Townships: Warton

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7. Originally published by Victoria County History, London, 1912.

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Citation:

'Townships: Warton', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7, ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1912), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol7/pp171-174 [accessed 25 November 2024].

'Townships: Warton', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7. Edited by William Farrer, J Brownbill( London, 1912), British History Online, accessed November 25, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol7/pp171-174.

"Townships: Warton". A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7. Ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill(London, 1912), , British History Online. Web. 25 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol7/pp171-174.

In this section

WARTON

Wartun, Dom. Bk.; Warton, 1242.

This township lies along the Ribble, and much of the surface in the south-west is less than 25 ft. above sea level. In the east and north-east is higher land and on it the village is situated. Warton Bank and Warton Brow overlook the river, and formerly there was a ford from this side to Hesketh, a guide being stationed there to conduct travellers across. The area is 2,540½ acres, (fn. 1) including 8 acres of salt marsh. In 1901 there was a population of 446.

The principal road is that going west from Preston to Lytham, which divides into two branches after passing through Warton village, these joining again later. Cross roads go south to the Ribble and north to Wrea Green.

The soil is clay, and the land is almost entirely in pasture.

The township has a parish council.

Manors

Before the Conquest WARTON, then assessed as four plough-lands, was one of the members of Earl Tostig's Preston lordship. (fn. 2) After the creation of the barony of Penwortham it is found incorporated therewith, (fn. 3) passing from Bussel to Lacy and the Earls and Dukes of Lancaster. By the Bussels it appears to have been granted to a younger member of the family to be held by the third part of a knight's fee, for about 1190 it had come into the possession of Quenilda daughter of Hugh son of Acard Bussel, who was married to Roger le Boteler, (fn. 4) and had a number of children —Richard, Stephen, Thomas, Adam, Roger and Siegrith. (fn. 5) The family were benefactors of the religious houses at Lytham and Cockersand, Quenilda's husband becoming a monk of the former, (fn. 6) and the descents can be traced for some time, (fn. 7) but the manor of Warton appears to have been alienated about 1220–40 to some of the Woodplumpton family, (fn. 8) and thus in 1242 it was recorded that Thomas de Beetham held the third part of a knight's fee in Warton of the Earl of Lincoln's fee (of Penwortham). (fn. 9)

The Beetham estate, known as the manor of COWBURN or Cowburgh, (fn. 10) descended regularly in the family till the time of Edward IV. An estate first acquired by Adam de Yealand about 1230 (fn. 11) and held after him by Conyers and Singleton of Broughton (fn. 12) came in time to be regarded as a moiety of the manor of Warton. Thomas de Beetham on acquiring Warton gave a general confirmation to the monks of Lytham of the lands they held. (fn. 13) He died in 1248 or 1249, and it was found that he held three plough-lands of the Earl of Lincoln by the third part of a knight's fee, receiving only 4s. 4d. a year and certain white gloves, others having been enfeoffed freely, (fn. 14) Sir Ralph his son and heir died about five years afterwards; his daughter Joan was only seven years old (fn. 15) and appears to have died a little later, for at inquisitions made in 1255 (fn. 16) and 1257 it was found that Ralph's brother Robert was his heir. (fn. 17)

Sir Robert de Beetham confirmed the Lytham charters, and agreed with the monks as to the bounds of Bryning and Warton on the Lytham side (fn. 18); he also gave land in the Bankhouses to Stanlaw Abbey. (fn. 19) He was succeeded by his son Thomas before 1302, (fn. 20) and Thomas by his son Ralph in or before 1317, in which year William de Tours and Emma his wife called upon him to warrant to them certain land in Warton claimed by John de Astenthwaite and Margaret his wife as dower, Margaret being widow of Thomas de Beetham. (fn. 21) In 1346 it was recorded that Queen Isabella, in right of the fee of Penwortham, held three plough-lands and a third for the third part of a knight's fee in Warton which Sir Ralph de Beetham and Thomas son of Gilbert de Singleton held of her in moieties, rendering 3s. 4d. yearly for castle ward. (fn. 22) In 1361 Robert de Beetham and his tenants held the third part of a fee of the Duke of Lancaster. (fn. 23)

Thomas Beetham of Beetham held a moiety of the manor in 1431 by the sixth part of a knight's fee, Nicholas Singleton of Broughton holding similarly the other moiety (fn. 24); while in 1445–6 Thomas Beetham and Thomas Singleton held three and one-third plough-lands for the third part of a fee, paying relief equally. (fn. 25) Thomas Beetham was succeeded by his son Sir Edmund, who conveyed his manor of Cowburn, which extended into Bryning, Kellamergh and Ravenshaw, with his other manors, &c., to trustees, with remainders to his brothers Roger, William and Richard, and then to his cousin John. He died in 1472 and his brother William succeeded, (fn. 26) but Richard was in possession in 1483. (fn. 27)

From this time the Beetham Manor disappears from the records and its lands were said to be held of the Crown in right of the duchy, though Gervase Middleton still retained some land in 1548. (fn. 28) The Singletons sold their moiety of the manor to James Gerard in 1598, (fn. 29) and John Gerard of Haighton had an estate there in 163 5 (fn. 30); but the manor with much of the land seems to have been acquired by the Sharples family, (fn. 31) and was in 1652 sold to James Ash ton. (fn. 32) It is not mentioned again.

The land was from an early time divided among a number of freeholders, (fn. 33) as appears from the inquisition of 1249 above cited. Warton (fn. 34) and Collan (fn. 35) occur among the early surnames; and the inquisitions of the 16th and 17th centuries show a number of landowners, (fn. 36) but few of them seem to have been resident. The Singletons at one time had a house at Warton, and a John Singleton (fn. 37) died in 1592 holding a messuage there and land in Whittingham. James Browne of Lower Birches, (fn. 38) William Dixon, (fn. 39) William Dobson, (fn. 40) Richard Noblett, (fn. 41) James Smalley (fn. 42) and John Thistleton (fn. 43) had small estates in Warton. Robert Thistleton the son of John had his estate sequestered 'for his popery' in the Commonwealth time; he died in 1653. (fn. 44) Two ' Papists' registered estates in 1717. (fn. 45)

The Lytham Priory lands were after the Dissolution held by the Cliftons. (fn. 46) The abbeys of Cockersand (fn. 47) and Whalley (fn. 48) and the Knights Hospitallers (fn. 49) also had lands in Warton.

In connexion with the Church of England the former St. Paul's was built in 1722, (fn. 50) and consecrated in 1725, being replaced by the present building in 1885–6. A separate parish was assigned to it in 1846. (fn. 51) The vicars are presented by the Dean and Canons of Christ Church, Oxford.

Footnotes

  • 1. The Census Rep. 1901 gives 1,633 acres, including 3 of inland water; there are also 87 acres of tidal water and 697 acres of foreshore.
  • 2. V.C.H. Lancs. i, 288a. The later assessment was three plough-lands only; possibly one plough-land may have been added to Ribby. Sometimes Warton was stated (as will be seen) to have three plough-lands and a third; but this may be an error, due to the 'third part of a knight's fee' being taken to refer to a fee of ten plough-lands instead of nine.
  • 3. Ibid. 335, a. 1. The lords of Penwortham retained part in their own hands for some time, for about 1154 Richard Bussel confirmed grants to Evesham Abbey of two-thirds of the demesne tithes of Freckleton and Warton; Farrer, Lancs. Pipe R. 323. This explains the £2 received from the tithes of Kirkham by the Prior of Penwortham in 1291.
  • 4. Lytham Charters at Durham, 1 a, 2 ae, 4 ae, Ebor. no. 46; a confirmation of the grant of an oxgang of land which Quenilda's husband Roger had given to the priory. Roger's grant (no. 47), made 'with the consent of my wife Quenilda and my heirs,' was attested by 'Stephen my son, Martin my brother,' and others. The easements included rights in turbaries, moors, marshes, waters, sands and fisheries. Quenilda lady of Warton, with the consent of her heirs, gave to Lytham the homage of Henry son of Efward; ibid. no. 11. A son of Acard (perhaps Hugh) attested an agreement on behalf of Warine Bussel of Penwortham c. 1145; Farrer, op. cit. 321. Roger le Boteler attested charters of the time of Henry II, one at least as early as 1164; ibid. 375, 409. He paid half a mark in 1177 for some default; ibid. 38. In 1184–7 he appears to have claimed Claughton; ibid. 56. His wife is sometimes called absolutely ' the lady' or 'Lady of Warton,' at other times Me Boteler' or 'de Warton.' She rendered account in 1200–1 for part of the scutage due from the fee of Penwortham; ibid. 132. She occurs again in the Pipe Rolls of 1202–4 (ibid. 170, 178), but seems to have died before Oct. 1207, when Richard her son was defendant to the claim by Hugh de Morton and his -wife; Curia Regis R. 45, m. 3. As Quenilda daughter of Hugh she, with the consent of Richard her son and heir, granted 5 acres in Warton, with the land between Baunebreck and the ditch, and between the road called Highgate and Goschecarr, to the canons of Cockersand; Chartul. (Chet. Soc), i, 196. She and her husband had formerly given the canons 3 acres; ibid, i, 195. A William le Boteler, their contemporary, was, with Aline his wife, a benefactor of Lytham; Charters, ut sup. no. 5. The seal shows a man standing, holding a cup in his right hand. A similar seal was used by some of the Botelers of Warton.
  • 5. Richard, Stephen, Thomas and Adam, as sons of Quenilda, witnessed her Lytham grant above quoted (no. 46); Roger and Siegrith are known from other deeds. Thomas does not occur again. Stephen le Boteler (or de Warton) gave to Lytham Priory half an acre in Redcarrfurlong upon Stubbegate, and a perch in the marsh between Blakcfield and Stubbegate; Lytham Charters, I a, 2 ae, 4 ae, Ebor. no. 4. About 1240 he gave land in Wallfurlong and elsewhere; ibid, no. 42. As Stephen son of Roger he gave to the same, with the consent of Ivetta his wife, the house in Warton in which he lived, with land by the shore between Oubeck (or Howbeck) and Crowpool; ibid. no. 33. It appears that this was 'at the Bank' from a further charter by Stephen made about 1247; no. 36. Quenilda daughter of Stephen le Boteler released her right to certain lands held by Lytham Priory; ibid. 2 a, 2 ae, 4ae, Ebor. no. 5. Adam son of the priest of Lytham granted to the priory certain lands purchased from Stephen le Boteler; ibid. 1 a, 2 ae, 4 ae, Ebor. no. 8. This benefactor may be the Adam son of Roger the chaplain of Lytham of another deed; Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 143. Adam is named in grants to Cockersand by his brother Richard; he had held 3 oxgangs of land by the gift of Quenilda; Cockersand Chartul. i, 192. Alice daughter of Adam son of Roger de Warton, who gave land to Henry son of William the Carpenter of Kirkham, may have been his daughter; Lytham Charters, no. 6. In 1246 Alice, as daughter and heir of Adam de Warton, recovered 4 acres in Warton; Assize R. 404, m. 4 d. Mabel widow of Adam le Boteler in 1251 claimed dower against Maud daughter of Richard de Newton (half an oxgang), John son of Alice (1 acre), and Robert de Conyers and Alice his wife (1½ oxgangs); Curia Regis R. 145, m. 41 d., 43 d. John son of Alice de Warton was a benefactor of Lytham, giving land (with house) on the Bank, between the toft which had belonged to Stephen le Boteler and the three thorns; Lytham Charters, no. 44. Avice as widow of John son of Alice de Warton released her claim in or about 1285; ibid. no. 12. Richard son of this John had a grant from Roger Collan and Alice his wife; ibid. no. 14. To Roger her son Quenilda lady of Warton gave 2 oxgangs of her land; ibid. no. 7. Roger with the consent of Eda his wife gave to Lytham land near Stubbegate and Blakefield; ibid. no. 38. Roger son of Roger son of Quenilda gave the priory a selion called Dreng, lying between lands of Sir Robert de Conyers and of Roger son of Haward, and stretching from the ditch of Howbeck to the butts of Rucditch; ibid. no. 39. Siegrith de Warton daughter of Roger le Boteler of Warton, with the good will of her husband Roger son of Eward, gave land on Redlinch and in Warton field upon Stupelgate to St. Cuthbert of Lytham; ibid. no. 45, 53. Roger and Siegrith gave a 'land' to Cockersand also; Chartul. i, 197.
  • 6. This is stated in the Lytham charter already quoted; no. 46.
  • 7. Richard le Boteler son of Quenilda de Warton gave to Lytham, with the consent of his heirs, the homage of Adam son of Efward, his free man; Lytham Charters, no. 27. The seal shows the 'Butler' as described above. He also gave an oxgang of land in alms, &c.; ibid. no. 55, 52. He was a benefactor to Cockersand also, giving among other parcels land between Markpool and Warton Pool, 2 acres on the field of Stubbegate next the ditch between Warton and Kellamergh, nearer Flitholm; Cockersand Chartul. i, 192–4. Eustace the son of Richard le Boteler of Warton confirmed a gift which his father had made to Lytham, viz. 3 acres in 'Cuburch' next the land of Roger de Freckleton; Lytham Charters, no. 50. Stephen and Adam le Boteler were witnesses. The seal is like his father's. Adam son of Richard le Boteler of Warton, and therefore brother of Eustace, appears to have succeeded. He granted to Richard son of his uncle Roger half an oxgang of land in Warton in return for 3 marks of silver given him in his great need, which land had formerly belonged to the grantor's uncle Robert. Easements were allowed except on the lands formerly given in alms and in 2 acres which another uncle (Stephen) had for peace made between them. The service to be done to the lord was the proportion of knight's service pertaining to half an oxgang where nine plough-lands made a knight's fee; ibid. no. 31. By another charter Adam released to the monks of Lytham the land he held of them upon the Bank in Warton, they having given him 17s. in his great need; ibid. 2 a, 2 ae, 4 ae, Ebor. no. 3. It was possibly his daughters who put forward a claim to the manor in 1291–2, but apart from this there is no record of the permanence of this branch of the family. The Butlers of Rawcliffe in the 16th century held lands in Warton, but the tenure is not stated; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. iii, no. 109, &c. In 1301 Adam de Claughton released to Thomas de Beetham all right in lands and rents formerly held by Richard le Boteler of Warton, his great-grandfather (proavus); Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 144b.
  • 8. There was probably some connexion between Quenilda de Warton and Richard son of Roger the lord of Woodplumpton, for one of his daughters was named Quenilda. At all events, she gave to another of his daughters, Margaret, 1 oxgang of land in Warton together with the service of Stephen le Boteler for the 4 oxgangs he held of her. Margaret was to perform the knight's service pertaining to 5 oxgangs where nine plough-lands made a knight's fee; Final Conc. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 28. Richard le Boteler, the heir of Quenilda, assented to this charter, and was in 1207 called upon by Margaret and her husband Hugh de Morton to warrant the land to them, and in the following year he did so; ibid. Margaret's estate probably passed to her sister Amuria, who married Thomas de Beetham, but how the lordship of the rest was transferred is unknown. Perhaps Adam son of Richard sold it in his necessity.
  • 9. Lancs. Inq. and Extents (Rec Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 151. The Prior of Durham in 1305–6 called upon Thomas de Beetham to acquit him of the service demanded by Henry de Lacy; De Banco R. 160, m. 101; 163, m. 261.
  • 10. The name occurs (1200–1300) in various forms in the Lytham and Cockersand charters—Cuburch, Cuburne, Couburgh—and Richard de Warton described it as an island; Cockersand Chartul. i, 192. As a surname it appears as Cowburne and Colborne.
  • 11. Adam gave to Cockersand Abbey 2 oxgangs of land, one purchased from Stephen le Boteler and the other from Roger son of the Lady; ibid, i, 190. Another oxgang he obtained in 1227 from Adam son of Walter, apparently claiming by inheritance; Final Conc, i, 52. Alice his daughter and heir married Robert de Conyers; ibid, i, 107.
  • 12. Gilbert de Singleton in 1300 purchased a toft and 40 acres in Warton from Alice daughter of William de Conyers; ibid, i, 191. He died in or before 1326 holding lands, &c., in Warton of Sir Robert de Conyers by fealty and rendering a pair of white gloves yearly, also by the service of the twentyfourth part of a knight's fee and paying 4½d. sake fee and 10½d. for castle ward. There were a capital messuage (worth 2s. a year), 6 oxgangs of land each of 10 acres (worth 40s.), and the fourth part of a fishery (6s. 8d.); four free tenants paid 16d. yearly; Inq. p.m. 19 Edw. II, no. 67. Gilbert seems to have had a fourth part of the manor, though doing only the eighth part of the knight's service. Thomas de Singleton and Elizabeth hit wife in 1425–6 gave the manor of Warton, &c., to Nicholas his son and Margaret his wife; Kuerden fol MS. p. 381. In the 16th century the Singletont of Broughton were stated to hold their manor of Warton of the king as of his duchy by knight's service; Duchy of Lanc Inq. p.m. iv, no. 70; v, no. 45, &c.
  • 13. The charter is named in the old catalogue of Lytham charters at Durham, but is now missing.
  • 14. Lancs. Inq. and Extents, 1, 171. Ralph died 8 Mar. 1253–4.
  • 15. Ibid, i, 195; the value is given as 2s. 4d. Joan's marriage was worth £30.
  • 16. Ibid. 202.
  • 17. Ibid. 203. Robert was of full age.
  • 18. Durham catalogue as above.
  • 19. Whalley Couch. (Chet. Soc), ii, 453–4, The gift was made for the soul of Robert's deceased wife Maud.
  • 20. Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 316; Thomas de Beetham held the third part of a knight's fee in Warton of the Earl of Lincoln. In the same year John son of Richard de Warton claimed a messuage, an oxgang of land, &c., and a mill in Warton against Thomas de Beetham and another oxgang against Gervase Avenel and Emma his wife; De Banco R. 144, m. 333 d. Thomas was in possession as early as 1290, when Godith and Avice daughters of Adam le Boteler claimed against him 2 oxgangs in Warton and two-thirds of the manor of Cowburgh as their inheritance. Their father was brother and heir of Richard le Boteler, and the claim was respited because Thomas de Beetham was under age; Assize R. 1288, m. 13d.; 407, m. 1. The claim was renewed in 1292, when Thomas, still a minor, alleged that his father Robert had died in seisin; ibid. 408, m. 4. This is the last appearance of the Botelers. A Godith wife of John Ward occurs in 1300; De Banco R. 132, m. 193 d. 'The heir of Beetham' in 1297 was liable for castleward rents of 3s. 4d. in Warton and 2s. 6d. for Kellamergh and Bryning; Lancs. Inq. and Extents, i, 290. Sir Thomas de Beetham was in 1311 found to hold lands, &c., in Warton, Bretherton and Newsham by the service of a knight's fee, paying 18d. for sake fee and doing suit to the court; De Lacy Inq. (Chet. Soc), 22.
  • 21. De Banco R. 221, m. 219 d.; 226, m. 145; 230, m. 105 d. Margaret's claim was for dower in eighteen messuages and 12 oxgangs of land in Warton. The defendants produced a charter of Thomas de Beetham's granting all his tenement in Kellamergh, also 1½ oxgangs and 2/3 oxgang in Warton, to William de Tours and Emma for Emma's life. There is some error in the extent of 1324, which reads thus: 'Ralph son and heir of Robert de Conyers holds of Alice de Lacy the manor of Warton of the fee of Penwortham by the service of 3s. 4d. yearly for ward of Lancaster Castle, the third part of a knight's fee and suit to the county and wapentake'; Dods. MSS. cxxxi, fol. 39b. 'Thomas de Beetham' has perhaps been omitted after son and heir; thus the double tenancy of the manor would be recognized for the first time.
  • 22. Survey of 1346 (Chet. Soc), 44. The Singletons may have acquired the Conyers part of the manor by marriage. Thomas de Singleton in 1331 complained that Ralph de Beetham had seized his cattle at Stainacregrene, a place outside Ralph's fee. Ralph replied that William de Conyers had formerly held ten messuages and 12 oxgangs of land of his grandfather Robert de Beetham by the service of the fourth part of a knight's fee and a rent of 2s., and that William's heirs were his daughters Agnes and Joan; De Banco R. 287, m. 448 d. In the aid of 1346–55 Richard Banastre is joined with Beetham and Singleton as tenant of Warton; Feud. Aids, iii, 87. By a charter some years earlier Agnes widow of Richard Banastre gave to Richard her son land at Warton, with Ribble Water; Kuerden MSS. iv, W 5.
  • 23. Inq.p.m. 35 Edw. III, pt. i, no. 122. The yearly value was 33s. 4d. Sir John de Beetham and Christiana his wife occur in 1403–4 and Sir John in 1420; Final Conc. iii, 67, 86. In 1401 Margery de Prees held 2 oxgangs in Warton of Sir John de Beetham by knight's service and a rent of 12d.; Lancs. Ing. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 76. The same was held of the heir of Sir Edward Beetham in 1479; ibid. ii, 106.
  • 24. Feud. Aids, iii, 95. Thomas was the son and heir of Sir John; Final Conc. iii, 85. He was in possession by 1429; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 23.
  • 25. Duchy of Lanc. Knights' Fees, bdle. 2, no. 20. A Roger Beetham occurs in 1450; Final Conc. iii, 117.
  • 26. Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), ii, 102; Chan. Inq. p.m. 19 Edw. IV, no. 87. It appears that Roger left a daughter Agnes, who married Robert Middleton.
  • 27. Duchy of Lanc. Misc. Bks. cxxx.
  • 28. Messuages, &c., in Warton, Kellamergh, Bryning and Wrea were held of the king by fealty and a rent of 2s.; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. ix, no. 11. George Middleton sold his estate in Cowburn and Warton to William Skillicorne in 1567; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 29, m. 74. A settlement of it was made by William Skillicorne and Nicholas his son and heir in 1590; ibid. bdle. 52, m. 34. The tenure of William's estate in Warton in 1600 was not known. Richard Skillicorne in 1534 held land in Warton of the king by 1d. rent; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. x, no. 25. William Clifton of Kidsnape died in 1517 holding lands in Warton of the Earl of Derby by fealty only; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. v, no. 21. This may be an indication that the earl succeeded to the Beetham estate here for a short time. It appears, however that an estate in Warton, Freckleton, &c., was sold by John Coppull to Sir Thomas Stanley in the time of Henry VI; Kuerden MSS. iii, C33.
  • 29. Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 60, m. 55. The deforciants were Thomas Singleton, Cecily his wife and Edward his son and heir. The estate included messuages, windmill, lands and moiety of the manor and a moiety of the view of frankpledge.
  • 30. Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxvii, no. 20. He held four messuages of the king by the two-hundredth part of a knight's fee and a free fishery in the Ribble, The change of lordship appears in other ways. Thus in 1571 George Hesketh of Poulton held lands, &c., in Warton of Edward Singleton of Broughton, while his son William Hesketh in 1622 held of John Gerard; ibid, xiii, no. 15; Lancs. Inq.p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), iii, 366.
  • 31. At the time of selling the manor the Singletons also sold two messuages, &c., to William Threlfall and Jenet his wife; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 60, m. 51. They also gave to trustees or mortgagees another part of their estate—probably the remainder—and one of the trustees was John Sharpies; ibid. m. 96. In a fine of 1617 respecting the manors of Freckleton and Warton, with messuages, lands, windmill, &c., there and in Newtonwith-Scales, Stalmine, Preesall, Hambleton, Catterall, Goosnargh and Woodplumpton, and a free fishery in the Ribble, the deforciants were John Sharpies the elder, Arthur Sharpies, Alice his wife and Cuthbert Sharpies; ibid. bdle. 90, no. 48.
  • 32. Ibid. bdle. 150, m. 25; the deforciants were John Sharpies, Dorothy his wife, John Browne and Isabel his wife.
  • 33. This appears from previous notes. In 1219 Gilbert son of Reinfred gave 2 oxgangs in Warton (formerly belonging to Robert de Treales) to William son of Robert in part exchange; Final Conc. i, 42. William de Bradkirk in 1366 purchased a messuage and land in Warton from Ralph son of William de Freckleton and Isabel his wife; ibid, ii, 170. John son of Richard Carus and Katherine his wife had land in 1398; ibid, iii, 55. Thomas Hesketh purchased 14 acres, &c., in Warton in 1514 from John March and Beatrice his wife; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 11, m. 237. The tenure was unknown; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. v, no. 16.
  • 34. From the Lytham Charters (quoted above) it would appear that some of the Wartons were descendants of the younger sons of Quenilda, while others came from four sons of Efward or Eward—Henry, Robert, Adam and Roger.
  • 35. Among the Lytham Charters at Durham are several relating to Roger Collan and Alice his wife, ranging from about 1230 to 1280; they had a son Adam; 1 a, 2 ae, 4 ae, Ebor. no. 14–19. In 1278 Alice widow of Roger Collan claimed lands against Adam son of Robert del Bank, Thomas son of Roger and several others; De Banco R. 27, m. 135d. Juliana Collan granted Richard son of John le Spenser a messuage, &c., in the Bankhouses; Kuerden MSS. iv, W 15. It may be added that among the other Warton benefactors of Lytham Priory were the families of Midhope and Saltweller.
  • 36. George Kirkby of Upper Rawcliffe held his land in Warton of Edward Singleton by 1d. rent; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xi, no. 8. Gilbert Latewise (Latus) in 1568 held of Thomas Singleton in socage by 1d. rent; ibid, xii, no. 11. George Allen of Poulton in 1579 held of Thomas Singleton (a minor) by knight's service, which Thomas held the manor of Warton of the queen as of her duchy by knight's service; ibid. xiv, no. 80. Evan Haughton in 1608 held land in Warton of the king by ½d. rent; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs, and Ches.), i, 126. James Bradley of Bryning in 1617 also held in Warton of the king by the hundredth part of a knight's fee, a rent of 6d., and suit at Penwortham Court; ibid, ii, 80. Thomas Worthington of Blainscongh in 1619 held his land in Warton of the king by knight's service; ibid, ii, 174.
  • 37. Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xvii, no. 89; the estate was held of the queen as of her duchy. Richard the son and heir was four years old in 1596, and Elizabeth the widow had married Thomas Walmesley.
  • 38. Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc), ii, 122. James Browne died in 1619; his land had belonged to Lytham Priory, for it was held of Cuthbert Clifton as of his manor of Lytham by the two-hundredth part of a knight's fee and 1¼d. rent. The heir was a brother William, then aged six years, who died in 1624 holding a somewhat increased estate, including a windmill and kiln, &c., in Warton and Cowburn; Towneley MS. C 8, 13 (Chet. Lib.), 73. Elizabeth, his daughter and heir, was thirteen years old. William Browne of Freckleton also had land in Warton in 1617, held of the king by a castle-ward rent of ½d.; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.), ii, 87. Richard Browne died in 1639 holding an acre of Thomas Clifton as of his manor of Warton; Towneley MS. C 8, 13, pp. 79–80.
  • 39. He died in 1619 holding land of the king by 1½d. rent, and leaving as heir a son James, aged twenty-five; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc), ii, 125. Richard Dixon died in 1638 holding a messuage and land of Thomas Clifton as of his manor of Lytham. The heir was his grandson Richard (son of James son of Richard), aged ten years; Towneley MS. C 8, 13, p. 343.
  • 40. Ibid. 342. He died in 1639 holding land of the king. His son Robert was seventeen years old. He may have been of Warton in Lonsdale.
  • 41. Ibid. 913. Richard Noblett died in 1625 holding two messuages and land of the king by the two-hundredth part of a knight's fee. His son and heir Robert was twenty-six years old.
  • 42. Ibid. 1069. He died in 1639, leaving a son and heir George, aged twenty-six. His messuage and land were held of Thomas Clifton as of his manor of Lytham.
  • 43. Nicholas Skillicorne and Margaret his wife in 1596 sold a messuage, land, &c., in Warton to John Thistleton; Pal. of Lanc. Feet of F. bdle. 59, m. 258. John Thistleton died at Warton in 1621 holding of Sir Cuthbert Clifton as of his manor of Lytham by the two-hundredth part of a knight's fee and the rent of 6d. Robert, his son and heir, was twenty-five years old; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc.), ii, 249. The Skillicornes had held of Beetham.
  • 44. Cal. Com. for Comp. v, 3217.
  • 45. Estcourt and Payne, Engl. Cath. Nonjurors, 89; they were Robert Mercer and Edward Hardman.
  • 46. Thomas Eccleston in 1592 held land in Warton of Thomas Holcroft as of his manor of Lytham; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xvi, no. 38. Inquisitions already cited show that the Cliftons acquired lands in Warton together with the manor of Lytham. Apart from this, however, the family had long had lands in Warton, for Cuthbert Clifton in 1512 held them of the king in socage; ibid, iv, no. 12, and later inquisitions.
  • 47. For their rentals 1451–1537 see Cotkertand Chartul. iii, 1262–3.
  • 48. William Noblett held the Whalley lands at Bankhouses about 1540, paying 4s. a year; Whalley Couch, iv, 1234.
  • 49. Plac. dt Quo Warr. (Rec. Com.), 375. In the Lytham charters the lands of the Hospitallers are named. They seem to have passed into the possession of the Shireburnes of Stonyhurst with other parcels of the Stidd estate; Duchy of Lanc. Inq. p.m. xxvi, no. 4.
  • 50. Gastrell, Noritia Cestr. (Chet. Soc), ii, 427. Land called Little Moorhey was given by Joseph Shaw of Liverpool in fulfilment of the intention of his brother William Shaw of Preston; Chester Dioc. Reg. For description and list of curates and vicars see Fishwick, Kirkham (Chet. Soc), 65–6.
  • 51. By Order in Council 21 Jan. 1846.
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