THE PARISH OF KIRKHAM.
KIRKHAM. The township of Kirkham was probably the earliest inhabited
locality in the Fylde district; and although it is impossible to assert
that the very site of the present town was a spot fixed upon by the
Romans for erecting their habitations, still as the road formed by those
people passed over it, and many remnants of their domestic utensils,
funereal urns, and other relics have been discovered in the surrounding
soil, there is strong presumptive evidence that an ancient settlement
was at least close at hand. Amongst the traces of the old warriors
disinterred in this neighbourhood may be mentioned a large quantity of
stones prepared for building purposes, and numerous fragments of urns,
ploughed up about half a mile from Kirkham. The Mill Hill Field has
also disclosed frequent witnesses to the former presence of the Romans,
notably abundant specimens of their pottery and coinage, but perhaps the
greatest curiosity found in the vicinity is the boss or umbo of a shield,
wrought in brass, which was removed from a brook in the field specified
during the year 1792. In form the shield is somewhat oval, having its
central portion semi-globular, whilst the outer rim is flat. The entire
diameter is about eight inches, of which the embossment supplies five.
The horizontal and encircling part is perforated in four separate places,
apparently for the passage of thongs or rivets. The highest surface of
the boss holds the representation of a human figure seated, with an eagle
to the left, the sides being adorned with an athlete respectively.
Birds, swords, diminutive shields, etc., complete the decorations.
From the year 418, when the Romans vacated the island, up to the
compilation of the Domesday Book by William the Conqueror in 1080-86, a
period of over six and a half centuries, history preserves no record of
any matter or event directly connected with the town, as distinct from
the Hundred in which it is situated. Nevertheless it is obvious that
Kirkham must have sprung into being some time during that protracted
era, insomuch as it appears amongst the places existing in Amounderness
in the Norman survey just indicated. The name is a compound derived from
the Anglo-Saxons and Danes, and although the syllable “Kirk,” coming from
the latter, and signifying a church, could not have been in use until
those pirates first invaded the land in 787, and probably was not applied
until the mistaken policy of Alfred the Great allowed them to colonise
this and other parts of Northumbria, one hundred years later, still it
would scarcely be justifiable to conclude that there was no dwelling or
village here, as the Anglo-Saxon “ham” implies, anterior to that date.
The location of the place on the margin of an open thoroughfare, and the
former establishment of the Romans within or near to its boundaries,
incline us rather to the opinion that from the earliest arrival of
the Anglo-Saxons they had selected this site for the foundation of a
small settlement, and that the “ham” or hamlet so created bore a purely
Saxon title until the advent of the Danes, under whose influence the
orthography became altered by the substitution from their vocabulary of
the word “kirk” for the one originally bestowed upon it.
Some idea of the condition of Kirkham at the Norman Conquest may be
gleaned from the report concerning the Fylde in the Domesday Book,
in which it is stated that of the 840 statute acres comprised in the
township, only 400 (four carucates) were under cultivation, the rest
being waste, that is, untilled, but very possibly in service as forage
ground for swine. At that period the town undoubtedly possessed a church,
one of the three mentioned in the record above-named, as standing in
Amounderness, but the era of its erection is conjectural merely. The name
of Kirkham, however,—the church hamlet,—is manifestly of ecclesiastical
origin, and the Danish derivation of “kirk” implies that some religious
building existed there, very likely about the year 900, when that nation
colonised the district, but that a sacred edifice of some description
had been constructed long before may be deduced from the fact that
Christianity had been pretty generally embraced by the Anglo-Saxons
dwelling in this locality about the middle of the seventh century.
From the commencement of the Norman dominion the history of Kirkham
rises out of the mist which has obscured its earlier ages, and we are
enabled from the disclosures of ancient documents, to follow out its
career in a more satisfactory manner. The church and tithes of Kirkham
were presented amongst other possessions, as a portion of the Hundred of
Amounderness, by William the Conqueror to the baron Roger de Poictou, and
were conferred by that nobleman about the year 1100, on the priory of St.
Mary’s, Lancaster,[134]—a monastic institution founded by him from the
Abbey of Sees in Normandy. This priory retained possession of the church
for only a few years, when it reverted to its former owner, and was
bestowed by him on the convent of Shrewsbury, as shown by the charter of
William, archbishop of York, as follows:—
“The monks of Salop in the day of my ancestors were often making
complaints that their church was unjustly robbed of the church
of Kirckaham, because it had been legally bestowed upon it by
Roger, count of Poictou, and confirmed by Thomas, archbishop, by
authority of grants under seal. At length they have come before
us to state their complaints; and we, thus constrained and by the
command of lord Henry, legate of the apostolical see, committed
their cause to be laid before the synod of York.”
The archbishop Thomas here mentioned died either in 1100 or 1113, whilst
William, the writer of the charter, died in 1154. The York tribunal
decided, after seeing the writings touching the confirmation of the grant
of the church of Kirkham to the Shrewsbury convent, which the monks of
Salop had sealed with the seal of Thomas, the archbishop, that “the
aforesaid church should be restored to the church of Peter of Salop.”
In 1195 “a great controversy arose between Theobald Walter, on the one
part, and the abbot of Shrewsbury, on the other, concerning the right
of patronage of the church, which was thus settled: a certain fine was
levied in the king’s court that the abbot and his successors should
receive from the church of Kirkham a pension of twelve marks a year,
and Theobald himself should for ever remain the true Patron of the said
church.”[135]
After the death of Theobald Walter, king John, who had the guardianship
of that nobleman’s heir, gave two parts of the church to Simon
Blund,[136] and later, in 1213, he bestowed the church upon W. Gray,
chancellor, for life.[137] Edward I. conferred the advowson of the church
of Kirkham upon the abbey of Vale Royal, a monastic house founded by him
in Cheshire; but the grant was not made without strenuous opposition on
the part of Sir Theobald Walter or le Botiler,[138] a descendant of the
Theobald specified above, who maintained that the king had no legal right
to the advowson, which belonged to him as heir-at-law and descendant
of Theobald Walter, the first. A council assembled to investigate the
rival claims, and Edward, having asserted that his father, Henry III.,
had granted the advowson to his clerk by right of his crown, and not
through any temporary power he had as guardian of Theobald Walter’s heir,
a statement which Le Botiler’s attorney either could not or would not
gainsay, the advowson was adjudged to him, and Sir Theobald lay under
mercy.[139] This dispute probably occurred in the 8th year of Edward’s
sovereignty, 1280, for we find from the Rot. Chart. that at that date the
advowson was granted by the monarch to the abbey of Vale Royal.
In 1286 Sir Otto de Grandison, who was ambassador at the apostolic see,
obtained a bull from the pope, Honorius IV., by which the advowson of
Kirkham was conferred upon the abbey of Vale Royal for ever,[140] and on
the 27th of January in the ensuing year, Edward I. confirmed his former
grant.[141]
In the fifty-fourth year of the reign of Henry III., 1269, power was
granted by royal charter to the manorial lord of Kirkham to hold a
market and fair,[142] and as such privileges were allowed at that time
to only a few other towns in the whole county of Lancashire, we must
conclude that even at such an early date Kirkham possessed some special
advantages or interest to be able so successfully to press its claims
to this signal favour. That such important powers as the holding of
markets and fairs were not allowed to be exercised without due and proper
authority is proved by a warrant which was issued twenty-three years
later, in the reign of Edward I., against the abbot of Vale Royal, to
which convent the manor of Kirkham belonged, to appear before a judicial
court to show by what authority he held those periodical assemblies of
the inhabitants. He pleaded that the right had been first conceded to
his predecessors by Henry III., and that subsequently the grant had been
confirmed by the present monarch, Edward I., in the fifteenth year of his
dominion. These assertions having been verified, the abbot was exculpated
from all blame, and orders were issued to the justices itinerant in this
county to the effect that they were in no way to interfere with the
exercise of those privileges, which were to be continued exactly as they
had been heretofore.[143] From a copy of a document[144] framed four
years later, in 1296, in which the whole of these rights are embodied
amongst other interesting matters, we learn that the manor of Kirkham
was granted to the abbot and convent of Vale Royal in _frank-al-moigne_,
that is, a tenure by which a religious corporation holds lands for
themselves and their successors for ever, on condition of praying for
the soul of the donor; that power was given or confirmed to hold a fair
of five days duration at the Nativity of St. John the Baptist; that
the borough of Kirkham, which had been incorporated by the name of the
burgesses of Kirkham in the year 1282, the tenth of the reign of Edward
I., was to be a free borough; that the burgesses and their heirs were
to have a free guild, with all the liberties which belonged to a free
borough; that there was to be in the borough a pillory, a prison, and a
ducking stool, and other instruments for the punishment of evil doers;
and that there were to be assizes of bread and ale, and weights and
measures. Continuing the perusal of this document we find that the abbot
of Vale Royal consented that the burgesses should elect two bailiffs
from amongst themselves annually, and that these should be presented and
sworn; on the other hand, however, the convent reserved to itself the
perquisites arising from the courts, stallage, assizes of bread and ale,
etc., and annual rents due at the period of festival legally appointed as
above. The names of the following gentlemen are appended to the deed as
witnesses:—Radulphus de Mouroyd, William le Botyler, Robert de Holonde,
Henry de Kytheleye, John Venyal, William de Clifton, Thomas Travers, and
others.
In 1327 an edict was published by the dean of Amounderness in the church
of Kirkham on behalf of the archbishop of York, which commanded that
the abbot or some one connected with the convent of Vale Royal, should
appear before that prelate at the cathedral of his see on “the third
lawful day after the Sunday on which is sung _Quasi modo genite vira
et munimenta_,”[145] to show by what right and authority the Cheshire
convent held the church just mentioned. In answer to this summons a monk,
named Walter Wallensis, from Vale Royal, appeared before the archbishop
on the day named, in 1328, and produced in proof of the title of his
monastery to the church, the charter of Edward I., the bull of the pope,
and letters from several archdeacons, recognising the proprietorship
of the convent. In addition he brought four witnesses, viz., William
de Cotton, advocate in the court of York, who stated that for eighteen
years the abbot and convent of Vale Royal had supplied the rectors to
the church of Kirkham; John de Bradkirk, who said that he had known the
church for forty years as a parishioner, and had on many occasions seen
the charter confirming the grant of the advowson, etc., to Vale Royal,
as for fifteen years he had been in the service of that monastery, and
at the time when the present archbishop of York farmed the church of
Kirkham, twelve years ago, from the convent of Vale Royal, had been the
bearer of the money raised from this church to that dignitary at York;
Robert de Staneford, of Kirkham, who gave similar evidence, and bore
witness to the existence of the charter of Edward I., which he had seen;
and Robert de Blundeston, of Vale Royal, who gave evidence as to the
genuineness of the documents produced having been admitted by Roger de
Nasynton, public notary, etc. The result of these attestations was that
the case was dismissed against the abbot of Vale Royal, and his right to
the church of Kirkham, with all its chapels, fruits, rents, etc, allowed
to have been fully proved.[146]
In 1334 a mandamus was issued by Edward III., at York, to Robert Foucher,
the sheriff of Lancashire, stating that, contrary to a charter of Edward
I., which prohibited the sheriffs from making distraints on the rectors
of churches or on estates with which the churches had been endowed,
he had “under pretext of his office lately entered into the lands and
tenements near Kirkham, which are of the endowment of that church,
and had heavily distrained the abbot of Vale Royal, parson of that
church”; and ordering the said sheriff to abandon the claim, and to make
restitution of anything he might thus have illegally obtained, and “by no
means to attempt to make any distraint in the lands and tenements which
are of the endowment of the aforesaid church,” at any future time.[147]
Somewhere about the year 1332 a monk, named Adam de Clebury, who held the
temporalities of Shrewsbury Abbey, sued Peter, the abbot of Vale Royal,
for five hundred marks, which he declared were the accumulated arrears
of twelve marks, ordered to be paid annually by Theobald Walter, to the
former monastery, out of the funds of the church of Kirkham, according
to the issue of a trial in the king’s court, between Theobald and the
convent of Shrewsbury, respecting the advowson, etc., of that church in
1195. Peter is said, in the Harleian manuscript, from which this account
is taken, to have “redeemed that writ and many others from the sheriff
of Lancashire,” from which it may be understood that he had paid the
sum demanded, or in some conciliatory way settled the case during his
lifetime, for we hear no more of the matter until shortly after his death
in 1342, when an action to enforce a similar payment was brought against
his successor, Robert de Cheyneston. This ecclesiastic, however, is said
to “have manfully opposed the abbot of Shrewsbury,” and to have journied
up to London to hold an interview with him on the subject, at which,
after “many allegations on each side, he gave to the abbot of Shrewsbury
£100 to pay his labours and expenses,” and in that manner the dispute
was brought to a termination about the year 1343.
In 1337 Sir William de Clifton, of Westby, made an offer to the abbot of
Vale Royal to purchase certain tithes from him for twenty marks, and on
the ecclesiastic refusing to entertain this proposition, the indignant
knight became most unruly and outrageous in his conduct, as shown by the
following charge which was that year preferred against him by the abbot,
who stated:—
“That he had thrust with a lance at a brother of the monastery
in the presence of the abbot and convent; that he had retained
twenty marks which he was pledged and bound to pay to the abbot,
in order to weary him with expenses and labours; that it was the
custom, from time immemorial, for the parishioners of Kirkham to
convey their tithe-corn to their barns, and there keep it until
the ministers of the rector came for it; but that he (Sir William
Clifton), in contempt of the church, had allowed his tithes and
those of his tenants to waste and rot in the fields, and very
often by force and arms had driven away the tithe-collectors;
he also had compelled a cart of the rector, laden with hay,
to remain on his land for upwards of a month, and in derision
had made the rector’s mare into a hunting palfrey; he also had
neglected to keep the tithes of his calves, pigeons, orchards,
huntings, and hawkings, and would not allow the procurator, under
threat of death, to enter his estate, but he and his satellites
had irreverently burst into the sanctuary of God, where they
had assailed the priests and clerks, and impeded them in the
discharge of their duties. Moreover the aforesaid knight would
not permit any of his tenants who were living in flagrant sin, to
be corrected or punished by the ordinaries.”[148]
In concluding the above list of misdemeanours, the abbot complained that
Sir William had ordered a severe flagellation “even to the effusion of
blood,” to be inflicted on Thomas, the clerk, in the town of Preston, and
that this scourging had taken place as directed, in the presence of the
under-mentioned gentlemen, who seemed to have been well pleased with the
vigorous measures adopted by the knight, and to have rendered him willing
assistance when called upon:—
Richard de Plumpton,
Nicholas Catford,
William the provost,
William Jordan, junr.,
John Dence,
Robert Carter,
John Garleigh,
Richard de Tresale,
Henry de Tresale,
William Sictore,
William Sictore, junr.,
Adam de Scales,
Richard Walker,
John Mydelar,
Henry Thillon,
William Randell,
John de Reste,
William de Morhouse,
Thomas Adekoe,
Adam del Wodes,
William de Mydelar,
Thomas de Wytacres,
And several others, including Adam, the harper.
This charge was laid before the lord abbot of Westminster by the abbot
of Vale Royal, and the former, after hearing the statement of offences,
commanded that Sir William de Clifton and others enumerated therein,
should appear before him to answer for their misdeeds; but as neither
Sir William nor any of his friends and abettors took the least notice
of the summons, it was decided that an endeavour should be made to
arrange the quarrel by arbitration. To this the knight seems to have been
favourable, and nominated William Laurence, John de Crofton, and Robert
Mareys to act as his arbitrators; whilst those of the abbot were William
Baldreston, rector of St. Michael’s-on-Wyre; Robert Baldreston, his
brother, and a rector also; and Richard de Ewyas, a monk of Deulacres.
The decision of the court thus constituted was that Sir William de
Clifton should acknowledge his guilt, and ask pardon and absolution for
the same from the abbot, unto whose will and grace he should submit
himself; in addition the knight was ordered to pay a fine of twenty
marks, and make good to the abbot the tithes which he had destroyed or
refused to pay. Sir William accepted the verdict, and bound himself to
fulfil its conditions by oath; the rest were required to enter into a
promise to abstain in future from making any attempt to injure the church
of Kirkham, or anything connected with it, and to provide a large wax
candle, which was paraded round that church on the feast of palms, and
afterwards presented as a peace-offering to St. Michael.[149]
In 1357 Cardinal John Thoresby, archbishop of York, made a new ordination
of the vicarage of Kirkham, by which it was decreed that, instead of
the secular vicar appointed aforetime, the abbot and convent of Vale
Royal should select some one from their own monastery to fill the
office whenever a vacancy occurred. By this fresh regulation the abbot
and convent of Vale Royal were bound to pay to the vicar forty marks
per annum, and he on his part was pledged to keep the parsonage house
in proper repair and perform all ecclesiastical duties. Three years
afterwards a vicar of Kirkham was charged and convicted of having been
guilty of maladministration in his position as dean of Amounderness, but
subsequently he received a full pardon from King Edward III.
In the year 1401, during the reign of Henry IV., the right to hold a
market and fair was again confirmed to the abbot and convent of Vale
Royal; subjoined is a translated copy of the grant, which bore the date
of the 2nd of July:—
“The king to all men greeting: We have inspected a charter made
by our progenitor, Lord Edward, formerly king of England, in
these words:—‘Edward, by the grace of God king of England, lord
of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine, to the archbishops, bishops,
abbots, priors, earls, barons, justices, sheriffs, provosts,
ministers, and to all his bailiffs and subjects, health. Know
that we have granted and by this our present charter confirm
to our beloved in Christ the Abbot and Convent of Vale Royal,
that they and their successors for ever shall have a market in
each week on Thursday at their manor at Kirkham in the county
of Lancaster, and also in each year a fair at the same town of
five days duration, that is on the vigil, on the Day, and on the
morrow of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, and on the two
days succeeding; unless the market and fair be found injurious to
neighbouring markets and fairs. Therefore we desire and firmly
enjoin, both for ourselves and our heirs, that the aforesaid
Abbot and Convent and their successors for ever shall have the
aforesaid market and fair at the aforesaid manor with all the
liberties and free customs appertaining to similar institutions,
unless such market and fair be detrimental to neighbouring
interests as aforesaid.
“‘These being witnesses:—The venerable fathers Robert Bath and
Wells, John Winchester, and Anthony Durham, bishops; William
de Valence, our uncle; Henry de Lacy, earl of Lincoln; master
Henry de Newark, archdeacon of Richmond; master William de
Luda, archdeacon of Durham; master William de Cornere, dean of
Wymburne; John de St. John; William de Latymer; and others.
“‘Given under our hand at Bourdeaux on the 21st of January, in
the 15th year of our reign.’
“Holding the aforesaid charter and all matters contained in it
as authentic and acceptable both for ourselves and our heirs,
as far as our power extends, we accept, approve, grant, and
confirm to our beloved in Christ, the present Abbot and Convent
of the aforesaid place and their successors that the aforesaid
charter be considered just, also we affirm that the same Abbot
and Convent and their predecessors legally had and held the said
market and fair before this date.
“In testimony thereof, etc. Witness the king at Westminster on
the 2nd of July.”[150]
At the dissolution of monasteries the manor of Kirkham, together with
the advowson of the church, was transferred by Henry VIII. from the
abbot and convent of Vale Royal to the dean and chapter of Christ Church,
Oxford.
In 1560 Queen Elizabeth ratified and confirmed by letters patent all
former charters concerning Kirkham by a deed bearing the date of July
2nd; and later, in 1619, the 17th year of the reign of James I., a record
of the Duchy Court of Lancaster states that the bailiffs and burgesses
of Kirkham presented a petition praying that they might elect into their
government some men of account dwelling near the town, and that it might
be declared that the bailiffs had lawful power and authority to correct
all malefactors and offenders according to the laws and liberties of
the town, and to do and perform all other duties appertaining to their
office. They prefaced their prayer by asserting that “the town of Kirkham
had been used as an ancient market town and that the inhabitants thereof
had time out of mind been accounted a Corporation, incorporated by the
name of Bailiffs and Burgesses, and that of late owing to some of the
bailiffs being but simple and weak men, and the inhabitants but poor
and numerous, it had been found impossible to govern in a proper and
satisfactory manner the large confluences of people at fair and market
seasons,” for which reason they were desirous of gaining an extension
of their existing powers as set forth in the plea. The court decreed
that “the then Bailiffs of Kirkham and the Burgesses of the same, and
their successors, for ever, should and might from thenceforth have and
enjoy their ancient usages and liberties by the name of the Bailiffs and
Burgesses of the Town of Kirkham, and that the Bailiffs should yearly
be chosen out of the Burgesses according to the said usages, or as they
in their discretion should think meet, for the better government of the
said Town and the people thereunto resorting, also that the Bailiffs,
Burgesses, and Inhabitants should be guildable, and have in the said Town
a prison, etc., as had been heretofore, and that the Dean and Chapter and
their successors, farmers, and tenants, should and might from henceforth
have all their fairs, markets, liberties, privileges, jurisdictions,
Court Leets, Court Barons, Courts of Pleas, and the Fair Court, as
heretofore had been.” The foregoing was ordered to be read in the parish
church on the ensuing sabbath, and also in the market place.
From the following ancient and somewhat lengthy document or lease, much
interesting matter may be gleaned, and for that reason it was deemed
better to give it unabridged:—
“To all Christian people to whom this present writing shall
come the Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Christ of
King Henry the eighth’s foundation do send greeting in our Lord
God everlasting: Whereas we the said Dean and Chapter by our
Indenture of Lease, sealed with our common Seal, bearing date
the sixteenth day of July, in the three and fortieth year of
the reign of our sovereign lady Elizabeth (1601), late Queen of
England, &c., did, as much as in us was, demise, grant, and to
farm, lett unto Thomas ffleetwood, of Caldwich, in the County of
Stafford, esquire, all our Court Leets and view of franchpledge
within our parsonage and manor of Kirkham, in the County of
Lancaster, or in either of them, or to, or with them, or either
of them used, occupied, incident, or belonging appertaining,
with all and every thing (singular) there appertaining,
also the keeping of the Court Barons there, and all waifs,
strays, treasure trove, deodands, felons’ and outlaws’ goods,
forfeitures, fines, amercements, serving and executing of writs
and processes, and all royalties, liberties, perquisites and
profits of Court Leets, all commodities and advantages whatsoever
to the same Court Leets incident, due, or in any wise belonging,
or which heretofore have been, or of right ought to have been,
had and enjoyed by us, the said Dean and Chapter, or any of our
predecessors, or any other person or persons by or by means of
our estate, right, or title to the same or any part thereof, in
as large and ample manner as we, the said Dean and Chapter, or
our successors, may or ought to have or enjoy, together also with
the Stewardship, office of Steward, or authority for appointing
the Steward for the keeping of the said Courts; And also the
profits of all and each of our fairs and markets to be kept at
or within the said manor and parsonage of Kirkham; The Courts of
Pipowder; And all manner of Toll and Stallage—That is to say,
Turne-toll, Traverse-Toll, and Through-Toll, and all manner of
payments, fines, forfeitures, fees, sums of money, with all
other kind of profits and commodities whatsoever, which do or
may lawfully accrue, arise, come, or be due, unto us, the said
Dean and Chapter, our successors, or assignees, by reason of
any fair or market, or fairs or markets, which hereafter shall
be kept within the manor or parish of Kirkham aforesaid; And
half an Oxgang of Land, called by the name of the old Eworth,
with so much of the late improved Common in Kirkham aforesaid as
was allotted, used, or occupied, or ought to be used, allotted,
or occupied to or with the said half Oxgang; One Burgage house
with the appurtenances in Kirkham aforesaid, now in the tenure,
holding, or occupation of one Thomas Singleton and William
Kitchen, or the one of them; One Croft called the hemp garden,
certain grounds, called the Vicar’s Carrs, set, lying, and being
in Kirkham aforesaid; One house built upon the waste in Kirkham
aforesaid, commonly called or known by the name of the moote
hall, with all shops underneath the said moote hall, and all the
tythes of the new improvements not formerly demised within the
said manor or parish of Kirkham, or within the liberties thereof;
And all encroachments within the same manor—That is to say, all
such arable lands, meadow, pasture, woodlands, furzeland, heath,
and marshland, and all other such vacant and waste land, as
is or hath been heretofore by any man encroached or taken to
his own use by the making of any hedge, pale, wall, ditch, or
other mound, out of the lands belonging to the manor of Kirkham
aforesaid, without the special license of the said Dean and
Chapter, with all and every ways, booth-places, stall-places,
liberties, easements, profits, commodities, and advantages to the
said messuages, lands, tenements, houses, grounds, encroachments,
tythes, hereditaments, and also the premises or any of them
belonging or in any wise appertaining (except as in our said
Indenture of Lease is excepted and reserved). To have and to
hold the said Court Leets and the keeping of the Court Barons,
profits of fairs and markets, messuages, lands, tythes, and all
and every other the before-recited premises by that our said
recited Indenture of Lease demised, or mentioned, or intended
to be demised, with their and every of their appurtenances
(except as is aforesaid) from the feast day of the Annunciation
of the Blessed Virgin Mary last past before the date thereof,
for and during the tenure and unto the end and term of one and
twenty years then next following, fully to be completed and
ended. In our said Indenture of Lease (amongst other things
therein contained) it is provided always that it shall not be
lawful to nor for the said Thomas ffleetwood, his executors,
administrators, or assignees, to lett, set, or assign over to
any person or persons the demised premises herein contained and
specified, or any part or parcel of them without the special
license of us, the said Dean and Chapter, or our Successors, in
writing under our common Seal thereunto first had and obtained.
The estate, right, tythe, interest, and term of years yet in
being of the said Thomas ffleetwood, are now lawfully come unto
the hands and possession of Sʳ Richard ffleetwood, of Caldwich,
knight baronet, and baron of Newton, within the said County of
Lancaster, son and heir, and also executor of the last will and
testament of the said Thomas ffleetwood, lately deceased. Know
ye now that we, the said Dean and Chapter, of our common assent
and consent have licensed and granted, and by these presents for
us and our Successors do license and grant that from henceforth
it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Sʳ Richard
ffleetwood, knight baronet, his executors, administrators, or
assignees, or any of them, to lett, set, or assign over the said
demised premises and every one of them and any or every part or
parcel of them with the appurtenances unto John Clayton, James
Parker, and John Wilding, of Kirkham, in the County of Lancaster,
yeomen, their executors, administrators, or assignees for and
during all the residue of the said term of years yet in being, to
come, and unexpired, the said proviso, or anything else, in our
recited Indenture of Lease contained to the contrary, Provided
always that all and every other covenant, clause, article,
exception, reservation of rent, payment, condition, and proviso,
in that our recited Indenture of Lease comprised shall stand,
remain, continue, and be in its, and their, full power, force,
and effect, as if this our present license or deed in writing had
never been, had, nor made. In Witness whereof we, the said Dean
and Chapter, have hereunto put our common Seal. Proven in our
Chapter house at Oxford the fourth day of December in the years
of the reign of our sovereign lord James, by the Grace of God
king of England, Scotland, ffrance, and Ireland, Defender of the
Faith, &c.—That is to say, of England, ffrance, and Ireland the
eleventh, and of Scotland the seven and fortieth.”[151]
There is an old deed in the bailiffs’ chest, bearing the date 1725, and
evidently a summary of charters, powers, etc., drawn up in order to be
submitted to the inspection of some legal authority, whose opinions
on different points are appended, from which it appears that from
the earliest incorporation of the town it had been governed by two
bailiffs and twelve burgesses in common council assembled, who were
annually chosen within the borough, and that they “usually assessed
such persons, not being free burgesses in the same borough, as had come
into and exercised trades within the borough (whether they had served
apprenticeships to such trades or not), in and with such reasonable
annual payments to the Corporation as the bailiffs and burgesses thought
fit”; persons born in the borough were treated in a similar manner. The
bailiffs inflicted penalties on all breakers of the peace, the amount of
fine imposed being regulated according to the condition of the offender,
thus an esquire was mulcted in 40s., a gentleman 10s., and anyone of an
inferior grade 5s. Profane cursing and swearing also came under their
jurisdiction. The collection of freedom money from traders commencing
business in Kirkham was a somewhat questionable act on the part of the
local rulers, and indeed they themselves were evidently troubled with
doubts as to their right to levy the tax, for the muniment chest contains
several opinions of eminent counsel as to the validity of such a course.
In 1738 a person named William Marsden started as a tanner in Kirkham,
and obstinately refused to purchase his freedom or close his premises,
but, at the end of twelve months, the assembled bailiffs and burgesses
instructed and authorised the town or borough serjeant to collect and
levy the sum of two shillings and sixpence upon the goods and chattels of
William Marsden, by distress and sale. This impost was abolished during
the latter half of the eighteenth century. The bailiffs formed part of
the Court Leet held annually in the seventeenth century and were elected
from amongst the jurors. Subjoined are a few extracts from the minute
book of the “Court leet of frank pledge of yᵉ foundation of Henry VIII.,”
as it is styled in one place:—
“Oct. 1681.
The court leet houlden at Kirkham yᵉ day above written by Tho.
Hodgkinson Stuart.
“Juriars
James Smith, junior.
John Hanson.
Geffery Wood.
James Lawson.
Tho. Tomlinson.
Alex. Lawder.
John Dickson.
Henry Smith.
Charles Fale.
Will. Butler.
James Hull.
Will. Hornby.
James Clayton.
George Whiteside.
Tho. Shardley.
“Bayliffes
Geffrey Wood.
Tho. Tomlinson.
John Colly, serjeant.
James Hull, constable.
(Here follow the ‘Gauldlayers,’ ‘Barleymen,’ ‘Prizards,’ ‘Leather
searchards,’ and ‘Flesh and Fish viewards’)
“Wᵐ Hunt fined 1s. for keeping his geese in the loanes”
“John Wilding for keeping a greyhound not being qualified”
(Punishment?)
1682.
“Presented that the earl of Derby, Mr. Westby, of Mowbrick, Mr.
Hesketh, of Mains, were constantly called at the court leet for
the borough of Kirkham and anciently did either appear or some
assign for them, but now of late they do not appear nor any
assign for them.”
“4 May. 1683.
“Recᵈ of Richard Riley for his fredom within the borow of Kirkham
16s.
“May the 4th day Recᵈ of Rodger Taylor for his freedom in Kirkham
£1.
“Oct. 19th. Recᵈ of Thomas Sherdley for his freedom 2s.
“Ordered that no person shall set or let any house or shop to
Richarde Blackburne or his wife that stands within the liberties
in Kirkham in pain of £2 0s. 0d.”
1685.
“Ralph Rishton paid to John Wilding and Thomas Hankinson, the
bailiffs, for his freedom to trade in Kirkham £4.”
12 Oct. 1686.
“Prudence Cardwell, presented for not making her bread sufficient
in goodness and weight, and fined in 12d.”
Nov. 17. “It is ordered that Nicholas Wilkinson shall pay unto
the bailiffs 13s. 4d. for one year’s trading in the town.”
30 April 1692.
“Ordered that if any hereafter suffer their swine to ly out in
the night time they shall forfeit for every night 3s. 4d.”
26 April 1699.
“Ordered that neither Wᵐ Boone nor Rowland Roberts maltmakers nor
any as they employ shall dry any malt or weete upon the Sabbath
day for the time to come in the pain of 20s.”
13 Oct. “We present these persons for want of their appearance at
court & so fine every one of them 12d.
“Will. George Ric. Earl of Derby.
Tho. Westby, esq.
Thos. Hesketh, esq.
John Walker, esq.
Jennet Thompson, widow,
and Thomas Dickson.”
22 Aprill 1707.
“Every person that shall carry away any fire thro’ the street to
cover the same close on penalty of 10s.
April 1713.
“No person to water any sort of cattle at the bucket belonging to
the town well nor wash any skins at the trough.”
10 May 1715.
“We find Charles Hardy for harbouring and lodging of vagrants and
beggars in this town in 13s. 4d.”
22 May 1726.
“Mem. That the town of Kirkham was summonsed from house to house
and the inhabitants unanimously agreed to the setting up of a
workhouse.”
30 Nov. 1728.
“Ordered that a lamp should be fixed up in the middle of the
borough of Kirkham in some convenient place, and that the charge
of it together with oyl necessary for it be paid out of the
town’s stock.”
“All persons refusing to clean or cow (rake) the streets opposite
their respective houses to be fined 6d. after notice from the
serjeant with his bell.”
The official notice concerning the last resolution is still preserved,
and ran as under:—
“To the Inhabitants of the Burrough of Kirkham.
“You are hereby required forthwith to cleanse the Streets over
against your Dwelling Houses, Outhouses, and all other Buildings,
together with all Frontsteads whatsoever, on Penalty of Sixpence
for each default.
“You have also hereby notice to remove all the Dung-hills out of
the Streets in a month’s time or otherwise they will be removed
for the use of the Burrough.
“Likewise all the Rubbish out of the Streets on such Penalties as
the Bayliffs and Common Council shall think fit to inflict. Given
under our Common Seal of the Towne this first Day of December,
1728.”
At a later period the burgesses neglected to choose and appoint bailiffs
for many years, or to use their privileges; and apprehensive at length
that such remissions were tantamount to a forfeiture of their charter
by their own act, they determined to take legal advice as to the most
expeditious way to resume their powers. It was given as follows:—
“If any of those acting Burgesses are alive I would advise them
to assemble at their former Gild or usual Place of meeting, and
then and there choose other Burgesses, after which they may elect
from among them Two Bailiffs and make an entry of such choice
in one of the Old Books, and then proceed as formerly to act
in their corporate capacity; and let their first Punishment be
inflicted on some person unlikely to dispute their authority, for
instance a woman drunkard may be set in the stocks.
“Having done as above directed they may for the better Government
of the town make some Byelaws, and enter them ffair into a Book
to be kept for that purpose, but let none of these new Laws be
put in Execution till they are confirmed by the Chancelour, and
that will be some foundation ffor a petition to that Court.
“But if all the Burgesses are dead I can see no Remedy whatsoever
but by obtaining a new Charter, which will be very Difficult if
not Impracticable.”
A statement as to manorial extent of Kirkham at the latter part of the
seventeenth century is preserved amongst the records of a court, further
reference to which will be made anon, and reads as here given:—“The lands
lying within the manor of Kirkham, belonging to the Dean and Chapter
of Christ Church, in Oxford, and to the burgesses inhabitants of the
borough of Kirkham, are bounded east by the lands of Edward Robinson and
George Brown, lying within Newton and Scales; westward by the lands of
Sir Thomas Clifton, within Westby, and the lands of Christopher Parker,
esq., lying in Ribby with Wrea; northwards by the lands of Mrs. Dorʸ.
Westby, of Mowbreck, and the lands of Mr. Edward Fleetwood, of Wesham;
and southwards by the lands of Mr. George Sharples, of Freckleton.”
It has already been shown that the manor was conveyed by the authorities
at Oxford to Thomas Fleetwood as fee-farmer in 1601, and that the lease
was subsequently renewed or confirmed to his son and heir Sir Richard
Fleetwood. Before 1700, however, probably about 1650, from the contents
of a petition presented by the inhabitants to the dean and chapter in
1705, the Cliftons, of Lytham, had the manor in a tenure similar to
that of their predecessors, and held each year, in the month of June,
a court leet, at which the two bailiffs were elected. The late Thomas
Langton Birley, esq., of Carr Hill, Kirkham, acquired the lordship by
purchase a short time previous to his death in 1874, when it descended
to his son and heir, Henry Langton Birley, esq. Bailiffs still continue
to be annually appointed, and have in their hands several charitable
bequests, the interest arising therefrom being devoted to the service of
the poor of the township, either in the form of alms, or in maintaining
some useful convenience, as the parish pump, for their benefit. The
property at present belonging to the bailiffs consists of one meadow,
situated behind the Roman Catholic church; a garden in front of the same
edifice; a plot in the field called the “Iron Latch”; and a pew in the
parish church of Kirkham. In 1676 the bishop of Chester acceded to a
petition from the minister and churchwardens that a wainscot might be
placed so as to enclose the bailiffs’ pew, “which seat, for want thereof,
was pressed into and thronged by others to the disturbance of the said
officers.”[152]
The Moot Hall, in which all business relating to the town was transacted,
stood in the Market-place until about the year 1790, when it was
accidentally burnt down. This building was erected in two stories, the
upper of which was divided into a small room, used for flax dressing
at the time the Hall was destroyed, and a larger one, devoted to court
meetings and other public matters, which was separated from the remainder
of the edifice insomuch as it could only be entered from the outside by
means of a flight of stone steps. The ground floor or lower story was
converted into shops in the occupation of tradesmen of the town. The
original borough seal, which still exists, although somewhat defective,
represents a dove bearing an olive branch in its beak. Notwithstanding
that Kirkham was made a borough, during the last years of the thirteenth
century, it never appears upon any occasion to have returned a Member
of Parliament, and it may safely be conjectured that no writ for that
purpose was ever issued to the burgesses, as the sheriffs exercised
a discretionary power in such matters, and consequently only those
boroughs, whose inhabitants seemed affluent enough to support the
expenses of an election, were selected for the honour, amongst which it
is scarcely likely Kirkham would be classed.
A market cross stood in the centre of the town, near to the ancient Moot
Hall, about the beginning of this century, but has now, like the stocks,
which originally had their place in the churchyard and afterwards were
removed to a more public site, been long numbered amongst the memories
of a past and less refined age. There is no allusion to a whipping post
in any of the old documents, but we have the authority of a gentleman
who witnessed the spectacle, that a man was publicly whipped in the
Market-place fifty years ago.
The “Thirty Sworn men of Kirkham” was the name given to a council which
took cognizance of parochial affairs, and of certain matters connected
with the church, amongst other things appointing the churchwardens. This
assembly was composed of representatives from the different sections of
the parish, two persons being elected from each of the fifteen townships
as under:—
“Thirty Sworn Men in 1570.
Kirkham:
James Baine.
James Clayton.
Clifton:
William Porter.
Tho. Cardwell.
Freckleton:
Henʳʸ Colbron.
Rich. Browne.
Singletons:
James Davy.
Wᵐ Smith
Larbrick:
Robt. Johnson.
Will. Fletcher.
Thistleton:
Joh. Smith.
Robt. Cornay.
Warton:
Wm. Platon.
Robt. Fletcher.
Bryning:
Robt. Croke.
John Croke.
Ribby:
⸺ Benson.
Henry Shaw.
Wesham:
Robt. Hornby.
Henry Johnson.
Treales:
Wᵐ Swarbrick.
Tho. Porter.
Hambleton:
Robt. Bradshaw.
Wᵐ Bamber.”
The oath taken by the “Sworn men” was administered by the civil
authorities, and their tenure of office was for life, or until they
thought proper to resign. The origin of “Sworn men,” or at least of the
name, dates from the fourteenth century, and the institution itself seems
to have been common in this part of Lancashire; Preston, Lancaster,
Garstang, and Goosnargh, having had assemblies bearing similar titles and
performing similar duties, but consisting only of twenty-four men each.
In 1636 a serious dispute arose between the Thirty-men and the vicar,
the Rev. Edward Fleetwood, owing to the latter requiring the council to
subscribe to the following conditions:—
“1st. They shall lay no gauld themselves without the consent of
the vicar.
2nd. That the vicar shall have a negative voice in all their
proceedings, and that they shall determine nothing without the
consent of the said vicar.
3rd. They shall not put or elect any new 30-men without the
vicar’s consent.
4th. They shall not meet in the church upon any business
whatever, unless they acquaint the vicar before.
5th. If there be any turbulent or factious person, that the rest
of the company shall join with the vicar and turn him out.”[153]
On the Thirty-men refusing to comply with his request, the vicar excluded
them “by violence” from their usual meeting-place in the church,
and on the 5th of November, 1638, when they were called upon by the
churchwardens to attend there in order to lay the necessary taxes for the
repair of the sacred edifice, then much decayed, Mr. Fleetwood “locked
himself in the church, as before he had many times done,” and compelled
them to conduct their business without the building.
Incensed at the persistent hostility of the vicar an appeal against his
conduct was made by the “men” to the archbishop of York, and by him
referred to the bishop of Chester, who replied:—“That the corporation or
company of 30-men, not having any warranty from the king, was nothing
in law; but if the parish or township did delegate the power to the
30-men as to church matters, then their acts relating thereunto were as
effectual and binding as if they had the king’s sanction; and wishing to
know the affection of the parishioners on this head, he issued an order
on 22 Nov. 1638, that public notice shᵈ be given in the church for all
the parishioners to meet and give their voices whether they chose that
the custom of the 30-men representing the whole parish two for every
township, should continue, or they should be dissolved.”[154]
Mr. Fleetwood having ignored this order, the churchwardens took upon
themselves the duty of calling a general conference of the parishioners;
a great multitude assembled in the churchyard, where the meeting was
held, the vicar having locked the church door, and declared in favour of
their ancient custom being continued and preserved to their posterity as
it had come down to them, freely giving “their power and strength to the
said 30-men, to confer and determine all church matters.”
To this resolution were appended the signatures of four hundred and
ninety-four persons, amongst whom were Thomas Clifton of Westby and
Clifton, John Westby of Mowbreck, Thomas Hesketh of Mains, Edward Veale
of Whinney Heys, John Parker of Bradkirk, and Edward Bradley of Bryning.
The bishop of Chester, having received an official report of the result
of the meeting, communicated with the archbishop of York, as below
stated:—
“Chester palace, 14 Dec. 1638.
“Seeing the vicar (whom I have used with all gentleness and
lenity), continues still in his contempt, and addeth daily more
forwardness thereunto, I must return the petitioners to my lord’s
grace of York, to be ordered by the high commissioner according
to his grace’s intimation signified in his.... I wish well to the
sillie wilful man, but he makes himself incapable thereof.
“John Cestriensis.”[155]
This effort to obtain redress for their grievances does not appear to
have been attended with a success equal to the expectations of the
“thirty,” for a little later they instituted a suit in the consistory
court at Chester against the vicar, “and, having proved their practice
good, had sentence against him and £20 7s. 6d. allowed towards their
expenses.”[156] The “Thirty-men” were admitted into the church on Easter
Tuesday, 1639.
During the period that Edward Fleetwood was vicar of Kirkham an event
occurred in the parish which furnishes a forcible example of the
superstitious feeling in religious matters existing amongst all ranks of
the people at that time. The whole of the details of the circumstance
are embodied in a pamphlet entitled “Strange Signs from Heaven,” and by
way of an introduction, the tract contains this certificate, “under the
hand of Mr. Edward Fleetwood, minister of Kirkham parish in Lancashire,
concerning the monster brought forth by Mrs. Haughton, a papist, living
in that parish:—
“As we must tell no lie, so we should conceal no truth;
especially when it tends to God’s glory: There was a great
papist, and of great parentage, within the parish of Kirkham,
and his wife’s mother, being of the same religion, did usually
scoff and mock the Roundheads, and, in derision of Mr. Prinne
and others, cut off the cat’s ears, and called it by his name:
But behold an example of the justice and equity of God in his
judgements; as Adonibezec was repaid in his own kind; Haman
hanged upon the same gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai;
and Pharoah and all his host drowned in the sea, into which he
had thought to have driven the Israelites. And likewise one of
the popish prelates, who said he would not dine till Ridley and
Latimer were burnt, was burnt in his own entrails. So it fell out
with this man’s wife, a popish creature, who being great with
child, when the time of her delivery came, she brought forth
a monstrous child without a head, ugly and deformed, myself
eyewitness thereof.
Edward Fleetwood, pastor.
W. Greenacres, midwife.”
The tract itself informs us that in the course of a conversation with
some gentlemen, Mrs. Haughton observed with great warmth that “the
Puritans and Independents deserved all to be hanged,” and concluded her
uncharitable remarks by uttering a fervent wish that neither she nor any
one belonging to her might ever become Roundheads; upon which “answer was
made to her, that her children, if she had any, might (if God so pleased)
have their eyes opened, and see that good which she was ignorant of. Mrs.
Haughton retorted in these words: _I pray God that rather than I shall
be a Roundhead, or bear a Roundhead, I may bring forth a child without
a head._” In course of time, as we learn from the pamphlet, she was
delivered of a monster child, being attended in her confinement by “widow
Greenacres, the midwife, formerly wife to Mr. Greenacres, some time vicar
of this parish,” who, “being a godly woman, could not be eased in her
mind until she had discharged her conscience in making it known to Mr.
Fleetwood.” “For better satisfaction Mr. Fleetwood caused the grave to be
opened, and the child to be taken out and laid to view, and found there a
body without a head, as the midwife had said, only the child had a face
on the breast of it, two eyes near unto the place where the paps usually
are, and a nose upon the chest, and a mouth a little above the navel, and
two ears, upon each shoulder one.”
The certificate of the vicar relating to this discovery, together with a
manuscript account of the circumstances connected with it, were “brought
up to London by Colonel Moore (of Liverpool) a member of the House of
Commons, and shewed to divers of the House; who commanded the tract to be
printed so that all the kingdom might see the hand of God therein; to the
comfort of his people, and the terror of the wicked that deride and scorn
them.”[157]
In the context are enumerated a few records of the “Thirty men,” in
order that the reader may have a clearer conception of their duties,
and gain some information, not devoid of interest, respecting the more
common-place matters associated with the history and regulation of
parochial and church affairs in the town:—
“1571.
“Nov. 2. Recᵈ for burial of a child of Mr. Veale (of Whinney
Heys) in the church XIId.
“Paid for a scholar verifying the ch’wardens’ acct.ˢ
“The great bell taken down this year and a new one put up.”
“1577.
“The churchwardens were ordered by the vicar and 30-men to
continue in office another year, by way of punishment, because
they had not repaired the bells or levied the gauld of xˢ per
township.”
“1586.
“Charge of the churchwardens for making the vicar a seat xiiᵈ.
“An order that each householder having a youth with a plough
having 4 beasts shall pay ivᵈ.
“Every one that married with another iiᵈ, and every cottage iᵈ.”
“1595.
“The churchwardens charged xiiᵈ for tarrying with Mr. vicar when
he gave warning to all housekeepers not to sell ale during the
time of service.”
“1603.
“Rushes to strew the church cost ixˢ viᵈ. The churchwardens went
through the parish to warn the people to come to church.”
“1618.
“Pᵈ to Isabel Birley 3 weeks diet for 3 slaters at iiiˢ ivᵈ per
week, xxxˢ.”
“1634.
“The church was flagged this year.”
“1643.
“Pᵈ for slating Mʳ Clifton’s quire £1 5s. 3d., and for organ
pipes which had been pulled assunder by the souldiers, 3s.
4d.[158] The churchwardens were demanded to attend the prime
sessions at Weeton. 12 June they were ordered by the captains
and other officers to make presentment of all recusants in the
parish. In August they were employed several days at the parish
cost about the covenant, and giving notice through the parish for
them to take the covenant.”
“1666.
“Spent on going perambulations on Ascension day, 1s. 6d.”
“1679.
“The bishop ordered a bone-house to be built.”
“1683.
“Spent upon the ringers upon the 9th of Sept., being thanksgiving
day for his majesty’s deliverance from the fanatick plot 2s.
6d.[159]
“Paid for whip to whip dogs out of church, 2s. 0½d.
“Paid for magpies and sparrow heads £10 12s. 4d.”
“1746.
“28 March. Paid for hiding registers, vestments, plates, etc.,
at the rebels coming 2s. 6d.; same day paid for ringing when the
Duke of Cumberland came to Preston, and when he retook Carlisle,
6s.”
“1797.
“Apr. 18. Ordered that the curates of Lund, Warton, Ribby,
and Singleton shall not exceed 2 qts. of wine each day they
administer the sacrament until further orders.”
The first church of Kirkham is commonly said to have been erected by
the Saxons on Mill Hill, and subsequently rebuilt on its present site,
but as this statement is unsupported by any more reliable evidence than
tradition, we give it simply for what it is worth. The earliest authentic
word of Kirkham church is in 1512, when the edifice was in part rebuilt;
and at that time, and doubtless for centuries before, it occupied the
same situation as to-day. After the alterations and renewals had been
completed, the building comprised a nave, chancel, and side aisles,
separated by stone pillars, on which rested pointed arches. At the west
end of the church, throughout its entire width, was erected a gallery,
another of less extent being placed at the east end for the accommodation
of the organ. The north aisle contained a small gallery belonging to the
ffrance family, the private chapel of the Westbys of Mowbreck, and a
spacious room or vestry, in which the “Thirty-men” held their meetings.
In the south aisle was located the private oratory of the Cliftons,
of Westby and Clifton. The chancel extended the width of the nave and
south aisle, and in 1780 the Clifton chapel was, with the consent of its
proprietor, enclosed within the communion rails. The reading desk stood
against the central pillar of the north side of the nave, and immediately
above it was placed the pulpit. The north wall was low, and contained
several large windows. The whole of the building, with the exception of
the chancel, which possessed a double-gabled roof, was covered in by a
single roof, which slanted from the south to the north wall, and was
pierced at each end with dormer windows. The main entrance was protected
by a massive porch.
The tower was probably erected but little later, if not, indeed, at the
time the church was rebuilding, as appears from the will here quoted,
bearing the date 29th of July, 1512:—“I, Cuthbert Clifton, Squyer, desire
to be buryed at Kirkham in the tombe where Rychard Clifton, my great
grandfather was buryed; I bequeath £6 13s. 4d. towards buyldyng of the
steple of the saide churche.”
This tower was embattled with a short pinnacle at each corner, and stood
about sixty feet high; on a stone in one of the buttresses were carved
the arms and name of Cuthbert Clifton. In the inside wall of the present
tower there is fixed a stone bearing traces of an inscription, and it is
probable, from the remnant of a name still discernible upon it, that this
is the stone here referred to.
From the records of the “Thirty-men” are learnt several things of
interest with regard to the church, and amongst them, that during the
seventeenth century the edifice was used occasionally for scholastic
purposes, thus:—
“1653-54.
“6 Jan. It was agreed (by the “Thirty-men”) that no scriffener
be suffered to teach in the church, unless he procure some
honest townsmen of Kirkham to pass their word that whatsoever
his scholars do, either in breaking glass or in abusing men’s
seats—and that they meddle not with the bells—he shall make good
what they abuse.”
In 1662 a font was erected at a cost of £2 5s. 4d., and most likely is
the one now stationed in the tower entrance to the church. A bone house
was built in 1679 in the recess or corner formed by the west wall of the
north aisle and the north side of the tower, in obedience to the order of
the bishop of the diocese. In 1724 gates were placed at the entrance to
the churchyard, and in 1799 the old tithe barn which formed the westerly
boundary of this plot of ground was blown down and destroyed; the stone
for the gate pillars was obtained from Ribchester. The following lists of
persons buried in the Clifton and Westby chapels, or quyres, as they were
called, were given in an old document which was copied in 1790 by Mr. W.
Langton, who described it as “much defaced and torn:”—
“In the Clifton Quire.
“1597, sir Geo Cowbrone and Mr. Cuthbert Clifton; 1598, Henry
Colbron of Frekleton; 1601, Mr. Skillicorne; 1604, ould Dorothie
Skillicorne, Mr. Skillicorne’s daughter; 1602, Mr. Skillicorne,
his wiff, Mr. Skillicorne, his son, and Henry Brown of Scales;
1604, Lawrence Cowbrone, eldest son of above; 1616, Henry Porter
of Treales; 1621, Mrs. Jane Anderton, died at Westby; 1625, Mr.
John Sharples, of Frekleton; 1630, uxor Arthur Sharples, and
Matthew Colbron of Frekleton.”
“In the Westby Quyre.
“1605, Mr. Westby and Mr. John Westby (Mr. Thos. eldest brother);
1622, ould Mr. Hesketh; 1623, Mr. Hesketh of Maines.”
In a note we are told that when Mr. Skillicorne died in 1601, “and was
to be buried, Seth Woods of Kirkham and another with him stood at Mr.
Clifton’s quyre dore to keep them from making a grave, and William Hull
of Singleton did run at the door with wood and break it open—how it ended
is forgotten, but he was buried there.”
In 1822 the nave of the church was pulled down and rebuilt by aid of a
rate imposed on all the townships; an inscription commemorating this
event was placed over the arch of the old chancel. The tower and spire
as they now exist were erected in 1844, whilst the present chancel
was built in 1853. The spire and tower together have an altitude of
one hundred and fifty feet, and the foundation stone of the latter
was laid by Thomas Clifton, esq., of Lytham, on the 21st of November,
1843. The tower contains a peal of eight bells, but none of them are
of ancient date, those alluded to in the records of the “Thirty-men”
having been sold and replaced by fresh ones. The modern church of
Kirkham, which, like its predecessor, is dedicated to St. Michael, is a
large and handsome structure, built of Longridge stone, and capable of
holding about eighteen hundred persons; the chancel is ornamented with
a castellated parapet and fluted cornice. A stone coffin, which may be
seen outside the church at the east, was taken out of the ground when
the chancel was rebuilt. In 1725 the sum of £500 was left in trust by
William Grimbaldson, M.D., to be expended in the purchase of land and
other property, the income from which had to be devoted to providing a
suitable person or persons to read prayers twice every day of the week
except Sunday, in the parish church of Kirkham; in the event of this
condition of the bequest not being fulfilled, it was decreed by the will
that the annual interest of the money should be distributed amongst the
poor housekeepers of Treales; so far, however, the requirement of the
trust has been conformed to, and prayers are still read twice daily in
the church.
Within the ancient church of Kirkham, doubtless in the Clifton chapel,
was a chantry founded during the fifteenth century by Richard Clifton,
of Clifton, who married Alice, the daughter of John Butler, of Rawcliffe
Hall; and called the chantry of the “Holy Crucifix,” as well as that
of “Our Blessed Laydy.” The commissioners of Henry VIII. issued the
following report concerning it:—
“The Chauntrie in the paroche Church of Kirkeham.
“Thomas Prymbet preyst Incumbent there of the foundation of the
antecessors of Sʳ Thomas Clifton, knight, to celebrate there for
their sowles and all crysten sowles.
“The same is at the altar of our lady wᵗhin the paroche church
of Kirkham, and the said Incumbent doth celebrate there
accordinglie.”
Sum totall of the rentall £6 0s. 11d.
“Whereof—
“Payde to Sir Henry ffarington, knight, as farmour to
the kynge, our Sovereigne lord, of Penwarden fee, for
chief rente goynge forthe of the lands in ffryklyngton,
by yere 4d.
“Payde to the Kinges Majestie, to the handes of the
receyvour of his late Monasteyre of Vale Royall, goynge
forthe of the burgages in Kirkeham, by yere, in
Christenmes and Mydsomur, 7s. 6d.
“Sum of the reprises 7s. 10d.
“And so remayneth £5 13s. 1d.”
This chantry was in existence in 1452, for in that year, when the abbot
and convent of Vale Royal presented Dom. Edmund Layche to the vicarage,
the archdeacon instructed John Clarke, the chaplain of the chantry, to
induct him.[160] Thomas Prymbett, the officiating priest, was sixty years
of age in 1548, and at that date the town and parish of Kirkham contained
1700 “houselinge people.” Five years later Thomas Prymbett received a
pension of £5.[161] His death occurred in 1564.
At the dissolution of monasteries, the chantry of Kirkham church was
mulcted in an annual rent of 6s. 2d., which was ordered to be paid to the
receiver of the Duchy. A lease of the lands appertaining to the chantry
was granted to Lawrence Pembroke for a term of sixteen years.
In 1291 the living of Kirkham church was estimated in the _Valor_ of
Pope Nicholas at £160 per annum, but at the dissolution aforesaid it was
valued at no more than £21 1s. 0½d. per annum.
In 1586 the advowson of the church was leased to James Smith, yeoman,
of Kirkham; and in 1591 it was granted for a period of twenty-one years
by the authorities of Christ Church, Oxford, to John Sharpies, of
Freckleton.[162]
Within the church are several inscriptions, the oldest and most curious
of which is to be seen on a stone forming part of the floor of the
vestry, and covering the grave of vicar Clegg:—
“Rᵈ: Clegg came: V: M.: J666.
Began pooʳ loaves: E: J670.
Uxʳ Jennet nupᵗ E: j672.
Mary nᵗ 9ʳ: J673: nupᵗ, FEB: 96.
Doro nᵗ. M. j675: ob. j677.
Abraham. nᵗ: J: j677: ob. j677.
Doro: nᵗ: S: j678.
Henerey nᵗ: J: j680. ob. 1683.
Eliz: nᵗ: M: j685. nupᵗ Feb. 1713.
Rᵈ Clegg Vʳ. ob j720. Æt. 85.
W: Jennet ob: j7... Æt...”
Others are in memoriam of Thomas, the son of Sir Thomas Clifton, of
Lytham, died 1688, aged 20 years; the Rev. John Threlfall, B.A., for
“56 years head-master of Kirkham School,” died 1801, aged 84 years; the
Rev. Phipps Gerard Slatter, M.A., “head-master of the Free School,” died
1815, aged 25 years; the Rev. Charles Buck, M.A., for 27 years vicar of
the parish, died 1717; the Rev. Humphrey Shuttleworth, vicar of Kirkham,
died 1812, aged 76 years; Richard Bradkirk, esq., of Bryning Hall, died
1813, aged 60 years; Henry Rishton Buck, B.A., “lieutenant 33rd Regiment,
who fell in battle at Waterloo, June 18, 1815,” aged 27 years; and James
Buck, lieutenant 21st Light Dragoons, died January 7, 1815, aged 19 years.
In the church yard there are sundry inscribed stones, which, although
little interesting on the score of antiquity, are worthy of mention
as marking the burial places of persons of note in the parish at one
time; as—James Thistleton of Wrea, the founder of Wrea school, who was
interred on the 27th of February, 1693; William Harrison of Kirkham,
gent., interred January 12th, 1767, aged 60, who “left an ample fortune
to poor relations, and £140 to be vested in land, the yearly income to
be distributed in pious books to the poor of Kirkham, Little Eccleston,
and Larbrick: may the trustees dispense with integrity and effect the
sacred dole”; Edward King, esq., fourth son of the Very Rev. James King,
D.D., dean of Raphoe, “formerly bencher of the honourable society of
Gray’s inn, and for above twenty years vice-chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster”; the “Rev. Charles Buck of Kirkham, A.M., died 4 Jan. 1808.
Aged 54,” also his two sons; the Rev. Robert Loxham, vicar of Poulton,
died in 1770, aged 80 years; and John Langton of Kirkham, died in 1762,
aged 71 years; also many other members of the same family.
VICARS OF KIRKHAM.
IN THE DEANERY OF AMOUNDERNESS AND ARCHDEACONRY OF RICHMOND.
------------+----------------------+-----------------+------------------
Date of | NAME. | On whose | Cause of Vacancy.
Institution.| | Presentation. |
------------+----------------------+-----------------+------------------
1239 |Dn’s Will de Ebor |Duke of Cornwall |
Between 1272|Simon Alley |Convent of Vale |
and 1307 | | Royal |
1354 |William de Slayteburn | |
1361 |William Boulton | |
1362 |Phil de Grenhal | |
|Dn’s Roger Dyryng | |
About 1377 |Robert de Horneby | |
1418 |Dn’s Will Torfet | |
1420 |Dn’s John Cotun | |
1450 |John Hardie | |
1452 |Edmund Layche |Convent of Vale |
| | Royal |
1512 |Thomas Smith | |
1558 |James Smith | |
1586 |James Smith |James Smith |
1591 |James Sharples, B.A. |Christ Church, |
| | Oxford |
1594 |Nicholas Helme, M.A. |John Sharples |Death of J.
1598 |Arthur Greenacres, |Cuthbert Sharple | Sharples
| M.A. | |
1627 |John Gerrard, M.A. |Christ Church, |
| | Oxford |
1629 |Edward Fleetwood, |Exchange with |John Gerrard
| M.A. | |
1650 |John Fisher | |
1660 |Richard Clegg, M.A. |Christ Church, |Death of J. Fisher
| | Oxford |
1720 |William Dickson, B.A. | Ditto |Death of R. Clegg
1744 |Charles Buck, M.A. | Ditto |Death of W. Dickson
1771 |Humphrey Shuttleworth,| Ditto |Death of C. Buck
| M.A. | |
1813 |James Webber, D.D. | Ditto |Death of H.
| M.A. | | Shuttleworth
1847 |George Lodowick | Ditto |Death of J. Webber
|Parsons, M.A. | |
1852 |Will. Law Hussey, | Ditto |Death of G. L.
| M.A. | | Parsons
1862 |George Rich. Brown, | Ditto |Death of W. L.
| M.A. | | Hussey
1875 |Hen. William Mason, | Ditto |Death of G. R.
| M.A. | | Brown
------------+----------------------+-----------------+-------------------
The parish registers furnish us with the subjoined information, which has
been arranged in a tabular form:—
1600-1601 1700-1701 1800-1801
Baptisms 91 103 106 100 149 139
Marriages 20 19 15 25 40 45
Burials 69 44 103 86 157 112
Respecting Kirkham’s less antiquated days it may be stated that
Messrs. Thomas Shepherd, John Birley, and John Langton were the
earliest to commence manufacturing on any large scale there, which
they accomplished during the first half of the eighteenth century by
establishing conjointly the flax spinning mill still existing, but with
many additions, as the firm of John Birley and Sons. John Langton was
descended from John Langton, of Broughton Tower, through his fourth
son, John, who resided at Preston, and of whom Cornelius Langton, of
Kirkham, was the third son. On the 31st of March, 1696, Cornelius Langton
paid 30s. for his trade freedom in Kirkham, where he married Elizabeth,
daughter of Zachary Taylor, M.A., head-master of the Grammar School, by
whom he had issue John, Abigail, Zachary, and Roger. Abigail died in
1776; Zachary entered the church, and espoused the daughter of Alexander
Butler, of Kirkland; Roger died in 1727; and John, the eldest, opened,
in conjunction with the two gentlemen just named, a mercantile house
in Kirkham, and left issue by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas
Brown, of Ashtree Hall, Kirkham,—Anne, Sarah, Cornelius, Thomas, of
Kirkham, and five other children. The children of Thomas Langton, by
his wife Jane, the eldest daughter of William Leyland, of Blackburn,
were Elizabeth, Leyland, Cornelius, Zachary, Cicely, and William, of
Kirkham, born 1758, died 1814. John Birley was the son of John Birley of
Skippool, and the ancestor of the large families of Birley, at Kirkham,
Manchester, etc. The mills at present standing in the neighbourhood of
Kirkham are the flax mill of Messrs. John Birley and Sons, employing
about 1,600 hands; the weaving shed of Messrs. Walker and Barrett, 400
hands; the cotton mill of Messrs. Harrison and Company, 150 hands; the
cotton mill of Messrs. Richards and Parker, 180 hands; the weaving shed
of Messrs. Richards Brothers, 84 hands; and the Fylde Manufacturing
Company in Orders Lane, a newly-established concern. John Langton, who
started in business at Kirkham as a flax spinner, purchased, in company
with Ann Hankinson, in 1760, two years before his death, two closes of
land, with their appurtenances, in Freckleton, called Bannister Flatt and
Freckleton Croft, containing by estimate 1½ acres, and 12 beast-gates
upon Freckleton Marsh, all of which they conveyed by indenture in four
months to John Dannet, Thomas Langton, and William Shepherd, in trust
for the educating, teaching, and instructing, free from all charge,
of such young girls within the township of Kirkham, as they in their
discretion should make choice of, to read, knit, and sew; and that they
should for that purpose meet twice a year, on the 25th of December and
the 24th of June, at Kirkham, to make choice of proper subjects, and
keep a book, wherein should be entered the accounts of the receipts and
disbursements. During the ten years which elapsed after 1760 additional
benefactions were received amounting to £440. By indenture, dated 2nd
of March, 1772, Joseph Brockholes and Constantia, his wife, conveyed to
William Shepherd and Thomas Langton, trustees of the school, their heirs
and assigns, for the sum of £425, two cottages, with appurtenances, in
Freckleton, with a garden containing 36 perches; a parcel of ground in
a meadow in Freckleton, called Birl Brick Meadow, embracing 30 perches;
one cowgate in Freckleton Marsh; five closes in Freckleton, named the Two
Baker Meadows, the Two Lamma Leaches, and the Bank, holding six acres
of customary measurement. From 1772 to 1813 further donations (£130)
were received. The trusteeship of the school appears to have descended
in the Langton family, and was held by the late Thomas Langton Birley,
esq., whose father, Thomas Birley, had married Anne, the daughter and
co-heiress of John Langton, of Kirkham. Clothing, as well as education,
is supplied gratuitously to the scholars, who usually amount to 40, or
thereabouts. A new building for the purposes of the school was erected on
a fresh site a few years ago, in place of the former one, which had stood
since 1761.
The Roman Catholics, through the munificence of the Rev. Thomas
Sherburne, built a magnificent church at the Willows in 1844-5. The
edifice comprises a nave, side aisles, chancel, south porch, and an
elegant spire, having an altitude of 110 feet. On the south side of the
chancel is the lady chapel, and opposite to it that of the holy cross.
The high altar is beautifully sculptured in Caen stone, and the reredos
and tabernacle are covered with rich guilding. The walls contain
several noble windows of stained glass. This church superseded one which
had been erected in the same locality in 1809, anterior to which the
chapel attached to Mowbreck Hall had been used by the Romanists of the
neighbourhood for their celebrations and services. The Independents and
Wesleyans also have places of worship in the town, situated respectively
in Marsden and Freckleton Streets. The chapel of the Independents was
constructed about 1793, and rebuilt in 1818, but that of the Wesleyans is
of more recent origin. At the Willows, it should be mentioned, there is a
school, open to all denominations, but under Roman Catholic supervision,
which was established about 1828. Kirkham was first illuminated with gas
in 1839. It contains a County Court House[163] and the Workhouse of the
Fylde Union,[164] in addition to several other public buildings, as a
Police Station, Waterworks’ Office, National and Infant Schools, etc. The
town is governed by a Local Board of Health.
No papers have so far been discovered throwing any light upon the origin
of the Free Grammar School, and the earliest intimation of its existence
is in 1551, when Thomas Clifton, of Westby, bequeathed “towards the
grammar scole xxˢ.” Thirty-four years later it was arranged amongst the
“Thirty-men” that “40s. taken out of the clerk’s wages should be paid to
the schoolmaster, and that 4 of the 30-men in the name of the rest should
take possession of the school-house in right of the whole parish, to be
kept in repair by it and used as a school-house;” also that “Richard
Wilkins, now schoolmaster,” should be retained in his office for a year
or longer. In 1589 the above assembly “agreed that the 10s. a year pᵈ by
Goosnargh to the church shᵈ in future be paid to the schoolmaster, and
for every burial (except one dying in childbed) he shᵈ have such sum as
was agreed by the 30-men, and also such sum as hath heretofore been paid
for the holy loaf, which is of every house 3d., every Sunday successively
towards repairs of the schoolhouse and help of his wages.” In 1592 this
order, as far as regards the holy-loaf contributions, was rescinded, the
money as in former times going to the vicar.
The following is from the copy of an ancient manuscript account of the
school, from 1621 to 1663, formerly in the possession of Thomas Martin,
esq., of Lincoln’s Inn:—
“Isabell Birly, wife of Thomas Birly, born in Kirkham, daughter
of John Coulbron, an alehouse keeper all her life, and through
that employment attayned to a good personall estait above most
in that towne of that calling, being moved with a naturall
compassion to pore children shee saw often in that towne, was
heard to say dyvers tymes she would doe something for their good,
and in the yeare 1621, having gotten a good stock of money in her
hands, was moved to put her sayings into action. The 30-men of
the parish being assembled at the church, she, with £30 in her
apron, came to them, telling them she had brought that money to
give it towards the erecting of a free schole for pore children
to be taught gratis, whose parents were not able to lay out money
for their teaching, wishing them to take it and consider of
it. They were the men especially trusted by the parish for the
common benefits of the church, and therefore were the most like
persons to move their severall townships to contribute every one
something towards the accomplishment of so charitable a work,
and not doubting that their good examples in their contributions
would be a strong motive to excite others. This gift was
thankfully accepted, and wrought so with them that every one was
forward to promote it, especially Mr. Jno. Parker of Bredkirk, an
eminent man in the parish and one of that companie, being at that
tyme one of the earl of Derbie’s gentlemen and somewhat allied
to the said Isabell; he forwarded it very much, sparing neither
his paynes of his bodie nor his purse; for that end he travelled
all the parish over to every particular towne and house earnestly
persuading them to contribute to so good an use. Sir Cuthbert
Clifton gave £20, Maister Westby of Moulbreck £10, Mr. Parker
£5, Mr. Langtree of Swarbreck £5, Mr. Hesketh of Maines 40s.,
Mr. Greenacres, vicar of Kirkham, £4, and the several townships
in the parish gave as followeth:—Kirkham near £30, but not out;
Ribby and Wray £3 8s. 6d.; Westby and Plumpton 16s. 4d.; Weeton
£7 2s.; Singleton £1 13s. 6d.; Little Eccleston and Larbrick 4s.
4d.; Greenall and Thistleton £4 16s.; Roseacre £7 2s.; Wharles
£1 13s.; Treales £8 4s.; Medlar and Wesham £1 5s.; Hambleton 4s.
6d.; Salwick £3 5s.; Clifton £3 7s.; Newton and Scales £3 5s.;
Freckleton £8; Warton £1 8s.; Bryning and Kellamer £4 13s.—in the
whole £170 14s.”
When the time came for the selection of a suitable person to undertake
the charge and education of the pupils, it so happened “that at that
instant a young man, an honest, able scholar of good gifts and parts,
having a lingering sickness upon him, was come over to Kirkham to Mr.
William Armesteed (the curate of Kirkham), his cozen, for change of air,
his name being Thomas Armesteed, and he was moved by some of the towne
whether he would accept to be schole master if suit were made to the
30-men to elect him; he, in regard to the weakness of his bodie then
yielded to the motion, otherwise he was a man well qualified for the
ministery and a moving preacher.”[165]
At the meeting of the “Thirty-men” to fill up the appointment there
were two candidates, Mr. Armesteed and Mr. Sokell, but the former was
elected. About the year 1628, when this gentleman resigned, Mr. Sokell
was elected to the vacancy after a contest. Until 1628 the management of
all matters connected with the school had rested with the “Thirty-men,”
but at that date the Roman Catholic gentlemen, who had been most liberal
in their contributions, came to the conclusion that “it was not for their
reputation altogether to leave the care of it to others and they to have
no hand in it, therefore they took upon them to have a hand about it, and
upon their doing so the 30 men, being tenants most of them to some of
them, or dependant someway upon them, left it to them; only Mr. Parker
was not bound to the _gentlemen_, and he joined in with them.”[166]
Isabell Birley and others had brought out a candidate, named Dugdall, at
the recent election of schoolmaster, and were so incensed at his defeat
by Mr. Sokell, a Romanist, that they drew up a petition to the bishop of
Chester, complaining that “the gentlemen of the parish, being recusants
all saving Mr. Parker, had intruded themselves to order all things”
about the free school, and begging his lordship to issue an order how
the future election of feofees for the school should be made, which he
accordingly did, as follows:—
“Apud, Wigan, 31 July, 1628.
“At which day and place diverse of the Town and Parish of Kirkham
appeared about the ordering of a schole master thereof for the
time to come. At their request it is therefore ordered that the
whole parish, or as many as shall appear at some day prefixed,
after public notice given the Sunday before, shall elect six or
nine lawful and honest men feofees for that purpose, whereof a
third part to be chosen by the towne of Kirkham, and the two
other parts by the parishioners generally, of which feofees
Isabell Wilding’s (late Birley) husband and her heirs, because
she gave £30 to the schole maister, shall be one.
“Johannes Cestrensis. Edwᵈ Russell.”
The command of the bishop to call a public meeting was carried out, and
in answer to the summons, read in church as directed, only seven persons
presented themselves in “the parlour of Mr. Brown the curate,” viz.,
Sir Cuthbert Clifton, knt., Mr. Thomas Westby, Mr. Thomas Hesketh, Mr.
Langtree, Mr. John Parker, gentleman, and of the parishioners, “not one
man saving Richard Harrison of Freckleton, and John Wilding of Kirkham;
and then and there the gentlemen elected themselves feofees, as also they
elected Mr. Edward Fleetwood, the vicar.”[167]
After the death of John Wilding in 1634, as his widow, Isabell, found
herself growing more infirm, she waited on the feofees with the intention
of supplementing her original donation of £30 with an additional one of
equal value, if she found them “favourable to her in something she willed
of them, whereas Mr. Clifton gave her harsh words and such as sent her
home with much discontent and passion.” When she died in 1637, it was
discovered, as the manuscript from which we have been quoting informs us,
that she had “left the £30 by will to buy land with, and the yearly rent
to be divided to the poor of the town and parish of Kirkham.”
During the struggles between king and parliament, the school was closed
for several years, and re-opened with fresh governors or feofees. At
that epoch the inhabitants were kept in a state of constant excitement
and alarm by visits from either the royal or parliamentary forces, but
fortunately no collision ever took place in the neighbourhood.[168]
By the will, dated 1655, of Henry Colborne, of London, a native of
Kirkham, his trustees were requested to purchase the lease of the rectory
of this town, and invest the profits, with the exception of £100 per
annum, for sixteen years, in lands for the benefit of schools; the
purchases were to be settled on the Drapers’ Company of London. In 1673,
£69 10s. was obtained for the school, being the rent of lands bought in
the metropolis by the Colborne trustees, £45 of which sum had to be paid
to the head master, who was required to be “a university man, and obliged
to preach once a month at least in the parish church or in some of the
chapels;” £16 16s. of the remainder was apportioned to the second master;
and £8 to provide an usher.[169]
In 1673 it was decreed by the Court of Chancery that the expense and
duty of preserving the school-house in proper repair should devolve upon
the township of Kirkham, whilst the election of masters should rest
exclusively with the Drapers’ Company.[170]
In that year also lands, etc., at Nether Methop in Westmoreland to the
value of £530 were purchased, according to the directions of the will of
the Rev. James Barker, rector of Thrandeston, Suffolk, which required
his executors to buy lands sufficient to yield an annual rent of £30,
and to settle such property on ten trustees, elected by the bailiffs and
principal burgesses of Kirkham; the trustees were ordered to apply the
rental to the following uses:—£10 yearly to the schoolmaster; £12 yearly
in half-yearly instalments, as an “exhibition or allowance to such poor
scholer of the towne as shall then be admitted to the university,” such
exhibition to be open to any pupil born in Kirkham and educated at the
school, and in case no scholar was ready and fitted to take advantage
of it the sum was to be used in binding out poor apprentices; £5 for
the purpose of binding apprentices; and the remainder to be expended in
defraying the cost of an annual dinner for the trustees when they met to
“enquire concerning the demeanure of the scholler at the univerty,” in
whose case it was appointed that if they should find him “to be riotously
given, or disordered and debauched, they should withdraw the exhibition.”
In 1701, the Drapers’ Company issued the following order touching the
admission of girls to the benefits of the charity:— “From henceforth no
female sex shall have any conversation, or be taught, or partake of any
manner of learning whatsoever in the free school at Kirkham, any former
custom to the contrary notwithstanding.”
In 1725 £400 was bequeathed to the trustees of the school by William
Grimbaldson, M.D., to be invested in lands, and the rental to be added
to the stipend of the head-master, if “he should be a scholar bred at
Westminster, Winchester, or Eton, and a master of arts,” but if not the
rental to be devoted to binding apprentices, for which purpose it is used
at present. In addition this physician left £50 to be similarly invested,
and the income to be spent in buying classical books for the school. The
management of the school has been in the hands of trustees from the time
of Barker’s bequest.
Since the establishment of the exhibition under Barker’s trust
twenty-eight youths have been assisted in their university careers by its
means.
HEAD MASTERS OF GRAMMAR SCHOOL SINCE 1800.
-------------+----------------------------+------------+-----------
Date of | | |By whom
Appointment. | NAME. | |appointed.
-------------+----------------------------+------------+-----------
1801 to 1806 |Rev. Thos. Stevenson |_pro. temp._|Company of
| | | Drapers
In 1806 |Jas. Thos. Halloway, D.D. | | ”
” 1808 |Rev. Henry Dannett, B.A. | | ”
” 1814 |Rev. Phipps Gerard Slatter, | |
| M.A. | | ”
” 1815 |Rev. Jas. Ratcliffe, M.A. | | ”
Before 1837 |Rev. Richᵈ Martindell Lamb, | |
| M.A. |_pro. temp._| ”
In 1837 |Rev. Geo. Thistlethwaite, | | ”
| M.A. | |
” 1845 |Rev. S. E. Wentworth, M.A. | | ”
” 1866 |Rev. Jno. Burrough, M.A. | | ”
” 1874 |Rev. J. Young, M.A. | | ”
-------------+----------------------------+------------+-----------
From the vestry book of Kirkham, we learn that the charity known as
“Bread Money” originated from the vicar and “Thirty-men,” who, on the
5th of April, 1670, “with the consent and countenance of some of the
gentlemen and of the present churchwardens, with some neighbours of
repute in the respective townships,” held a meeting, at which it was
unanimously decided to raise £80, such sum to be laid out on good
security, and the interest to be expended in providing “a dozen penny
loaves for every Sunday in the year, Christmas and the king’s birthday,
and for every other holiday, to be given to so many of such poor as
shall use to frequent the church and to those of distant townships.”
The resolution continued:—“These loaves shall not be given to strangers
or vagabonds, nor to children that shall but play about the church till
sermon be passed, and then come in for a loaf, nor to any of the town
of Kirkham in summer, but only in winter.” In order to raise the fund
agreed upon, it was resolved that “what could be got by contribution of
the communicants at Easter should be thus employed;” vicar Richard Clegg
promised £5, and stated that if he remained at Kirkham during the rest
of his life, and had the means, he would at some future time give £15
more for the same object, an intention which appears subsequently to have
been carried out by his daughter, Mrs. Mary Nightingale, who some years
after his decease, contributed £20 towards the fund. £5 given for the
use of the poor by Jane, wife of John Clifton; arrears of rent due from
Goosnargh; and funeral doles were all devoted to this purpose. In 1867
the fund amounted to £102 2s., yielding an annual income of £5 13s. 3d.
A sum of £12 was given by vicar Clegg, the interest to be paid to the
clergyman preaching a sermon in Kirkham church on Easter Tuesday.
Richard Brown, by indenture dated 1639, conveyed for a term of 999 years
a close called New Moor Hey with appurtenances, in Kirkham, to James
Smith, upon condition that he, his heirs and executors, should pay
the yearly rent of 20s. at Martinmas. “It is witnessed, that the said
Richard Brown, in consideration of the good will he bore to the town of
Kirkham, and the inhabitants thereof, and out of his zeal to God, and the
charitable relief of the poor, needful and impotent people within the
said town, granted to William Robinson and three others, their heirs and
assigns, the said yearly rent of 20s., to hold the same upon trust, and
to dispose of it amongst so many of the people of the said town, as the
bailiffs thereof for the time being should, in their discretion, think
most needful, on St. Thomas’s day.”[171]
By indenture, dated 1734, Joseph Hankinson, of Kirkham, in consideration
of £45 released and conveyed to Robert Hankinson, and four others a close
in Kirkham, called Swarbreck’s Old Earth, containing, by estimate, 1½
acres, to hold the same to themselves and their heirs for ever; and in
the deed it was declared that the consideration money belonged to the
poor of the township, and that the grantees were only trustees of the
same, and had laid it out by direction of the inhabitants for the benefit
of the poor according to the wish of the benefactors. The indenture is
endorsed:—“Conveyance of Swarbreck’s Old Earth, for the use of the poor
of Kirkham, purchased by monies given by Mrs. Clegg, widow of the Rev.
Richard Clegg, vicar, and Mrs. Phœbe Sayle, wife of Mr. Charles Sayle, to
wit £20 by the former, and £20 by the latter.”
Thomas Brockholes, by an indenture of 1755, conveyed for £50 to John
Langton and William Shepherd, their heirs and assigns, a close called
Moor Hey, with appurtenances; and subsequently in 1768 William Shepherd
conveyed the close then denominated the Bailiffs’ Moor Hey to Henry
Lawson, yeoman, of Kirkham, who in the following year being moved by
“divers good causes and considerations” sold to the Rev. Charles Buck,
vicar of Kirkham, and twelve others, all of Kirkham, gentlemen, for
the sum of five shillings, two plots of land in Kirkham township, one
of which, called Moorcroft, contained a rood and four perches, and
the other, Swarbreck’s Old Earth, comprised an acre and an half. The
conditions were that all profits or income accruing from the lands should
be used for the relief of the poor of the aforesaid township.[172]
On the 1st of December, 1739, a legacy of £40 was bequeathed to trustees
by Elizabeth Brown, to be invested, and the interest applied to the
relief of the poor and necessitous widows of Kirkham, or the neighbouring
townships, at Michaelmas.
The sum of £140 was received under the will, dated 1767, of William
Harrison of Kirkham, to be invested, and the interest to be expended
in Common Prayer books, Bibles, etc., two-thirds of which were to be
given to the poor of this town, and the remainder to the poor of Little
Eccleston and Larbrick.[173]
In 1816 Mrs. Mary Bradkirk placed £320 in the navy, five per cents. in
her own name and that of Zachary Langton, esq., of Bedford Row, London;
and subsequently trustees of this fund were appointed, whose duty it was
to distribute the interest as follows:—
That of £100 amongst five necessitous persons in the township of Kirkham
for life, and each vacancy to be filled up immediately after the death of
the former recipient.
That of £20 to Joseph Brewer, then parish clerk of Kirkham, for life, and
after his demise to the person filling the office of sexton at the same
place.
That of £100 to five poor persons of Ribby-with-Wrea, and that of the
last £100 to five poor persons of Bryning-with-Kellamergh, the vacancies
to be treated as in those of Kirkham.
The only requirement on the part of the pensioners being that they should
be members of the Church of England. The income of this charity, which
amounts to more than £10 a year, like those of the five preceding it,
forms part of the bailiffs’ fund.
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