Townships: Beswick

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

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Citation:

'Townships: Beswick', 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/p281 [accessed 25 November 2024].

'Townships: Beswick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. Edited by William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1911), British History Online, accessed November 25, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/p281.

"Townships: Beswick". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4. Ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill(London, 1911), , British History Online. Web. 25 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol4/p281.

In this section

BESWICK

Bexwic, xiii cent.; Bexwick, usual.

This small extra-parochial township lies to the south-east of the Medlock. It has an area of 96½ acres. The principal road is that called Ashton New Road, leading from Ancoats eastward. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's Ardwick and Miles Platting branch line crosses the township, and the Manchester and Stockport Canal passes through the northern corner.

Among the industries are a fustian mill and a cotton works.

Beswick was included in Manchester on the incorporation in 1848, being joined with Ardwick to form a ward. In 1896 it was absorbed in the new township of North Manchester.

MANOR

Originally a detached part of the demesne of Chorlton, BESWICK was early in the 13th century granted by Gospatrick de Chorlton to Cockersand Abbey in pure alms. (fn. 1) Of the abbey it was in 1461 held by John Trafford at a rent of 4s. (fn. 2) In the 17th century it was held by the Mosleys of Ancoats. (fn. 3) Beswick does not seem to have been regarded as a manor. Its extra-parochial character may be due to its having belonged to Cockersand.

Thomas Booth of Barton had land here in 1461. (fn. 4)

In connexion with the Established Church St. Mary's was built in 1878 as a memorial to Bishop Lee. (fn. 5) The Bishop of Manchester collates to the rectory.

The Wesleyan Methodists and Methodist New Connexion have churches in Beswick.

Footnotes

  • 1. Cockersand Chart. (Chet. Soc. new ser.), ii, 707.
  • 2. Ibid. iii, 1238.
  • 3. In 1631 Oswald Mosley of Ancoats was found to have held two messuages, a cottage, two gardens, 30 acres of land, 10 acres of meadow, and 20 acres of pasture in Beswick, of the king as of his manor of East Greenwich; the clear value was 30s. a year; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxv, 27. In Axon's Mosley Memoranda (Chet. Soc.) are numerous references to this estate; see pp. 33, 38, etc. The field names include How riding, Tongue sharps, Blake butts, Eyes, Hulme, Peddie croft, Goat's foot, Fitch field, and Bridge croft. Sir John Parker Mosley was the only landowner in 1786; land tax return at Preston.
  • 4. He gave a rood of land there to Hugh Scholes, chaplain, apparently as a further endowment for St. Nicholas's chantry in Manchester Church; Raines D. (Chet. Lib.).
  • 5. A district was assigned to it in 1879; Lond. Gaz. 7 Feb.
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