de Chetham claimed the 3s. 4d. rent from Hugh del Holt and Maud de Ashworth, &c. Hugh thereupon twice challenged the array of the assize; first, because Ellen wife of Richard de Cudworth, the bailiff, was of kin to the plaintiff, and second because William de Radcliffe, the sheriff, was also akin; Duchy of Lanc. Assize R. 6, m. 3. In the following year John de Chetham did not prosecute his claim; Assize R.438, m. 9. Hugh del Holt was living in 1370, when he granted all his lands in Bury and Middleton to his son Robert, with remainders to younger sons, Hugh and John; Raines, op. cit. 265. It may have been the younger Hugh who was outlawed in 1393, when the escheator sold his forfeited goods; ibid. 257. Hugh de Holt in 1375 claimed the moiety of a messuage and lands in Middleton against Richard de Urmston and Margaret his wife; De Banco R. 456, m. 10.
  • 14. Robert de Holt the son of Hugh, already mentioned, in 1395 granted to John de Holt, chaplain, as trustee, the lands which had belonged to Richard 'the Abbot' in the hamlet of Ashworth; and they were regranted to Robert with remainders to Hugh and William his brothers; Raines, op. cit. 261. Robert in 1398 granted to Maud his mother certain lands in Middleton and Bury; ibid. Richard the Abbot attested a charter in 1343; ibid. 257. His lands were the subject of another feoffment in 1398, perhaps after the death of Robert de Holt; ibid. 262. In 1401 Maud the widow was summoned to answer Henry de Greenhalgh and Alice his wife concerning the wardship of Hugh son and heir of Robert son of Hugh de Holt. It was asserted that Robert had held two messuages and lands in Middleton of Richard de Barton in socage by the service of 3s. 4d. yearly; and Alice claimed as next of kin, being Hugh's grandmother, her daughter (Alice) by a former husband, Thomas de Barlow, having been Robert's wife. Maud successfully upheld her title by the abovecited grant of her son in 1398; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 1, m. 24b. In 1405 the feoffees granted to Hugh son of Hugh de Holt and William his brother an annual rent after the death of Maud widow of Hugh de Holt and of John de Holt, chaplain, from the lands which had belonged to Robert son of Richard de Ashworth. Hugh son of Robert de Holt was the heir; Raines, op. cit. 263, 264. Hugh the heir was at that time probably very young. In 1419 Margaret de Shaw, wife of Richard de Urmston, released all actions against him; ibid. 266. In 1435 he made a feoffment of all his lands, of which he was refeoffed in 1467; ibid. 266. Hugh Holt of Ashworth was fined in 1448; his sons Thurstan and William are mentioned about the same time; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 11, m. 42; 12, 29b. Hugh seems to have been outlawed, and in 1449 the escheator sold his goods to Richard Barton; Raines, op. cit. 268. He contracted his daughter Isabel in 1455 to marry Oliver Parker; and twelve years later his son and heir apparent, Richard, was married to Margaret daughter of James Chetham of Nuthurst; ibid. 267, 272. About the same time the old dispute as to the 3s.4d. rent was referred to arbitration, and no doubt settled; Clowes D. Just ten years later still Oliver son of Richard son of Hugh Holt was contracted in marriage with Constance daughter of James son of Ralph Holt of Gristlehurst; Richard was probably dead; Raines, 273. In 1478 Hugh was refeoffed of all hi3 lands, with remainders to Oliver son of Richard Holt, to William and Jordan brothers of Richard, and to Adam Holt; ibid. 268. Oliver Holt occurs again in 1517 and 1520; ibid. 269. In 1518 he made a feoffment of all his manors, messuages, &, called 'le Ashworth'; Pal. of Lanc. Plea R. 123, m. 3 d. In 1522 he with other feoffees gave land in Ashworth for Grace the daughter of Ralph Rishton, who was to marry Robert the son and heir apparent of Oliver, with remainder to Richard the brother of Robert; Raines, 269, 270. Robert Holt in 1533 married Joan sister of Robert Langley of Agecroft; Agecroft D. 106, 107. In the depositions in a dispute as to the bounds of the waste between Robert Holt and tenants of the Earl of Derby in Bury are many particulars as to the place-names. Penkesden Brook, part of the boundary, was in dispute, it being asserted by the witnesses for Holt that Cheesden Brook ceased to be so called at the Lumn (Lumn Bridge, at the north end of Ashworth), and was then called Penkesden Brook until it fell into Naden Brook; while on the other side it was said that Penkesden was a small brook flowing into the Cheesden; Duchy Pleadings (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), iii, 52–60. The present arbitrary boundary line, running north and south on the east side of Cheesden Brook, probably represents a compromise made on the occasion.
  • 15. He died on 22 Jan. 1559–60. Joan his wife survived him; sons Robert and William are named, and daughters Cecily, Dorothy, and Elizabeth; also the brother Richard. Feoffments made in 1559 are recited in the inquisition in Raines, op. cit. 275. His will is printed in Piccope, Wills (Chet. Soc), i, 52–4. Richard Ashton of Middleton in 1566 stated that Robert Holt of Ashworth, holding of him by knight's service, had died leaving a son and heir, Robert Holt, whose wardship belonged to him; but one Roger Gartside, having obtained the deeds and evidences, had forcibly carried the heir away and made him marry one of his daughters; Duchy of Lanc. Plead, xlviii, A. 4.
  • 16. He was of Brasenose College, Oxford, B.A. 1566; fellow of Oriel 1568; M.A. 1572; Foster, Alumni; also Cooper, Athenae Cantab. ii, 283, 551. Raines quotes his own statement (from the Bowes Correspondence, Surtees Soc), that he was born at Ashworth.
  • 17. Douay Diaries, 6, 25.
  • 18. See Dict. Nat. Biog.; Gillow, Bibl. Dict, of Engl. Catholics, iii, 361–5; Foley, Records S. j. vii, 368, 1231–46. For a time after his expulsion from Scotland he was rector of the English College at Rome; then for ten years he resided in Belgium, distributing the King of Spain's alrm to the English exiles for religion. In the bitter dissensions which at that time arose among the adherents of the old religion he was a strong partisan of the 'Spanish' faction, and roused so much bitterness that he was sent to Spain, where he died. He appears to have been an upright and able man, but austere even to harshness in his dealings with others. Many references to him will be found in the Calendars of State Papers of the time. His account of 'how the Catholic religion had been continued in England during thirty-eight years of persecution, and how it might still be preserved,' is printed in the Dcuay Diaries and in Foley.
  • 19. a In 1574 there was a fine of Ashworth, &c., Robert Holt being deforciant; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 36, m. 42. Some of the deeds are in Raines MSS. xi, 278, 279. Robert Holt some time before 1565 married Agnes daughter of Roger Gartside; she had an estate in Saddleworth, which was to descend to her heirs; Lancs. Inq. iii, 440; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 27, no. 166; Yorks. Fines (Yorks. Arch. and Top. Assoc), ii, 26. The 'wife of Mr. Robert Holt' was buried at Middleton 2 Nov. 1594; and he seems to have married a second wife named Clemence, buried at the same place 9 June, 1609; Regs.
  • 20. Robert Holt, son of Robert, married Mary daughter of Sir Richard Assheton at Middleton in 1594; their son Richard was baptized at the same church on 28 March 1597; and the wife was buried there 25 Aug. 1600. Robert married as his second wife Dorothy, by whom he had a son William, born in 1606. Robert was buried on 2 Jan. 1608–9; Middleton registers. Immediately afterwards the wardship of Richard the heir was granted to his grandfather Robert; Raines, xi, 282. The will of Robert Holt the son, dated 1608, is given in Raines MSS. vi, 266. Richard was his son and heir. He died 'holding the pure religion now established in the Church of England,' as he had held it 'from the time of his discretion.' The apostle spoons of his grandfather Gartside were to be heirlooms. Coal mines at Nat Bank are mentioned. In 1614 Richard was contracted in marriage to Mary daughter of Robert Duckenfield; Raines MSS. xi, 294; Earwaker, East Cheshire, ii, 20. The 'wife of Mr. Richard Holt of Ashworth' was buried at Middleton 19 May 1618; and the marriage with Mary sister of Theophilus Ashton of Clegg, mentioned in the inquisition of 1624, took place on 29 Oct. 1618; Fishwick, Rochdale Registers, ii, 156. By the former marriage there was a son Robert, who lived a few months only.
  • 21. These statements arc from the inquisitions made in 1624 after the death of Robert and Richard Holt; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec Soc. Lancs, and Ches,), iii, 437–41; 442–51. The tenures appear to be more accurately given in the second document (p. 451).
  • 22. Royalist Comp. Papers (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), iii, 255–7. Debts amounting to £626 were due by him to Mr. Cudworth of Werneth, Mrs. Chetham of Manchester, and others. The Ashworth estate was worth £150 a year; he also had land in Saddleworth.
  • 23. Dugdale, Visit. (Chet. Soc), 148; it is meagre and inaccurate. Richard Holt was married twice—to Jane daughter of John Greenhalgh (at Bury in 1635) and to Jane daughter of Radcliffe Ashton of Cuerdale; ibid. 126, 10.
  • 24. Raines MSS. xi, 295. His wife Jane; sons Robert, Richard, William, and Thomas; and daughters Elizabeth and Mary, are named in the will. He was buried at Middleton 28 Sept. 1668. Of the daughters, Mary married Thomas Butler of Rawcliffe, and was living in 1704; ibid. 290.
  • 25. Ibid. 283, 284; also Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 245, m. 61. Mortgages amounting to over £3,000 had to be paid off, Sir Ralph Assheton of Middleton being the creditor. Richard Holt does not seem to have married, though he had a 'particular kindness' for one of the Hulton family; Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv, 141. William Holt was in 1696 described as 'of York'; his wife in 1700 was Hannabella. In a lease granted by Richard Holt in 1688 the following services were required, in addition to the rent of 23s. 4d. and four hens at Christmas: Four days' shearing or reaping corn; two days' harrowing with an able horse and a harrow; loading four cartloads of turf; keeping a man for the wars, with musket and bandoliers; finding a man to sod the stone wall betwixt the common and demesne; finding three able men to marl while the marling time lasted, or pay 9s. a week. Tenants had also to grind their corn at Ashworth Mill; Raines MSS. xi, 282.
  • 26. Ibid. 286; the will of Samuel Hallows, dated 1736. For his character see Raines in Notitia Cestr. ii, 104.
  • 27. Ibid. 288–90; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 348, m. 53. John Hatfield, a minor at his great-uncle's death, acquired possession in 1750; he had a brother, the Rev. George Hatfield. The advowson of the chapel was expressly included in the sale in 1751. At this time the clear rental was £338 1s. 9d. There was a coal mine at work. The area was nearly 630 customary acres.
  • 28. William Egerton was sole contributor to the land tax of 1787.
  • 29. Col. Fishwick in Lancs, and Ches. Antiq. Soc. xx, 30, quoting the title deeds. It appears, however, that there was an intermediate owner or mortgagee, one Samuel Hill, acquiring Ashworth from Thomas Ferrand in 1757; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 359, m. 68. The manor of Ashworth was included in a recovery of Wilbraham Egerton's estates in 1806; Aug. Assizes, 46 Geo. III, R. 8.
  • 30. Royalist Comp. Papers, iv, 41.
  • 31. Gastrell, in Notitia Cestr. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 102, says it was 'very ancient' and founded in the time of Henry VIII. Robert Holt in 1559 left 'toward the then sustentation of Ashworth chapel 6s. 8d., to be paid 'when the church reeves should reasonably require the same;' Piccope, Wills, i, 53. The chapel had a warden in Gastrell's time.
  • 32. Ch. Gds. 1552 (Chet. Soc), 12.
  • 33. There was no surplice in 1592; Lancs, and Ches. Antiq. Soc. xiii, 57.
  • 34. Commonw. Ch. Surv. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), 26. Just at that time there was no minister there, 'for want of maintenance.'
  • 35. Notitia, loc. cit.; 'it was certified that nothing certain belonged to it.' In 1671, however, Richard Whitehead of Pilsworth had given a rent-charge of £3 'to the use of such minister as should perform the service and cure at the chapel of Ashworth'; ibid, ii, 34.
  • 36. Ibid, ii, 105. Radcliffe Scholefield was officiating without licence in 1703; he was the Presbyterian minister of Whitworth in 1718, and afterwards held a charge in Cheshire; H. Fishwick, Rochdale, 264. In 1668, though 'with some difficulty,' Oliver Heywood was able to preach at Ashworth 'for one part of the day'; Diaries, i, 259.
  • 37. Raines in Notitia Cestr. ii, 104.
  • 38. Raines MSS. (Chet. Lib.), xi, 290.
  • 39. Church P. at Chester Dioc. Reg. For a biographical account of the curates from 1614 onward see Col. Fishwick's account in Lancs, and Ches. Antiq. Soc. xx, 33–40. The following names are chiefly taken from it: John Ashworth, 1614 to 1622; Richard Walker, 1622 to 1625; Hugh Brooks, styled 'Vicar of Ashworth,' occurs in 1626; — Ramsbottom occurs 1648; Henry Pendlebury, M.A. occurs 1649; — Leigh occurs 1652; Abraham Ashworth, B.A., 1665 to 1674 and later. Benjamin Hollinworth, of St. John's College, Cambridge, was there in 1686; Visit. P. at Chester.
  • 40. Land. Gaz. 21 May 1867. The endowment was in 1833 said to be derived from £800 private gift, £1,000 royal bounty, and £300 Parliamentary grant.
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