A HISTORY
of
MAWDESLEY,
BISPHAM and DISTRICT

by ALAN COBHAM

Roundabout of
THE OLD MAWDESLEY &
BISPHAM

1. Parish Records, Constables & Overseers of the Poor.
2. Houses on the Roads on the 1820 Map.
3. Basket Making & Willow Growing.
4. Mawdesley Tea Party & Flower Show.
5.The Church.
6. The Schools
7. Bishpam 1847 from the Tithe Map & Bishpam School.
8. Field Paths in Mawdesley & Bispham.
9. Farming in Mawdesley.
10. School Days in the 1900's. Comrades Hut.
11. Short Stories in Dialect.
12. Mawdesley C.E. School of Managers.
13. The Mawdesley Family.

by ALAN COBHAM

Chapter 1

GRASSLAND MAWDES/LEY-FIELD
A large area in Mawdesley was sold by the Hesketh family. The church giebe land formed part of the Rufford Estate.

HENRY I married Edith Matilda (Maud) 1100 -1135.

In the reign of Henry I a moiety of the Manor of Rufford appears to have been originally granted by Richard Bussell, second Baron of Penwortham, to Richard Fitun, one of whose descedants, Richard Fitton, gave the moiety to his daughter Mawde Matilda who in the reign of Edward I (1279-1307) married Sir \\illiam Hesketh. This gentlemen's grandson Sir John Hesketh, Kt, having married Alice, daughter and heiress of Edmund Fytton, Lord of half Rufford, became so'e
Lord of t'ne Manor and assumed the arms of Fytton. It can be assumed Mawdes Ley was the dowry of Matilda-Mawde.

November llth 1718
Sam's Brigg being an Hundred Brigg in ye Highway Roads between Wiggan and Kirkham; 300 foote or 126 poles from ye Eastern End thereof being in Mawd!esley aforesaid, hath been all newly paved as a House Causey, within ye year aforesaid.
The Expenses thereof being as next followeth to be allowed by Leyland Hundred

There was likewise these following changes within ye said year 1718 at ye foot 3 of ye southern end of Randle Brigg in Mawdesley being a Hundred Brigg.

1718. George Ist

There was likewise these following charges within the said year 1718 at the foote of the southern end of Randle Brigg in Mawdesley being an Hundred Brigg.

REPAIRS TO BRIDGES
Mawdesley, October 15th 1717—George 1st
Randle Brigg being an Hundred brigg in the Highway road between Wigan and Kirkamm, 300ft. on the North Eastern side end therof being in Mawdesleyhath been paven, now as a house causey within the said year. The expenses being as here follows, to be allowed by the Leyland Hundred.

Which said sum o£ £2 9s. 4d. was paid on the account o£ Leyland Hundred by Mr. John Heskin unto James Finch the younger, Surveyor for Mawdesley in 1718.

October l5th, 1717—George 1st

Tinckers Brigg being an Hundred brigg in the highway road between Preston and Ormskirk 300 ft. on the Southern end thereof being in Mawdesley hath been paved as house causey within the year aforesaid. The expenses being as here
followeth to be allowed by the Hundred.

The 1/4qts mean farthings.

November 11th, 1718 - George 1st.

Sam's Brigg being an Hundred Brigg in the Highway road between Wiggan and Kirkham 300 ft. or 12 1/2 poles from the Eastern end thereof being in Mawdesley aforesaid hath been all newly paved as a house causey within the aforesaid.
Expenses thereof being as next followeth to be allowed by Leyland Hundred.

CONSTABLES AND OVERSEERS OF THE POOR

PARISH RECORDS

Dr. James Ainscough to Thos. Dandy.
October 7th. 1822

Settled same day. T. Dandy

Heskin Colliery - 22nd.January, 1823
Mr Thomas Ainscough bought of Wm. Holdi!ng.

Inhabitants of Rufford and Mawdesley.
To the Representatives of the late lIr. A. Radcliffe, Dr.

January 7th. 1761 - Received in full by me Ann Radcliffe of all accounts for Rufford and MawdesleyOn 1742 was paid to Mr. Radcliffe, Ten Pounds Ten Shillings.
In 1743 was paid to Mr. Radcliffe, £28 9s. 6d..

Surveyors of the Highways, 1769.
Be it declared that it was agreed at a public meeting the 12th of January 1767that the Surveyor of the Highways for the said Township, should each of them every year be allowed them for their trouble of serving the office in lieu of having their Leys allowed them.
As the town thought it more proper to allow them a fixed salary.

Backhouse Farm Ist. Record of Meeting.
1692. At a town's meeting at the house of James Backhouse it was agreedcontributions for the Highways should not be used for the Back Lanes.
Signatures—Mr. H. Mawdsley, Robert Mawdsley, Henery Dawber, John Fisher, Henry Fisher, Edward Nelson, Edward Rigby, Francis Nelson,Richard Mawdsley, Henry Fisher, Thomas Stofiorth, James Backhouse, William Eccleston, Thomas Barrett.
Memento: Mawdesley Hall and Blackmoor Hall, John Roper and Richard Cropper should all all of 'em be put on now to serve all officers in rotation.

The Bounds of Mawdesley were surveyed.
The Manor of Mawdesley begins at Bentley Brook running down the south side of a close called Higgs from the same to Dobhey Nook and from thence to the River Douglas brook divides it from the Manor of Bispham from ................
down to the river to the north side of a meadow a pasture called the Kittle pool now in the bridge possession and bounded on the west down the said river to the Eloor Brook, mouth of the Manor of Lathom from thence to the said Kittle pool in the Manor of Rufford bounding on the west said Kittle pool in a direct line over the Moss eastward to a close where formerly flood abounds called the lords of the moss, to as said line divides it from the Manor of Croston.
Bounding on the north from thence straight to a meadow called the four acre in the possession of Taylor of Lathom from thence turning to the Norward downthe water course dividing between Esq. Traffords domain and several meadows in possession of Mr. Carter, Richard Halton and others from then from thence to the broad meadow acre in possession of James Knowles of Croston from thence turning eastwards up an old ditch formerly reputed a water course to a Bridge in Sidd Brook Lane called Jams Bridge and hitherto bounded by the moss and north by the Manor of Croston from thence southward up the east side of lane to a croft in the possession of John Eccleston, then up tne east slde of the said croft into a long croft called the Gate Ridings now in the possession of Richard Nelson and following the east side of the said Gate Ridings up to the Sid Brook thence by the brook to Tinklers Bridge, thence up the said Sidd Brook to Now Nook at the end of Kesking Wood, all 10th marks as described from same bridge dividing it from the Manor and Township of Eccleston, it lies bound to the east thence to a plat in the lane by the late Mr. Hopkin's gates and thence up Hest House Lane to a place called Meadow House Nook in the possession of Henry Fisher thence southwards towards Threapers Green and after the topp of the Eugh Heys and Wiswall Croft to the Porters Hey from thence to Corkhin Road style standing on the east side of the said Threapers Green all makes described from How Brook dividing it from the manor or township of Heskin boundary on the east.
South from thence eastward right across the green to Henry Porter's gate thence straight up the lane towards the new shool in Bispham, till you come to the cross green (Jackson's Lane end)from thence to the small brook called Bentley Brook thence turning down the said brook to a field called Farnworths now in the possession of Harsnep all 10th makes describe road style dividing it from the Manors and Townships of Wrightington and Bispham, bounding on the south and west from thence behooon the said Farnworth's Field and a close called Barn Acre in the possession of Mr. Dene Nelson —a comin called Blackmoor. (Farnworth's Field, now called the Clawsus.)
Some of this Document is faded and battered, the writing and spelling is not very easy to follow.

RECORDS OF TITHES PAID, TAKEN FROM MAWDESLEY PARISH
RECORDS, AT CROSTON PARISH CHURCH.

The Account of the Collectors of Land Tax since 1715

The Total amount assessed: £11 12s. 7d.

PAYMENTS PAID BY CONSTABLES AND OVERSEERS OF THE POOR,
TAKEN FROM PARISH RECORDS.
November l9th, 1722.
Received by John Chadwick of Charnock the sum of four pounds seven shillings and six pence from Thomas Turner and Henry Summner, Surveyors of the Highways in Mawdesley for the year 1721, for 17 perches of land at 5s. per perch. Now taken from Squire Dickinson's Land and laid to Tinkers Lane in Mawdesley for enlarging ye lane.
In witness: Matty Cragg, John Frith,

May 29th, 1714. Inventory of goods.
Belonging to Mawdesley in Henry Finch's hands. One pair of bedstocks and board and mattress, one pair of sheets, a pair of blankets and rug.
December 16th, 1714 Given to Robert Green's wife, the pair of blankets and rug that is belonging to town.
August 28th, 1716. Richard Stopford had the sheets.
September 16th, 1716. James Aiscough had the bed and bolster and board carried to the workhouse. Henry Finch has the bedstocks and ye mattress in his hands yet.
1717. John Thompson boarded with his son at £4 per annum, paid quarterly. Margaret Barron, £2 per annum, paid quarterly. Thos. Cooper boarded with Jas. Tazackerley at £4 per annum, and received from John Walmsley £2 5s. Od. per annum.

Mawdesley, 1763.
These persons underwritten pay the Charity Money that is distributed annually in the said township.
Mrs. Blackburn's Charity, £1 15s. 8d.
Mr. Vawdreys of Crooks is £1 l9s. 6d.
Stopford Charity is £2 10s. Od.
Paid to the following persons:
Thompsons pays £1. Mrs. Par pays 15s. 6d.
Richard Berry, 8s. 0d. James Lang pays 6s. 6d.

1768 Jurors elected annually to Leyland Hundred:
Jas. Finch, Thos. Finch, Richard Finch, Jas. Aiscough, Richard Stopford, Evan Mawdsley, Roger Lowe, Wm. Harrison, Geo. Norris, Jas. Lea, John Linacre, Edward Monk, James Orrell, John Threlfall.

The last list was recorded in 1881.
1691- Thos. Barrett. Francis Nelson 1691. Edward 1693.
1712 - Thos. Stopford, 2 cottages.
1709 - Churchwardens and sidesmen.
1710 - Richard Nelson.
1718 - Hugh Aiscough, Nook House.
1719 - Henry Fisher, Henry Porter, Wm. Swarbrick. Jas.Yates. Edward Nelson 2s. 6d. for conveying prisoners from Wigan to Warrington in 1715.
1717 - Thos. Finch de Lane Ends.
1723 - Hen. Fisher, Brick Barn.
1721 - Land measures Nine Fyfteens, Gaud Layers £8 0s. 0d. Township of Mawdesley Nine Fifteens ls. ld. Gaud Layers allowances
1720 - Jno Tunstall, Church Warden for both Mawdesley and Bispham.
1721 - Jno Welch, Churchwarden for both Mawdesley and Bispham. Collected the Church Ley for 1923-24.
1717 - Thos. Finch de Lane Ends.
1720 - That all those persons in Mawdesley who found men and horses in 1715 to convey prisoners from Wiggan to Warrington were paid and fully discharged for ye same by ye said town by allowing them 3s. 6d. each on ye 2 May, 1720. Save only that some of them were paid before ye by town.
Jos. Johnson served for Hoolmes Tenement.
1720 - John Welch served for John Cubhan.
1717 - Edw. Nelson.
1718 - Thos. Barrett. 4d. Richard Carter de Bispham. Occupants of Holland Meadows.
1719 - 16th May. The remaining 6d. abated from Purchasers of Mr. Crook's land.
1724 - Hugh Aiscough for his Nook House.
1717 - October 15th.
Randle Brigg being an Hundred Brigg in ye Highway between Wigan and Kirklam 300 foot on ye Northern Eastern end thereof being in Mawdesley, hath been paved. How as a House Causey within ye said year. The expenses thereof being as here followeth to be allowed by the Hundreds.

Mawdesley. October 15th. 1717.
Tinkers Brigg being an Hundred Brigg in ye High Way Road between Preston and Ormskirk. 300 foot on ye southern end thereof being in Mawdesley, hath been paved as a House, Causey within ye year aforesaid.
The expenses being as here followeth to be allowed by ye 100:

FROM A 1854 DIRECTORY OF LANCASHIRE

Mawdesley H,all, built on a rock of red sandstone, was for many generations a residence of the Mawdesley family, by whom Heskin New Hall in the adjoining township was erected. The last of this; ancient race was living here about the
year 1760. The Hall is now a farmhouse. The estates of Heskin and Mawdesey were purchased out of Chancery by Alexander Kershaw, Esq., and were laterpossessed by his grandson, Edmund Newman Kershaw, Esq., but are now the
property of the Mitchell family.
A moiety of the Manor of Mawdesley descended with Croston to the families of Hesketh and Trafford, by whom a court leet and baron is held here annually at Michaelmass. Mr. Thomas J. Finch of Land End is also a large landowner in this
townshp. The Nelsons, a branch from Fairhurst, held lands here 1399 as early as Richard II; and Lord Nelson, the celebrated naval hero, during the search for his pedigree expressed a strong desire to establish himself as a descendant of a Lancashire family. This most distinguished moment of the British arms must be surrendered to the County of Norfolk, Burnham. His father was a clergyman.

The Nelson Family
Enquiries have been made in recent years regarding a connection with this district of Lord Nelson. Bispham. The farm in the now-called Eccles Lane was referred to as Nelsons in the Records of the Overseers of the Poor, and the name Nelson occurs frequently as one of the Overseers. The last mention of the name was a hyphenated form Nelson-Barrett. The Barretts giving their name to Barrett House Farm in Back Lane east, which was a very large farm in the 1700's. Lee Lane in Bispham was said to be called Nelson's Walk, which makes it apoear that he had visited the district. His father was a clergyman at Burnham, Norfolk, in the South of England.

The Roman Catholic Chapel was built in 1830 - Saints Peter and Paul
.
The Wesleyan Chapel was built in 1841 and converted into two houses about the year 1905. The present Chapel being built about l903.
In 1700, Peter Lathom of Bispham left several estates in trust to bind apprentices and to the poor of Lathom, Bispham, Mawdesley, Ormskirk, Newburgh,Burscough, Dalton and Rufford to poor prisoners in Lancaster Castle. The annual rent of this property amounts to £339 10s. Od., besides which belonging to this Charity there is £1,315 12s. 8d. lodged in a bank in Preston at 21/2 per cent interest.

July 2nd, 1911. Derby Estate Office, Preston.
In reply to your letter of the 30th June, I am desired by Lord Derby to inform you that on Sandy Lane, in Mawdesley, being taken over by the Chorley Rural District Council, he is prepared to contribute the £10 promised by his fathertowards the cost of putting it in the necessary state of repair. When this is done I shall be glad to send you a cheque for the amont.
Windham E. Hale

CHAPTER 2

MAWDESLEY FROM THE MAP, l820
Jay Bank Farm with the land from the corner of Sandy Lane to the rear of the house on High Street. Two fields situated on the south side of School Lane. Two fields in School Lane besldes have been sold off. There was a well in front of the farm house. The cottage opposite with its land, stretching down to the BentleyBrook on the south, belonging to the 1692. This eottage was used as house and basket shop. Willows were grown on the land and a cow was kept for milk for home consumption. There was a well and a pump in the yard, also a boiler for boiling willows ready for peeling to make into baskets.
The man at the farm had lost his wife, leaving him with five or six small children. Across at the cottage there was a young servant or housekeeper. The widower would tie one or two of his children to the gate, so that when they were in idistress the young woman came to their rescue. It was thought that the man did this with a purpose, for in the end the widower and the servant girl gotmarried and she had three sons.
Jays still fly between Jay Bank and the Rectory gardens.
Jay Bank This house at the junction of School Lane and High Street with over three acres of land was occupied by a basket-making family. A cow was kept and a pig for supplying the house. The land lying to the south runs to the Bentley Brook, being the boundary between Mawdesley and Bispham.
The house is being extended and renovated, l975. There is a mixture of materials in the structure of the walls. Sandstone, varied bricks and stone from the hill quarry. The rear wall being of loose stone plastered over. The drinkingwater was carried from the well at Dominie House in High Street.
There is a house, Nos. 1 and 2 in School Lane. No. 1 was the work shop forbasket making, with No. 2 as the dwelling house. The upper storey at No.1 was the store room for ma,terials and baskets. Aocess to the store was by a square opening in the floor by a ladder fixed to the wall. Two apprentices were up in the store when a man called selling fish. The fish was carried in a flat basket on the man's head. As the man stood under the square opening talking to the basket maker, the apprentlces picked all the fish from his basket. When the man reached his next calling place, he found the fish gone and returned, searching for them.
There is a pump and well to this house. This house would be built about 1840 like the Rectory. The bricks used in the building of it are like those used in the Rectory, 1840. The bricks are larger than those in use today, also being hand made.

lHigh Street. On the east side is the Rectory field, purchased about 1895 fromHesketh Estates (Rufford). This purchase was made from one of the Ainscough fami!y, who bought it at the estate sale. The churchwardens had made a mistake
in the date of the sale and did not attend. This field and the adjoining field are Glebe land to augment the Rector's living. The Rector (Mr. Thomason) lets the Deld to the cricket club (1897)—as the landlord of the Black Bull had offered them a field. The Rector was a strong temperance man and specified that the football players must be members of the Band of Hope. Prevous to playng on the Rectory field the cricket club had played in the field across the road, behind the Dominie Cottages.

The Dominie. This was comprised of two thatched cottages. The lower part was of stone, to a height of 3/4 feet. The upper part being of small hand-made bricks. The well in the yard was used by lowering a bucket on a rope. Ihe first cottage was lower than the garden. You had to go down a step. The Dominie was rcbuilt in its present form during the 1914-18 War. The tenant of the old Dominie had left her mug for mixing dough outside. When she had gone upstairs at night a man passer-by knocked at her door, and as she put her head out of the window he told her, "There's some rough lads coming—you'd better take your mug in or they'll break it." He handed the mug up to her at the small window, which was too small to admit the mug. Thus she was left holding the mug.
Further along on the left of High ,Street were two pairs of thatched cottages.In later years the roofs were covered by corrugated iron sheets. These were built similar to the Dominie with some stone in the lower part and the upper portion of small hand-made bricks. When the first pair were demolished, the roof timbers appeared to have been used previously, probably in a farm building. There were wooden pegs and slots in these timbers. At the N.E. corner of this first pair of cottages by the roadside therc was a stone from a cheese press measuring approximately 2' 3" in depth and about 2' 6" square on top. Thisstone may have been used for a mounting block. The first of these cottages, like the Dominie, had only the one door in front. There is still a well close to the road, the water to be drawn by rope and bucket.
The second pair of cottages were similar, with stonework at the base and small hand-made bricks. The cottage floor at the North end was below the ground and you went down a step.
It was presumed that one of the first attempts to fly was made from one of these cottages. As was the custom in those days, there was a big barrel at the end of the house for rainwater. Bob thought he would have a try to fly. He got some big rhubarb leaves and then climbed on to the roof. He then jumped and landed right in the barrel of water. A passer-by watching him said to him: "Tha didn't make su mitch on id Bob. Nayow aw fergeet to flapper".

Mawdesley St. Peter's Church and Rectory stand on the right. East side built 1840.

Stalk Farm on the left is mentioned in 1692. The tenant being John Stalk. The farms in the Parish taking their names from the tenants named in the records of the Overseers of the Poor and Constables of the parish who collected the rates as such and were appointed yearly. The farmhouse is comprised of stone in the lower part but mainly of the small hand-made bricks. There were two large stone tanks or troughs for rainwater, and a small well in the yard used for the livestock. Drinking water was carried from the well in New Street, about a quarter of a mile away. There was and still is a large cheese press stone in the yard. stone lies in the field at the end of the barn. This stone is similar in size to the one which was in front of the cottage in High Street.
The barn like the house was or is built of the small hand-made bricks, both house and barn having flag-covered rcofs. At the south end of the barn there were stone steps to the granary over the shippon. Garner steps or gurner steps. In the south end of the barn there are two lofts for hay over the stables and more cow stalls. In the central part of the barn there was a rack, high up, containing among other things a ceremonial halberd with decorative tassels. The Hunter family had farmed in Bispham on the Derby estate, so it is likely one of the family had been in attendance on Lord Derby on ceremonial occasIons.
At the bottom of the Hill, on the right by the large ash tree, there is a small well, now overgrown, which was in use up to 1914. It was seldom used except for cattle.
On the corner of High Street and Smithy Lane, there is a house, again built of the small hand-made brick. This was occupied by a shoemaker by the name of Porter.
Gorsle Lane, Gorse Lane, Gorsey Lane. These different names were in use over the years in the same sequence. There were no houses in Gorsey Lane until the late 1890's. The only buildings were on the junction with Back Lane, a small farm.
New Street. In 1820 there were very few houses in New Street. The next two being joined together. These being on the east side with flagged roofs. The first being occupied by the Slater family, stonemasons, who built Mawdesley Church. Next door was smaller, originally thatched but later roofed over with corrugated iron. There was on'y one room with a small buttery downstairs, washing facilities outside by the front and only one door.
Further along on the right was the well, half-way down the hill, which for a long time supplied the nearby houses with drinking water. The well was down four or five steps from the road and was on the right arched over. One person went down the steps to look at the well and came back saying there is nothing in. The water was so clean he could not see any water, and could see the bottom. During the last years of its use, it was covered over and a pump erected. People suspected that dogs and children went to drink at the well. I have laid down at the bottom of the steps and drunk from the well, as did other children.
Close by on the same side with its end to the road was a thatched cclttage, occupied by Great Grandfather and Grandmother. They were basket makers, Born 1788-1797. Onward on the left was the smithy and smithy house.
These were of the usual small hand-made bricks and flagged roofs.

On the west side is Wrest House, being the Joiner and Wheelwright's Shop. The north part being the workshop and the other end the dwelling house, which had a well and pump. The name on all the deeds has been Wrest House. There were several pie,ces of land attached to this property. My grandfather, Wm. Cobham, bought this property and deeds which go back to 1631 and are still in the hands of his descendants. In one of these documents the name of the house is spelt Reest, the local pronunciation of plough wrest. The wrests used to be made of wood by the Joiners and Wheelwrights. There have been different versions of the name "Raised House" etc. I suppose these were made by people unfamiliar with farming or local dialect. The house was in the possession of Thomas Holcroft and his family for many years. There is a footpath through the yard which leado to Bradshaw Lane and is joined by three other paths, one through the yard at Crowsnest Farm, one from opposite the War Memorial and the other from Back Lane near the junction with Gorsey Lane.
On the left of New Street is a stone house which is next to the site of the Smithy House, now demolished. The next cottage is the one by the British Legion Headquarters. The Cottage is descrbed in the will of Thomas Crook in 1658 as the Little School in Mawdesley. £2 per year to be paid annually on Shrove Tuesday to the Schoolmaster, providing he be a Protestant and not otherwise.

Hurst Green Farm. This stands on the corner at junction of Dauby Lane and New Street. The tenant in 1732 was Hugh Ainscough, and later the Finch family. About 1870 the tenant was Thomas Halton, joiner and wheelwright, who also ran the small farm. My mother, a young girl at that time, she was born 1863, describes his grocer's shop sign, reading thus: THOMA SHALTON. She was puzzled by the S running into the name Halton. The shop door was on one occasion taken by horse and trap to Chorley court to prove a debt. The debt being ckalked on the back of the door thus: O pence halfpence and 11 strokes for shillings. A field on the farm produced winning samples of hay exhibited on the Hay Market at Liverpool by Robert Ball. The hay had the largest oount of herbs.

Opposite Hurst Greer Farm are two buildings, the southern end the house and the other end the basket shop. This belonged to the extensive basket works of Thomas and later his son Robert Cobham. The wooden sheds, boilers and store places being behind.
On the left in the bend was a thatched cottage, occupied by the Shoemaker.There is the stone base of a cross on the right under the house window. A man in the 1830's told he could remember there being an upright pillar to the stone. The shoemaker used to draw teeth wth his pliers, making a charge of 6d. Adjoining this house (not on the 1820 map) there is what was named as the Pinfold for penning stray cattle. In Rufford there was a Pinfold in the 1870's. My mother was baby minding for a Cousin in 1871 when she was only eight years old at Bridge End, Hanging Bridge Farm. A neigbour's cattle strayed on to this farm too often so they were turned loose on the highway. The Constable took them to the pinfold and the owners had to pay 3, 8d. each for the five of them; l7./6d. being suite a big sum in those days.

On the right of this road, called "Grab Street" in the old days, there was a small cottage next to Crow Nest Farm. My mother's parents lived in the cottage, which was pulled down in recent years. Their garden was the small triangular piece of land on the opposite side of the road. My grandparents had a well dug in the strip of garden between the house and the road. Mother was sent to the Black Bull for ale for one of the well diggers; she was only a girl at the time, Mrs. Rogerson, the landlady, asked who had sent her She replied, a fellah. Mrs. Rogerson, a Quaker, told her "'Thou should'st say, a man. There is only one fellah—the devil".

The cottage and Crow Nest Farm would be thatched at first but were afterward roofed with corrugated iron. The cottage was whitewashed. A man used to go about tae village whitewashing outside or inside the cottages. He was called the bug blinder in the 1870's. Crow Nest Farm of two or three small fields was used for poultry and a few cattle—a part-time small holding. A path runs through the yard, linking up with the path from Wrest House to Bradshaw Lane. over the bridge, on the left, is the Brook Farm end of Little Lane which leads three paths, the first straight on to the Town Fields, number two to and through the yard at Back House Farm, which takes its name from two brothers, Chas. and James Backhouse, 1690. The third path continues along the Longshaws to Gale Lane. The first part of the road to the Longshaws was called the Little Lane. By the end of Little Lane is Brook Farm, which has been rebuilt in recent years This was occupied by the Holmes family; two of the sons were blacksmiths who had their smithy just west of the bridge. Mrs. Alice Holmes was reputed to
have a good cure of bustions and whtlows which were prevalent amongst basket makers.

HELL

Dates
References to the name Hell begin in the year 1711—W. Monk, Landlord.
1710 - John Christopher (shott 3/4)

It was agreed that no ale be allwed to any workman at the highway for the future. Nine officials signed. 11767
Hell House - 1802.
George Glover, New Hell - 1794
Wm. Rogerson, Hell - 1864
This indentive made 16th. day of November, 1592, in the 34th of Elizabeth between Thomas Nelson of Mawdesley within the County of Lancashire upon the one part and Robert Hesketh of Rufford within the County Esq. upon the other art witnesseth that the said Thomas for an in the Consideration of - (1575) the sum of £5 10s. 0d. of good and lawful money of England, hath given granted, bargained and sold unto the said Robert Hesketh and his heirs all that Messuuage oenement being in Mawdesley aforesaid called or know by ye name of "Hell or Hell Yorde" now or late in the holding of William Arsnape and all so of the fourth part or portion of one other messuage being in Mawdesley aforesaid now or late in the holding of George Stopford or his assigness together with all rents and reversions unto the same or any part or parcel therof. To have and to hold unto him and his heirs for the only use and whoofe of him ye Robt. In witness the parties above said, have hereunto put their hands and seals;
No.
Date 1248

Note:—The word "Yorde" still used' in the local dialect for yard.

Meetings of the Overseers of the Poor and Constables of the Parish
Two new officers were appointed each year to collect the rates and to be responsible for the unkeep of the highways.
The meetings were held each year and the business transacted at Hell, 1711. Tlhese meetings were held regularly through the 18th ceniury, the transactions being referred to as being made at Hell. One entry is in 1794 as being at New Hell, which would have meant the house had been rebuilt. The house was referred to in 1802 as Hell House.

Thc !andlord of Hell served as Constable in 1864—Wm. Rogerson.
The name was changed for a time to Hell Hob, with a big poker and a hob for girnmicks.
The name was changed in deference to the owner, the Rector of Eccleston and the Chorley Council to the Black Bull.

December 6—1648
Colonel Pride and his Musqueteers posted themselves at the doors of the House cf Commons with lists in their hands, stoping suspects, and sent 40 of the most dangerous members to a tavern, popularly known as Hell. They left at West. minster onlyu about 53 men of their own. This was the Rump Parliament.

Roundback, the field on the other side of the road, now named Roundbank, was planted with willows. The cottage which adjoins is now used as a shop and garage. The garage is of considerable size