Townships: Parbold

PARBOLD

Iperbolt, 1195; Perebold, 1202; Perbold, 1212; Perbalt, Perbald, 1292. The local pronunciation is Perbot or Parbot.

Parbold appears to have been taken from Wrightington. It has an area of 1,159 acres, (fn. 1) and the population in 1901 numbered 579. The surface is hilly, the general slope being from a height of 400 ft. on the north-east border down to the Douglas, which here forms the boundary on the south and west, being also the boundary of the parish and hundred. From the summit mentioned there is an extensive prospect, the mountains of Cumberland and Wales and the Isle of Man being visible.

The principal road is that which goes westward from Wigan to Ormskirk, crossing the Douglas by a bridge (fn. 2) at the south-west corner of the township. The village lies in the same quarter. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's line from Wigan to Southport runs west near the southern border, and has a station at the village. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the township between the railway and the river.

There are quarries of good building stone worked.

The soil is a strong clayey loam with subsoil of marl, stone and coal. Wheat, oats and potatoes are grown.

Fifty hearths contributed to the hearth tax in 1666; the largest house was that of John Crisp, with six hearths. (fn. 3)

Manor

The early history of PARBOLD is involved in that of Wrightington. Before 1242 it had come into the hands of Robert de Lathom, who held it of the lord of Manchester by the service of the fourth part of a knight's fee. (fn. 4) Robert de Lathom gave it to Richard his son and his issue, and Richard had four daughters— Lucy, Alice, Katherine and Cecily. Two died without issue, and in 1351 the claimants were Henry de Trafford in right of his wife Lucy daughter of Alice, and Thomas son of Richard de Bradshagh of Pennington by Cecily his wife. (fn. 5) The Lathoms of Tarbock and their heirs also claimed the manor of Parbold (fn. 6); but the head of the family, Sir Thomas de Lathom, recovered the whole and granted it to his younger son Edward, (fn. 7) ancestor of the Lathoms who continued to hold the manor down to the end of the 17th century.

Edward de Lathom, after receiving Parbold from his father, (fn. 8) was further endowed with a fourth part of the manor of Wrightington by his elder brother Sir Thomas, (fn. 9) and these manors appear in later times to have been treated as one. The descent is thus given in a plea of 1511 (fn. 10) : Edward — son, Robert (fn. 11) — son, Edward — son, Robert. Some time during the 15th century, perhaps by the second Edward, the manor of Allerton in Childwall was acquired together with other lands in that neighbourhood. (fn. 12) Robert Lathom (fn. 13) died in 1516 holding the manor of Parbold and the fourth part of the manor of Wrightington of Thomas Earl of Derby by knights' service and the rent of a rose and 23d., the earl holding the same of Lord La Warr by like service, and Lord La Warr of the king as of his duchy of Lancaster by knights' service. The manor of Parbold was worth £10 a year and the fourth part of Wrightington £5. William Lathom son and heir of Robert was sixty years of age and more. (fn. 14)

The estates descended (fn. 15) to Thomas Lathom, who died in 1597, (fn. 16) and his son Richard, who died in 1602, leaving as heir a son Thomas, fifteen years old. (fn. 17) Thomas died in 1623 holding Parbold and the fourth part of Wrightington as before, together with another fourth part recently bought of Roger Kirkby; his heir was his son Richard, only five months old. (fn. 18) The family adhered to Roman Catholicism, and in the Civil War to the king's side. (fn. 19) Hence Richard Lathom's estates were confiscated for treason in 1652 (fn. 20) and ordered to be sold. (fn. 21) Allerton had to be alienated, and though a pedigree was recorded in 1664 (fn. 22) and the family retained Parbold a little longer, they were unable to retrieve their losses. Their possessions were therefore sold about 1680 to John Crisp, (fn. 23) whose descendants retained them for a century, (fn. 24) the manors of Parbold and Wrightington with various lands being sold to William Dicconson of Wrightington about 1791. (fn. 25) They have since descended with Wrightington. Manor House Farm is now known as Damstead Wood Farm. (fn. 26)

The Hospitallers held a considerable estate in Parbold from an early time. (fn. 27) The family which bore the local name, of which little is known, may have held part of the 'alms land,' (fn. 28) and probably ultimately sold their right to the Lathoms. Richard Lathom about 1540 held two parcels, paying 6d. each. (fn. 29) The Banastres of Parbold also held part, and at the same date Richard Banastre held the Bewhouse by a rent of 11d. (fn. 30) The priory of Burscough also had an estate. (fn. 31)

Richard Lathom and Lawrence Finch contributed to the subsidy of 1542–3 for their lands. (fn. 32) A few other names occur in pleadings (fn. 33) and inquisitions. (fn. 34) Parbold House in 1582 seems to have been owned by Richard Prescott. (fn. 35) A dispute as to Lighthurst in Parbold occurred in the time of Edward VI. (fn. 36)

In 1783 the late Sir John Tyrrell's heirs were the chief landowners, others being John Nelson and Mrs. Sale. In 1798 William Dicconson and John Assheton Nelson were the principal contributors to the tax. (fn. 37)

Church

The ancient chapel of St. Mary, now destroyed, (fn. 38) was known as DOUGLAS CHAPEL. It was probably built by the Hospitallers for the use of their tenants, (fn. 39) but in later times the Lathoms of Parbold were considered the patrons. (fn. 40) This, however, may have been in respect of the chantry founded in the chapel by one Henry Parbold, as it was reported. (fn. 41) Little is known of its history or chaplains before the Reformation, while afterwards it probably fell out of use for a time, the small endowment having been confiscated and the people to a great extent remaining faithful to the ancient religion. (fn. 42) Bishop Bridgeman, about 1620, may be regarded as its restorer, (fn. 43) and in 1650 the Commonwealth surveyors found that some small endowments had been given and that it was in regular use. (fn. 44) Seventy years later, however, the income was only £10, it being at this time 'supplied by the rector of Eccleston or his curate every Sunday except when the sacrament was administered at the mother church.' (fn. 45) A grant was obtained from Queen Anne's Bounty in 1767. (fn. 46) The building was replaced by the present Christ Church in 1875, and was taken down in 1878. The rector of Eccleston is now the patron.

The following have been curates and vicars (fn. 47) :—

Parbold Hall was at one time the centre of the Catholic mission, (fn. 55) but Wrightington took its place, and the present church of Our Lady and All Saints was not built till 1884. It is served by the Benedictines. (fn. 56)