Townships: Reedley Hallows, Filly Close and New Laund Booth

REEDLEY HALLOWS, FILLY CLOSE AND NEW LAUND BOOTH

Redlaihalghes, 1342; Redelegh-hallous, 1459; Redhalowes, 1507.

Filicloos, 1324; Filieclose, 1423.

Newlande, 1459.

These three portions of the forest of Pendle were considered as extra-parochial, i.e. they remained attached to the Castle parish of Clitheroe after other chapelries had been carved out of it, though they were 8 miles away. Pendle Water winds through the township, having Reedley Hallows, 545 acres, on the east side of it, adjoining Burnley; New Laund Booth, 431 acres, on the north-east, and Filly Close, 470 acres, on the north-west and the south. The total area is therefore 1,446 acres, and in 1901 the population numbered 1,285. Owing, however, to the growth of Burnley the township was divided in 1894; parts of Reedley Hallows and Filly Close were incorporated with the extended township of Burnley, and the remainder was constituted into a township with the name of Reedley Hallows alone. (fn. 1) The area of this new township is 1,106 acres, including 25 acres of inland water, and in 1901 its population was 658; it is governed by a parish council.

Reedley slopes down in general from east to west towards Pendle Water, the limits being 680 ft. and a little under 400 ft. above sea level. The other components of the township, divided partly by the deep ravine of Spurn Clough, slope down from the north and north-west, from about 580 ft. to 300 ft. From Burnley a road goes north through Reedley towards Nelson and Colne, while another goes north-west as Byerden Lane, and then, after crossing the river at Pendle Bridge, goes on through New Laund Booth as Greenhead Lane; a minor road branches off from the bridge to cross Filly Close. The road from Brierfield to Pendle Forest crosses into New Laund by Chamber Bridge, better known as Quakers' Bridge, from the active part said to have been taken by that religious society in its erection. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Colne line of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway go north through Reedley.

In Reedley, Haulgh is on the eastern boundary, now within Burnley; Reedley proper, to the north, has a number of modern residences, including the Rectory; Monk Heys or Monkholme is to the northwest and Lodge to the south-west. In New Laund the house so named stands in the centre, Greenhead being to the south-west, Waterside to the east and Montford to the north. Moor Isles or Moorhiles is near the north-west boundary of Filly Close.

The soil is clay, overlying clay and rock. Apart from the urban district adjoining Burnley the land is mostly used for pasturage, the following being the distribution: arable land, 3 acres; permanent grass, 1,201; woods and plantations, 15½ (fn. 2)

In Byerden Clough, formerly the boundary between Reedley and Burnley, were brickworks. To the north is a colliery. There are mills in Reedley and New Laund; the Burnley sewage works (Duck Pits) and sewage farm (Wood End) are in Filly Close, adjoining Pendle Water.

Forest

In the close of REEDLEY HALLOWS there was at Michaelmas 1341 stock consisting of a bull, seventy-eight cows and one heifer. This inclosure of pasture was originally used as a store farm from which to replenish the adjoining vaccaries, but in 1342 the herbage had been demised to farm for £10. (fn. 3) In 1418 Roger Flore, chief steward, demised three parts of a meadow called the Reedley Hallows, lately demised to Sir Henry Hoghton at £6 13s. 4d., to James Banastre for the increased rent of £8, and the other part to Richard Folds at £2 10s. rent for ten years. (fn. 4) Afterwards the whole was let for £9 16s. 8d., and in 1459 and 1464 was held by Lord Stanley and William Leyland at a rent of £9 6s. 8d., (fn. 5) in which was probably included the 50s. 1d. due for a fourth part of the herbage demised in 1464 for twelve years to Richard Halstead and Richard Folds, who were required to reserve for the king's deer such amount of pasture as it had been customary to reserve in time past. (fn. 6) Lord Stanley held it at the same rent in 1474, (fn. 7) and at the greatly enhanced rent of £20 2s. 8d. (sic) in 1495. (fn. 8)

Upon the granting of the forests in 1507 the vaccary called Reedley Hallows, containing 200 acres by customary measure, was demised by copy of Court Roll to William Winder and his fellows for £10 a year. (fn. 9) In 1527 the heir of William Barcroft held half, the remainder being divided almost equally between Christopher Jackson, Ellis Nutter and George Ormerod. (fn. 10) At the same time the heir of Thomas Radcliffe paid 13s. 4d. for (Little) Reedley Hallows, (fn. 11) but this tenement appears to be the same as Chamber in Pendle. (fn. 12) Robert Barcroft in 1609 held the Barcroft and Ormerod shares of 1527, while Christopher Jackson and Henry Nutter had the other parts. (fn. 13) Thomas Barcroft of Lodge paid £15 in 1631 for having refused knighthood. (fn. 14) In 1662 Thomas Barcroft, Ellis Nutter, John Jackson and William Robert were tenants, the Jackson estate having been diminished a little to the profit of Nutter and Robert. (fn. 15) The hearth tax return of 1666 shows that Thomas Sagar and Ellis Nutter were each assessed upon seven hearths and Mary Jackson on four. (fn. 16)

The principal family was that of Barcroft of Lodge, a younger branch of the Barcrofts of Cliviger. (fn. 17) In 1590 John Towneley brought a bill of complaint in the Duchy Chamber against William Barcroft of Lodge and James Hargreaves touching a right of way over Banister Heald in the vaccary of Reedley Hallows, through Filly Close to Fence Gate, and from Byerden Gate to Saxifield Common. (fn. 18) In 1727 Leonard Clayton, son of Henry Clayton of Pendle Hall, yeoman, was described as 'of Lodge.' (fn. 19) Thomas Bradshaw of Marple in Cheshire was in 1739 the owner of tenements called Haugh Head and Haugh Row. (fn. 20) Sarah the daughter and co-heir of Thomas Barcroft in 1670 married Nicholas Townley of Royle, and the Lodge has descended with that estate to Mr. R. A. Tatton of Cuerden. (fn. 21)

The Nutters were of Reedley. (fn. 22) The family gave two victims to the Elizabethan persecution. John Nutter went over seas to Rheims, where he was ordained priest in 1582. Being sent on the English mission he was put ashore at Dunwich sick of a fever. The officials of the place, having found some Roman Catholic books in a bag, gave information to the justices and Nutter was arrested. He was imprisoned in the Marshalsea and the Tower and executed at Tyburn for his priesthood on 12 February 1583–4. (fn. 23) His brother Robert went with him to Rheims, and was likewise ordained and sent on the English mission. After being imprisoned and tortured in the Tower he was banished in 1585, but returning soon afterwards was recaptured and imprisoned at Wisbech for more than twelve years. He escaped to his native county, where he was again caught, condemned to death for his priesthood, and executed at Lancaster 26 July 1600. (fn. 24) Ellis son of Robert Nutter of Reedley made a settlement of his estates in 1738. His son, Henry Nutter of Colne, surrendered Reedley and Tupholme, copyhold rent 39s., to the use of John Crossley of Hundersfield in 1741. (fn. 25) The trustees of Col. Holden and Mr. Harry Tunstill now hold a large part of Reedley.

FILLY CLOSE was in 1324 held by Richard de Whitacre in conjunction with the adjacent Royle in Burnley. (fn. 26) In 1341–2 Filly Close was in hand, in connexion with the king's stud-farm at Ightenhill. (fn. 27) Royle appears to have become separate some years later, (fn. 28) and in 1459 John Sotehill rented Filly Close for £9 6s. 8d., (fn. 29) obtaining a twenty years' lease of it at the same rent in 1467. (fn. 30) But in 1471 Hugh Gartside had it granted to him on lease similarly. (fn. 31) Lord Stanley paid the rent in 1495. (fn. 32)

When the forests were granted in 1507 Filly Close was demised by copy of Court Roll to Lawrence Towneley and Ralph Askew at a rent of £10 13s. 4d. (fn. 33) At this rent Sir John Towneley held it in 1527, (fn. 34) and in his line the ownership nominally descended. Ellis Nutter of Reedley in 1530–1 resigned his lease and goodwill in Filly Close to Sir John in consideration of an annuity of 26s. 8d. There were nine tenants in 1536, paying the £10 13s. 4d. copyhold rent and an additional rent of £5 11s. 6d. to Towneley. (fn. 35)

The chief tenant then was George Grimshaw of Moorhiles, paying £7; he and Thomas Watmough were the only ones exempt from suit to the corn-mill in Burnley. (fn. 36) In 1577 John Towneley brought a bill of complaint against Richard Grimshaw son of George touching the messuage of Moorhiles and lands in Filly Close. (fn. 37) The will of Richard Grimshaw, dated 1 June 1608, shows that he had lands in Pendle and in Craven; he left a widow Ellen, and had daughters, Janet (deceased) wife of John Woodroffe of Bank Top, and Elizabeth Grimshaw. (fn. 38) Moorhiles became the residence of Christopher Towneley, the transcriber. After the death of his wife he partially rebuilt it, his initials, C. T. 1668, appearing on a doorway, and he died there in 1674. (fn. 39)

Mr. John Shuttleworth, John Skerrow, Bernard Stuttard and George Spencer were those assessed to the hearth tax in 1666 in Filly Close. (fn. 40)

The NEW LAUND was in 1459 held by Thomas Harrington at a yearly farm of £5 6s. 8d. (fn. 41) Three years later the herbage and pasture there were demised at this rent to William Leyland for a term, (fn. 42) and a new lease for seven years was granted him soon afterwards. (fn. 43) On its expiry in 1471 Hugh Gartside obtained a twenty years' lease at the same rent, (fn. 44) and in 1495 Lawrence Towneley was farmer. (fn. 45)

In 1507 the commissioners for granting the forest demised New Laund to Robert Nutter to hold by copy of Court Roll for £6 13s. 4d. yearly rent. (fn. 46) For this rent it was in 1527 held equally by Ellis Nutter of Waterside, John Haliday and John Nowell. (fn. 47) In 1550 Henry Nutter brought a bill of complaint in the Duchy Chamber against his younger brother, John Nutter, touching his title to tenements in New Laund and Reedley Hallows. (fn. 48) The rental of 1609 shows that Ellis Nutter's tenement had descended to John Nutter, (fn. 49) those of Haliday and Nowell being held divisibly between John Crombock, John Moor and Margaret Nutter. (fn. 50) Another John Nutter held the third part in 1662, when the remainder was held by Richard Crombock, John Moore and Bernard Parker (in right of his wife), each paying 29s. 7½d. of copyhold rent. (fn. 51) The hearth tax return of 1666 shows the following assessments: Mr. Anthony Wade nine hearths, Ellis Nutter six and Bernard Parker (for Henry Nutter) four. (fn. 52)

In the witches' trials in 1612 it was alleged that Robert Nutter of Greenhead and his father Christopher had been bewitched to death some eighteen or nineteen years before. (fn. 53) Eleanor daughter of Ellis Nutter of Waterside was the grandmother of Archbishop Tillotson. (fn. 54)

Montford was towards the end of the 18th century the residence of one Thomas Tipping, who devised it to his gardener. The estate, including New Laund Farm and Waterside, was purchased by the late Robert Tunstill, and is now the property of his nephew, Mr. Harry Tunstill of Reedyford House, Nelson.

Edmund Robinson of New Laund in 1648 was allowed to compound for his 'delinquency' by a fine of £40. He had been in Clitheroe Castle while it was held for the king, but in 1645 had voluntarily submitted to the Parliament and taken the National Covenant. (fn. 55)

Complaint was made in 1592 that John Nutter of New Laund had stopped a right of way used from time immemorial between Marsden and Briercliffe on the one side and Clitheroe, Preston, Colne and Padiham on the other. The road, used by carts as well as by horsemen and foot passengers, led through lands of Sir Gilbert Gerard in Marsden to a place called the Chamber in Pendle or Hansoncliffe, thence by 'a certain place in the said New Laund called the Helforth Gate, and so ascending to a bank called the Rustie Bank, and thence to a gate called the New Laund Gate,' and so to the lower side of the Fence and to Clitheroe. John Nutter replied that his grandfather Ellis made a partition of the lands in the township with Henry and Christopher Nutter, and it was then agreed that 'a highway should be set out in the portion of the said Christopher on the west side of the said close called the New Laund, leading from a place called the Sandesforth to another place called the Fence,' which road was still open. (fn. 56)