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AN 
 
 HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE 
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE TOWN 
 
 AND 
 
 PAROCHIAL CHAPELRY 
 
 ©ILIDIEIilDa 
 
 IN THE COUNTY OF LANCASTER. 
 
 IKCLUDIKG 
 
 Some Biographical Sketches of remarfcablr Prisons, natives 
 or residents thereof . together with 
 
 BY J. BUTTERWORTH. 
 
 OLDHAM: 
 
 Printed and sold by J. Clarke, Market-place ; 
 
 Sold also by 
 
 Baldwin, Cradock, & Joy, 47, Paternoster-row, London; 
 
 Messrs. Clarke, Manchester ; J. Hartley, Rochdale ; J. Lomax. 
 
 Stockport ; Howarth, Bury ; W. Cunningham, Asbton- 
 
 under-line ) J. Brook, Delph j and by the Author. 
 
 1817, 
 
Tt 
 
 SIR JOSEPH RADCLIFFE, BART. 
 
 OP 
 
 Mills-Bridge, in the Countj of York, 
 
 As a token of gratitude for the very liberal 
 assistance he has afforded i?i forwarding this 
 ivork, and for favors before received, when the 
 author was in indigence and obscurity, the 
 following sheets are most respectfully inscribed, 
 by his 
 
 obedient and devoted servant, 
 
 JAMES BUTTERWORTH. 
 
 Post-Office, OldLara, 
 April, 1M7. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 CUSTOM hath established that every 
 publication shall be ushered forth with 
 some kind of preface, therefore I shall 
 not entirely deviate from the common path 
 pursued by literary adventurers. I wish, 
 however, to be considered herein merely 
 as a rustic peasant, addressing myself to 
 the population of a chapelry whose in- 
 habitants I consider as my neighbours, 
 just beyond the bounds of which I drew 
 the first breath of existence, and w r hose 
 contiguity of situation to the place of my 
 nativity has long endeared me to the same, 
 B 
 
11 
 
 not to mention the attachment created by 
 a residence of thirteen years amongst the 
 population of the town which I am here 
 humbly attempting* to describe. 
 
 If by reciting a few crude ideas that 
 I have endeavoured to collect and throw 
 into a form which I have here denominated 
 a Descriptive History of the place, I could 
 please a few of my countrymen, it would 
 gratify me much, and be the utmost height 
 of my ambition. 
 
 First, then, I trust thoy will suffer me 
 to plead on my own behalf, the want of 
 every material whereby to commence, and 
 much more to prosecute so extensive an 
 undertaking; an undertaking, which, if 
 managed as it ought, requires a fund of 
 information. — Not a scrap of writing, 
 however, relative to the parochial chapel 
 
Ill 
 
 of Oldham, is to be found in the vestry 
 chest thereof ; and I have been assured by 
 the Rector of Prestwich, that no records 
 relative to the subject can be produced 
 there ; and what is surprizing*, our vestry- 
 books, the registers of births and burials, 
 commence near a century prior to those 
 of the mother church. — I am not at all 
 inclined to amuse the reader with tradition, 
 as unfitting what is designated history, 
 the basis of which ought to stand on a 
 firmer foundation than old women's stories ; 
 yet the absence of these written documents 
 which appertain to every place of worship 
 under the establishment, favour the old 
 damsel very much ; she says, " that Oldham 
 chapel was originally the mother church ; 
 but that some one in favour wifh John of 
 Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, procured the 
 adoption of Prestwich a« the mothe. ar.i 
 so turned the natural parent adrift." — I give 
 
IV 
 
 the story merely for the amusement of my 
 readers, not giving any countenance to the 
 veracity thereof. — It happens, however, 
 very unfortunately for one who wishes to 
 trace its history, to be left destitute of all 
 proper supports. This, however, being the 
 case, an endeavour has been made from the 
 appearance of the structure itself, to draw 
 some conclusions respecting the date of its 
 erection; for I do not at all believe that 
 Sir Ralph Langley, Knight. generally 
 
 allowed) was the founder of Oldham pa- 
 rochial chapel: 1 believe I have* proof (as 
 will be seen hereafter) that there existed a 
 church so denominated, ten years before 
 the time he is stated to have built it. It 
 must therefore follow that he wa* not the 
 founder, but the re-builder thereof, and as 
 we are left totally without hist 
 of its first erection, conjecture 1 
 fill the chasm. In every part of the work 
 
I have had to struggle with difficulties ; 
 for it seems as if the district I have here 
 undertaken to describe, had never been 
 much noticed by any historian. Camden 
 and Speed do just mention the place, but 
 that is all, from which I infer that it w 
 formerly a bleak, inhospitable, and un- 
 cultivated place, the resort of refugees or 
 poor labourious peasants, who lived as- in 
 the primitive ages, by the sweat of their 
 brow; for in the most early period I can 
 trace, it is noted for its rough inhabitants, 
 who were chiefly coal-miners. Few 
 families of distinction appear to have re- 
 sided here earlier lhan about the reign of 
 Charles the First, except the chief propri- 
 etors of the land — the Cudworths, the 
 Kadcliffes, and the Dyroms, and I am 
 thence led to conclude, before that period 
 it contained but few inhabitants. — There is 
 also a certain gloom, which partially 
 B 2 
 
n 
 
 obscures the history thereof prior to that 
 period, and documents remain in existence 
 proving it to have been then chiefly wast$ 
 and moorland. 
 
 In the small circle in which this work 
 is likely to meet any attention, there may 
 be a number of honest, good-intentioned, 
 sensible men, who will read it only 
 the sake of information or amusement : 
 these will readily pardon any inaccur.i 
 that may occur which do not clash with 
 common sense, and that adherence to 
 facts which ought to appear in a pro- 
 duction of this nature ; to these I need not 
 appeal ; but there are (for who has not his 
 adversaries') a kind of literary hawks, hover- 
 ing over the head of every poor author, who 
 will pounce down upon, and devour them. 
 before they can plead for mercy: these are 
 generally the sons of some plodding and 
 
VI 1 
 
 industrious parent, who by dint of unremit- 
 ting application to business, aided by a 
 concurrence of favourable circumstances, 
 has advanced himself from obscurity, and 
 been enabled to give his children a liberal 
 education in some classical school. These 
 beings, imagining themselves lifted above 
 the common class of readers, and above 
 the mean idea of reading for information, 
 or even gratification, and who possessing 
 a knowledge of the languages, have been 
 enabled to climb a little way up the hill 
 of Parnassus, and tasted superficially of 
 the living waters flowing in their purity 
 from the great and immortal rocks of 
 antiquity, and having had their peas 
 boiled* before they were born, by an 
 indulgent and provident father, look down 
 
 * Alluding to tho story of the Two Pilgrims, by 
 Dr. Walcot, alias Peter Pindar, Esq. 
 
V11J 
 
 with a contemptuous smile on a poor in- 
 digent wretch of a pilgrim, who, witl. 
 times the ardour, and a thousand ( 
 the perseverance they p ours 
 
 to crawl up the ascent, writhing under the 
 greatest anguish, with shoes Intolerable! 
 and blistered feet, hiap ng unboiled. 
 
 such b< lehold the bl 
 
 and mouldy croat of poverty: let i. 
 taste and try its hardness, when the to 
 
 from the gums at every bite— l< 
 
 drink of the clear 1 everidg 
 
 to WJ , during 
 
 the time they ol 
 
 intellectual work which th< 
 
 let every limb be in motion, and e 
 
 muscle extended to obtain this nut 
 
 or rather integument wh teth 
 
 soul and body together : let them thus toil 
 
 for themselves and for \ 
 
IX 
 
 equally dear to their bosom, and then shew 
 forth to the public their great abilities ; for 
 such was the situation, and such the op- 
 portunity of improvement enjoyed in the 
 hey-day of the passions, and when every 
 mental power was in its greatest maturity, 
 by him, the object who now presents him- 
 self at the bar of public judgment, and 
 such be their situation, before they judge 
 of one so circumstanced ; and then, with 
 the fillited eve, and balance of even-handed 
 justice, let them try their unlettered and 
 humble suppliant ; and should the scale 
 preponderate unfavourably, he will most 
 submissively and willingly admit the justice 
 of their sentence. Yes, ere they be allowed 
 to exercise a right of judgment over one in 
 such a situation, these sons of blandishment 
 ought to be aroused from their feather-bed 
 slumbers! and take the oil of industry to 
 enliven their mornings, and let the long- 
 
scorching summer's sun behold their daily 
 labours, and the taper of diligence twinkle 
 in their midnight hours, in order to procure 
 a bare subsistence, and then shew to the 
 world how far superior in abilities they 
 would soar above the common-place writer 
 produced in every village. For while they 
 were driving their tandem up the hill of 
 Pegassus by the power of riches (which 
 has dubbed many a natural-born babe a 
 great genius) your simple historian 
 driving the chirping songstress* ao 
 the silvery threads, stealing perchance at 
 the pause after a repast, or while wait- 
 ing the circumvolutions of the mechanic 
 wheel t, or even, as before said, during 
 the time of actual labour, a glance at " The 
 
 * The SUultl*. t Wiudiuff-whetl. 
 
XI 
 
 Mountain Daisy," ^ or the " Poems of 
 Pomfret ;" from such a one, so situated in 
 his youthful days, no one who compareth 
 and judgeth of situations rightly, can ex- 
 pect much. 
 
 To Sir Joseph Radcliffe, Bart., of 
 Mills Bridge, in the county of York, I 
 owe all my most material information, 
 chiefly collected by his father-in-law, T. 
 Percival, Esq. of Royton-hall, (who ap- 
 pears to have been a great lover of an* 
 tiquity) ; his pedigrees of the Lancashire 
 families, collected by himself, with the 
 great additions made by the bfeore-men- 
 tioned worthy baronet, are an invaluable 
 
 * Robert Burns' Poems, so entitled. — This was the first 
 drop from the heliconian spring, that first attracted my at- 
 tention. 
 
Xll 
 
 treasure, and with them I have been kindly 
 favoured by him. 
 
 I must confes- myself very highly and 
 particularly obliged also, to all those 
 tlemen who have contributed any thing 
 towards forwarding this under: and 
 
 to every one who has rendered me any 
 assistance, I return my most grateful ac- 
 knowledgments ; and that my humble en- 
 deavours may in any degree prove 1 
 ficial, or gratify the wishes of the public, 
 is the sincere prayer of their humble and 
 obedient servant, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
THE. 
 
 HISTORY OF OLDHAM. 
 
 The parochial Chapelry or Parish of 
 Oldham. 
 
 The parish of Oldham is, properly 
 speaking, a parochial chapelry, in Lanca- 
 shire, subject in some degree to Prestwich, 
 but enjoys all the privileges of a parish. — 
 It is bounded by the parishes of Manchester 
 and Ashton-under-line on the south ; by 
 the parish of Ashton-under-line and the 
 parochial chapelry of Saddleworth, in 
 Yorkshire, on the east ; by the parishes of 
 Rochdale and Middleton on the north ; and 
 by the parishes of Middleton and Prestwich 
 o 
 
on the west. It is a very populous district, 
 and may be computed to contain 
 upwards of 30,000 souls; which, according 
 to the last census taken, is a very moderate 
 calculation. — It is in general in a high state 
 of cultivation, particularly the hamlet of 
 Oldham below town ; and nearly the 
 whole of the Townships of Royton, and 
 of Chadderlon. Crompton is the least cul- 
 tivated of the four townships, but this may 
 be easily accounted for, as it mostly con - 
 of a mass of rugged hills and valleys, some 
 of which will scarce admit at all of culture. 
 The northern part of this township is the 
 chief part of the chapelry which is, properly 
 speaking, in a stale of nature, and though 
 it is high land, it might be easly rendered 
 a fertile and pleasant part of the township. 
 Royton is nearly all upon the flat, if we 
 except a part of Oldham-Edge, and in ge- 
 neral very rich land. — The township of 
 Chadderton is in every part much improv- 
 ing, and bids fair to held a competition 
 with Royton, in a short period of time ; 
 tire part thereof lying in the vicinity of Sir 
 
3 
 
 Thomas Horton's mansion, and the cir- 
 cumjacent lands around Covvhill are luxu- 
 rious. Through the extent of the parish 
 there are no rivers, and but few which will 
 come under the denomination of rivulets ; 
 they are chiefly such as the poets style 
 streamlets or rills, 
 
 11 Which in meanders winding thro* the plain, 
 Like liquid serpents, draw their silver train." 
 
 I shall endeavour to enumerate a few 
 of them : — several branches of the river Irk 
 rise at or near the following places — Thorp, 
 Low-Crompton, Royton-Park, Cowlishaw, 
 and Oldham-Edge, which forming one 
 rivulet, at or near Street-Bridge, wind 
 along through the pleasant vale of Little- 
 Green, falling into the rivulet which 
 passes near Middleton school : other 
 branches of the same river rise at or near 
 Burnley-lane, North-moor, and Lees-hall, 
 and join into one stream near Foxdenton, 
 and. passing along Tonge, fall into the 
 Middleton water a little below the junction 
 
of the aforesaid branches. — Several small 
 branches also of the rivulet named the Beal, 
 rise in the parish ; one at or near Broad- 
 bent-moss, another pours its slender torrent 
 down from the hill called Beesom-hill, and 
 a third distills from near Crompton halb 
 while a fourth washes the foot of the vernal 
 banks of White field ; the united waters of 
 which, joining other branches flowing from 
 the high lands of Cold \ in Butter- 
 
 worth, form one rivulet at or near a place 
 called Two-Bridges ; aud alter passing the 
 village of Milnrow, and Beliield-hall, fall 
 into the river Roach. — Two branches also 
 of the Medlock rise in this parish : the one 
 at or near the said bleak and barren hill 
 called Beesom-hill, and the other near Dirt- 
 car, which unite their w atei > at a place in 
 the vicinity of this parish, called V 
 bridge. — One of these branches, (the 
 streamlet that rises near Dirtear) is the 
 only one that passes near the town of 
 Oldham, the other branch, passing Water- 
 head-mill, divides the parishes of Oldham 
 and Ashton-under-line, to the farthest 
 
point of this parish, near a place called 
 Holts, which is situated on its borders, in 
 the division of Knott-lanes ; these small 
 streamlets, diversified through every part 
 of the parish, are very useful either in 
 moving machinery by their own impetus 
 alone, or by giving power to the great 
 number of steam-engines appendant to the 
 numerous cotton-mills situate on their 
 banks. — It contains very few woods, if we 
 except that part adjoining to the township 
 of Butterworth, and one, perhaps the 
 pleasantest in the parish, though not the 
 largest, near Hunt-lane in Chadderton. 
 Timber may be said to be remarkably 
 scarce here ; but that defect is wonderfully 
 and abundantly supplied by the vast quan- 
 tities of coal found in every part of the 
 parish : indeed a great number of the in- 
 habitants derive their subsistence and em- 
 ploy from the digging of them, the sale of 
 which has raised many of the first adven- 
 turers in that business to a state of opu- 
 lence. The Manchester market seems to 
 prefer the coal dug in this parish before 
 c 2 
 
that of any other, and the quantity daily 
 sent hence to this great emporium of the 
 north, would astonish those who have 
 never beheld so important a branch of 
 commerce in the vicinity of its pro- 
 duction. 
 
 The manufacture of hats, particularly 
 in the town itself, has been carried on to a 
 wonderful extent ; and, excepting Lon- 
 don, could boast (considering the extent 
 of the town) of a greater number of large 
 manufactories than perhaps any other 
 town in England. — The manufacture of 
 the stronger cotton goods has risen to 
 the zenith of perfection in this pariah ; 
 such as the strong velveteens, cords, and 
 other substantial fustians. I conceive that 
 in Royton, Crompton, and their neigh- 
 bourhood, the best fustians that ever were 
 manufactured in any part of the United 
 Kingdom, have been produced. Though 
 some of the neighbouring parishes, as 
 Manchester and Ashton-under-line, may 
 excel this in the spinning branch of the 
 cotton manufacture, it may bid a bold de- 
 
fiance to them in the manufacture of all 
 the substantial cotton piece-goods, or in 
 that boardly texture of wool and cotton 
 mixed, denominated woollen cords. 
 
8 
 
 Town of Oldham. 
 
 The town of Oldham seems to me 
 to derive its name from Eald (Saxon), 
 signifying Old (so written now), and 
 Ham (Saxon), a Village, i. e. the Old 
 Village or place. — Supposing it to derive 
 its name, as there is I think no doubt, 
 from these Saxon words, it seems highly- 
 probable that it existed in the time of the 
 Saxons, and perhaps before then, or else 
 why did it receive such a name. — We, 
 however, are obliged to leave it thus, as 
 we have no data to shew its origin ; but 
 we may infer, and with a very great degree 
 of probability, that the words which our 
 ancestors coupled together to denominate 
 this old place, import it to be a place of 
 antiquity, even when it first received its 
 name. — To indulge, however, in forming 
 conclusions respecting the origin of places, 
 by referring the same to the language from 
 which their names are derived, may not 
 altogether be admissible in history, the 
 
9 
 
 basis of which should not be either con- 
 jectural, traditional or even only probable, 
 but should rest on that foundation of truth 
 itself, 
 
 " Immutable as is the source from whence it 
 
 flows, 
 Which neither change nor shade of difference 
 
 knows." 
 
 Yet when an historian is furnished with no 
 other means of ascertaining the epoch of 
 the first existence of any place, which he 
 has undertaken to describe, surely there 
 ought to be a little more indulgence shewn, 
 and it becomes one so circumstanced, not 
 only to avoid any stretch of ideas, but to 
 fix upon those which appear perfectly 
 rational, and which carry along with them 
 the stamp of apparent authenticity. — If my 
 reader is disposed to allow me such an 
 indulgence as to form probable suppositions 
 from the meaning of terms, I should be 
 induced to conjecture that the parishes (so 
 styled) of Oldham and Prestwich, which 
 are now connected together, did once 
 
 
10 
 
 conjointly form one parish, as properly 
 speaking they still do, and that it was called 
 the parish of Oldham only, and that 
 Oldham was then the original and chief 
 village or place therein. I am inclined to 
 think so from the name thereof; because 
 had there existed in the same parish one 
 Ham or village still older than this, why 
 denominate this Eald or old ; why not 
 give the preference to the present mother; 
 because the termination of her name also 
 implies a village. Let us thou for a mo- 
 ment suppose that the then priest of Old- 
 ham (probably resident on Priest-hill) dis- 
 liking, perhaps, the bleak situation of our 
 town, or for many other reasons which 
 might be urged, was induced to leave his 
 ancient residence, and erect a house in 
 another part of this extensive parish, 
 more pleasant, warm and fertile, which 
 removal might occur in the time of the 
 Anglo-Saxons; for Prest signifies in their 
 tongue Priest, and trick or which is always 
 Understood of a village, castle, or hay, 
 where authority presided or was exercised. 
 
11 
 
 I wish not to be understood as saying that 
 it actually was so ; but a former tradition, 
 before quoted, with the reasons above 
 stated, render it the more probable, at 
 least I beg to offer a conjecture of this 
 kind, for the amusement of my readers. 
 
 Either nothing of Roman origin has 
 to my knowledge been ever found in this 
 town, or in the chapel ry, or else we have 
 never had the honour of possessing any 
 person whose bent of genius ever led him 
 to search after, and explore these an- 
 tiquities ; yet there is the finest remains of 
 a length of Roman road at a place on the 
 borders of this parish called Street, in the 
 township of Failsworth, of any I believe in 
 the neighbourhood of the ancient Mancu- 
 nium (the present Manchester); it extends 
 in a direct line, as it is always acknowledg- 
 ed they formed them, verging from Man- 
 chester, and for about the distance of one 
 furlong is very apparent, the high embank- 
 ment on each side thereof decide at once 
 its origin. — This branch must be that which 
 passed Castleshaw in Saddleworth, and its 
 
12 
 
 direction would be across our parish, by 
 Copster-hill and Glodwiek,— of which 
 perhaps some further re mar! occur. — 
 
 in respect of population, Oldham (aCC 
 inir to the last < enmrt, taken I 
 government) rfc w in the 
 
 list of 60 of the principal ones to G 
 Britain. Its present population N 
 follows — in 1816 : 
 
 Inhabited Hou-es ! 
 
 rninhabited do 
 
 Total of Houses, 1160 
 
 Males 3697 
 
 Females i 4030 
 
 Total of Inhabitants. 7727 
 
 The above statement includes the 
 town only, from Wernith-copy to Mount- 
 pleasant (or Workhouse-erofO, the houses 
 being all so nearly connected together, 
 cannot be considered but as forming one 
 
13 
 
 town. Bat the whole township of Old- 
 ham considered collectively, contained, in 
 1801, 12,014 inhabitants; in 1811 it had 
 increased in population to 16,690; indeed 
 the township itself might with a great 
 degree of propriety be considered as one 
 entire town. 
 
 The town is situate on a hill, in the 
 western part of the county of Lancaster, in 
 lat. 53* 27' north, and in long. 2° 4' west. 
 Its inhabitants are chiefly employed in 
 the spinning and weaving of Manchester 
 cottons, particularly those strong kinds 
 denominated fustians. Great numbers 
 also are engaged in the hat manufactories, 
 which are very extensive here. — The coal 
 works too employ a portion of its popu- 
 lation. It seems to be a kind of central 
 communication between the leading towns 
 of the West-riding of York and that great 
 mart of commerce Manchester, and in the 
 last 20 years has increased in extent at least 
 two thirds. Its proximity to Manchester 
 (being distant therefrom scarcely 6 miles) 
 renders it a place of much trade, add to 
 D 
 
14 
 
 which, the many new roads and canals 
 which have been planned and executed 
 here, and in this neighbourhood, all of 
 which, crossing at different angles in the 
 town, or the vicinity thereof, constitute it 
 a focus for trade, and render it a general 
 resort of all strangers passing betwixt the 
 commercial counties of York and Lan 
 ter. This town, by its elevated situation, 
 might be rendered very clean and pleasant, 
 but there seems to be a negligence in thi s 
 particular. The main street through the 
 town is generally clean, but some of the 
 back streets and lanes are extremely loath- 
 some and unpleasant. — I particularly wish 
 to remark this of West-street, than which 
 if it was thoroughly paved and not covered 
 with so much Loathsome filth, would be 
 not only as pleasant but as handsome a 
 street as there is any in most country towns : 
 it is, however, much injured in its form by 
 the buildings at the top, which conceal its 
 appearance from strangers. — But the 
 gradual improvment making in the town, 
 will shortly discover the impropriety of 
 
15 
 
 such obstructions, even to the very in- 
 dividuals who are so imprudent as to cause 
 them. The market-place, so denominated, 
 is a very spaeious one, and might be 
 rendered very handsome indeed, by the 
 erection of a few new buildings, which, if 
 properly planned would render the form 
 of the present area very similar to a square. 
 High-street, in which at present is carried 
 on the chief traffic, is in some parts very 
 narrow, so as scarcely to admit of two 
 carriages to pass, particularly that part 
 which connects with Yorkshire-street, 
 the narrowness of which is disgraceful 
 to the town itself. The houses, as we 
 enter into Yorkshire-street, nearly oppo- 
 site the church, are to be pulled down we 
 understand, and it were to be wished that 
 those houses at the bottom of Church-lane, 
 and those on the top of Goldburn might 
 share a similar fate, and be all swept away. 
 If this opening is made by pulling down 
 those filthy sheds, it will be a dispute 
 whether the market-place will be op- 
 posite the church or remain where it 
 
16 
 
 now is. I am inclined to think that a few 
 years (if trade should revive) will shew 
 that this new space which is projected to 
 be made, will be the very centre of the 
 town ; for who does not perceive that the 
 rapid increase of buildings at Mumps- 
 brook, and jn all the eastern part of the 
 town, appears as if it would be carried on 
 to greater extent and be more populous 
 than that part on the western declivity of 
 the town. Yorkshire-street, so called as 
 being the entry into the town from York- 
 shire, would abu be rendered airy and 
 pleasant, and one side of the street would 
 appear not so disgustful to the other as 
 it does at present. — May that ardour con- 
 tinue to prevail in the breasts of our 
 townsmen, as will by degrees render 
 Oldham as agreeable and pleasant a town 
 as it is a populous one ! — Manchester-street, 
 on the western bank, so called as being 
 that which branches forth towards this 
 great mart of commerce and industry, is 
 perhaps the most airy and pleasant of any 
 in the town, being intersected by civ-, 
 
17 
 
 streets and vernal openings to the south. 
 King-street, which crosses Manchester- 
 street, forming nearly a right angle there- 
 with, is the main road toAshton-under-line. 
 These two streets are likely in a course of 
 years to become the trunks from which 
 many pleasant branches of populous 
 avenues and lesser streets may spring. — If 
 Union-street, which has been projected 
 many years ago, should ever be completed, 
 it would bring all the influx of wheel 
 carriages and horses passing to and from 
 Manchester, through these last-mentioned 
 streets; and certainly those gentlemen 
 interested in that undertaking will be very 
 considerable sufferers should they never 
 see the completion of their project. 
 
 D 2 
 
18 
 
 The Parochial Chapel of Oldham, 
 Dedicated to St. Mary. 
 
 Oldham parochial chapel, or what 
 is generally called the church, is said to have 
 been built by Sir Ralph Langley, Knight, 
 second son of Langley of Edge-croft, 
 warden of Manchester, and curate of 
 Prestwich, who was buried in Prest- 
 wich, of which church he was patron, 
 and under which church Oldham is a 
 parochial chapelry, the minister being 
 appointed by the rector of Prestwich. — It 
 is said that a deed exists in the tower of 
 London, stating this church to have been 
 built In 1476 (temp, of Edward the IVth) ; 
 that part betwixt the pulpit and the steeple, 
 the expence of which was £28 \6s. Ad. 
 Of this deed it is very difficult to say 
 whether the existence is real or imaginary, 
 since the statement is entirely void of 
 circumstautial evidence of its ever having 
 been consulted by any individual. The 
 more am I induced to question the exist- 
 ence of such deed, because there certainly 
 
19 
 
 was a church before this time ; for in the 
 title of a deed belonging to the Cud- 
 worths of Wernith^, dated the 16th Jan. 
 in the fifth year of Edward IV., viz. 1466, 
 ten years before the above statement of 
 the building thereof, are these words : — 
 
 " James Holt, son and heir of Ralph 
 Holt, grants to Jeffery Cudworth and his 
 heirs, all the messuages, lands and tene- 
 ments called Abramhills, and Caypighill, t 
 of the west part of Jhe church of Old- 
 ham." 
 
 A copy of the title of this deed, 
 which once belonged to Ann Cudworth, 
 I have seen, and have no doubt of its 
 being genuiue. I do not, however, say 
 or wish to insinuate that the before state- 
 ment respecting the building of the church 
 by Langley is fabulous ; no, I believe that 
 he repaired and enlarged it. 
 
 A very widely extended traditiona 
 couplet, which if I were permitted to in- 
 
 * See Wernitb. t Suppose the hill now called Copy, 
 
20 
 
 troduce, would make the church appear to 
 have been of early origin : — 
 
 " Old I am — Old is my name, 
 The oldest church in Christendom/' 
 
 But setting- aside all such legendary 
 matters, it is most certain, from what I 
 have before stated, that Langley only re- 
 built the present structure, and that there 
 existed before that period some kind of 
 building denominated a church. Besides, 
 we may venture to assert, from an exami- 
 nation of the structure itself, that the body 
 of the church bears the appearanee of a 
 more ancient date than the time of Ed- 
 ward IV. The north wall has manifestly 
 been built at three separate and distinct 
 periods of time, as may be clearly seen 
 by examining its exterior face ; the portion 
 from the tower to the fourth buttress being 
 the most ancient, and containing the ori- 
 ginal windows; each window on the north 
 side being composed of two pointed arches, 
 and on the south side of three, each com- 
 partment of an equal height, divided by 
 
21 
 
 simpte muUtani,.and terminating in trefoil 
 heads* Every gtage of successive altera- 
 lion deviates from the original window in 
 form, and may here be traced ; as if there 
 existed a studied design to destroy the 
 beauty of the fabric, by the various style 
 and manner of the lights. Fcom the 
 fourth buttress to the fifth, and from the 
 fifth to the sixth (in whioh are situate the 
 Cudworths' and Hortons' chapels), are 
 successive enlargements. On the north 
 side the original windows, two in num- 
 ber, from the tower to the fourth buttress, 
 which is opposite the pulpit, are only 
 two lights or compartments, with trefoil 
 heads. The roof here is raised a foot 
 higher than in the lower extremity of the 
 building: the window betwixt the fourth 
 and fifth buttress consists of three com- 
 partments, with trefoil heads; the window 
 betwixt the fifth and sixth buttress is com- 
 posed also of three compartments, but has 
 only a plain pointed termination, devoid 
 of the trefoil ; the fifth buttress st. vAs 
 obliquely, like the first, shewing that the 
 
22 
 
 building once terminated here. Other 
 marks of a successive enlargement are 
 visible in the interior of the church, which 
 is a plain, simple, unadorned specimen of 
 the early gothic style, consisting of a body 
 and two side-wings or aisles. — The pulpit 
 ig placed against an irregular pillar, a por- 
 tion of which and its opposite, once con- 
 stituted the eastern end of the building, 
 hence their irregularity. Those pillars, 
 having a pointed arch sprung from them 
 across the body of the church, to support 
 the roof, and allow of ifs enlargement. 
 The pillars range regularly down the 
 middle of the interior, separating the body 
 from the aisles, and are joined to each 
 other by pointed arches, and it is these 
 arches which support the roof. The roof 
 is also pointed corresponding to the 
 arches, plain and unornamented ; but 
 when viewed from the great eastern win- 
 dow, it has an air of height and distance 
 found in very few churches of equal di- 
 mensions. The pillars in the original 
 body are regular and equal, and bear 
 
2* 
 
 strong* marks of an early date, inasmuch 
 as they seem to be an attempt to join the 
 massy strength of the Saxon with the 
 lightness of the Gothic. They are octa- 
 gonal, and entirely void of ornament — no 
 trifling circumstance in estimating their 
 antiquity. They are utterly void of capi- 
 tal ; not even bound with a fillet or band ; 
 the arches springing immediately from the 
 superior extremity of the pillar, and they 
 rest upon a base composed of a plinth, 
 and entirely without the usual architectu- 
 ral ornaments, being simply faced into 
 eight sides, agreeing with the octagonal 
 shape of the pillars. 
 
 The simplicity of the design and exe- 
 cution, the entire want of ornament, the 
 pointed arch, and strong octagoual pillar, 
 the absence of capital, the plain and un- 
 usual base, all shew this church to be an 
 early specimen of the simple and una- 
 dorned Gothic, with a mixture of Saxon, 
 an opinion which is confirmed by the 
 pointed windows, and simple mullion, de- 
 void of ramification : all these circum- 
 

 24 
 
 stances induce us to refer the structure 
 of the original body to the early part of 
 the twelfth century, or about the reign of 
 John, when the Saxon Gothic prevailed, 
 and when every feudal lord built and en- 
 dowed at his pleasure. 
 
 It will therefore follow that Sir Ralph 
 Langley only enlarged and repaired the 
 building, near 250 years after the erec- 
 tion of the original structure ; in support 
 of which, we will only quote the statement 
 of tire expence mentioned, which is not at 
 all competent to erect a building so large, 
 even at that period ; but might have been 
 sufficient for an enlargement of the origi- 
 nal fabric. — That Sir Ralph Langley en- 
 larged the building cannot be doubted ; 
 and about the time stated (1476), several 
 ancient silver coins having been found at 
 different periods, in digging the interior 
 of the building, and one which was dug 
 up lately in the Cudworths' chapel, is a 
 groat of Edward IV., struck off at York, 
 and in excellent preservation when found, 
 and which consequently confirms the opi- 
 
25 
 
 nion that the present eastern extremity is 
 the work of Sir Ralph Langley. 
 
 In the neighbourhood is some land 
 which did probably originally atfach to 
 the church, viz. Priors and Priest-hill ; but 
 which in the absence of written data we 
 can only infer, as there are no writings, 
 as I before stated, nor does it appear how 
 Oldham became attached as a parochial 
 chapelry to Prestwich. 
 
 The gallery of the church was erected 
 in 1703, by Mr. Brierly, of Oldham. 
 
 In the great eastern window is the 
 arms of the Radcliffes of Foxdenton, 
 painted on glass, viz. — 
 
 1 & 4. Argent, a bend engrailed, sable, 
 for Radcliffe. 
 
 2. Argent, a bend engrailed, sable in 
 
 chief, a mullet of the 2nd. 
 
 3. Argent, a fess and bend, sable. 
 
 In Cudworths' chapel is a monument 
 of black and white marble. — On the top 
 of the monument is the arms of the Cud- 
 worths, impaled with Moseley, viz. — 
 
 E 
 
26 
 
 Sable, a fess, ermine betwixt. 3 den. - 
 lion?, orr. — Moseley, quarterly I 
 & 4, sable ; a eheveron between 
 3 pick-axes, argent. — Moseley 2 
 & 3, sable, a barulet between 9 
 eagles displayed, reqt. 
 
 The following Latin inscription 
 pears on the tablet below, — 
 
 HfSCftlPYBO 
 
 Siste viator mora crit pretiom 
 Rcsponsa accipe aliquot questionculi I, 
 
 Quest. Quis jacct hie ?— Resp. Johannes 
 Cudworth, dc Wernith-hall. 
 
 Q. Cujas fuit ? — R. Lancastriensia maneri 
 de Oldham Domiiius. 
 
 Q. Qualis vixit ? — R. Pre bus in homines, 
 IB Deum pius. 
 
 Q. Quam duxit conjugem ? — R. Aliciam 
 Antonii Moseley tiliara. 
 
 Q. Quos suscepit liberosl — R. Joshuaru, 
 Johannein, Jonam, Rica rd inn, Antoniinn, Tho- 
 ninm, Danielcin (jnfans qui occubuit), Franc is- 
 cuin, Jacobum, et Danielum, alterum et e biliori 
 sexu cuui llanna J a nam. 
 
27 
 
 Q. Quot vixit anuos ?— Octo era! et sexa- 
 genarius. 
 
 Q, Quodecessit? — R. Anno Chris togomoe 
 secundo et quingentissimo supra niiilesimuin et 
 sexcentissimuu), Junii 7 mo. 
 
 Q. Qui hoc erexerunt ? — Richardus et 
 Thos. ; vitae et necis civilis arbiter classis, nou 
 nimis felicis qure petiit Jtimaicum. 
 
 Q. Satis est viator? — R. Tecum c-ogita 
 quantillum differt, unibulans a jacente puivere. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 Stop passenger ! it will be worth your while 
 hear replies to a few brief enquiries. 
 
 Quest. Who reposes here? — Answ. John 
 Cudworth, of Wernith-Hall, Esq. 
 
 Q. Of what country was he? — A. He was 
 of the county of Lancaster, and Lord of the 
 manor of Oldham. 
 
 Q. How did he live ? — A. He was upright 
 towards man, and pious towards God. 
 
 Q. Whom did he marry ? — A. Alice, 
 daughter of Anthony Moseley. 
 
 Q. What children had he? — A. Joshua 
 John, Jonas, Richard, Anthony, Thomas, Daniel 
 
28 
 
 (who died in infancy), Francis, James, and a 
 second Daniel; and of the feebler sex, Jane and 
 Hannah. 
 
 Q. How old was he? — A. He was sixty- 
 ei^ht years of age. 
 
 Q. When did he die?— A. On the 7th of 
 June, in the year of our Lord one thousand six 
 hundred and fifty two. 
 
 Q. Who erected this monument? — A. 
 Richard and Thomas, who was supreme civil 
 Judge of the unsuccessful fleet which after- 
 wards took Jamaica.* 
 
 Q. Passenger, is it enough ? — A. Reflect 
 as you walk over the reposing ashes, how little 
 you differ from him. 
 
 • It may not be familiar to •very reader, that during 
 the usurpation of Cromwell, an expedition was filled out to 
 attack the island of Hispaniola, and the command gi\- I la 
 Admirals Peun and Vcnables ; this attempt, howerer, proving 
 unsuccessful, they steered to Jamaica, which was surrendered 
 la them j but so little importance was attached at lhat time to 
 this conquest, that Penn and Venables on their return home 
 were sent to the Tower, for their failure in the principal 
 object of the expedition. — This will explain what is meant 
 b? the " Unsuccessful Fleet.'' 
 
29 
 
 Hbrtons' chapel, which is opposite to 
 Cudvvoi ths', and on the south side of the 
 church, contains several marble monu- 
 ments, which are commemorative of dif- 
 ferent members of Horton's family: 
 
 One monumental tablet, to the memory 
 of Joshua Horton, Esq. and Mary his wife, 
 (who only survived him twelve days); and 
 two others, to the memory of Mrs. Ann 
 Horton, and Thomas Horton, Esq. ; and a 
 fourth, of white marble, to the memory of 
 several branches of the Horton family ; 
 and suspended from the roof are five 
 escutcheons of several relatives of the 
 Hortons. 
 
 On a brass plate affixed to one of the 
 pillars, is the following inscription : — 
 
 " After various conditions of life, here 
 at last, at the foot of this pillar, resteth 
 the body of Oliver Shaw, of Heyside, Gent. 
 Aged near 73. 
 
 What I was is passed by, 
 What I am away will fly ; 
 What I shall be none does see, 
 What then in that, my joys will be. 
 
 He died August 1st, and was buried 
 Augt. 5th, 1706. 
 
 e 2 
 
30 
 
 On the top of the plate id the arjns 
 of his family, with the motto, 
 
 u Tri imi Deo gloria." 
 
 On another brass plate, on a pillar oppo- 
 site the pulpit, is the following inscription : 
 
 " Susan the Daughter, and one of the 
 Coheirs of Win. Radcliife, of Foxdenton, 
 Esq., was buried at the Foundation of this 
 Pillar, the 25th of January, 16D6, in the 
 83d year of her age/' 
 
 Benefactions from the following per- 
 sons are registered on two tables, placed 
 on each side in the body of the church. — 
 Mr. Samuel Scholes, of Lower Horsedge ; 
 Mr. Mark Nield, of Bent-green ; and Mr. 
 John Walker, of Manchester. Their do- 
 nations are for the purpose of educating 
 poor children within Oldham. 
 
 Mr. Timothy Eyre, and Mr. John 
 Tetlow, gave certain lands for the benefit 
 of the poor ; and Mr. Samuel Howard also 
 gave bibles, coats, and gowns for their 
 use. 
 
31 
 
 In 1558, the year in which the register 
 ©f births and burials commences at Old- 
 ham church, there were only 21 baptisms, 
 and 14 burials. — The following is a state- 
 ment of births and burials in the last 22 
 years : — 
 
 Year. 
 
 Births. 
 
 Burials. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Births. 
 
 Burialt. 
 
 1795 
 
 .. 435 
 
 .. 304 
 
 1806 
 
 .. 348 
 
 .. 274 
 
 1796 
 
 .. 450 
 
 .. 242 
 
 1807 
 
 .. 301 
 
 .. 250 
 
 1797 
 
 .. 415 
 
 .. 258 
 
 1808 
 
 .. 275 
 
 .. 330 
 
 1798 
 
 .. 422 
 
 .. 274 
 
 1809 
 
 .. 262 
 
 .. 233 
 
 1799 
 
 .. 375 
 
 .. 199 
 
 1810 
 
 .. 266 
 
 .. 414 
 
 1800 
 
 .. 291 
 
 .. 412 
 
 1811 
 
 .. 288 
 
 .. 276 
 
 1801 
 
 .. 294 
 
 .. 378 
 
 1812 
 
 .. 238 
 
 .. 328 
 
 1802 
 
 .. 365 
 
 .. 272 
 
 1813 
 
 .. 224 
 
 . . 359 
 
 1803 
 
 .. 378 
 
 .. 324 
 
 18 L4 
 
 .. 260 
 
 .. 331 
 
 1804 
 
 .. 357 
 
 .. 226 
 
 1815 
 
 .. 287 
 
 .. 280 
 
 1805 
 
 .. 345 
 
 .. 235 
 
 1816 
 
 .. 254 
 
 .. 338 
 
 To gratify the curiosity of some of 
 my readers, I have annexed a list of the 
 curates of this parochial chapel, from the 
 time of Charles I. 
 
 The Rev. Robert Constantine, minister 
 in J 640, married Frances, daughter of 
 Robert Ashton of Shepley, (who was a 
 captain in the parliament's army), by 
 Jane, daughter of William Walker, of 
 
32 
 
 Ashton-under-line. Mr. Constantine it 
 appears vacated Oldham during the great 
 rebellion, or as it is said, refused the en- 
 gagement of the ministry, for which Justice 
 Ashton, of Chadderton, vigorously prose- 
 cuted him, so as to force him to remove, 
 \yhen upon an invitation he went to Bur- 
 stal in Yorkshire. He was succeeded by 
 the Rev. John Lake, n. D., afterward* 
 Rector of Prestwich, and then Bishop of 
 Chichester; but after three or four years Mr. 
 C. returned to Oldham again, for I find him 
 minister in 1662 ; but he was ejected there- 
 from 24th August, in the same year, on 
 that much-noted Bartholomew ^ day : after 
 this Mr. C. lived privately until the time 
 of Charles's indulgence in 1672, he then 
 took out a licence and preached to a con- 
 siderable number of people in a thatched 
 house at Greenacres, three miles from 
 Oldham. ^ He continued so dohi£* a con- 
 
 * The present generation may &u&m the distance im- 
 probable, though chiefly extracted from a work ofjrstab 
 
S3 
 
 siderable time ; but on the decease of his 
 wife, who was buried at Oldham, March 
 29, 1695, he removed to Manchester, being 
 unfit for the ministry ; he was buried from 
 thence at Oldham, December 16, 1699. 
 
 After Mr. Constantine's ejectment 
 in 1662, he was succeeded by the Rev. 
 Wallworke, who I find was curate in 
 1664; this clergyman by the Rev. Isaac 
 Harpur, of Hunt-lane, who officiated 
 upwards of 27 years. After him followed 
 the Rev. John Halliwell, of Pike-house, 
 curate in 1721 ; his successor was the 
 Rev- J. Sugden ; and after him came the 
 Rev. Samuel Townson, who was succeeded 
 by the present curate, the Rev. Thomas 
 Fawcett. 
 
 veracity ; but when they are told that the main road from 
 Oldham to Greenacres then passed from Oldham by the Red 
 Lion, at Greenacres moor, and thence by Vineyard and the 
 two Newearths, and passing Roe-lane, to Lees, and forward 
 to Hey, Waterhead-inill, and so on to Greenacres, die im« 
 probability vanishes ; for doubtless such was the state of th# 
 country then, with respect to the communication by roads. 
 
S4 
 
 Oldham Grammar-School. 
 
 Oldham School was built by James 
 Asheton, Esq., of Chadderton, and otl 
 in the year 161 1. — It is a substantial stone 
 building*, very plain, and had formerly ■ 
 spacious porch for the boys to shelter and 
 refresh themselves in during the hou* 
 relaxation. OveT this porch was a cham- 
 ber, swing m a residence for the person 
 appointed to clean the school : on the 
 front of this porch was a shield cut in 
 stone, on which were eight coats quar- 
 terly, viz. — 
 
 1. Argent, a mullet, sable, for Asheton. 
 
 2. A bond engrailed, sable, for Radcliffe. 
 8. A cross potent, for Chadderton. 
 
 4. Argent, 3 lions rampant, purpura, for 
 Talbot. 
 
 5. Sable, fretty argent, for Harrington 
 of Wooifage. 
 
 Tfcree lions passant guardant. for — 
 
 7. On a bend, three mullets, for — 
 
 8. A lion rampant, for — 
 
 
35 
 
 It is much to be regretted that this 
 porch was not suffered to remain, instead 
 of which, there is now only a paltry erec- 
 tion of brick, so small as to admit only 
 about three or four boys. It really is dis- 
 graceful to the school, which is handsome 
 for its age, and I am convinced the trus- 
 tees feel an unpleasant idea whenever 
 they behold it. 
 
 The trust deed of the building of the 
 school bears date the loth day of May, 
 the fourth year of James I. — The original 
 trustees, to whom the grant of half an acre 
 of land for the building of the said school 
 and maintenance thereof was made, by 
 James Asheton, Esq. of Chadderton, were 
 as follows : — 
 
 Lawrence Chadderton, Master of Ema- 
 nuel College, Cambridge.^ 
 Sir John Byrom, Knight. 
 Edward Standish. 
 
 * See some memoirs of his life inserted in this work. 
 
36 
 
 William Radcliffe, of Foxdeuton, El 
 Richard Asheton, of Oldham. 
 Richard Tetlow, of the Chamber. 
 John Cudworth. Thomas Crompton. 
 Edmund Taylor (the elder), and 
 Edmund Tetlow, gent. 
 
 The rent payable for the said grant of 
 half an acre k ■ rilver two-pence, it 
 Minded, on the feast of s * Jamei the 
 
 Apostle.- The children sent here, by the 
 Original trust deed w * are to be instrn. 
 in the English, Greek, and Latin tong 
 and withal in good manners also.'* — The 
 master derives his salary from the ground- 
 rent of the said premises. — The present 
 master is the Rev. Wm. Whiter, minbtei 
 of St. Peters Chapel. 
 
37 
 
 Saint Peter's Chapel. 
 
 The Chapel of St. Peter, in Oldham, 
 was erected in the year 1765, by the volun- 
 tary contributions of the inhabitants. It 
 is a neat, plain stone building, of the 
 modern style, and will contain a nume- 
 rous congregation, having a gallery sur- 
 rounding the whole of the interior. In 
 the west end of the chapel are two pic- 
 tures ; one the Jewish Lawgiver, and the 
 other the High Priest : the colouring is 
 uncommonly rich, and there is a peculiar 
 felicity in the distribution of the lights 
 and shades not commonly found in a pic- 
 ture exhibited in a country place of wor- 
 ship. The pencil, though not of the finest 
 kind, and exhibiting at first view a care- 
 lessness of execution, yet is a very rare 
 and a peculiar pencil, and such a one 
 where the painter makes every touch 
 appear to breathe of vitality. 
 
 This chapel was considerably enlarged 
 in the year 1804, by the exertions of the 
 present James Lees, Esq., of Wallshaw- 
 F 
 
38 
 
 house, the then warden, and a very 
 valuable and fine-toned organ was erected 
 over the altar, on the new eastern gal- 
 lery. The Rev. — Dover, who was after- 
 wards removed to Castleton in Derbyshire, 
 was the first minister of this chapel ; to 
 him succeeded the Rev. Thomas Fawcett ; 
 on whose removal Hugh Grimshaw offi- 
 ciated till his death, when the Rev. G« H. 
 Percy became minister ; who„ on his 
 removal to Liverpool, was succeeded by 
 the present minister, the Rev. William 
 Winter. There is a subscription made by 
 the congregation of this chapel, for which 
 the minister thereof is to give lectures every 
 Thursday evening, during the summer 
 season, in his chapel. — There are a great 
 number of sunday-schools also established 
 In this parish, the scholars of which, under 
 the direction of their different masters, 
 attend here in summer, and at the celebra- 
 tion of their anniversary, appear in very 
 pleasing groups of infantile order and 
 discipline. 
 
39 
 
 The following list of baptisms and 
 burials at this chapel for the last 22 years, 
 may serve to illustrate the amazing increase 
 in the population of this township, in the 
 short period before mentioned. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Births. Burials. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Births, 
 
 Burial*. 
 
 1795 
 
 .. 37 .. 
 
 32 
 
 1806 
 
 .. 327 
 
 .. 84 
 
 1796 
 
 .. 34 .. 
 
 27 
 
 1807 
 
 .. 370 
 
 .. 86 
 
 1797 
 
 .. 66 .. 
 
 38 
 
 1808 
 
 .. 332 
 
 .. 158 
 
 1798 
 
 • • 88 • • 
 
 77 
 
 1809 
 
 .. 415 
 
 • • 85 
 
 1799 
 
 .. 100 .. 
 
 31 
 
 1810 
 
 .. 394 
 
 .. 146 
 
 1800 
 
 -. 133 .. 
 
 86 
 
 1811 
 
 .. 431 
 
 .. 117 
 
 1801 
 
 .. 99 .. 
 
 103 
 
 1812 
 
 .. 370 
 
 .. io£ 
 
 1802 
 
 .. 200 .. 
 
 88 
 
 1813 
 
 .. 349 
 
 .. 133 
 
 1803 
 
 .. 119 .. 
 
 129 
 
 1814 
 
 .. 436 
 
 .. 123 
 
 1804 
 
 .. 293 .. 
 
 81 
 
 1815 
 
 .. 503 
 
 ., 84 
 
 1805 
 
 .. 307 .. 
 
 83 
 
 1816 
 
 . . 456 
 
 .. 106 
 
40 
 
 Old Methodist Chapel. 
 
 The Methodists, a religious body of 
 people well known, have long had a stand- 
 ing in this place ; but on their first ap- 
 pearance in this town they met with very 
 great opposition; to prove this, and to 
 amuse our readers, we extract the follow- 
 ing from a narrative of the life of one John 
 Murlin, who was born in the parish of 
 St. Stephen, Brenwell, in Cornwall, about 
 August 1722. I suppose he was one of 
 the first noted preachers of the sect that 
 ever appeared in the then village of 
 Oldham : his words are, " At a village 
 called Oldham, about 7 miles from Man- 
 chester (a place famous through all that 
 country for daring and desperate wicked- 
 ness) we had heavy persecution for a 
 season : as I was going to preach in the 
 street one sabbath day, two constables, 
 with a great mob at their heels, took me 
 into custody, for riotous behaviour in 
 singing about two verses of a hymn, as the 
 people were coming out of the church ; 
 
41 
 
 they took me to a jmblic-house ^. — The 
 constables and their assistants were soon 
 special drunk, and began to quarrel with 
 each other ; from words they soon went 
 to blows. — The house where we were, 
 belonged to the clerk of the parish, whose 
 son thinking me ill used, took my part. 
 One of the constables took him by the 
 collar, on which he wrested the staff out 
 of the drunken constable's hand, and broke 
 his head with it: the next day I was taken 
 before a justice, and bound over to the 
 quarter sessions ; but I traversed, and had 
 it tried at the assizes ; from thence the 
 cause was sent back to the quarter sessions, 
 where it was given against me/' In the 
 year 1775 however, the converts to Method- 
 ism were so numerous, that a commodious 
 chapel was erected for their use; but it 
 soon becoming too small, another was built, 
 considerably larger. This erection ap- 
 pears to have been opened for religious 
 
 * The present Shoulder of Muttou. 
 F 2 
 
42 
 
 worship by the founder of the sect (Mr* 
 John Wesley): the following memorial is 
 placed over the pulpit, " This preaching- 
 house was opened April 2nd, 1790, by the 
 Rev. John Wesley, M. a. who, after a 
 long life spent in doing good, was taken 
 to glory March 2nd 1791, in the 88th year 
 pf his age." This chapel is generally al- 
 lowed to be handsome, and is respectably 
 and numerously attended. The present 
 ministers appointed by conference to 
 preach therein, are Messrs. France and 
 Miller. There are about 300 Methodists 
 in the town, and in the neighbouring so- 
 cieties above 500 more. The whole of 
 the villages in which these societies are 
 established, from w r hat is termed the Old- 
 ham circuit, containing about 850 mem- 
 bers. 
 
43 
 
 Baptists* Chapel, top of Mahchesier-streetr 
 
 This was originally built as a place 
 of worship for the Methodist New Con- 
 nection, usually styled the Kilamites. It 
 is a small handsome structure of brick, 
 and will contain a considerable number of 
 people. It was lately purchased by the 
 Baptists, and was opened as a meeting- 
 house for that sect, September 6th, 1816. 
 Mr. Stevens, of Manchester, opened the 
 above in the morning; after which Mr. 
 Tricket, of Bramley, baptized 14 persons 
 at the reservoir at Hollinwood, they not 
 having convenience at that time to per- 
 form it within the chapel. In the after- 
 noon Mr. Steadman, of Bradford, preached 
 on the order of a gospel church ; during 
 his discourse a church was formed, and 
 the sacrament afterwards administered to 
 them by Mr. Hargreaves of Ogden ; and 
 in the evening a sermon was delivered 
 by Mr. Fisher of Liverpool. 
 
u 
 
 The Unitarian Chapel, Lord-street, 
 
 Is very pleasantly situated on a gentle 
 eminence, overlooking the town, in the 
 street denominated Lord-street. The erec- 
 tion is a neat brick building, and is a small 
 but comparitively handsome structure. Its 
 situation, perhaps, may contribute consi- 
 derably to its appearance, being detached 
 from any other building, which places it 
 in a conspicuous point of view. It was 
 erected by the voluntary subscriptions of 
 the Unitarian brethren of the different 
 congregations in England, and others, and 
 was opened for religious worship on the 
 4th of January, 1816. At an early hour 
 of that day the place was crowded with an 
 audience, some of whom had travelled 
 15 or 20 miles, regardless of the incle- 
 mency of the season. — Mr. W. Johns con- 
 ducted the devotional exercises, and Mr. 
 J. Grundy preached from Joshua, the 
 24th chapter, and 15th verse, " Choose 
 you this day whom you will serve. " 
 
45 
 
 Independent Methodist Meeting-house, 
 
 George-street. 
 
 This building, which is situate at a 
 place formerly named Jackson's Pit, con- 
 sists of a neat and commodious room, and 
 was first opened by Mr. Hoole of Man- 
 chester, Mr. Clark of Sheffield, and Mr. 
 Higson of Blackburn. — The Independent 
 Methodists are a branch of the Wesleyans, 
 who separated from the old connexion 
 some years ago. The peculiar points in 
 which they differ from the followers of 
 Wesley, as communicated to me by one of 
 the sect, are these, viz. They receive no 
 rents for seats ; and they accept of no 
 ministers but those who voluntarily devote 
 their time and labours freely and without 
 expectation of any kind ©f emolument. — 
 The society's funds are applied in support 
 of the cause, and to the relief of their poor 
 members. These are the material tenets 
 in which they differ from the old Con- 
 aexion of Methodists. 
 
40 
 
 Places of Amusement. 
 
 The inhabitants of Oldham do not 
 seem at all partial to the histrionic art ; 
 though perhaps sometimes as good a les- 
 son, at least one that leaves as lasting an 
 impression on the mind, may be received 
 from the heroes of the sock and buskin, as 
 from those who are appointed to the office 
 of inculcating sentiments of virtue and 
 morality from the pulpit. We admit them 
 places where the vicious frequently resort, 
 and so they do within the walls of those 
 sanctuaries where nothing impure should 
 come, at least where none but those 
 who feel a repugnance at the moment for 
 every kind of impiety; but I am not 
 intending to quarrel with my townsmen 
 for this indifference to theatricals, every 
 person has his peculiar way of thinking^ 
 on different subjects. 
 
47 
 
 The Late Theatre, 
 
 Now employed as a school, I cannot 
 forbear mentioning : it is situate very near 
 the old Methodist Chapel, in Manchester- 
 street, and was as convenient a place as 
 any that has yet been used for the pur- 
 pose of public exhibitions in this town ; 
 and it is surely no discredit thereto to 
 say, that the darling child of Thalia, 
 Mrs. Jordan, was not ashamed of treading 
 its homely boards. It happened, however, 
 rather unfortunately for the proprietor 
 thereof, that during an exhibition therein, 
 some years ago, the floor gave way, just 
 in front of the stage *, and the confusion 
 of tha audience, occasioned by the crash 
 of the timbers, and the screams of the des- 
 
 * This iiappemed at the very time when one of the musi- 
 cians was enchanting the audience wifh one of the best of 
 his many concertos so much admired ; and it was believed 
 that a triumviate of tha gods Orpheus and Apollo aided by 
 iEolus, enraged at his performance, so superior to their own* 
 had concerted the destruction of the place. 
 
43 
 
 cending multitude, who fell together in 
 one confused heap into the lower apart- 
 ment, may be better imagined than de- 
 scribed : providentially not one of them 
 was materially injured. It operated, how- 
 ever, so forcibly upon the minds of many 
 of the females present, that though the 
 place was rendered as secure as it could 
 possibly be after this accident, yet the 
 resort thereto was ever after considerably 
 diminished. 
 
 News and Billiard Rooms. 
 
 There is a very neat billiard-room 
 fitted up for public amusement at the back 
 part of the Roe-buck inn, in King-street, 
 which is in length 21 feet by 15J, con- 
 taining a very handsome table 12 \ feet in 
 length, by 6|. Adjoining thereto is a 
 commodious news-room, 15 feet by 15, 
 furnished with a good atlas, neat furni- 
 ture; and in a gilt frame at the head of 
 the room is a print of the race for the 
 St. Ledger stake, run over the Doncaster 
 
49 
 
 course in 1812— perhaps a print never 
 equalled for the number and variety of 
 characters and grotesque figures exhibited 
 therein. 
 
 Inns. 
 
 The principal of these for the accom- 
 modation of travellers, are the Angel in 
 High-street, and the Spread Eagle in Man- 
 chester-street. There are likewise several 
 other respectable ones, such as the Roe- 
 buck, in King-street; the Swan in High- 
 street ; the Friendship, Oldham-lane ; and 
 the Beaver, in Manchester-street, below 
 the 
 
 Post-Office, 
 
 Where the mail arrives from Man- 
 chester, at half past nine o'clock every 
 morning, and returns every evening at 
 five, except on Sundays, when it departs 
 for Manchester at half past two, bringing 
 and taking with him all the mails both 
 north and south. 
 
 G 
 
50 
 
 Societies. 
 
 There is a Subscription Library 
 established here, containing a tolerable 
 collection of well-assorted books. There 
 is also a society established for medical 
 relief, and one recently for visiting and 
 relieving the poor. 
 
 There are also two Freemasons' lodges; 
 one at the Angel, and another at the Hare 
 and Hounds ; two chapters of Royal Arch 
 Masons ; one at each of the above inns : 
 and at the Hare and Hounds before-men- 
 tioned, is established a conclave of Knight- 
 Templars. 
 
 There are also societies of Odd-Fel- 
 lows, both of the Union and Independent 
 Orders. One of the Union, at the Royal 
 Oak, Royton-street ; and one of the In- 
 dependent at the Nelson's Ball, Church- 
 street; and also one of the same Order 
 at the Duke of York, Yorkshire-street. 
 Other societies, of Orangemen, are held at 
 the Stag's Head, West-street ; and the Dog 
 and Duck, Eagle-street. There are like- 
 
51 
 
 wise numerous benefit societies in the 
 town and neighbourhood. 
 
 Residences. 
 
 At Hollinwood near Oldham, ape 
 several good houses, inhabited by Mr*. 
 Wroe and son, Mr. Duncufft, Mr. Gee, &c. 
 At Copsterhill is a neat old mansion, the 
 residence of the relict of Mr. Jonah Harrpp. 
 
 Bankside — The residence of Daniel 
 Lees, Esq. lies south of the town, as yon 
 enter it from Manchester, on the side of 
 a hill pleasantly declining towards a south- 
 western sun. It was a very rugged, un- 
 pleasant place, when the present possessor 
 removed thereto ; but some gardens having 
 been beautifully laid out below the house, 
 contribute much to its appearance. His 
 extensive cotton-mill adjoins the house; 
 and he has improved the land around his 
 habitation to great advantage. 
 
 Westwood — The habitation of the 
 late William Clegg, Esq., and now of his 
 
52 
 
 relict Mrs. Wm. Clegg, is a neat-looking 
 mansion, lying on the west of the town, be- 
 yond the utmost extent of West-street, on 
 the new road to Middleton. 
 
 Bent-grange — The house of Abra- 
 ham Clegg, Esq., situate at the -.vest end of 
 the town, and terminating the street called 
 West-street. — Its appearance would add 
 very much to the beauty of the street, and 
 might be viewed from the entrance into 
 the same, but for the obstruction of a cer- 
 tain building, which totally destroys the 
 view of it and of the scenery of a pleasant 
 part of the country behind. 
 
 Lower-bent — This house belongs to 
 James Clegg, Esq. and lies in the same 
 direction from the market-place as the 
 two before-mentioned ; it is a stone man- 
 sion, plain but neat, and has an exten- 
 sive garden and pleasure- walks adjoining 
 thereto. On the opposite side of the road 
 lies the small but elegant retreat of Mrs. 
 John Clegg, with a pleasant parterre m 
 front. 
 
53 
 
 Orleans-house — This newly erected 
 mansion, lying north-west from the centre 
 of the town, and belonging to Mr. Joseph 
 Rowland, to appearance from the plan 
 projected (though not yet finished), pro- 
 mises to be as elegant in its appearance 
 as any one in the vicinity of the town. — 
 And his extensive cotton works adjoining, 
 form a prominent feature in the general 
 view of Oldham. 
 
 Frank-hill — The seat of Thomas 
 Barker, Esq. stands on a very fine eleva- 
 tion, north of the town, commanding a 
 most extensive prospect of all the circum- 
 jacent country. — It is a handsome brick 
 edifice, nearly surrounded by rich meadow 
 and pasture land, and he has laid out 
 some delightful gardens and shrubberies 
 adjoining . The scite of this building, within 
 the recollection of the author, was as bleak 
 and barren a spot as could well be imagined 
 to exist in the neighbourhood of a village 
 such as Oldham then was. 
 
 G % 
 
54 
 
 Goldhurst-lane — The residence of 
 Mr. Edmund Whitehead, is a little below 
 Frank-hill ; and on the top of the ascent, 
 on the old road to Royton, stands the house 
 of Mrs. Scholes, at a place called Pleasant- 
 spring'. 
 
 Higher-groves — The late residence 
 of Messrs. Henry and Thomas Henshaw. 
 This house was perhaps the plainest edifice 
 of brick that ever belonged to any gentle- 
 men of equal property — like the original 
 proprietors, it was unadorned and substan- 
 tial. But John Taylor, Esq. the present 
 resident, has done as much as could be 
 done without totally destroying the original 
 form (which perhaps he wished to retain) ; 
 to render it comfortable, and give it an 
 air of respectability he has added a green 
 parterre in front, and palisaded it round 
 with iron, changed the door and windows 
 for a more modern size and form, before 
 which improvment there certainly was 
 a disgustful meanness in its appearance, that 
 ill accorded with that spirit which genei 
 
55 
 
 pervades the breasts of men who have 
 ranked so high in the commercial world. 
 
 Church-lane — In which are situated 
 the houses of John Lees, Esq. (lord of the 
 manor of Oldham), and his son-in-law, 
 William Chippindale, Esq. two handsome 
 modern-built houses. His son, Edward 
 Lees, Esq. occupies Wernith-cottage, near 
 the original mansion of Wernith-hall, now 
 the property of his father, and which was 
 the original manor-house of the Oldham's 
 of Oldham, of which more hereafter. 
 
 King-street — Contains the houses of 
 Messrs. William, Joseph, and John Jones ; 
 the two first are handsome houses, the 
 ground in front thereof being laid out in 
 a very pleasing way, exhibiting in summer 
 chaplets of all the varieties and beauties 
 which Flora can display. — In King-street 
 also is the house of Mr. Bellott, surgeon, 
 which he has been at great pains to im- 
 prove, and which certainly has now a neat 
 and genteel appearance. A step from the 
 
5(3 
 
 street called Yorkshire-street at the bottom 
 of a beautiful garden, stands 
 
 RETIRO — The habitation of Mr. 
 Cocks, surgeon ; to a person of a solitary 
 
 or scientific turn of mind, where could he 
 select a happier mansion — retired from the 
 hustle of business, and in the very bosom 
 the town ? 
 
 RHODES-HOUSE — The property of H. 
 
 OW, Esq. stands on a gentle eminence, 
 a little further than Yorkshire-street, near 
 the termination of Bow-street. It is a very 
 neat structure, modern-built, with some 
 tasteful gardens laid out on a piece of 
 ground -A little further, just 
 
 as you enter Bridge-street, stands 
 
 WALLSHAW-HOUSB — The habitation 
 of James Lees, Esq. which is a neat house, 
 and he has rendered an uncomfortable and 
 barren piece of ground, fronting his house, 
 as beautiful a garden as any in the neigh- 
 bourhood ; and if contrast lias effect in 
 
contributing to baauty, this effect will ap- 
 pear with all its force here:— for this 
 garden amply corrects that defect in space 
 which is wanting in front of the house. 
 
 Acre-bank — A neat, brick house, the 
 present residence of Messrs. Radcliffes, 
 lies in the vicinity of 
 
 Pit-bank — This beautiful mansion, 
 built by Mr. Dunkerly, but now the pro- 
 perty of Daniel Lees, Esq. is the most 
 elegant building in the township. It is 
 situate on a gently-ascending eminence, 
 commanding a fine southern prospect* 
 Before the house is a rich piece of meadow 
 land, and immediately in front is a most 
 elegant parterre and shrubbery, fancifully 
 laid out with an artificial tumulus, which, 
 with the gardens adjoining, render it a 
 most desirable situation. If taste — if, ele- 
 gance of design — if nature assisted by the 
 fullest powers of art, have charms to attract 
 the most insensible, and to fix the most 
 vacant eye — here is a luxury . 
 
58 
 
 LoweR'CLArksfield— During a long 
 period this place has been the residence of 
 one of the many families inhabiting this 
 neighbourhood, of the name of Lees. — The 
 estate was purchased in 1625, by John Lees, 
 from Sir George Booth, of Dunham-Massey> 
 in the county of Chester. — It appears that 
 the Lees family occupied the estate long 
 before this time, as tenants to the ancient 
 family of Booth, who possessed large 
 demesnes in this neighbourhood, and whose 
 representative, the present earl of Stam- 
 ford, is still possessed of extensive property 
 in the neighbouring parish of Ashton- 
 under-line John Lees, the purchaser of 
 the estate, died in 1684, and by his will 
 devised the same to his grandson John, son 
 of James Lees, of Clarksfield , who died in his 
 father's life time. — In 1724, John Lees, the 
 grandson, died, and by his will devised 
 the estate to his son John ; from whom it 
 was transmitted in 1750, by will to John 
 Lees, son of the last ; and by him in 1 766, 
 it was devised to the late Mr. John Lees of 
 Ashton, his eldest son, who resided there 
 
59 
 
 In the early part of his life. — Since his and 
 Mrs. Lees' death, the estate has become the 
 property of Mr. John Lees of Fairfield. The 
 house is a plain stone building in the modern 
 taste, consisting of a centre and wings, and 
 stands on a declivity fronting the south.™ 
 The situation is very pleasant, and com- 
 mands an extensive view of the valley 
 through which the Medlock takes its 
 course. — Down the valley westward, the 
 prospect is very extensive, being- bounded 
 more immediately by the hills of Oheshi e 
 and Derbyshire, and in the back ground by 
 those of Staffordshire and North Wales; 
 eastward the view is confined by the bold 
 rocks and wild hills of orreenfield, and 
 other parts of Saddlewortk. 
 
 « A wide domain, 
 
 And rich the soil if purple heiiih were grain/' 
 
 Immediately in front appears the 
 village of Lees ; and behind, o rather a 
 little on the right appears t!u bla ;<k moor- 
 land of Boardinaii's-Edge, making a 
 
CO 
 
 Singular contrast with the comparatively 
 richer lands surrounding it. The lesser 
 hills and grounds within the range of the 
 prospect from Clarksfield, remind us 
 forcibly by their names *, of forests now 
 laid waste and bare; we think of states 
 and manners long since changed and gone, 
 ana our imagination reverts to former 
 days, and to the athletic forms of our 
 bold and hardy ancestors, 
 
 u A stock of striplings strong of heart, 
 Brought up from babes, with beef and bread/' 
 
 who were then accustomed to rouse the 
 bounding hart, and cheer the opening 
 hound, and pursue with eager avidity the 
 destruction of the wild tenants of the 
 woods. But now, instead of 
 
 <c A dreary desert and a gloomy waste, 
 To sayage beasts and savage laws a prey/' 
 
 we are cheered with the sight of cultivated 
 
 * Hartshead, Roebuck-Loe, Sbelders-Loe. 
 
61 
 
 nature ; and though we have not yet to 
 boast of the richness and fertility of some 
 of the newly inclosed lands, yet we may 
 boast of the population and mauufactures. 
 Seldom do we see so great a change as that 
 of Greenacres-moor, where lately so 
 desolate and dreary was it, that a solitary 
 ass might long strive and scarcely could 
 crop a mouthful of herbage. It has within 
 these few years been inclosed, and now in 
 lieu of peat and bog-moss, it presents to 
 view well cultivated fields, and flourishing 
 plantations which all seem to have been 
 extorted from the niggard hand of nature, 
 by the persevering arm of industry. 
 When improved nature is the subject, we 
 must not forget 
 
 New clarksfield— The property 
 and residence of James Lees, Esq. — This 
 estate, part of the old Clarksfield estate, 
 is on the very verge of this late barren 
 moor before-named. In the recent im- 
 provements of the present owner, we have 
 a striking proof how much art may do 
 H 
 
62 
 
 for nature, when aided by industry and 
 perseverence. — The house, a handsome 
 modern-built brick edifice, fronts the road 
 from Oldham to Lees. It is ornamented 
 with numerous plantations, well culti- 
 vated and handsome gardens and pleasure 
 grounds. 
 
 Loeside — The residence of the late 
 Mr. Jonah Andrew, whose memory will 
 be long revered and cherished by the 
 author, from early recollections. — The 
 house is a neat stone building, in the 
 modern form, standing on the very steep 
 declivity of the hill called Loes, and com- 
 mands a very extensive prospect to the 
 south ; but step to the plantation and gar- 
 den behind the house, the prospect is still 
 more grand and extensive ; and yet go 
 another step higher, to the top of the hill, 
 and 
 
 " Heav'ns, what a goodly prospect spreads 
 around, 
 
63 
 
 Of hills, and dales, and woods, and lawns, and 
 
 spires, 
 And glitt'ring towns, and gilded streams, till all 
 The circling landscape into smoke decays." 
 
 From henoe we have a view of that 
 romantic valley, which in many places 
 forms the boundary of the parish, I mean 
 Rocher-Vale, and the beautiful valley of 
 Bardsley. 
 
 If the recollection of early scenes 
 should influence the author to expatiate a 
 little on this valley, though not exactly 
 within the line prescribed for this history, 
 yet I hope the reader will indulge me in 
 this liberty* as some of my remarks may 
 generally apply to the history of this part 
 of the country at large, and also may in some 
 degree be illustrative of our subject, by 
 giving the reader an idea of this part 
 of the parish, as connected with that of 
 Ashton-uuder-line. 
 
 Here nature spreads before the view 
 Her chequer'd robe of many & hue. 
 
64 
 
 Barren cliffs and mountains high, 
 
 Tire the slow-ascending eye ; 
 
 Whilst the brown wood's darksome shade, 
 
 Seems for melancholy made ; 
 
 And to yonder smiling farm 
 
 Gires a brighter, lov'lier charm. 
 
 Here Medlock rolls his waters by, 
 Withdrawing slowly from the eye : 
 Each flow'r that on its border grows, 
 It gently kisses as it flows ; 
 And ev'ry pebble, o'er and o'er 
 It seems at parting to deplore. 
 Reluctant onward still it goes, 
 And sullen, sad and silent flows, 
 Till lost amidst the distant view, 
 It bids the happy Vale adieu ! 
 
 There is in this valley, a little above 
 the bed or channel of the brook Medlock, 
 and immediately below a weir or dam, a 
 hole hi the rock, perfectly smooth and cir- 
 cular, about six feet in breadth, and three 
 in depth, shaped much like a boiler or 
 iron pot ; and within the recollection of 
 the author, there w r as another, much 
 smaller, on the opposite bed of the brook? 
 
65 
 
 the diameter of which might be about nine 
 inches, and the depth at least eighteen, 
 of a perfectly circular shape within, and 
 as smooth as the best artist could have 
 worked it. The latter one, I am sorry to 
 say, is now buried under the embankment 
 raised for the support of the said weir 
 or dam. These excavations were called 
 Pots and Pans by the country people, 
 and had a great resemblance to those of 
 the same name in Sad die worth ; the latter 
 however are on an eminence, while the 
 former are in the very depth of the vale. 
 The most superficial observer could never 
 have supposed the smaller excavations to 
 have been effected by the force of the 
 current. 
 
 Of the excavation still visible, if more 
 closely examined, there appears a strong 
 probability of its being a work of art ; for 
 besides its extreme regularity and smooth- 
 ness, it is so situated that the current could 
 not produce such an effect, being pro- 
 tected from its force by a projecting part 
 of the rock, on that side which is the most 
 H 2 
 
66 + 
 
 perfect. The other side, indeed, appears 
 to have sustained some injury from the 
 water washing against it. 
 
 To what end these excavations were 
 made (and made they must be) it is not 
 possible to ascertain. — In Saddleworth* 
 Todmerden, in the parish of Halifax, and 
 various other places not far distant, are to 
 be found similar remains, which are con- 
 sidered by skilful and learned Antiquaries 
 to be the work of the Druids, after their 
 expulsion from Mona in Anglesea. W$ 
 know that they retreated northward, and 
 continued long after their extermination 
 from South Britain ; and their favourite 
 places for celebrating their mystical rites, 
 were the " highest of hills or lowest of 
 valiies." Query — Do not some of their 
 descendents still exist, who after a lapse 
 of ages, preserve still perfect traits of 
 synonimies. 
 
 " But that I am forbid 
 
 To tell the secrets of my prison-house, 
 I could a tale unfold " 
 
67 
 
 Another circumstance adds to the 
 probability of our conjectures — the con- 
 tiguity of the place called Bardsley, or 
 the Bard's Field. The bards were their 
 historians, their heraldsj and poets of their 
 day, and composed the hymns used by 
 them when celebrating their mystical 
 rites. 
 
 Waterloo — The house and residence 
 of Mr. George Nelson, is situate by the 
 side of a small brook which discharges 
 its waters into the river Medlock, and was 
 anciently denominated " Sheepwashes." 
 It is a neat modern brick building, and 
 has been much improved since the present 
 resident purchased it. It is situate in that 
 valley which lies below and is south-east 
 from the town of Oldham. The garden 
 and shrubberies, as well as the land, will 
 in a few years be objects of attraction, 
 
GQ 
 
 Ancient Man 
 
 WERNITH-HALL — Originally the man- 
 sion of the Oldham's of Oldham, I 
 property of John Lees, Esq. of Oldl 
 Its appearance beap atiqnity, tho 
 
 devoid of any tiling ornamental ; it 
 the hoary look of two Centuries at !• 
 and donbtleSB within its wall- have I 
 
 many festive meetings. Man} ■ time I 
 
 our paternal and mate] : ihin 
 
 these walls 
 
 " Spent the A 
 11 Oa the light fantaal 
 
 " 'till the douh; 
 
 Their BC€ < - of nvi | iment a: 
 they aie -one 
 
 11 To that bourne from whence 
 returns 
 
 We are exhibiting" our giddy Itmndl 
 
 mirth and vanity, and shortly v 
 
 " Sleep as sound as they d 
 
Matthew de Oldham, father in the 13th 
 year of King John. She wjkg married to 
 one of the Cudworths. hear Oldham. 
 
 John Cudworth <- 
 
 of Cudworth, Idham. 
 
 Richard < 
 
 Geoifry ? 
 
 John Cud 
 
 I'-r-liin*. 
 
 1st child 
 Ralph Cud- = fane daatr. 
 
 worth, obit. B of Arthur 
 in reign of x isbtOB <>1 
 Elizabeth, — Rochd 
 
 ik! 
 El. I h . eahalgh, 
 
 riiudleshome. 
 
 John Cud- 
 worth, of 
 Warmth, ob. 
 1662,a*e8tf 
 
 Alice. daugh- 
 ter of \n- 
 thonv MotS- 
 h v. 
 
 Joshua Cud- Ann, dr. of J. 
 
 worth, of ss Ho km It of 
 Wernith, Holcroh. 
 
 I 
 
 Joshua Cuduorth, who sold Wt 
 
 I 
 
 John Cudworth living in 170(1, 
 
 ThotiMU 
 
 ♦ To Sir Ralph I Mill llll, af MuMIe Yorkshire. TV? 
 
 Listers sold il to Minim Parker and Sid- of OMhtJB. for 
 30,0001. It is oulv about 100 acres bi 
 
 * page 69. 
 
69 
 
 The land belonging to this estate is 
 doubtless the most fertile, and in the 
 highest state of cultivation of any in the 
 township. [See annexed PetftyrM. 
 
 Chamber-hall — Situate on an emi- 
 nence, commands a very extensive pros- 
 pect of the country south. Manchester 
 appears full in the perspective* It is a 
 stone mansion, very handsome, considering 
 its antiquity. The cottage of Chamber, 
 the present residence of the curate of 
 Hollinwood, is a neat small brick building*. 
 
 Mated B little below the hail, 
 with some pleasant shrubberies, walks and 
 ens adjoining thereto, rery i 
 
 laid out. — It was lately the habitation of 
 
 Mr. Archibald Bell. — The following it,, 
 and date are over the door of a detached 
 building near the hall, H.VV. 1G 18. This 
 place was anciently the residence of a 
 ily of the name of Tetlow, the first of 
 whom married a daughter of the ancient 
 family of the Oldhams of Oldham. 
 
Matthew de Oldham, father of the following- Margery Oldham of Oldham, was living in the 13th 
 year of King John, Mie was the i I I ill , and was married to 
 
 one of the Cudworths. Here follows the Pedigree of the Cudworths of Wernith, near Oldham. 
 
 'orth, in the County of York ) m 
 
 Vlargery, daughter and oo- 
 leir of Matt. Oldham of Oldham. 
 
 Richard died withouUssue. 
 
 Geotrry visit. 5th Edw. IV. = 
 
 John Cudworth of Wernith= 
 
 Ralph Cudworth: 
 
 'Elizabeth, daughter of Stephen of Nuthurst. 
 
 IphCud- a Janedautr. Elizabetli=George Newton, 
 
 r ■' '-"■■■■ of Newton, in 
 
 worth, obit. § of Arlli 
 in reign of =• A* 1 " 
 Elizabeth, =- R( 
 
 hard Revel, Alice=Thos. Greenbalg 
 
 < 
 
 ley. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Joshua Cud- 
 worth, of 
 Wernith, 
 
 Hoi 
 
 dr. of Jo 
 roft of 
 roft. 
 
 
 1 Fr l nc . s R . d l ard An 
 
 houy Thoma 
 
 . Daiie! 
 
 MJ.C* 
 
 orth, w 
 th (livin 
 
 g in 17GG, 
 
 nith* 
 
 iDuL 
 
 = Margaret Lackey, 
 lin) = Mary, daughter of Job 
 
 nBond. 
 
 
 
70 
 
 The following is the pedigree of thh, 
 ancient family : — 
 
 Adarn de Tetlow, Bva] Ufai W..h< hm I 
 near Mancheiter, ' Adami de Oldham de 
 Eccles. 
 
 -Robert de Richard de Tetlow, Adam dc 
 
 Tetlow. deWetnith, i,p, T< tlow. 
 
 Richard dc Tetlow, 
 
 dc W rrnith i 
 
 Chainh 
 
 — i 
 
 Wernith. 
 
 —Richard de Tetlow, 
 
 \ ivens 1370. 
 
 low, 
 I obit 1416, 
 
 — 1 w, 
 
 illl. 
 
 —Robert de Tetlow, de 
 
 i imber all,:, \\ , i - 
 
 Mliohaad de Tetlow, nth, \i\it i 
 
 dc l'lumbei,\iv.l 177. 
 
 \ :liur deTr 
 •iibrr.Mv 
 --Arthur dc Tetl 
 
 de Chamber, i;>17. — John , of 
 
 Chaiub 
 
-Lawrence Tetlow of 
 
 Chamber. — Richard Tetlow, of 
 
 Chamber, 1572. 
 
 on& heir, Rich. 
 Tetlow, of Chamber. 
 
 2d.^uii,tdmunclTetlow 
 
 Robert Tetlow, of Chamber, vixit 1631. 
 
 George Wood, of 
 Chamber. Jure ux. 
 
 Jane Tetlow, daugh- 
 ter dc heire*.i. 
 
 John Wood, of London. 
 
 G€org< V John Wood sold Chamber inlll K6. 
 
 Then it I to the Wriirlevs and Wrocs ; 
 
 and it i* now the propett] ;g, llopwood, 
 
 !!• ron, and Starker, Ekqrfc 
 
72 
 
 55 
 
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 fa 
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74 
 
 oily of ill** ( ■ 
 og considei - in ( >i<i ! . . 1 
 
 (hat fain 
 
 John Gran 
 
 I)'. - fh. 
 
 Ed n . G 
 
 ?i !.. L78S. 
 
 Edn I 
 
 born i: ._. S Id 
 Culcbetfa in L7I 
 
 Jam ( ! u .'.«: ... - i 
 
 I of 
 
 jton. 
 
 of Bwtoac, 
 ibire, m, \j. 
 
 Chn < 
 
 GRl J and Mil 
 
 connected, form ■ 00 
 I Gre< leated on 
 
 On 1 1 i If In- the lidfl of tip "hi road lead* 
 
 hlg from Ohlh i')i to M* 
 
 i> hut a tVw pa'-es below.- It appears by 
 
 - r sunder fHftw 
 
to 
 
 the most ancient writings 1 have seen, that 
 led Gfeenacre, as being the 
 top part of Gre -moor, and \va> 
 
 pei : <t cultivated. It certainly bore 
 
 the name BB tong Blbce 0. 
 
 TTie author baa in hi> poi □ a 
 
 Cbpy i l .lorandum- ( ! 
 
 the till ft talc, w rit- 
 
 ten i th, \> bo 1 Mip- 
 
 po 6f J Ofehtia y iniw mill, 
 
 dai of lioUi oft - From 
 
 those I copied the p&ragraph re«| - 
 t hf e ibcfei led 
 
 under the I;* I, ten 
 
 tied 
 to lia\ c been built. 
 
 denominate Wei niih a town, and afab .-(ate 
 Y l • "i nith \va> 
 
 l»'i: nt. w ith all t'.e evidences fur the sini", 
 
 on the 2l of 
 
 m Wil- 
 liam de Wernith, (son of Adam de Old- 
 
 nam de Iv od brother of Eva, who 
 
 was tie :' the first Adam do Tetlow* 
 
 of Chamber-hall) granted it and his waste 
 
76 
 
 called Greenacres-moor, and certain hills 
 called Abranvhills lying by Greenacres- 
 moor, to his son Adam." — In the village 
 is a chapel of the Independents. 'I 
 preaching-home was established by the 
 Rer. Robert Constantino, who had been 
 minister of Oldham* church, but was 
 Ejected. He first began fa in a 
 
 thatched bouse there. Th< 
 place was the present habitation ol Mr. 
 
 John W 
 
 they removed ■ little Lower dc 
 village, to the hou> ! by 
 
 James Heywood. This was the tir>t place 
 properly established as a ohapelj the dust 
 
 deed of Whloh May loth |( 
 
 The present ohapel was th of 
 
 Maj i i B9| bj Mr. Bruce from LI 
 Mr. Simpson from Bolton, and -Mr. Bl 
 burn from Tockholee. The Sund v fol- 
 lowing, Mr. James baptized l 
 time therein. 
 
 • Se< 1UI of the at OldkftB* 
 
77 
 
 The ministers who have officiated at 
 Greenacres, from the time of the founder: 
 
 1. 
 
 R. Constantine. 
 
 7. — James. 
 
 2. 
 
 — Denton, buried 
 
 8. — Hale, (now at 
 
 
 at Oldham. 
 
 HeckmondwN kc.) 
 
 1 
 
 — Burgess, of the 
 
 9. — Coles, of Mid- 
 
 
 BurL r t *sse> of Wa- 
 
 dlewieh, huried 
 
 
 terbonses. 
 
 at Bake well. 
 
 1. 
 
 — Harrison. 
 
 10. — Jenkinson. 
 
 '). 
 
 — Gladstone. 
 
 1 1. — GmHandi the 
 
 <;. 
 
 — Harrop. 
 
 present Minister. 
 
 The chapel is a handsome edifice of 
 stone, and will contain 500 people. There 
 i* a monument in the cast end thereof, 
 commemorative of Mr. Jenkinson, the late 
 minister, who died May 23, 18 d 29 
 
 six cottages, with the parsonage- 
 house (a neat building: a few paces from 
 the chapel), ami four acres of freehold 
 I md, constitute the salary of the minister, 
 with the additional profits arising from an 
 adjoining- handsome and well-built school. 
 
 * There ure ilso tuu \aults with monumental insorip • 
 Uons : one belonging to Mr. WinterboUoni, of (!ri;cn-lum 
 nnd the other to Mr. DilUillMMlk, of Oldham, tlBpUt9-WoHt«V. 
 
 i 2 
 
75! 
 
 Glodtcick. 
 
 A VILLAGE situate on th< f a hill 
 
 in the township of Oldham, and about 
 miles from the town itaotf, bi 9 I b pi 
 
 \ cry ancient origin, TIhhiJi I <-.-n scarcely 
 
 think that it received Itl nam** h<>m t lie 
 
 Roman- under (lu\idius, and thence 
 
 called Claiidiu ick, jii rmnpliment t 
 
 BS some have rnn jerti: i ed. A 
 
 Urloawick, Mr. John Vl 'Intel 
 
 dead, published some- torioiU H on 
 
 this place, and a certain moi hrain- 
 
 lus near it Y: which appeared m any 
 
 >. in Mr. rr$icot'fl M met* 
 he supposes, that toe Kbman aj *till 
 
 perfectly trtsibieal Street, iieai Hollin 
 and whieh connected the i Man- 
 
 cuniuni (nou with Castle- 
 
 vhaw and Castle-hill in Saddlcworth, 
 
 passed through this village, — 1 do 
 
 * This tiimulu* 
 Rfctp, Hie owner of the U ad 
 
exactly conceive V. is so clearly as Mr. W ., 
 though I cannot withold my approbation 
 otktk rfemarkA It i ^ very certain the said 
 • 1 must l:avo past either through this 
 village or near it, because of the direcf 
 liri: to connect Maneuniuni and 
 
 ,11 of which are 
 I, ami in fact, exhibit in- 
 p] <»of- of i- < '.> • oi j in. 
 in irivi 
 implie ' nent, and 
 
 Ml rtthet to rtlilil 'he 
 
 Hi] IIJ R i itten 
 
 Claud" I, that in the ;Mh year of the 
 
 roi£'ii of Charles I. tho land a djotoJ 
 thifl vil I by Thomas Cotterell, 
 
 \]<<\. of Loud -n, to one Alexander Lomax 
 (who was fth i of one Nathan 
 
 Lomax, a Suiireon, who practNod at Dol- 
 <tile, near Ol.il am.) in that lease; and in 
 another conusance of I be place, in 
 
 lb 10. the |»i tee now written Qlud if h?k , is 
 there wi itten Glodith,* which not 
 
 i . 
 
80 
 
 to favour the >upp<^ f [tfl being once 
 
 written Claudiwick (the orthograph; 
 
 wilicfa is DUQCfa furl) 
 
 Claadiwiek than our present mode of? 
 
 it ). By the paid lease it i 
 out* of the MHU of the said Alexander 
 LopiaXj was a Sl Linen \\ «•!)-• 
 thai the manufacture of linen i bad 
 
 ly made its way to "Glodkb," 
 which mnel I i thle 
 
 and *.* 
 
 It consist* at preoenl of 1 1 
 numl detached and h boill 
 
 i or dwellings, a< 
 two poblio»hom I another, a U 
 
 a little below, al Three4an 
 
 Glodwick mar boast of bajring been 
 the residence of ti the 
 
 spinning jenny ; foi U ii aol poi rec< ■ 
 Mr. Aikin ha his History of Mm* \egter 
 
 its. M that 5ii Richard Ark I was 
 
 It wpfmn Si AthertonUeld 36 acrMof 
 
 laml m tho hauilt •'. 
 
ei 
 
 the inventor," It was Messrs. Heap and 
 Cowper, of Glodwick, who first made 
 the spinning jenny, and it was exhibited by 
 one John dough, at Manchester, and was 
 left there. After which, some person 
 from Bolton, perhaps Arkwright himself, 
 took a model thereof. 
 
 On the Loes (a hill lying a little above 
 the village ) i> a hermitage built in a roman- 
 tic fa>hion, with a fantastic garden. The 
 appearance of the hermitage is very mean 
 without, but the proprietorhas be e n atgreat 
 pains to render the Interior comfortable. 
 The air of • ole is ludicrously pleasant, 
 
 and would be an ag r eea ble retreai if it had 
 been built a little larger. It i> named in 
 allusion to the owner's profession, M iV; - 
 (juta Pictort 
 
 lioundthorn, 
 
 A sm.all village at the extremity of the 
 parish eastward, situate formerly on the 
 declivity, but now, being so much en- 
 larged, at the foot of the hill called Loes. 
 Within the remembrance of the author, 
 
6£ 
 
 it contained only three or 
 cottages; but now it assumes the .appear- 
 ance of a second-rate village. Then 
 a public-house here, and some ei 
 coal works in its vicinity.- -Tradition - 
 that the lust cottar* i 'i«»n in 
 
 place was built under the vernal 
 spreading branches ol a tall and \ 
 hawthorn. 
 
 Ru • 
 A i ea(ed at 
 
 tfcf foot I i liie Iftid I; 'II i noitli-enl 
 
 *li«v ,id i« a pla 
 
 T/ir Xetc Earth*. 
 
 The Id meriy tl lenoe 
 
 the pronert\ 
 Pauntsey Halifi I > 1 o<6 
 
 . n t re*ivler h£r be] 
 
 lo #atnmi 5.. - f, ld. 
 
83 
 
 Side of Greenacres-Moor, 
 
 May be considered in itself a village, 
 but is so nearly connected with the town, 
 that in a few years, if a brisk and flourishing 
 <le should again cheer the drooping 
 sph its of the mercantile and adventurous 
 world, it would be considered as form- 
 ing the extreme eastern branch of the 
 town of Oldham itself. 
 
 Indeed what was once the 1 men 
 heath, then denominated Gre<> -moor, 
 
 ii .io\v so nearly enc:icled by clusters of 
 cottager, mills and man sfactorfa s, M to 
 form several li ipulMM bia&feb 
 
 all from 01dh;.m itself, \\ hicl: ap- 
 
 pears as the trunk or centre. 
 
 I he eel ii'\ s"lf for not 
 
 noticiug under the head Residences, the 
 two houses and large ua&nfactorkifl ad- 
 joining the same, belonging to Messrs. 
 Moss and Drideoake ; i. are two neat 
 brick built mansions, and weie deserving 
 of former notice. 
 
84 
 
 Mitt-Bra* end Waterhead-MQl^ > 
 MM-Bottom 
 
 Lib oo the old road to Yorkshire, 
 in the neighbourhood of Hems. Moss and 
 Brktooake'fl eret 
 
 nected together, they form at U were one 
 small vi part of which kfl rftoati 
 
 Oldham, and (he otl - »rth and 
 
 Ashton-onder-line. It ml of « 
 
 Qeoting point Of tOC imunic^ 
 
 of the pai iahee. I poblio- 
 
 hotiaea, and there are several cotton-i 
 erected there and Id il bourhpod. 
 
 At Poden- and a place called Crow- 
 ley, arc situate two Old mansions, on 
 decliviy of the hill abme Mill, ih« 
 betnie-named (and by the ini, 
 siding there so abbreviated Tl ese places 
 have been long recorded in the bool 
 
 this parochial ehapelry. 
 
 * Note a l i Lcin? the residence of Job* BrieHy, a rtry 
 eccentric character, who was a carrier to London, and front 
 this pint B In iiu liis residence, be was called Old Podcn. IN 
 was buried March l?th, 1688. 
 
85 
 
 Co unth ill, 
 
 Which stands on the very eminence 
 of the hill, is the residence of several 
 families, particularly of the CteggS.* De- 
 ieending from thence, and proceeding 
 north-west, we come to the two Barmn- 
 s/taiis\ the import of whose names <!• 
 nate them places of antiquity. — Barron ,t 
 from Beorfi (Saxon), i.e. hills or mounts 
 
 (I hy the Saxons in honour of those 
 who died in the field of battle; and Shan\ 
 from SchaWi !;« _ < . a thicket or small 
 wood. It is evident from the terms, that 
 some grefed hattle was fought at or near 
 this j)lace. If the revolution ol a thousand 
 
 • It srmis tl < I ilic Clcg^ bare long rended 
 
 lor the following carioai entrj appears in the R< 
 of OUllmni Church : M Duiml, ibetonofja f, Jim. 
 
 fit CouitUiill. born the Cjth of June, 1687, and 
 Gn euu! n i 15.U ii," 
 
 t GoogQ in his S*pulchr;tl Monuments observes, that 
 Barrows are the mubt auci< ut sepulchral mouunieuts in the 
 \>oild. 
 
 K 
 
years hath buried in oblivion every t 
 of the event — il'a - on of still more 
 
 recent, uwd perhapi mdre important oc- 
 currences, have obl I from the page 
 of history ill record- of the transaction, 
 onouah tqmik lie very names, to 
 farnish a reflect id uith iteeog ideas 
 thai BOHM glfeef <t*n tlict hath occurred 
 heir-. 
 
 Still further OOl th. ami nlWKm 
 extremity of the tuwnship, lip Ua 
 Foxholes, sad JFnthvrhill : and west « 
 I'niin thence lies the x e of Mr. It. 
 
 Cow per. under ihe frowning I 
 Beesom-hilL forming I pleasant contrast 
 frith the bleak and arid mountain above 
 
 it. Thence ho Ihe d csoa rt of the hill a*? 
 
 you journey towards the rivulet Bl 
 meet frith a duster of cottages denomi- 
 nated Vrtmvisvs • here is a public-hmw\ 
 and in the vicinity a public school for the 
 instruction of youth, built a few years 
 
 SgQ 
 
87 
 
 Sholver. 
 
 Lies still further west, and is a small 
 village of great antiquity. There are a 
 considerable number of cottages here, 
 though they are not regularly built. The 
 houses aie chiefly built of stone, and 
 have a rustic appearance. It appears on 
 record, that Roger de Ashelou, of the 
 ancient family of Ashton-undei-line. did, 
 in the seventh year of the reign of Henry 
 V., hold 36 acres of land, Lcionging to 
 Gilbert Hulme, in Sholver.* 
 
 In the neighbourhood hereof is a 
 very pleasant retreat, tin* residence of 
 .Mr. Scholes, who long served under the 
 banners of his country ; but now, retired 
 from the bustle of active life, he enjoys 
 in the reclusion lie has here chosen, much 
 more comfort perhaps than many whose 
 shoulders glitter witii the golden straps oi 
 honour. His cottage and garden, de- 
 
 * Seo Percival'6 Manuscripts. 
 
08 
 
 signed and laid out by himself, it is ini- 
 pOMfktfl to pass unnoticed ; they are really 
 beautiful ! 
 
 A little north of this, in a small 
 thoilffa deep valley 
 
 the Dinylc. This plftOi alf a 
 
 centuiA bj I most tren 
 
 storm of thunder and lighti rhieh 
 
 jet't i token oi Its dreodfiri 
 beheld irith admiral I 
 
 Hospital -e: is 
 
 suspended, split by lightning at tfa 
 
 in the said storm, * hile the wearer thi 
 gfee iped unhurt. 
 
 • deters, Falhtood, Hurley- Road, and 
 Vt't''Cott\ bordering • nship of 
 
 Roj ton, all appear In the compass of the 
 landscape ; and passing Broadbent, we 
 come to of Mti I b, at 
 
 Whi 
 the Kei shavi b famil] 
 
 rep, of CopstOl !: 
 
 ;s an old mansion. I 
 
 I een given it ere that pei t el I 
 
89 
 
 enclosed. A little below lies another 
 ancient and respectable-looking mansion, 
 
 -I Dirtcm—, and on the right, Stamp- 
 ston<\ an old man-ion. with Lower-h* 
 which places have loftg been the residence 
 of the Milues. 
 
 Lower Moor % and Higher Mo 
 
 LlKK other places in this township, 
 
 that formerly were moor-land, assume 
 very much the appearance of vill. 
 being iO crowded with habitations. 
 
 Ill the vicinity lie* Htfrt/.'f/). and the 
 ancient residence ot ihc Pott Dill «- 
 
 I091 bo denominated from theii profession. 
 There i sent babita- 
 
 i, w 1 1 1 1 i urdeni adjoining i!i<mh. 
 
 oi Mr. Melloi and Mr. 
 
 luel Milne rhs latter, called Hig- 
 </{/is>Kiu\ i„ i of antiquity, 
 
 We now ascend the dark and frown* 
 
 lag summit of Oldhatn-tchjc, \\ here within 
 
 the author's recollection stood a rerj 
 
 ancient snmmer-house. From this lofty 
 eminence we have « D 
 K 2 
 
m 
 
 spect of all the country round, for 40 
 miles south, and 20 or 30 north. 
 
 Below Oldham-ed^e lie the two Hors- 
 €dges y perhaps the oldest mansions that 
 lie in or near the town, Wernith exce; 
 In a hollow, just on the border* of what 
 was formerly North-moor, Mm the an- 
 house Darned Coldhnrst \ the c 
 This place, tHe very mansion now atand- 
 
 1 httftgiae, was built at least three 
 eenturie> Ige, and I believe if any DM 
 will view the in )t the Iioum-. he will 
 
 be com inred of the truth of my ajjertlon. 
 
 i\o)/h-/>to<>>\ adjoining, iwarutf with its 
 
 multitude-, b0ing nearly encircled with 
 
 ut-built cottage-, inhabited chiefly 
 
 i>v m e.u an of strong -a of 
 
 men whose privation! fur the last twenty 
 
 - have been nnparallelled — pr 
 
 too that no othei pari of the community 
 have ever felt in anv d pri- 
 
 son Ul their-, and who have still I 
 
 with a de g ree of patience unexampled in 
 
 hfatOiy. It is a mutter of rej 
 means can be devised for their rci 
 
91 
 
 I am inclined to consider them as some 
 of the best subjects in the realm, i( not 
 crushed down by distress beyond endur- 
 ance. 
 
 Snho, 
 Is a recent! ed manufactory, in 
 
 the neighbourhood of Fowleaoh in thi> 
 township. The room where the manufac- 
 tory is carried on, which is the turning of 
 rollers, Bating - A<\ on fitting- up 
 
 any kind of nietalic work for machinery 
 thought to he the l<<r^e>t employed for a 
 lilar pocpeee Ul any part of Lancashire. 
 The number of hand- employed is very 
 jrreat ; and the quantity of woi k per- 
 formed by tliem would, to tho>e who 
 work**'! in the infancy of tln> business, 
 be deemed incredible. The whole is the 
 property of Mr. Samuel Lee- late of 
 Holto-mill, within Knott-lanes, in the 
 parish of \*hu>n-under-line. 
 
n 
 
 Lees-halt, now surrounded with a 
 duster Of COttages, was formerly the 
 bitation of the Lingards, though prol 
 original! y built by some person of the n 
 of Lees. We pass Alder-rooty and the • 
 sion built lately by ^lr. John Scholfieid; 
 and arriving at Fetr-#i behold fibl- 
 
 limtood) that formerly iraete piece of lead. 
 Here ire baVe a grand view Indeed, Go 
 is encircled like the other lafe Ism 
 by hundreds of habitations, cottonn 
 warehouses, public-houses, fee, and I 
 this view it app ftdai 
 
 town. 
 
 On Che left of Hollinwood lies Hal- 
 dershau's an ancient man-ion, perl 
 Improperly written Adder* the wood 
 
 of adders). It ikm, 
 
 very much fallen to i for witliin 
 
 the author's recollection it exhibited some 
 
 marks of ancient grandeur, paitioulai 
 
 stately gateway with iron gates. In the 
 
 reign of the unfortunate Charles, it was 
 the habitation of Sandeford, Esq.— 
 
 name is now extinct in this township, and 
 
0:) 
 
 I conceive he married with one of the 
 family at Chamber. 
 
 Swine-clough> an ancient farm which 
 lies a little below Glodwick, and was pur- 
 chased of Edmund Asheton, Esq. of Chad- 
 derton, by Adam Ogden the elder, of 
 Swine-clough. The indenture of feoff- 
 ment bears date January 25th, J 670, since 
 which lime till very lately, it has been in 
 the possession of tin- family of the Oldens, 
 who also possessed Lower-Horsedge, of 
 whom Air. Samuel Ogden, resident 
 
 at Horsedge, is the representative. 
 
 It now remains for me to describe 
 the boundary of this populous township; 
 therefore taking the bridge of Beal as the 
 point from whence to commence the circuit 
 or boundary-line, the watersof which divide 
 it from Roy ton, to the out-fence of a farm 
 called Rough-Meadow, and thence by the 
 boundary of the Owlers estate, including 
 the place called Dingle, when the fence of 
 the Holebottoni estate, in Crompton, se- 
 parates the townships ; (his fence termi- 
 
94 
 
 nates at, or rather verges the banks of a 
 small rivulet which has its source a little 
 below Grains ; this rivulet then forms 
 the line of limitation, then a fence of a 
 farm belonging to A. Clegg, Esq. div 
 Crompton and Oldham, to the toll-gate at 
 Grains, including a cottage there, and 
 passing a place railed Ffd)er*l Folly and 
 Wotherhill, the fence of wliioh fcMate 
 comes in ronfaot with (he riv«T M«*d. 
 near Eta source, the iraten of which d< 
 
 in silvery radiance the crown or bead of 
 the township, to a bridge near a p] 
 called Holts, with one trifling ex< 
 at Waterhead-mill, wl >re a cotton manu- 
 factory on the further side of the Med- 
 lock Is erected, one part thereof in Old- 
 ham, another In Ashton, and another in 
 
 Saddleworth.* Pursuing the boundai 
 the Loeside and Wabbovr-hill estates, in a 
 
 * T conceive from this circumstance that the coarse of 
 
 the Medlock has been diverted from its original bed or cha»- 
 uel, l>y the buildings erected on its banks at ibis place. 
 
95 
 
 deep and retired valley, we arrive at the 
 conflux of two very small rills, and fol- 
 lowing their course to a little below 
 Cherry- Valley, where that branch of the 
 Medlock which passes by Oldham, comes 
 in confluence with the rills before-men- 
 tioned ; and ascending this valley by the 
 course of the rivulet that passes near Old- 
 ham, we come to a point where the fence 
 of the estate of John Lees, Esq. of Ashton, 
 diverges up a steep ascent from the stream 
 a little below Glouwick-clough. The out- 
 fence of his estate, with estates belong- 
 ing to Sir Thomas Hor<< u. Langton, and 
 Hornby, including estates at Broadway- 
 lane Cross, and Duncui"ts, also Copsterhill 
 Harrison >Farm, Lime-yate, and Street, ex- 
 tend to the furthermost point cf the town 
 ship, which is occupied by Mrs Robinson 
 of Lime, and belongs to Mrs Barrow. We 
 here follow the line of its boundary over 
 the canal, and the highway to Manchester, 
 from whence it takes the direct line of the 
 highway (excepting only itenclosesWidow 
 Grocock's house); and atthe top of Hollin- 
 
DO 
 
 wood it diverge- from (he highway aln 
 in a tangent westward to tbe - the 
 
 Old Engine, and including an estate of 
 Sir Thomas Mortons, and a \ Mr-. 
 
 .Booth's estate, with thai of Mr.Schol 
 at Over-Cowhill, it tlan j • .«-- r- th<* top of 
 Alder-Hoot, to a place called Collin* 
 i Lees-hall, including whfc 
 
 almost Sin 
 to neara place calh «1 Bosk, ifl I 
 
 ng the top of Bui n!' includ- 
 
 ing the 
 
 and the land at 1 • Hon - Fold, to ■ ; 
 
 at a small below a place called 
 
 Pluinpton, i the towjishipi of Old- 
 
 ham, Chaddei t< d and H 
 
 we follow (hen the - rill, in- 
 
 cluding the land x>( \\r und 
 
 Ebon, and the Cold burst estate, directly 
 over the middle of Sal ah-Moor, to the top 
 of Oldham-Edg e down its 
 
 steepest declivity, by Higginshai 
 to Broadbent-Moes, and thence along the 
 rivulet of Beal to its bridge, wjhere we 
 commenced our circumambulation. 
 
THE 
 
 TOWNSHIP OF ROYTON. 
 
 Roy ton VilUnjc 
 
 Royton, the village so called, is 
 situate in a deep valley, surrounded by 
 high lands, \\ miles north-east of Oldham, 
 and about 8 miles east of Manchester. 
 Within the recollection of the author, it con- 
 tained only a few straggling and mean-built 
 cottages ; but in the last thirty years has 
 increased so amazingly, not only in the 
 number of habitations, but in the general 
 form and appearance (the houses of late 
 
 L 
 
98 
 
 being laid out in regular streets, and na 
 as such) that in reality it now assumes the 
 appearance of a very considerable village ; 
 and but for the pie>ent -tarnation in the 
 trade thereof, which is that of the manu- 
 facture of strong DtiMftns, it would have 
 been considerably larger, and even W&m . 
 
 in this general depraation of ooauna 
 
 the spirit of il> inhabitant- far surmounts 
 the ditVieultics and privations they endure, 
 for building after building h reared, and 
 the appearanca of the place i> improving- 
 under the inauapfokMM (loom that 
 
 vades every mercantile pm-pect. 
 
 According to the population report 
 of 1811, Koyton town-hip contained 
 houses, and 3,910 inhabitants It has 
 much increased since that time, particu. 
 
 larly within the vill ■ \\\ w hich mua| 
 
 contain at least in the present year ( 1817) 
 3)000 inhabitants. Thai part ot the village 
 which goes by the general name of Sumit/- 
 Lane\ consists wholly of new erections of 
 well-built brick houses, which hare all 
 been raised in the space of a very few 
 
99 
 
 years, presenting at present a regular 
 range of well-built streets. 
 
 St. Paul's Chapel, 
 
 A chapel of the establishment, built 
 of brick, being- a plain structure of the 
 modern style, and w as erected by the volun- 
 tary contribution ofseveral pious and well- 
 disposed persons in Royton, and its neigh- 
 bourhood. The land whereon the chapel 
 was built, and the chapel-yard, was given 
 by the late Thomas Percival Esq., of 
 Royton-hall.— Two marble monuments are 
 erected in the eastern interior of this 
 chapel, over the family vault of Sir Joseph 
 Radcliffe, Bart, of Mills-bridge, (late of 
 Royton-hall), on which are inscribed the 
 names of that part of the family already 
 deceased. 
 
 At the western exterior of the chapel, 
 on a square stone embodied within the 
 wall, the following- lines are engraven : — 
 
 " Deo imraortali, home ecclesiam dedica- 
 vit wunificientia vicinoram, regnant GeorgioII. 
 pro plici Augusto, p.p. Anno 1754." 
 
100 
 
 Regigter of the Curates of Royton, 
 from the building of the chapel, in the 
 year of our Lord 1754, to the present 
 time, 1817.— 
 
 1. Rev. Richard Dean, first curate, D< 
 
 in the \v\\r 17*>4. 
 
 2. Rev. Benjamin Tra\i-, \.B. son of M 
 
 Travj , nHley'jide, nominated curate SepU 
 1st, 17<>0. 
 
 3. Rev. James An In i curate Dec. 
 
 SMIj, 177 i, bj the Ri i I 
 
 Re< tor of I*r< 
 
 4. Rev. Richard Cur>, nominated curat*- June 
 
 'Jl^t, 177ii. 
 J (lei . Thorn {born, the pn ieal i 
 
 rf HoNtcii, Boaioafc J s 'j>t. Id, i: 
 
 Hilton-Hall, 
 
 Lately \\v% si* it of >ir Joseph Rad- 
 eliffe, Hart, <>t Mills-hi idtre, in the county 
 of Yoik, torn- . Mil 
 
 possessions in the>< -. to the Lords 
 
 Biron.- It is pleasantly seated in a ralleya 
 little further than the ridge of high laad de- 
 
101 
 
 nominated 01dham-edge,apart of which is 
 in the township of Royton. It is a firm, 
 well-built stone edifice, of ancient date* 
 and is remarkable for an uncommonly 
 Mrottg and heavy round stair-case, of that 
 kind seen in the ascent to a church, but 
 more massy. In the front of the house, a 
 Mall branch of the Irk meanders through 
 the bottom of the gardens, dividing' them 
 from a range of luxurious meadows and 
 vernal banks, declining gently in the front 
 
 of the hou>e. In tlie back ground, on an 
 eminence in tfae park, built upon a hill 
 
 c ailed the Sun-Loe. lately Mood the sum- 
 mer-hou>e, from whence there* was a very 
 exten>i\e prospect of the circumjacent 
 coiuili y, M far U the Welch mountains. 
 
 A very providential escape, which 
 happened at the house Of Sir Joseph Rad- 
 clitle. Hart, who was then Joseph Pick- 
 ford, Esq. of Koyton-hall, is worth re- 
 cording. — On April 10th, 1790, in the 
 morning, B tremendous gust of wind blew 
 down two very large chimneys in the 
 front of the house, each raised to tile 
 L 2 
 
102 
 
 height of 18 feet, to prevent smoking. 
 They fell across the west gable roof, 
 which was covered with thick and pon- 
 derous slates ; broke the beams, and 
 brought the whole down together, tin 
 three heights of chambers, into the cellar. 
 Two of Sir Joseph RadclihVs daughters 
 were in bed, in the uppermost chamber, and 
 one in that beneath. Their beds, with 
 the furniture, were shivered to pieces. 
 Two of the yountf ladies were precipe 
 into the cellar, one of whom w 
 discovered scrambling up the rubbish, 
 without any material hurt, having only 
 received some slitrht bruises on the head 
 and arms. f l he other, wliu was buried in 
 the rubbish, was found in about twenty 
 minutes after, by the exertions of a num- 
 ber of neighbours, tying in the midst of a 
 feather bed, not at all injured, e\ 
 what she sustained by the fright, 
 third was caught in the second fl 
 across a beam, and fixed dow n by a i 
 piece of wood; she was much bru 
 lint ; but had no bonis broken, i s 
 
103 
 
 one or two of her ribs, from which she 
 recovered after a months confinement to 
 her bed. Their maid, who was just re- 
 retiring from the door after calling* them 
 up when the accident happened, was con- 
 fined in the narrow space of the door-way, 
 and WBM obliged to remain in that situation 
 till the carpenter relieved her from it by 
 cutting the door from the fringe* j for had 
 it boen pushed open, >he would have fallen 
 headlong down the breach. 
 
 Tin* family of the PercivaU I of whom 
 
 Mrs. Pickford, the first wife of Sir Joseph 
 Itadclifle, was a descendant) trace their 
 01 -iii'in from the first nobility of the kingdom 
 of France, on her father's side ; on her mo- 
 ther- she clahncd a more exalted birth, as a 
 descendant of one of the l>ihi>h kin. 
 Sii Joseph also, by tfc* in ;;^ -ide, 
 
 claims relation-Lip with one of the most 
 ancient families in Lanc.t-h -re -the Kad- 
 I Jiifes of KaddilVe Tower. 
 
 [Sec the Pedigree annexed.] 
 
PEDIGREE of tie RADCLIFFES, $■ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 \ "parkland. 
 
 Daughter of Curwen 
 
 =Daughter of Bottler, 
 
 
 Earl of 
 Bri' y * 
 
 rrf 
 
 F^'oT- = d'.'"of ' 
 
 in 
 
 EarT'of Tonn v ° 
 
 K 
 
 Norma* 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 - '^"i,*;? 1 "' 
 
 s~ 
 
 = Beaumont, « Si 
 
 IJ 
 
 1, «,l 1 < H | 
 
 
 7He„ryVIf> 
 
 Ralph Peroral -Sister and t,i ress „f 
 
 Ralph Peroival, -Joan, darter and 
 heir of Tjlraham. 
 Itk-I.a,.l I'.-iciv.il.uf 
 
 Ralph Peroival, of-Joan, da.jller of 
 
 «- ■ "I'M II, i -„|-„1, 1 ,'\, ,„„ 
 
 
 seended the Dy- 1v„"a°'t" are 
 mocks of Wei- descended. 
 
 
 apEledur.byG ruffe's 
 
 
 ' i ' 1 ' 
 t'i oek in. Ur-.-Iyi, 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ap Llewellyn, Prince 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 jffffyth. 
 
 — Gwervil, dr. of Me- 
 
 
 k.,11,1, >,. UuVychan 
 
 
 ., tl...i<, 1 ,,,iiw<.„ 
 
 k, Lord of 
 
 
 d Lloyd. 
 
 —Daughter of Blethyn 
 
 
 ofCrighionVychan. 
 
 liil"" 3 ! .ohnUoyd.Sd-^.dr.ofKand.el 
 
 £ S | .-o o son. Lloyd of Talorne. .°" 
 
 : -o Robert Lloyd, of — Ellyn, dr. of David £ 
 
 §e"o"° Halghton. ap Elirago Lloyd. g 
 
104 
 
 Since the removal of Sir Joiepl Rad- 
 clifTe to Mills-bridge, the bell has l>c<*u 
 
 jn tho occupation of the Rev. JOeepi 
 
 Horiiern, the minister of >haw chape] : 
 and boin - an extensive building, baring 
 some vciy ipaefoM rooms, it has ser 
 him hoth as deuce and a send] 
 
 for the tuition of i m an l ier of do 
 
 and genttem Ho ha*, how 
 
 lately removed to Fail-worth- 1 . 
 
 Manchester ; and it is now in 
 
 sion of Mr. Edmund Wild, i\s oocupiei 
 
 thereof. 
 
 In this township are a groat num- 
 ber of cotton-mill*, and one fulling-mill. 
 
 chiefly for t ho Rochdale I nannfar- 
 
 tured In the neighbourhood thereof There 
 
 is also a large malt-kiln, belonging t<> Mr. 
 
 Andrew, In Edge-lane. It contains onl] 
 676 statute acres off land, being die ■waHml 
 
 of tho four town-hips. 
 
 The soil is for the most part dry 
 
 sandy: a few acm anlj want draii 
 
 There is no waste land. The proportion 
 of arable land is small to that of pa>' 
 
105 
 
 The manures are marl, got in the town- 
 ship, and lime brought from Ardwick near 
 Manchester, or from Buxton. The pro- 
 ductions are oats, potatoes, and a few 
 turnips; seldom any wheat, the vicinity of 
 the hills making it subject to the mildew 
 from damps. These are consumed on the 
 spot, for the parisu at large being so 
 populous considering its extent, is far from 
 producing sufficient for the consumption 
 of the inhabitants The Manchester, 
 Rochdale, and Huddersfield markets are 
 resorted to for a supply ol' tins great de- 
 ficiency. The timber ol this township is 
 in the hedge-rows, and som<* Miiall planta- 
 tions, for there are no \vo< 
 
 The forms arc chicily small* and the 
 tythes for the mo>t pari compounded for. 
 The rents are very various, and particu- 
 larly lluctuating at this period. Tor the 
 changes throughout Europe for the last 
 thirty year> have rendered any regular 
 statement of these things nugatory, per- 
 haps even in the current year in which 
 such statement has been made. Rents in 
 
106 
 
 commercial places like these, decline or 
 advance with the ebb or flow of trade, 
 manifesting at once that the depend* 
 of the inhabitants of these part- is not on 
 agriculture, but on the grreat UomMtalll 
 of commerce. Kvon England ha- exalted 
 itself in the scale of nation-, to the big 
 pitch of power, not by the plough. bo1 
 by the mechanic wheel and the -huttk. 
 
 May our legislature not forget 1Kb 
 
 The -t part of tin •! (ythes 
 
 of (hie town-hip arc oompounded tor by 
 
 a modus, and paid with the E&gU 
 The living is a chapel ry under I i< 
 value about .180. a year. 
 
 The stieam> of the Irk and Ben!, 
 which rise in this township, are subjei 
 frequent flood*, from the larpe quani 
 of rain which sometimes fall on the cir- 
 cumjacent hills, which almost entirely 
 surround the township : but the 
 subside, owing to the declination of the 
 country west, through which ti I am- 
 
 ieis pass, till they fall into the r:\er I: wrj! 
 
107 
 
 The manufactures of the place are 
 the different branches of the cotton trade, 
 especially the weaving of strong fustians. 
 Coals are also a considerable product of 
 this township ; more than half of it con- 
 taining valuable beds of this mineral. — 
 They have been worked here above 100 
 years ; they lie from 20 to 100 yards and 
 upwards from the surface, in different 
 strata, dipping or declining to the S. S. \\ • 
 one yard in five and a halt. Some of the 
 beds are six feet thick. There is also 
 >ome free >tone dug up in the township; 
 and at a place on the borders of Oldham- 
 edge, near White-ban^s or Banks, is a 
 good chalybeate spring, which, about 
 some? twenty years ago, was much more 
 resorted too than now. 
 
 Street-Bridge^ 
 
 A second rate village, lies in the 
 neighbourhood of Royton, and is a 
 very remarkable place for the coal works 
 carried on there, and in the neighbour- 
 hood thereof. — Here is also a paper-mill, 
 
108 
 
 the property of Mr.Moreton, and Hirer* 
 public-houses, besides a £reat number of 
 cottages in and near the place. 
 
 Tlnnp, 
 I l-no.M the Saxon tbngne, signifying 
 
 B village or country (own,) li -itnai- 
 an eminence north of the village of 1 
 ton, and must I 
 
 coosldoaafcta cooaa^ttfeaca la farmer Ha 
 
 the aama thereof implies it. It h<>u 
 
 at present < 
 
 tage« only. It seem-. M long: back a«* im 
 
 can trace in i ds, to I 
 
 belonged, like mo-t of the places in this 
 neighbourhood, to the Lords BjrtOD, then 
 
 Sir — Byron only, and ta hava h 
 
 stituted the residence of the Taylor, an 
 ancient family, of whom are the Taylors 
 of Lees and of Rhodes-hill, near Lees, 
 and they are the pojrenitors also of the 
 Cleggrs of Bent, in Oldham. One of the 
 family, R. Taylor of Thorp-olougrh, still 
 resides in the vicinity thereof. 
 
J 09 
 
 E'en this neglected spot perhaps in days of 
 
 yore, 
 Swarmd with its multitudes of busy crowded 
 
 life; 
 And num'rous towns, which now expung'd for 
 
 evermore 
 From memory's map, then held their myriads 
 
 rife. 
 
 Leaving Thorp, and continuing our 
 
 journey along the northern boundary of 
 the township, we come to Dog-forts, or 
 Dog-ford*, where is a cotton manufactory, 
 and a number of neat-buil( houses. The 
 stream it is very probable WBB always 
 -hallow here ; but I conceive it did not 
 derive its name as being- fordible by dogs, 
 for certainly the greatest of rivers are so, 
 but received its name from dog, and fords 
 (to kill, O. W.J perhaps the place where 
 some favorite animal of the canine species 
 met its fate. 
 
 II 
 
110 
 Heyride or HaytUU . 
 
 A SMALL vill;t old 
 
 road from Oldham to Shan . Ufa dei 
 
 perhaps, firoaa //"// I 8 ixon I an h 
 
 and si(/t\ (he side <>i an inclosors . 
 
 from //"/, a 1 1 « * « 1 _ .) and Side — 
 
 hedge-side, a bieh 
 
 rect, as it \ 1 1. 1 _ h- 
 
 side. 
 
 it contain! imher of 
 
 cottages, ii -til the H 
 
 and Lo* ei 'l i |>uMic-lmi 
 
 and a ON <»r a branch ol 
 
 Indedendenti : and ne n thereto, at a \ 
 called Turf-lane-end, Jeers 1 n 
 
 ch baa long existed 11 
 It was in tl 
 thai the Brat est 
 of Friends, n l 
 
 after which d their 
 
 it Heyaide; and the first aeeoiu 
 burial at the burial-plai 
 then called I 
 Heyaide was formerly the reaidenoe nf the 
 
Ill 
 
 family of the Shaws ; here follows their 
 pedigree : — 
 
 William, of Shaw-hall, — Jane, dr. if Henr\ 
 in Letaud. FaniogtoD, <>t' Mut- 
 
 ton Grange. 
 
 Richard, ol.it. ftfefe — 
 Sui by 
 
 1 — Ann, daughter b( 
 hon, <■! Heyfrtde, in Brown. 
 
 Rovtoll. 
 
 Oli ■ Shan .* oi Hey- — Alice, daughter pf 
 
 ride, * > 1 > i t . August l, '1 1 I hi ill. mi, of 
 
 17" ll< N ,ldl', 
 
 bj whoa he had bioe ■ Richardi Thoma% 
 
 ii, WillUMB, Oliver, Joseph, Edward, and 
 13c nj I in in. 
 
 Of tfafc brother, rieWn and son* ol 
 Oliver Shaw r, gent, it ii probable are ids- 
 oended the Bfeawa of Oldham, Saddle- 
 \voiih,and Atfhton ptfrisbee, viz. of Qrdt- 
 
 tonhead, \V« J Hinhole, L , &c. I am 
 
 • His l.iotlj' r and md Ann. 
 
 t In OH a brass plate in Oldham l'arochial 
 
 Ghspcl before-mentioned. 
 
112 
 
 of opinion that the residence of this Oliver 
 Shaw and his progenitors, is now occupied 
 by James Hadfield, of Turf-lane, or Mrs. 
 
 M. Mellor. The present Heyside ( viz. the 
 
 place where the village j- now situate) — is 
 
 where the old and long eel 
 
 roads from Oldham, Shaw, SholvOI and 
 
 Royton join; but the original I im 
 
 .situate in the \ ieinity of this 
 indeed reeoi d> l>e|. :.> the | ] 
 
 meet before stated, denomii 
 
 plaoe lie\ ride, no I k than I 
 
 HigginMhw , 
 
 Is an ancient place, and formerly, 
 (from the name thereof) iv as in the pos- 
 session o! s< me pei >on \\ I 
 
 h, and del I 
 
 word Biggin, according to Alfricns, aig- 
 nifies Hugh's son j therefore the p 
 
 denominated II 
 
 Hdgh'i son's wood* And It fa 1 rthy 
 
 of remark, how many places wn e foi a; 
 
118 
 
 woods or woodlands ; from the present 
 names thereof, it appears almost certain 
 that a great part of the district I am de- 
 scribing- ci)iivi>i(Ml of woods, though 
 at present scarcely a ve>ti^c ofthis sylvan 
 netfy now remain> 
 
 Drt/-Cloii(jh 
 
 Is now a place worthy of remark, 
 and deserves OOF notice. —There are a 
 very considerable number of habitations 
 here, wlicic. within the recollection of the 
 writer, there existed only a >ingle farm- 
 
 • \ tin' i c oi the tntllorSi who 
 
 have long \n>t>u regular carriers to dif- 
 
 ta (^[ the kingdom. 'The local 
 
 place where the numerous cottages which 
 
 this place the appearance of a small 
 village are situate, was iii reality what its 
 name denotes, a kind of ravine, covered 
 with brambles and bushes, through which 
 Scarcely any water was >een to pass, ex- 
 cept when the high lands adjacent had 
 been drenched by heavy showers. 
 
114 
 
 There are two pabUc-hoilfefl h 
 
 and Mr. Andrew lias a malt-kiln of no 
 
 inconsiderable extent, besides a wind-mill, 
 
 on an elevated situation a little dlstl 
 from his house, the only one in the parish. 
 
 The coal-works too, now carried on by 
 
 the firm of Heushaws and others, form a 
 
 considerable feature in the sppearanoi 
 
 this place ; and the manairci of the urnkv 
 Mr. Brans, has a very ueat habitation near 
 
 them. 
 
 Holden-Fold. 
 
 This place h ired its D 
 
 from the proprietors thereof, in whose 
 
 family, as an inherit. it bai de- 
 
 Bcended for the space of nearly tl. 
 
 tnries. It consists of a mi: 
 
 built COttagee, on an eminence *boi 
 
 branch of the Irk, which union to 
 
 the machinery of a number of cotton-milN 
 and coal work- in the valley below. I 
 consider the valley through which this 
 branch of the Irk takes its COOTO 
 
115 
 
 ' )<>>t pleasingly picturesque and romantic 
 sf any in the parish, wanting only the 
 additional aid of a little of the sylvan beauty 
 which is to be seen in some valleys, to 
 render it a truly charming place. — In the 
 contiguity of this place, but on the oppo- 
 site banks of the said rivulet lies Royley, 
 Doted, i suppose near a century ago, as a 
 famous placfe for coal-works, which arc 
 *till carried on betre and all round the 
 neighbourhood thereof; the coal dag 
 
 being highly esteemed, both in Man- 
 chester and all the country round, where* 
 
 u i- conveyed. These being the 
 
 principal places m this township which 1 
 
 consider deserving of more particular 
 
 notice, a lid of (he smaller and more re- 
 cently-built erections in every 
 township, will be found in an alphabetical 
 list inserted in this work immediately be- 
 fore the directory. 
 
 1 shall now give the exact boundary 
 of this township, conceiving- the gam 
 useful for varioi nis. 
 
[16 
 
 Boundary of the Tovrnsfn'p <>t /, 
 
 To trace the hoi 
 we eonmei ee oar under! 
 railed b tttfem oo d i near 
 
 to //< //.wV/r. ,ni.i ;lic Bj : point Ol 91 
 
 fure ii a Mice into u 
 
 Mr. James Nield'i eotton-nttl, lying <»n 
 
 (lie left, and Mr. I w m i j . i i i ii n Clegg 
 
 on the righf : ami _ through thai 
 
 and joui along 1 1 1 *- bom 
 
 of Mr. Ji. ( tod tint oi Mi. 
 
 Hoon i, the I ntakti to the ^ 
 
 of Baal, e*a pursue tl *e of the rivulet, 
 
 j the Immiih! uv OJ I 
 and traverse the hound- <>f Koyton-mus* 
 estan 
 
 fenoe, and then describing th< 
 Abraham Ch 1 Mi. Mill 
 
 nidge estates, and 
 
 lane, Mr. 
 
 Mashitei \\ then ascending the hleak 
 
 tMiiin 
 
 and ; thereof the 
 
 lino o( deniarkatioi nds- throi 
 
 midst of a deep [uarry on the 
 
117 
 
 tern declivity of the Edge ; and including 
 the cottages on the north of Sarah- 
 moor, and passing on to the boundary- 
 fence of Grimbie'sestate to Booth-hill-lane, 
 and along the bound- of Booth-hill estate, 
 to the new road to Etoyton, Crossing which 
 it follows the boundary-fence of an estate 
 belonging to James Lees, Esq. of Clarke- 
 field, and then along the course of the 
 rivulet which passes Pllimpton, and devi- 
 ates from the OOUrse of this rivulet at a 
 point in the valley below lMunipton, 
 whefre the townships of Oldham, Chad* 
 derton and ftdyton converge; after this 
 the boundary-fenoe of Mr. Simeon Hold* 
 en's and Roth well '> i form the line 
 
 of extent, 1 i ; 1 we arrive al a point in the 
 
 valley near >hiloh-niiii, and followkig the 
 
 fence which borders the rivni* i i ear the 
 aforesaid mill, which fence Is the boundary- 
 fence of B. Whitworth's estate to Street^ 
 
 bridge, it follows the rivulet then which has 
 its source neai House-wood, or rather the 
 fence boqnditig the estates of Mr. Joseph 
 Andrews and Mr. \\ hitworths, and along 
 
118 
 
 the out-i o the estates of 
 
 MtotHTf, Ralph Ta\ j. . and Hards- 
 
 lej pro^n — i\ <•! v. m t)i <v IMttM follow each 
 other. TlpMOfitatetfiuMitelM -line 
 
 U) the ancient \ illag*' ol 'I 
 Ibe livulct paei reto, forme 
 
 s (loii;i! (\ih«)n to MMUT Houee-wood ; it 
 then di\ i oni the I Of the said ri- 
 
 n ulet, ai: il hv M 
 
 Tlion 
 estate 
 Lou er field - ' along the out*! 
 
 the Holl- 
 and ie new i ham 
 
 to Sha* • 
 
 i he line i an 1 v * .»< -- 
 
 licld -a cottag oaite which i «aid 
 
 1, and included in the l»« 
 
 th|p loti i rtank) the Rom 
 
 .Mr. Al'i;t!'u,i faaee, H paaaei ihe>< 
 
 aded by Bif Joeep 
 and then bj i the 
 
 ohiwdeiM and diw i k raof Mi 
 ter, alter vrhicfa John r 
 Higher-^ 
 
119 
 
 paration between the townships of Cromp- 
 ton and Royton, and then another estate 
 belonging to Sir Joseph Raddiffe is the 
 boundary limit thereof to the top or eorner 
 of Shaw -edge^fields, Including the cottages 
 st Shaw-edge, at which place we cross the 
 
 road frOBQ Oldham to Shaw, and arrive at 
 our thst point of departure. 
 

 TOWNSHIP or chompton. 
 
 The township ol Crompton fori 
 
 i ]>art of the parochial ohaj I Hdham, 
 
 on the w e>t bj Thoi nham, in 
 
 the parish of Midd th bj 
 
 the townships of (Vtleton and \U 
 
 w 01 th, in ti Rochdale | on the 
 
 easi bj Friarmere, in the 
 
 iddlawortfa \ and on tin* soatfa I y the 
 township! of oldham and Royton, in 
 the parochial ohapdrj l m now 
 
121 
 
 The name may probably be derived 
 from Crom, crooked or bowed, from its 
 surface being ^o uneven, the wliole of the 
 township chiefly consisting of a mass of 
 rugged hills and valleys; and the addition*! 
 
 Saxon word Tutu a town. 
 
 Sham nt/((f/< 
 Shaw, or wli.it \§ generally called 
 
 Sliaw Chapel, is the principal \ iUage in the 
 
 township of C r e mp ton ; it eonsbfts of one 
 niv-iiiarlv-luiilt street, divided by its 
 inhabitants Into what they denominate 
 Higher and Loif er Shaw. Lower Show 
 oontaina th' v greater number of hone 
 and ii. in general rery substantial 
 
 modern-built houses, chiefly Of stone, the 
 
 -tone quarries being numerous in the hills 
 above Shaw. In Lower Shaw are four 
 public- houses, and several neat-looking 
 
 shops. In the rUlags of Shaw is exhibited 
 on Saturday's market some of the finest 
 batchers 1 meat to be seen in any part of 
 the county. The purveyors in this village 
 have, by unremitting* attention to business, 
 N 
 
OB 
 
 i tiic I(j i<1 meanest drud- 
 
 gery of their prof«'--ion. .. m 
 
 men, and men ol opuh I m- 
 
 ehaoe whole i • 
 
 (aii-. tod lie p r imtum 
 
 mobUe % contained in 
 rocoo leathei 
 them on iin' mm I it 
 
 has hi 
 
 than mywlf, that m bei* a l« *d and cheap 
 pen in w oi ili i? H di be 
 
 gathered tagetfcei j topply Ml only 
 
 their nun village with ino.it, hut aUo 
 tend the markets of both Oldham uud 
 
 \T Low 
 
 I a met Weg- 
 
 leyan i 'inn, denominate I Bell el : 
 
 -in ill hut Mai huildinir. Tlie gal- 
 lery ig -«Mni-nrtai:-Mual, and BO ed 
 
 auditor tl:n BIO has a full 
 if not of the pi 
 Tin in the bottom 
 
 not yet completed, bi mended to be 
 
123 
 
 formed on the same plan as the gallery. 
 The first stone of this building was laid by 
 Mr. James Cheetham, of Clough, near 
 Shaw, on :ncl of June 1815. — The 
 
 ipei of the ettabliehment « in Higher 
 Shaw: it was originally a \ery encient 
 erection, but has Hem lately re-built. It 
 i> i plain itone edifice of the modern style, 
 and bo contrived m to contain alatge con- 
 gregation, having a gallery round the 
 
 whole of the Interior] except theea-tem 
 part The font of this gallery is §emi-ellfp- 
 
 lieal. hut not laid out with that judgment 
 whieh is apparent in the .Methodi.-t meet- 
 ing-hou-e. Many of the audience mud 
 
 >it with their backa to the preacher, 
 
 W tthin the rails of the altar, on two plain 
 stone-, are the following inscriptions. 
 
 On the old stone : — Acting trustees for 
 re-building this chapel, enlarged 9 feet 
 from south to north, A. 1> 17.;: 
 
 The Honourable Sir Ralph A-Iieton, III 
 Sheriff. 
 
124 
 
 Sir Darcy Lever, L. L. D. of Alkrington. 
 
 The Rev. Richard Goodwin, Rector of Prest- 
 
 v>ieh. 
 Robert Radcliffe, Esq. of Foxdenton. 
 The R< v. Stmoel >uk bottom, A. M. Rector of 
 
 Middleton. 
 The Rev. Jacob Scholeg, A. M. Curate ofPn it - 
 
 wich. 
 The lav. Joshua rd, A. 1 te of 
 
 Shaw. 
 Hugh \ lanes, I rent, oi Cconptoa hall. 
 James Wild, Gent, of New Larth. 
 
 On the Dew stout: — Acting tnu 
 for re-building thla ohapel, at irhicfa time 
 it wa> enlarged from Math to north 
 
 wall, A.D. JT l J8. 
 
 John Travis, Oldham. 
 
 John Andrew . Bchool-croft-kuM . 
 
 Henry Wild, Black-dough. 
 James Milne, High-Cromptou. 
 John Wild, Cowlishaw. 
 John Wild, Shaw. 
 William Nield, Shaw-Edge. 
 
125 
 
 William Travis, Shaw. 
 Rev. Joseph Hordern, A. M. Curate. 
 John Buckley, of Cowlishaw-lane, Chapel-war- 
 den. 
 
 In order to perpetuate to posterity their 
 attention to the laudable work, the present 
 warden, James Cheetham, has caused this 
 Inscription to be engraven — " Anno. D. 
 1*01.'' 
 
 The orpin is generally allowed to be 
 a find toned one; and the singers belong- 
 ing, 01 rather attending this chapel, are 
 perhaps gome of the best in Lancashire. 
 It is their constant study to accomplish 
 themselves in this science ; and they may 
 boast of having produced some very 
 extraordinary characters in the musical 
 world. Mr. Jonathan Nield, as one in- 
 stance, has been acknowledged by a Lon- 
 don audience to be the first singer of his 
 part in his day. Indeed the Shaw musical 
 band are a constellation in the sphere of 
 harmony. 
 
IM 
 
 The chapel of Shaw N a kind of 1 
 chapel, a> it pay- due- to no Other 
 
 Shaw Off CowINhaw, was once the 
 
 residence of a family of the name of Kgper- 
 
 tOO : their line of d ll a- follow I 
 
 Reft Egerton of Ridk ] 
 
 i>t ion, tod Me, 
 
 Bit Ralpk ' ibetb,dr. 
 
 : toll, Of tOO, "1 
 
 Ridley< »w. 
 
 iIL 
 
 r 
 
 Mary, dr. <>f = Leooerd = Mary, <lr. of 
 
 \\ nXef< r, of Peti W bl I 
 
 Kertal, and Um oi 
 
 widen <»t'\\'m. Shaw. 
 Daunts j of 
 Edge-Croft. 
 
 Issue Of her, Richard, Issue bj h 
 bora Bepl Mb, i«< 
 
 Mil v, Ann. I be 
 
 eldest >on, v 
 
 SI :. L664, sod hr 
 
 nui 
 
 an itil Mary, daughter of Aid* rs< 
 
 BOd tlitv bid H - named Ma J 
 
127 
 
 The following list of the proprietors 
 of land in Crompton, which is taken from 
 an original manuscribt in tiio possession of 
 Mr, George Scholes, of Stake-hill near 
 MiddLeton, as also the writings of the top 
 of Dog-hill estate, ami was kindly com- 
 mm ioated to me bj Mr. Cheetham of 
 Qougb Shavjr, phews thai the whole 
 
 the Township of ( rompton was at that 
 is in the -ion of thirteen proprie- 
 
 tors : though the -aid mann>eript 
 
 bean no date, >et it must undoubtedly 
 have fx^n A ritten before the creation of 
 Sir John Byrou to the title of Baron 
 Byrom of Rochdale, which took place 
 
 84th Octobei 10 before the 
 
 knighthood of Mr. Ashetou, who h 
 knighted Angus! 17th, 1660. i have since 
 found from a manuscript in the possession 
 
 of Abraham Crompton, Esq. of High 
 
 Crompton, tli survey w 
 
 male by Ilemv \\ Ucock and Thoinafl 
 Bldineley, in the months of June and July 
 1528, viz. In the reign of Kin^ James the 
 First. 
 
190 
 
 Prop nei. \nUij of L I 
 
 \ B P 
 
 Sir .1 .in . . . k . . 160 1 
 
 Mr. Itfaeton 160 2 
 
 MKPrestwich M 2 
 
 .Mr. Ctteednfa 888 :J 
 
 Mr. ( . m I 17 
 
 Mi. I.ravrr. |M I M 
 
 Mr. V 48 I 29 
 
 Ml ■ 
 
 ,!.v.. 88 I 88 
 
 Mr. Will iw.< 32 I 
 
 Mr.Wxic I 81 
 
 Mr. ( 11 
 
 Mr.Tctkm 88 I 
 
 Tin. ftncienl ho ^re, 
 
 Vrompton IIulL 
 Which atly bdooged t « » the 
 
 family o£ Crompton, tili^it ji< 
 three daughters to the HBCmi of I N ti 
 
 the lla:nt'i'< of t laiiM i, ami Nulthall of 
 
 Blakelj : the laat two-tbh 
 the marriage ofRlchara* q'scL 
 
J2f) 
 
 property of Mr. Hugh Yannes, whose 
 heir sold it to Mr. John Kershaw ; the 
 remaining third descended to Sir Ralph 
 Asheton oOliddleton, who married one 
 of the Holland* of Denton, and it was 
 given to the mother of Mr. Lister of 
 YVe^tiy, by Sir Ralph aforesaid. It has a 
 very mean appearance at present, and 
 stands a short distance from Crompton- 
 Fold. 
 
130 
 
 Pedigree of the family of Crompton*, 
 
 the original proprietors of Crompton :— 
 
 JoIjij Crooipton of Croinjaoii, 
 
 mil H HfijiN \ i. 
 
 William Cromptooof = Joan dr. of Robert 
 1 i n BeftMMt 
 
 l>t *° n ,:,>fM ' " ' lad on, John 
 
 ton «; ( ronptoa. Bptoa.* 
 
 William Cm,,,], ton of m Ann, daughtn 
 
 ( rompton 
 rbomt Crompton #f = Jfcae, dr. of Fdward 
 
 ( '<»llij>toil. 
 
 01 i; 
 
 dr. and 
 cobei* m,mu mv 
 
 john NutktU . Btmd l Hvdc 
 
 ofBUk< i! 
 
 II. oner. 
 
 I ( rompt.u I am iodacrd to think 
 •prang tbr pW M M Abraham and Abel Crumptoo. Lupin*. 
 •f 1 .' : to* 
 
131 
 
 High CruwpfoH. 
 In it deeds High Cromplon is 
 
 denominated a town ; it ia very probable 
 it WBM much larger than at present : it is 
 
 the reeidenoeof Abraham Crompton, E*4- 
 
 and M lills. A. Crompton, Esq, is 
 
 in possession ol' some armour which was 
 woi ;i by one of their family in dal 
 
 time- The weigh! of the helmet is ,7/>*. 
 
 M&#. B M. and back al- 
 moin" .'»//>.*. 1 
 
 On as formerly ipell Brai thfe 
 
 of Messrs, Mil!-, lies on (he 
 
 (b rs of the toifnahip ; one pail in But- 
 
 terwoiii,, ami tin* DthtJE in Crompton. 
 
 Traditional accoanta speak of the presfetft 
 residents having <l thia place for 
 
 t, which ery 
 
 remarkable: U ate writings, which 1 
 
 have -ecu. dated the pear after the gun- 
 pow der [>lot. b la a bleak situate nay 
 
 be im, rom its name*; but -cms to 
 
 be sui i -minded by very good pasture land. 
 
132 
 
 jrhltfUld-IIalL 
 
 WlIITl !ILJ)-1! ' umtly the i 
 
 perty of the Whitfield*, and then the 
 Hawortha, had the pos«< 
 and after them the family of the Buck' 
 ( aptafa Buckley, however, sold it in 
 to the Lei « ra of Alkrington 
 aftei *. hioh it vrai ><<M by Sir ! 
 Lover, Knt t<> the M 
 then tenant r him, foi I 2,600, in 
 
 the year I7 v >>. Mi. Mill* Having a leaae 
 • of for three live* y it 
 
 would not have been y\- at that 
 
 low price. 'L he pi i 
 
 is Mr. DaVid Wild. It itial 
 
 stone ei near I the 
 
 very eminence of the hill is situate White- 
 Beld-Fold; 
 
 Pari! or Peark Bam 
 
 Amii:m].\ to the Cromp- 
 
 tens, then to the Che bami of N 
 
 and then to Smith of Bl who 
 
 sold it to Per* iv.il, Eriq. of B ivhb 
 
 purchased it in May 1672 ; but by the 
 
133 
 
 marriage of Mr. Percival's daughter to 
 Sir Joseph Radcliffe, Bart, of Mills-bridge, 
 in Yorkshire (then of Roy ton-hall), it 
 became his property, and was sold by him 
 to James Milne, Esq. of Park-house, then 
 his tenant, whose family had resided at 
 Top-of-hill estate, which is adjoining to 
 Park, time immemorial. The descent of 
 James Milne, Esq. of Park-house, the* 
 present possessor, is stated as follows : — 
 
 Mr. James Milne, who was the occu- 
 pier of Park-house and estate, when Perci- 
 val purchased it, was succeeded by his son, 
 Mr. John Milne, who divided Top-of-hill 
 estate; leaving one moiety thereof to Mr. 
 Abraham Milne, and another to Mr. Ed- 
 mund Milne. Mr. Abraham Milne at his 
 demise left his part of the estate to his 
 son James Milne, who was a noted ve- 
 terinary surgeon, and had very consider- 
 able practice ; he never married, and 
 dying without issue, demised the estate to 
 his brother John; from whom it descended 
 to his son James, who was the father of 
 o 
 
131 
 
 the present James Milne, Esq. of I\ 
 house, who hath now. purchased I 
 as aforesaid. James Milne, K>({ the pre- 
 sent proprietor and occupant, has won- 
 derfully improved this largt -. 40 
 - of which, J 80 vi ere let for 
 I Nippose there ia m any 
 
 estate in tliis town-hip which has nini«'i - 
 gone sueh a wonderful alteration* 
 
 The presenl proprietoi c*houee, 
 
 in conjunction with William Clegg, Esq. of 
 Westwoodj hai s opened i 1 part 
 
 of the country to a free i] M with 
 
 the commercial world, by planning ahd 
 
 uting that i lerally d 
 
 the Featherstall~road, with itn bitoiM 
 Nothing could have been devised more 
 beneficial te the village of Shaw, and all 
 the country round, than this pi eject. The 
 
 road passes the neat mansion of J. Milne, 
 Esq. which is a stone i of the 
 
 modern * ith some oin- 
 
 inir; and sinee his removal to his pn 
 habitation] a little further by the ro;id-side, 
 he has ereeted a number of neat cottages, 
 
135 
 
 and a public-house, which are denominated 
 Jubilee, as being built at the time that 
 festival was celebrated. 
 
 At a place called Clough, lies the 
 mansion of Mr. Cheetham : this is a plain, 
 well-built stone edifice ; its appearance 
 conveys the idea Utilis et eleyantia. It 
 is a singular fact, that before the erection 
 thereof, the whole scite was an ugly, 
 rough, unsightly stone-quarry, many yards 
 in depth ; but how is the eye delighted 
 and surprised (o see such rugged and use- 
 less places put on the pleasing garb of 
 vegitation. From the front of the house, 
 Mr. Cheetham has a pleasing prospect of 
 the village of Shaw, and the ridge of 
 sullen-looking mountains (hat almost en- 
 viron it; the only opening left is a vista a 
 little beyond the village, which strikes 
 the eye, exhibiting a flat of rich meadow 
 and pasture land, and here and there a 
 tuft of woodland verdure, giving a goodly 
 richness to the landscape. 
 
136 
 
 Industry, if she turn, 
 
 E'en the drear desert brightens, mountains smile 
 And vallies laugh in gay luxuriance round." 
 
 Near this place is the venerable abode at 
 l?ank-hou.se. Neither can 1 forget notic- 
 ing the remarkable spring of Black-dough, 
 the sweetness and clearness of which is 
 scarcely equalled ; beyond this Uei Shore- 
 edge, a dreary place, containing a number 
 of straggling house- wide of Crompton- 
 hall, which we have before had occasion 
 to mention ; the valley, however, where it 
 stands, is remarkable for quarries of stone, 
 beds of coal, and the clearest springs of 
 water. 
 
 On the top of the valley which wind* 
 round towards Grange, there is an exhi- 
 bition of the most romantic scenei \ ; 
 surely not much exceeded by those re- 
 markable dales id Derbyshire ; but as the 
 writer never had the pleasure of vi>iting 
 those scenes of u perfect nature" which 
 abound in that wonderful countv, he 
 
137 
 
 cannot with propriety pass any judgment 
 thereon. He however hopes he may be 
 permitted to say, he never beheld any 
 thing that so forcibly arrested his eye, as 
 on entering this remarkable valley, which 
 bears the name of Qrcliery-Wood. The 
 rock which on each side rises almost per- 
 pendicular, terrifies the gazing- eye, added 
 to the rudeness of all around, and fails 
 not to inspire an idea of the appearances 
 exhibited by Dame Nature in the primeval 
 ages. The dashing of the waters from 
 rock to rock — the rustling of the wind 
 through this dreary wilderness — with the 
 yawning excavations in the rocks, partly 
 natural and partly artificial, form such a 
 group of novelties as would almost give 
 inspiration to the mod insensitive. 
 
 Leaving this extraordinary valley, I 
 must call the attention of my readers to 
 three remarkable mounds or redoubts of 
 earth, one of which, and the most remark- 
 able, is above Crompton-hall. They are 
 supposed to have been thrown up in the 
 time of the civil wars in the reign of 
 o 2 
 
138 
 
 Charles the First, as a kind of retreat or 
 shelter for the ad 1 'rents to royalty. They 
 are all formed under that hijrh ridge of 
 hills which extend all along: here, and are 
 placed at about three-quarters of a mile 
 distant from each other. — The first Is 
 called Sholver-Hcy redoubt: the second 
 and most remarkable, is the redoubt at 
 (\itts, above Crompton-hall, as before ob- 
 served ; and the third, and most northerly, 
 lies at Slences, or rather Slensides. 1 ap- 
 pose but few persona are Ihrteg who Rlol 
 
 not a kind of vain glory in relating My 
 thine: they BWIJ think extraordinary or 
 meritorious relative to their progenfto 
 and equally do we feel a repu. in 
 
 hearing any report to their dii — 
 
 suffer me for once to irive way U) this pro- 
 pensity (I will not say error") of our natu 
 by relating an adventure of -tor of 
 
 mine, which the description of these re- 
 doubts brings frtsfc to memory, and whirh 
 I have often heard my father relate and 
 others affirm. — He said, that an ancestor 
 of his, who was a resident at Cronpti 
 
139 
 
 Mail!, in the capacity of miller, being much 
 attached to the royal cause, had been with 
 a number of persons of the same prin- 
 ciples, on a fishing-partj, and that they 
 called at Moss-Hey, near the village of 
 Shaw, to fry their sport ; which were just 
 served up to table, when a person coming 
 in hastily, informed them that a party of 
 the parliament's cavalry were in search of 
 them ; and assured them that before they 
 could finish their repast, the soldiers would 
 be upon the spot. Whereupon they threw 
 down knives, plates, fish, hooks and all, 
 and tied, excepting only my good old an- 
 cestor, the miller, who swore if the Devil 
 himself came, he would have the last snack. 
 He had scarcely finished, when they ar- 
 rived. He by some means or other, how- 
 ever, escaped from the house, and though 
 closely pursued, he ran in such a zigzag 
 direction over the mosses and quagmires 
 adjoining the place, that their horses pre- 
 sently stuck fast, and they themselves with 
 much difficulty escaped. By this time my 
 old dusty progenitor had reached Sholver- 
 
140 
 
 Iley redoubt, fr< 
 
 ceive theii v. 
 
 them t.tiniiii-ly, //7,« 
 
 (Jil/ts WO.V.' 
 
 Above tli- 
 in a w ild Inlet M I tlG <"' 
 
 mountain-, lies a |>l 
 
 SeotHmic u w li > it [| BOppOMd Bad 
 
 lo.'vo-l the iiuv t!i it fallowed tbe abet- 
 
 of (fee rebellion in LTJ 5. H iiat their 
 
 occu vrei in Ihii y solitude i> 
 
 unknown , hut 1 1 1 ♦ - n are 
 
 frequently du- up here. 
 Near to thtM drier] 
 southerly, lie t!, ' itfi A 
 
 Nook, and a puhlic-lu ! I«m1 /; 
 
 /huji\\ i^,v.\, Uei a little I ami Mill 
 
 a iiule 1«»\\ ei . ^ /,,/ 
 
 Courlish«H\ 
 
 ^A I'D \ si pi IB 
 
 Shaw : it ei.niain> 8 iwcii, 
 
 and one whieh 
 
141 
 
 as long back as I can trace, Mr. Worsley, 
 gent, was a resident at Cowlishaw. 
 
 There is a very neat-built house here, 
 occupied as a public-house, by Mr. Jones. 
 School-croft-lane, Rushy-fields, Holroyd's 
 cotton-mill, with Low Crompton, Nether- 
 house and Lime-field, Leonardin-cross, 
 Narrow-gate-brow and Fir-lane, all lie on 
 the eminence a little distance from Cow- 
 lUhaw. 
 
 Boundary of Crompton. 
 We commence our circumambulation 
 at Dog-forts-brook, which It the point of 
 contact of the townships of Crompton, 
 Royton, and Thornham, whence the line 
 of boundary runs through the midst of a 
 garden belonging to Mr. William Taylor, 
 adjacent to his cotton-mill ; and crowing 
 the said brook, to a tree growing in a 
 close below Mr. Heap's house, thence it 
 veres across the highway leading from 
 Royton and Rochdale, and running along 
 the fence behind the houses in Fir-lane, 
 inducing them, and two houses denomi- 
 
142 
 
 nated the Middle of the Brow, it re* 
 crosses the road Again at Sarroiv-gate- 
 brovc, and diverging* direct in a I 
 from the point of congress of the three 
 roads, from High Crompton, RocAuMil and 
 
 Royton, ftOtafN a garden, and aloni: the 
 boundary-fence to the boundary -tone 
 which divide- Thornhain. I 
 Crompton, w ln< placed I 
 
 tarv rallej or i athei i 
 
 PtYltj on a hioh li aa 
 
 char. re i endered illegible 
 
 'I {< >f Pttd 
 
 the line of the tow Dflfaip, I 
 
 therein ; from Ik 
 
 ation divides the v Bui d< 
 
 into two w Jnrh i ifl ( i . 
 
 and the other in Castfatoti ; it di 
 tlit- honsQ of Mr. Robert Mills of Ihhh- 
 
 : on o! of bfc bOQM J mi are in 
 
 ( i inpit .: . h:t Me} to the otle f the 
 
 room, and you are in Caatfetf ft in- 
 
 Hag Mr, K. Mills' fa 
 looking mansion] it just ttrfcfc 
 
 from the hou*e of > .lames and John 
 
143 
 
 Milne, cotton-manufacturers at Burnedge; 
 this porch is in Crompton, and the rest of 
 the building in Castleton : thence passing 1 
 close by a cottage in Castleton (oe< uplod 
 at present by John Buckley), it proceeds 
 almost in a dhect line thence, to the 
 boundary-stone placed in anvvulow below 
 Briney-Heys, very near to a j)lace de- 
 nominated Knott-Booth ; then along- the 
 fence dividing Gorsey-Hey from Great- 
 lley, and then the Little-Hey boundary- 
 fence marks the limitation of the town- 
 ship, without including Little-Hey; it 
 then runs below Hill-top, bounding Hill- 
 to] . and pdfesing by a circuitous 
 
 feme very near to Helen road, boir. led 
 by the rivulet, leaving a triangular / >ce 
 of grmmd nrhich pays wo lays to emy 
 toiejiship ; then iin I y the ou'-fence of 
 Hilt-tap estate, i 1 by Heys estate, by 
 Brown-Lee and the br n«k to Hurst-stile, 
 above a place called Bottoms, then by the 
 bound Mv-stone or fence passing across the 
 Featherstall road, including a small c!ose 
 on the opposite part of the said road, and 
 
144 
 
 passing immediately by the hou.-es named 
 Koftom-of-the-wood, following the oour>e 
 of a mall rivulet which distils fiom tlie 
 
 high lands of Butterwortk, <\<*. which 
 streamlet divides the estate of Jamei Mil!-, 
 
 Esq. from the Top-of-hil! . it then 
 
 diverges from the lum i oaid, pMO* 
 
 inu- Cowheyfl On the loft, and Staniards and 
 SlODOOi <>n the i Igftrf . .1! I I h it is 
 
 bounded by Koi ihl then by 
 
 a wall along Hoogh-Hey and Bagh-Hej 
 
 (dreary-looking ploOOi); the*o dh 
 one lido, and llochdale Pal lsh-1 OOg h on 
 the other, pursuing our bleak and solitary 
 road till we come to Sir Joseph KadcIiflV* 
 estate, winch foMM the boundary h 
 (Vow t-knoll-pike j Cromplon turlV 
 and desolated completes the limit- of the 
 township to Cherry-clon. from 
 
 thence a wall denominated >addlewoi th- 
 wall, divides it tO Grains.-— Oldham tow i.- 
 ship shews the limits to B o a W bri dj 
 then Uoyton to wnsbip to Dogforti 
 which see 
 
tup. 
 
 TOWNSHIP of CHADDERTON". 
 
 Chadderton township is bounded 
 by Failsworth and MoetOD, in tlie parisli 
 of -Manchester, on the south ; by Knott- 
 lanes, In the parish of Ashton-under-line, 
 on the east; by the township of Oldham on 
 the north ; and by the townships of Ack- 
 rington and Tonge, in the parish of Prest- 
 wich, on the west. It contains one chapel 
 of the establishment, which is built nearly 
 in the middle of Hollinwood : it was 
 p 
 
14(> 
 
 erected in the year 1765, and consecrated 
 July 8th, 1769 ; it is a plain brick build- 
 ing", of the modern style, and had lately 
 a small belfry annexed thereto, in the form 
 of a tower. The first minister who oflici- 
 ciated there, vrafl the Rev. John Darby, 
 a.m. second master in the free grammar- 
 school in Manchester: he held the mini-try 
 of this chapel SO year*. He was after- 
 wards minister of Bt, Paul's, Manchester) 
 and of Gorton iii the -aid parish* The 
 Rev. \V. R. Hay acted as assistant-curate 
 for three yean under the Ke\ .John Darby. 
 The Rev. Charles Panton Mydddeton, a.m. 
 began his mini-try at Hollinwood, March 
 25th, 1M)I ; who mi -ueceeded by the 
 present minister, the Hev. John Holme : 
 hecomni'Mi'ril hi- ministry at Hollinw 
 chapel in September 1 3 
 
 Fuxdenton'llidl, 
 
 The ancient seat of the Rad< 
 
 family, who have removed therefrom some 
 
 time since. Their present residence is a! 
 
147 
 
 Huish, seven miles from Blandford, in the 
 parish of Winterbore Telstone. 
 
 The appearance of Foxdentou-hall is 
 dull, being much decayed ; and though 
 silent, it speaks in language sufficiently 
 intelligent — 
 
 • I'm left in solitude to mourn my lord." 
 
 I do not think the situation at all 
 pleasant ; for being seated on a flat or 
 level, it affords no gratification to the eye 
 of curiosity, nor any delightful prospect ; 
 for though the country round is in a good 
 state of cultivation, yet the eye is quite 
 limited in its view from the scite of the 
 mansion itself. 
 
 This township, and the estates of 
 Foxdenton and Standish, were first bought 
 by the ancient family of the Traffords of 
 Trafford-hall, near Manchester, in the 
 reign of king John. — The following pe- 
 digree of this ancient family I here take 
 the liberty to insert. — 
 
148 
 
 1st. Radulphus de Trafford, lived before the 
 Conquest, about 1030, and died in Edward 
 the Confessor's time : ■boot L04& h 
 
 Lord of Tratiord, and a Thane 
 
 2nd. Radulphus de Traiiorcl — \ i.xit William the 
 Conqueror. 
 
 3d. Robert de Trafford, Temp, Win. EUtfus, 
 4th. Henricus de Trafford, Temp. Stephen ; 
 obit. 1 150. 
 
 oth. Henricui dc Traft>rd, Temp. ll»nr\ II. 
 
 obit. Staid yeai <>t Ric bard 1. 
 
 6th. Richard dt Trafford, first Lord of Strat- 
 ford, and bought the Township oi I 
 derton, witli the estate s ton and 
 
 Standisb, of Matthew filiua W ilharlii 
 
 7th. Galfridus di GeoCrj de Trafford de I 
 
 derton: be first assumed tin- nam. o(i liad- 
 derton in the 10th \« sr of 11» nrj III. 
 
 8th. William di Cbadderton. 
 
 9th. Oeoftjf de Chadderto*T] Temp, KJw.II. 
 
 John Radcliffe, ion of 
 John Radcliffe, Re< toi 
 
 of Bury, and 3d son of 
 Richard de Radcliffe, 
 
 of Radcliffe-Tower. 
 
 Bdargan t, dr. of the 
 
 I },i 1!( --» 
 
 under whom the 
 estati - of Cbadder- 
 ton, Foxdenton, sod 
 lands in An< w I 
 
 came the |>i< 
 
 the RadcliSes. I \ 
 12 Bdward 141. 
 John Radcliffe de Chadderton, 
 
 I 
 
119 
 
 Jolm Radcliffe de Chadderton. 
 
 I 
 
 Sir John Radcliffe, Knight — 
 
 Richard Radcliffe de Chadderton, 
 obit. 15 Henry VI. 
 
 Robert Radcliffe, Esq. = Sister of the above 
 
 of Ordshall. Sir John Radcliffe, <fe 
 
 had Foxdenton e>t<jte 
 
 allotted as her dowry. 
 
 William Radcliffe, Esq. = 
 (vulgarly styled Red 
 Head of Foxdenton.) 
 
 Thomas Radcliffe, Esq. as Daughter of Stiu- 
 of Foxdenton. dish of Park brook. 
 
 John Radcliffe, Esq. = Daughter of Cha- 
 of Foxdenton. , therton of Nutthurst, 
 
 Richard, 3d son of Sir = Margaret, their dr. 
 Wm, Radcliffe, of sole heiress of Fox- 
 
 Ordshall. denlou. 
 
 Sir Wm. Radcliffe, of = Susan, dr. of Coote of 
 Foxdenton. Loxham in Norfolk. 
 
 Robert Radcliffe, Esq. = 
 of Foxdenton ; living 
 in 1009, | 
 
 Sir Wm. Radcliffe, of — Daughter of Sir Row- 
 
 Foxdenton. He was land Egerton, of 
 
 a Captain, and after- Egerton, in county 
 
 wards Colonel in the of Chester. 
 Royal army. 
 
 P 2 
 
m 
 
 This Sir William Radelifle obtained 
 for his services the honour of knight ho. 
 
 He vras taken prisoner at the battle of 
 
 Marston-moor, near Vork: as there is a 
 
 pass still in existence, granting him safe 
 
 conduct to FOXt i c h tO O , -ijrned ! 
 
 Fairfax, in \n huh I n-'l I - a pri- 
 
 soner) vei v honourable mention is m 
 
 of him. His com .\}>tam. 
 
 by Charles I. at Read <> to thou 
 
 held Us court, li dated N 
 
 After this be laoceoch a SI f Thomas Ashfc 
 
 a> colonel *)l horse, which commission is 
 signed by the hand of Charles II. then 
 
 Prince n( Ws nd but ! 
 
 dated " at the CowN at Ti urn 
 
 In the 21st \(v,i- iA Charlei the . 
 
 He seems to have coin! limself 
 
 even in thoee critical times, so as to <:ain 
 
 the lore of both his friends and thoee d 
 
 nominated his ei The foil 
 
 letter, as COO O t'tt liPg what 1 ha\ I 
 served coneerninir him, written hv : 
 great Fairfax himself, irith Ms on n band* 
 and addrsssed to Lieut. -Gene 
 
151 
 
 I cannot forbear transeri' log : the original 
 
 is in the possession of — Elliot, Esq. Soli- 
 citor, Uochdale, to whom I confess myself 
 under obligations for his kind encourage- 
 ment to me in this work. 
 
 u For the Hon. Lieut. -(General Cruimvell. 
 
 Sir — 1 have formerly written to 
 Mr. Speaker on l>chalf of Sir Wm. Rad- 
 clitfe and Sir Thomas Prestwich, dcfcifteg 
 that DpOQ their addrcs.-cs tt> the Parliament 
 for theil 1 compositions thr-'v miulit receive 
 a favourable BtfltlMM*, in regard that as 1 
 am informed they have demeaned them- 
 selves with grot moderation in the country, 
 often prottHtim; the inhabitants and parli- 
 ament's friends from the violence of the 
 -ohliers. I writ also to Mr. Stephens, to 
 procure them what favour he could at 
 Goldsmiths' Hall; but it seems they ha\e 
 notwithstanding fined Sir Thomas Prest- 
 w ich at three years value, which by reason 
 of his great losses he is very unable to 
 pay. 1 am unwilling again to trouble Mr. 
 
Speaker in the bosinees, hut rorommoml 
 
 his condition unto you ; desiring tiiat in 
 case he petition the boose for a mit _ 
 
 of his fine, you will afford him \ 
 
 ance therein. I remain your \< fas 
 
 tionate friend, 
 
 FAIRFAI 
 
 After enjoying U 'I who 
 
 were aeqoainted n ith Mi 
 
 and his will is dated lolT. Ho was h 
 
 needed in bit estate by hie kinsman, H 
 bert Radcliffe, Eeq. of Withinehaw, in 
 county <»i ( Chester, the fifth and aMi 
 of sir Alexander RadeUfffc, of Or! 
 Knight of the Bath. He was a i - in 
 
 the unfortunate Dake of Ifonm 
 
 LMiiKMit : his commission - 1 the 
 
 87th day of March, 1676; but I have no 
 record when he died : he was hoi 
 
 u in a dm!. He married Ann, 01 
 - rviving daughter and befareei of Row- 
 land Byre, Esq, of Bradyay, in the county 
 
 Derby. He i led by Ah-\- 
 
 ander Radcliffe, Esq. who was appointed 
 
153 
 
 Deputy-Lieutenant of the county of Lan- 
 caster, by queen Anne's command. The 
 appointment bears date May 1st, 1711 - 
 he was living in 1730. He married Eliza- 
 beth, daughter of Bagshaw of Hucklow, 
 in tLe county of Derby. His son and suc- 
 cessor, Robert KadclitVe, Esq. of Fox- 
 den ton, married Margaret Bagshaw, only 
 daughter and heiress ef Adam Bagshiw 
 of \\ ormhitl, in the county of Derby. He 
 was succeeded by the late Robert Rad- 
 clitte, Esq. of loxdenton ; born June 4, 
 17^7, and was mairied at Pregfwich, Log 
 19, 17T^, to hi- coasio Fjraiieefl Sidobot- 
 tom, daughter of the Rev. — Sidebottom, 
 Rector of Middleton, who bad married his 
 fathers sister, M try. The late Robert 
 RadcliiVe, Esq. died at Baths De«* 18, 1*3 
 and v» as buried at Bath Ea>ion : he was 
 
 succeeded by the preeent Robert Radcliffe> 
 
 Esq. of Foxdenton. — Wintei bourne, 
 born Dec. 14, 177,3, was married to Mary, 
 the fifth daughter of Thomas Patten, Esq. 
 o£ Bank, near Warrington : they were 
 
m 
 
 married at VVallcot church, Bath, April 
 12th, 1796 . their issue 
 
 1 Mary, born at Weymouth, March *;, 1797. 
 
 2 Robert, — at Hillersden, Oct. 23, 1798. 
 
 3 Dorothea, - at do, \uvember9, 1709. 
 1 Kichard, — at do. Feb. 11, lr, 
 
 B Irancrs, atClnttlc V.v. 16,1802. 
 
 li ( "harh-s, — at do I i. 
 
 7 I - a! IK.i Ii, Dorset. N«» tb$k 
 
 6 Kli/ahi-ih Ianm a, a: Of). 
 
 \nn lia, at il 
 
 10 Julia, — at do 
 
 ( | n-IIn!l, 
 
 Tin n M.lnirr «>i' the aocteftt famiry 
 of the HOftOM, WM nnu-h improved I 
 
 the late pr< ; Sir W atU Hot Ion, Hart. 
 
 It is rather i i htaae, MM of brick, 
 
 and h nearly surroin. / irardens I 
 
 piaonu adt, En the fron; i 
 
 hou>e is a beautiful park, from several 
 eminences Of which are iloli^rht ful pro- 
 spects: the park I al clumpe 
 of trees, and aom€ fine timber of the fir 
 
155 
 
 kind. Iu the house are some tolerable 
 paintings of several predecessors of the 
 Hoi ton family, &e. some plaster busts, also 
 some beautiful cabinets of the Chinese 
 fashion, very curiously wrought. On the 
 right, near the house, is an elevation which 
 was formerly a tumulus, n considera! 
 part of which has boon taken away, when 
 several relics of antiquity were dug up. 
 I cannot forbear, however, to observe, 
 that the high brick wall which the late 
 pOMDOiOr ha> imbed in the front of the 
 house, though it may have prevented the 
 gate of p;issen^r> and visitants, has com- 
 paratively destroyed that Ujghtnesa and 
 
 elegaUOC which it formerly i -d, and 
 
 which might still be restored by the elec- 
 tion of Mime neat Chinese railing, instead 
 of this hea\\, dull and dreary-looking 
 wall. — The present owner is Sir r J homas 
 Morton, Hart. 
 
 The manor of Chadderton belonged 
 to Richard de TratVord, in the reign of 
 king John. Here follows the pedigree of 
 the Chaddertons and the Ashtons direct, 
 
J 50 
 
 till it ends in the Hortons, the present pos- 
 sessors : — 
 
 Richard de Trafford, who lived in the 
 reign of king John, bought Cbadderton, iu- 
 cluding Foxdenton and Standisb, of Matthew 
 filius Wilhelmi, (See the pedigree df the Rad- 
 ckffefl of Foxdenton.) which be gave with otbet 
 lands to Geoffrj his younger sod. 
 
 Geoffry de Traflbrd de Cbadderton: be firs! 
 assumed the name ofChaddi rton, 19 Hen, 111. 
 
 i 
 
 William de Cbadderton : 
 
 i 
 
 Geoffrj de Chtdder Joan, dr. of William 
 
 ton, vixit 11 Edw. II. Radclifl 
 
 John Radcliffe, son of — Margaret, ustei and 
 the Rector of Bury, beiresSj 2 Hen. 11. 
 
 12 Edw. III. SeeRad- 
 cliffe's pedigree. 
 
 John Radcliffe of — 
 
 Cbadderton. 
 
 Sir John Radcliffe of — Elizabeth, dr. of — 
 
 Cbadderton 
 Richard Radcliffe of — Elizabeth, dr. of — 
 
 do. 
 Edmund Ashton, a — Joan Radcliffe, dr. 
 younger son of Ash- of Richard Radcliffe 
 
 ton of Ashton-uuder- aforesaid, coheire>s. 
 
 line : 
 
157 
 
 Edmund Ashton, son — Jennet, dr. and co- 
 and heir, obit 34 Hen. heiress of Sir James 
 VIII. Harrington of Woolf- 
 
 age and Hornby. 
 James Ashton, son & — Agnes, dr. of Charles 
 heir, An , etatis 48, Mainwaring of Crox- 
 ad mortem patris, ob. ton in Cheshire. 
 3 Edw. VI. 
 
 Edmund Ashton, son — Ann, dr. of Ralph 
 & heir, An etatis 27, Prestwich, of Holme 
 ad mortem patris, ob. near Manchester. 
 27 Eliz. aged 79. 
 
 Richard Ashton, 3d — Ann, dr. of Henry 
 son of the above Whitaker of Faken- 
 Edmund. hurst. 
 
 Edmund Ashton, Esq. — Dorothy, dr. of Ro~ 
 High Sheriff of co. bert Duckinfield, of 
 of Lancaster, obit Duckinfield. 
 
 3 Charles II. 
 
 James Ashton, Esq. of — Catherine, dr. of John 
 Chadderton Greenhalgh, Esq, of 
 
 Brandlesommil. 
 
 William Ashton,* 5th — Martha, dr. of Jay, 
 son, sold Chadderton brother of Whalley. 
 to Joshua Horton, 
 Rector of Prestwich. 
 
 * Edmund Ashton was the eldest son, and would have 
 been the heir ; he was Lieut-Colonel in the Horse-Guards • 
 and was unfortunately killed in a duel, when 21 years of age , 
 on the 17th March, 1664. He was gentleman of tbc bed- 
 chamber to the Duke of York* 
 
 4 
 
158 
 
 Here follows a pedigree of the Hor- 
 ton family, the present residents at Chad- 
 derton-Hall : — 
 
 William Horton, of — Elizabeth, dr. of Tho- 
 Firth-house,Howroyd, mi Hanson, oi Toot- 
 Barkisland, Colev, a hill; will dated July 
 
 Sowerby in Yo/ksh: 16, 1660. 
 
 living in 1603. 
 
 Joshua Horton, of — Martha, dr. and co- 
 
 Sowerby, son of the heiress of Thomas 
 
 Above William, born Binns, ofRushworth, 
 
 161J) ; was Justice of in Bingley parish; ob. 
 
 the Peace, and pur- July '23d, 16JH, and 
 chased the manor of buried at Sowerby. 
 Horton, nearBradford; 
 ob. at Sowerby, April 
 7,1670; etatis60. 
 
 Joshua Horton, Esq. — Mary, dr. of Robert 
 of Chadderton, co. of Oregg, of Hapsford, 
 Lancaster, which in Cheshire ; married 
 
 estate he purchased Feb. 27, 1678; obit, 
 
 from Ashton of Chad- 27th Dec. 1708. 
 derton : he was Rec- 
 tor of Prestwich; born 
 Jan. 2, 1657 ; obiU 
 Dec. 15, 1708. 
 
159 
 
 Thomas Horton, born 
 May 9, 1685; obit. 
 March 18, J 757 ; was 
 Governor of the Isle 
 of Man, and Justice 
 of the Peace for the 
 co. of Lancaster. 
 
 Sir Wm. Horton,Bart. 
 obit. Feb. 25, 1774 : 
 etatis 61 ; created 
 Bart, in 1764. 
 
 Sir Watts Horton, 
 Bart, of Chadderton, 
 co. of Lancaster, born 
 Sept. 1753 ; ob. Nov. 
 1811. 
 
 Succeeded in the title 
 and estate by his 2d 
 brother, Sir Thomas 
 Horton, clerk, rector 
 of Wittington, & after 
 of Badsworth ; born 
 July 1, 1758, the pre- 
 seut possessor of 
 Chadderton-hall. 
 
 Ann, dr. & coheiress 
 of Richard Mostyn, 
 of London, merchant; 
 obit. June 17, 1725, 
 aged 39 years. 
 
 — Susannah, dr. & co- 
 heiress, of Francis 
 Watts, of (Join-bridge 
 forge, gent. ob. May 
 19, 1778; etatis — 47- 
 
 — Henrietta, dr. of 
 James Lord Strange, 
 and sister of Edward 
 Stanley,Earl of Derby. 
 Issue by her, Henri- 
 etta Susannah Anne 
 Horton, born Jan. 4, 
 1790. 
 
 — Elizabeth, dr. of Jas. 
 Lord Strange, and sis- 
 ter to the Earl of 
 Derby ; ob. April 13, 
 1796. 
 
 Issue, Charlotte Hor- 
 ton, born at Witting- 
 ton, co. of Lancaster, 
 Oct.21,1784 ; married 
 to - Pollard Esq. Oct. 
 21, 1805. 
 
160 
 
 The third brother of Sir Watts Horton, was 
 William, Captain of the Royal Lancashire 
 Militia, now dead. 
 
 Chadderton-Fold, 
 
 Which 1 suppose was once the prin- 
 cipal place in the township, is now re- 
 duced to much less consequence than 
 Hollinwood : it only contains a few strag- 
 gling cottages, built without any kind ol 
 form or regularity. 
 
 Cliadderton Cotta 
 
 Emphatically bo denominated, in 
 
 contrast with the hall, U lying near 
 thereto. Situate in a fine piece of pas- 
 ture-land adjoining, was some time ago a 
 very small genteel habitation, and was 
 occupied by a descendant of the Horton 
 family. 
 
 Wide of Chadderton-Fold, on the 
 ascent of a pleasant eminence, lies Yeakis 
 
161 
 
 Green, formerly the residence of a family 
 of the name of Yealds, near which is 
 
 Chadderton School, 
 
 Built by subscription, and vested in 
 the hands of certain trustees, for the elec- 
 tion of a master. 
 
 The places called Nod Chadderton- 
 Heights and Cinder-hill, lie still higher 
 on the eminence. 
 
 Cowhill with Alder-root, 
 Form, united, a kind of small village, 
 with two public-houses, and a considerable 
 number of cottages. It contains a neat 
 habitation, the present residence of Mr. 
 Sharpies. — A national school has been 
 erected here very lately, under the pa- 
 tronage of Sir Thomas Horton, Bart, of 
 Chadderton-hall. The land on which it 
 is erected was given by him for the 
 purpose of founding so laudable an in- 
 stitution. Beiow Cowhill lies 
 Q 2 
 
!62 
 
 StockfieUI, 
 
 Some time ago the residence of — 
 Hibbert, Esq. was some few years ago a 
 very pleasant retreat from the bustle of 
 the town ; it had some ne.it gardens ad- 
 joining, which were laid out in a \ 
 agreeable manner. At present it is let off 
 in different habitations, and li fast hasten- 
 ing to decay. 
 
 Stock-mill and Bank-mill, two con- 
 siderable cotton manufactories, lie adja- 
 cent to Cowhill. Above tlii> \ alley, on the 
 upland, lies Matthew-fields and fold : abo 
 a place called Nimble-nook: apublic-hou>e 
 and several ranges of brick Mttagei con- 
 stitute this place. 
 
 More southerly lies an old man- 
 called Lower-house, occupied as a faun : 
 Butler-fold lies wide thereof, and Butler- 
 green : and more southerly is Colt>l. 
 given, Dowry-lane, Tonge-lane, and Tin I- 
 lane, contain each a very considerable 
 number of new erections, chiefly > 
 cottages. Hence we descend to 
 
163 
 
 Birchen- Bower, 
 
 Which from its name, must be an 
 ancient habitation ; though it is at present 
 occupied only as a farm, I conceive it was 
 formerly a place of considerable conse- 
 quence. It was lately the residence of 
 Mr. Robinson, the proprietor thereof, who 
 is now removed to Harpur-Hey. White- 
 gate-end, which is a noted ancient 'resi- 
 dence, lies near to the boundary of 
 the township west. It is worthy of re- 
 mark, that this township extends to the 
 scite of a stone which formerly was fixed 
 near the middle of White-moss. 
 
 I had inadvertently omitted to men- 
 tion a place called Hardman's-fold, lying 
 near Hollinwood : this was doubtless ori- 
 ginally the residence of the Hardinans, a 
 considerable number of whose family are 
 still residents near Hollinwood. This 
 township is truly remarkable, as contain- 
 ing a great number of roads, on the bor- 
 ders of which are erected numerous cot- 
 tages, which are all denominated Lanes. 
 
104 
 viz. Burnley-tone, 8ioci4ane i Block-l 
 
 Old-lane, Denton-lnnc TkdmptOH-li 
 
 Dowry-lafie, Moughi4cme % 7 
 Tonge-lanei and Bawtry-lane. 
 
 Boundary of Chadderii ip. 
 
 I commence the boui had* 
 
 dertoo townahip at tl 
 public-house, Hollinwood, irhich si 
 therein ; and (hen along a stone wall on 
 the right thereof, _ I - M 
 
 chester-i oad, fojrmii j includ- 
 
 ing the public-! _ - . 
 
 and . iding ■ COtl 
 
 called the \Y Ulowa, completij j 
 by returning to the b able of the 
 
 Lamb Inn ; , and 
 
 the warehousing of M< Ker- 
 
 shaw, and pro< by a ; the 
 
 top of Bower-lane, ling which, in- 
 
 cluding four col idle] -be 
 
 following the fence behind thee 
 tqges the distance of two Inclos 
 the foot of a tall oak I the back of 
 
165 
 
 the King's Head, at the bottom of Hollin- 
 wood : from the tree aforesaid, the out- 
 fence of the Bower estate, belonging to 
 Mr. Robinson of Harpur-hey, divides this 
 township from Failsworth all along, till 
 at a place called Banks, or vulgarly Bongs, 
 it crosses the Rochdale canal; from thence 
 it is bounded by the late Mr. S. Scholes* 
 estate, near Earnshaw-lane, which sepa- 
 rates the townships of Moston and Chad- 
 derton ; then by the out-fence of a farm 
 called the Roughs, and another farm be- 
 longing to Hilton, Esq., <»f Ppnning-ton, 
 
 ami afterwards by one belonging Radeliffe, 
 
 Esq , late of Foxdenton, then the bound- 
 ary-fence of the aecomodation-lane lead- 
 ing from IIurdm«H-J\>ld to Crunblesy heuee 
 from Crimbles to Alder-lam -cud, thencq 
 alon^ the fence to (he very top of Aid r- 
 lane, near White-gate-end : from this 
 point, by a fence direct to near the middle 
 of White-moss, where there formerly stood 
 a white stone as a landmark, the town- 
 ships ofChadderton, Ackrington, andMos- 
 ton, here converge : from thence the line 
 
1«6 
 
 of limitation directly passes a farm called 
 the Roughs, belonging- to the said Rad- 
 cliffe, Esq. running in a direct line nor- 
 therly, till it comes in contact with a 
 streamlet falling into the Irk; having 
 crossed which, it is bounded by Tonge, 
 passing the boundary-fence of Slack's 
 estate, near to and including A re la* or 
 Hercules' green, by Waroek-hill : hence 
 including a part of Mills-hill, it descends 
 to Little-green, at which place a mill tor 
 working iogWOOQ forms the boundary 
 point of the township towards Middle- 
 ton : hence, Including the farm of the 
 late Mr. Edmund Hall, and along the 
 fence of Boarshaw estate, in Thornham, 
 includiftg Black-pits, xop-of-fields, Ne#- 
 
 niarket, and by Cinder-hill ; then descend* 
 
 ing by Race-field ami the Jelllott 
 Street-bridge, along thence by Birchen- 
 lee and the Wood estate, to Burnlt 
 including Busk, &c. ; an angular point 
 extends to near Leo^-hall cotton-mill, in- 
 cluding Bull-stake, one-half of Cowhill, 
 the whole of Alder-root, along Block- 
 
167 
 
 lane, to the mill (once the old mill of 
 Wernith)^; thence by Yew-tree to the top 
 of Old-lane, along by the Roe-buck pub- 
 lic-house, and by Pute-nook to Ralph- 
 green, and the four houses in Dowry-lane, 
 and crossing thence, we arrive at the said 
 Bowling-green again, our first place of 
 migration. 
 
 * I have described the new boundary of the township 
 here ; but in the map I have marked out the correct old 
 boundary, As described 300 years ago, viz. from Wernith 
 old mill to Collier-stone, near Cash-yate ; from thence in a 
 direct line, cutting ofF about five yards of the south-east cor- 
 ner of the chapel-yard, by Grace-well, to the corner house 
 above Grooocks, and so on by the Bowling-green aforesaid. 
 
CoyogvairiWiTl Hi0t 
 
 Explanation of letters — C, township of Crompton; r, Roytoa; 
 c, Cliadderton ; o, Oldham. 
 
 Bumedge, betwixt the townships of Cromp- 
 
 ton and Castleton, N. of Shaw. 
 Green hill 9 nearer to Shaw than Burnedge, 
 
 and N. thereof ; C. 
 Briney-HeySy wide of Burnedge, N. of 
 
 Shaw ; C. 
 Hill-top, beyond Whitefield from Shaw; C. 
 itfoss-#a/e,nearThread-mills,N.ofShaw;C w 
 Holebottom, nearWhitefield, N. of Shaw; C. 
 Primrose-hilly near High Crompton, N. of 
 
 Shaw; C. 
 
170 
 
 Higher Rut-Croft near High Crompton, 
 N. of Shaw; C. 
 
 Whilefield and Whilefield-hall, situate on 
 a hill X\ of Shaw ; C. 
 
 Wood-end., at the foot of Whitefield bi 
 N. of Shaw; ( . 
 
 Loner Hisl-Croft, X. of Shaw, in a flat be- 
 low High Crompton j C. 
 
 Narrow-f/afc-br<nk', on the top of the hill 
 appending froifl Kovton.on the Rochdale 
 road, N. E. of R03 U)H : 0. 
 
 Top-of-Knolly betwixt Narrow-gate-brow 
 and Bigh Cromptop, XE. of Royton; ('. 
 heonardin~Cro9$i betwixt Nam 
 
 brow and Hijrh Crompton, XE. of K 
 
 ton ; C 
 Heal-Moor and lleal-IIejf, beyond § 
 
 from Oldham, on the Eeathci >tal-i tMul : 
 
 C. 
 Stanford* and 8/ences, two remote pi 
 
 lying in the wilds of the conditioning 
 
 abc^e. and XE. of Shaw ; C. 
 Hroicn-bar/t, lies in a deep ravine in the 
 
 moorlands B. of ShftW : <\ 
 Thread-mills, lies behind High Cromp 
 
 and X B. of Shaw ; C. 
 Spadesrcrojt. near Crompton-fold,and NE. 
 
 of Shaw ; C. 
 Lanc\ betwixt Shaw and Spades-croft. XK. 
 
 of Shaw ; C. 
 Jubilee, on the Featherstal-road, betwixt 
 
 Shaw and Milnrow ; C. 
 
171 
 
 High Crompton, nearly N. of Shaw, on the 
 old road to Rochdale ; C. 
 
 Shore-edge, near Crompton-fold, on a 
 branch of the Featherstal-road, nearly 
 E. of Shaw ; C. 
 
 Crompton Hall and Fold, nearly con- 
 nected, on a branch of the Featherstal- 
 road, and E. of Shaw. 
 
 Park-house, the seat of J. Mills, Esq. 
 NE. of C. 
 
 Covclishaw, a small village SW. of Shaw ; 
 C. 
 
 High-barn, SE. of Royton ; r 
 
 Rough Covccotes, nearly E. from Royton ; r 
 
 Thorpe, a small ancient village NW. of 
 Royton ; r 
 
 Thorpe Clough, near Thorp, NVV. of Roy- 
 ton ; r. 
 
 Jelliots, four different places lying a little 
 above Street-bridge, and NW. of Roy- 
 ton ; c 
 
 Race-field, above Street-bridge, and NVV. 
 of Royton ; r 
 
 Roylep, SW. of Royton, noted for its coal 
 works ; r 
 
 Holdenfold, SW. of Royton ; r 
 
 Haggate, W. of and near Royton ; r 
 
 Quakers' -meeting, SE. of Royton ; r 
 
 Heyside, a village, SE. of Royton, on the 
 road from Oldham to Shaw ; r 
 
 Littttwood, connected with Heyside, and 
 
172 
 
 SE. of Royton ; one part in Crompton, 
 
 and the other part in Royton township. 
 Dry-clough, a small village nearly S. of 
 
 Royton ; r 
 Te/low-fold, nearly N. of Oldham, lying 
 
 YV. of the road from Oldham to Royton; 
 
 Oldham township. 
 Wood and Further Woody two farms 
 
 NW. of Oldham ; c 
 Baij-Trcis % Loteerand W<}hcr. two bran 
 
 NW. of Oldham; C 
 
 Boothroad-Ume or Bootkroyd-lane, PfE, 
 
 of Oldham, lies in the to* ef Old- 
 
 ham and Koyton. 
 White Banks or Hongs, nearly NE. of 
 
 Oldham ; r 
 lldge-lane, on the old road from Oldham 
 
 to Royton, ME, from Oldham: r 
 Higyinshaii w, J/ifj/tt r and Lower, on the 
 
 old highway Cram Oldham la Shaw; NE 
 
 of Oldham: one in tin* township of Old- 
 ham, the other In Roytoa* 
 Birtchmr or Birch shun iw, and 
 
 almost 8. thereof : C« 
 
 Moss-IJet/. near Shaw, and nearly v 
 
 thereof; C« 
 
 Milt-croft, very near Shaw, and E. tin 
 
 of; c. 
 
 Greenfield* nearly ad joining Shaw ; C. 
 Rough Meadow, Moss, and Older*. \\ 
 near each other, neaily S. of Shaw : the 
 
173 
 
 two first in Crompton, and the latter in 
 
 Oldham township. 
 Hot-hole, Nook, Black dough, and the 
 
 three Doghills, all SE. of Shaw; C. 
 Bank-house, Lane-side, Roses, Sloney 
 
 Lee, and Kirchanook, SE. of Shaw ; C. 
 Brun-spring, Ecclebonny, Brim, and 
 
 Grains, distant from Shaw, and SE. 
 
 thereof ; C. 
 Holebottom, nearly SW. of Shaw ; C. 
 Fidler's-folly, near Grains, E. and in the 
 
 township of Oldham. 
 New-hank, near Heyside, SW. of Shaw; C. 
 Fidlwood, lies S. of Shaw ; o 
 Dingle, S. of Shaw, in a deep ravine; o 
 Sholrer village, Bent-gate, and Hodge 
 
 ('lough, all nearly E. of Oldham ; 
 White-craft, Broadbent, Pee-cote, Uarley- 
 
 road, and Throstle-nest, all nearly E. 
 
 veering to N from Oldham : o 
 fVheistone-liill, an ancient farm NE. of 
 
 Oidham ; o 
 Wootherhtll, Slacks, Sholrer -too or, and 
 
 Smtfield, ancient farms, nearly E. from 
 
 Oldliain ; it 
 I'ounlhill, a very small village : Crowley, 
 
 Poden, and Ilucen, all ancient resi- 
 dences, and E. inclining to S. from the 
 
 town of Oldham ; © 
 Coldhurst, an ancient place NE. of the 
 
 town Oldham ; o 
 
 R 2 
 
174 
 
 Higher Moor and Lower Moor, contain- 
 ing each a considerable number of cot- 
 tages, having the appearance of villas 
 lie nearly E. of the town of Oldham ; 
 
 Mumps-brook, and ttofteai nfiii 
 
 >iderable village.-, now so nearly joined 
 to be considered i part of the town 
 of Oldham ; IS. of the town, iuelining to 
 S. : 
 
 Statrtpiione, Pttbank. lh>) in-fnld, and 
 LonerhfHi**'. remarkable pla . of 
 
 the town pf Oldham : 
 Higher and Lower Horsedgi m of 
 
 antiquity, lyini^ NK. 0f tin- town of 
 
 Oldham 
 Qreenacres villas » direct, and 
 
 Waterhead-mill, all considerable pit 
 
 SE, of Oldham: 
 Higher and Loner Clarksfield, hi 
 
 the two New-earths, Hank. U'ellinhob . 
 
 and Down/. SE, of Oldham ; o 
 Glodwiek \ //, Round/horn, 
 
 and Lows/de, all nearly S. Inolining to 
 
 E. of the town, and all vei ler- 
 
 able places, baviDg neaily the appear- 
 ance ot 
 Waterloo, Slice)) washes, tf'arrens, JAlii v. 
 
 0.\HC//o,and Cht , rtj-iutibnj. noted ph 
 
 S. of Oldham : 
 Primrose-bank, Hroadnn'j-biHe, Honey- 
 
 Wftjf hm e ; Hid ht Chamber, ami 
 
J75 
 
 VFernith halls, SW. and inclining to 
 the W. of Oldham ; very remarkable 
 places ; o 
 Clre at field -gali*, Moor-hey, and Top-of- 
 
 lane, all SE. of Oldham ; o 
 Cowhill and Alder-root, forming united, 
 a small village, lying nearly W. of Old- 
 ham, in the townships of Oldham and 
 Chad der ton. 
 Block-lane, Nimble-nook, Lower-house, 
 Butler-fold, and Butler-green, remark- 
 able places W. of Oldham; c 
 Stockfield, Bank-mill, Stockbrook, Mat- 
 thew-fold, Fields-fold, and Foxdenton- 
 hall, all lie N. W. of Oldham ; c 
 Coal or Coltshaw-green, a place of anti- 
 quity, Dowrt/-lane, Turj-lane, and the 
 ancient residence of Birchen-bower, and 
 White-gate-end, all lying nearly W. of 
 Oldham ; c 
 IVash-pits and Slacks, two farms on the 
 extreme borders of the townships of 
 Chadderton and Oldham, nearly W. from 
 the latter. 
 Mill-brook, Copster-hill, Hoi I ins (which 
 is a small village), and the farm of Oak, 
 with Lime-gate and Luneside; and also 
 Street, which lies on the extreme verge of 
 the township of Oldham SW. All these 
 being ancient residences within the 
 chapelry, I deem worthy of notice. 
 
macsame 
 
 litograqpfncal UnecUotes 
 
 of former 
 
 RESIDENTS OF OLDHAM. 
 
 Hugh Oldham (the name is some- 
 times spelt Owldham). Wood says, he 
 was bora at Manchester; but Fuller, in 
 his Worthies, says at Oldham, which is 
 much more probable, as there is a tradi- 
 tional account still in existence, that he 
 was born in a house said to have been the 
 ancient hall of the Oldhams' of Oldham, 
 now occupied as three cottages, <fcc. : the 
 central part thereof was lately used as a 
 dye-house, by Mr. Nelson, of Oldham, hat- 
 manufacturer. The cottages are occupied 
 
178 
 
 at present by John O'Neil, schoolmaster : 
 — Wild ; and another person, whose name 
 I am unacquainted with. It was, within 
 my recollection, a |>ublic-hou>e, kept by 
 a Mr. Hcyuooil. It h by all v. ritars, how- 
 ever, agreed, thai be descended from the 
 Oldhams of Oldham.* t ! for 
 
 (Ike uriirersity, he vras senl 16 Oxford, and 
 afterwards to Cambridge. In Sept. I 
 he h aa made prebendary <»t' Sooth AnKon, 
 in the ehnreh of Saram« He was also a 
 canon of Lincoln, and chapl tin to M 
 i, Countess <»f Richmond. In I 
 
 he wa- 1 <>f South Cave, in the 
 
 county <•! York. <,n t h< • Pr. 
 
 Win. v. r oi lie] , and installed Jan 
 
 the same year. In 
 
 Bishop oi Bxetef j and i i the 
 
 tempo rallies, Ian. 
 
 on a contest w [th the A bbol of 1 1 
 
 and refu>in . ! >n of 
 
 the court it Rome, he was exconunoni* 
 
 cated. Ete died Jnne M, I5t9, and iras 
 
 buried in a chapel built I 
 joining te the cathedral of 
 
 .\m<*, as rltiminf an* oVirmt. 
 Mil I lia^Mtw remwv H that 
 
 Ilu* wife of Mr. l>n naml i latr *nrceo«), and the wife of Mr. 
 Wright, dnqptTj and their cluklun, air desceodeals of the 
 ancient familv. 
 
179 
 
 pftuth side, dedicated to God the Saviour. 
 In this chapel he appointed some of the 
 vicars-choral to say mass daily for his soul. 
 He suppressed the House of the Holy 
 Trinity at Totness, ID Devonshire, founded 
 by D« la Hont, lord of Little-Totness, 
 and irave the lands to the vicars-choral, 
 that they mi<rht dine together daily. He 
 founded the free-school at Manchester — 
 huilt it himself, and aj)j)ointed a master 
 and usher, to teach children oralis, after 
 the form of IJanbury school, Oxfordshire. 
 
 The Bohooli try he appointed at 
 
 £10 per annum . the usher £&; they were 
 to takfl HO gratuities, cork-pennies, victor- 
 pennies, potation-pennies, &C« The prv- 
 lident of Cot f Of , in QXOD. nominates the 
 
 ter; tlie warden < ► i Manchester is the 
 vNilor. The masters* salaries are now 
 considerably improved. Thfl school was 
 
 n founded by Hugh Ue>w ick, clerk, 
 and Joan l>e-wick, widow, (who were 
 kinsfolk to the l>i<hop ). anno 10 Klizabeth. 
 
 He wag a benefactor to Braxaotnoaa and 
 
 ( 'orpus-Christi College?, in Oxford. (See 
 Wood's Ath. ()\. vol.i. p. 561.) He is said 
 to have been a ^ood scholar, and to have 
 been religious above the time he lived in; 
 an enemy to monkish superstition, and a 
 friend to learning. 
 
inu 
 
 Ralph Ci owe 
 of Ralph Codworth 
 
 Manchester, I <eq. eh el Loi <l ol I Ndham, 
 a as bred Fello* ol Bmani 
 bridge j bb exeeMent i I 
 
 ried the daughter i He 
 
 contimi i Bnfahod mnm hnpei 
 
 aroi ki of M r. I 
 
 cf\M-<\ In- mi|»j ^ Au- 
 
 di* lie was at last 
 
 snitrcl hy tin* < '<>!!< iuH, to the 
 
 (hoi Alter, In Somersetshire, an. I 
 Fuller's Wortl I 
 
 Cudworth, the vreU-knowa anritei <>t the 
 
 " Inlrll. i the 
 
 above Ralph Coda ai th« | Baa h i 
 
 < \ i I ; . . 
 
 horn at All. ml I think - 
 
 seqnently, thai Ful i hi the 
 
 data of iher'k pret»< i«» the 
 
 pariah of A lief, as above stated ; fi i 
 conceive ha redded at C aaih t hlg e til' 
 prooentation. 
 
 Of Robert Ctadu orth, it is affirmed that 
 he was not only distil 1 by 
 
 extensive learning, and profound know. 
 
 • 1 Mi. m tl. .t Mr.JohaS^olicia.ofCowbill Lodgr, 
 is tho nearest descendant of the (aniiU of the Cudwortbi in 
 
 the lovNuship ol Oldham, 
 
101 
 ledge in metaphysics and philosophy, but 
 
 by exemplary piety, and a meat modera- 
 tion and rectitude of character, which 
 rendered him an honour to the institutions 
 where he presided, to the University of 
 e, which he adorned, and to the 
 
 ehureh and tgti in irhich he lived. )Ir. 
 
 Granger o j, that Dr, Cudworth held 
 
 the same rank in metaphysics, that Dr. 
 
 Barrow did in sublime geometry ; and his 
 
 daughter lie style- (he learned and accom- 
 plished Lady Ma$ham, whose memory de- 
 serves t<> be held in high bonour, both for 
 
 her own attainment-, and bei unshaken 
 
 friendship to Mr. Locke. ^Biog. Brit. 
 Vlasham* i 
 
 L I W%\ n« B Ch i DDBRTOM « ft* born 
 
 at Chaddtrton s In Lancashire, ol ancient 
 and wealthy parentage, about the ye 
 1546. Hi> parents being both Papists, 
 they trained him up in that religion, yet 
 
 bred him to learning; and When became 
 to maturity ot hi> lather sent him 
 
 to the Inns ol' Court ; but he not being 
 pleased with that kind of life, lei t them, 
 and went to Cambridge a' out the ^Otli 
 year of his age, and the 6th of Queen 
 
 Elizabeth ; and getting soma acquaintance 
 in Christ's College, where the Masters and 
 
 Fellows took such a liking* to him for Ms 
 
102 
 [hgenuityand industry, that they adu 
 
 him Into ■ pOOl SObolari | Be then 
 
 * rote to hi- father, to at him 
 
 hit pi eeent condition* tad to 1 1 
 means of mainti n him : hut his 
 
 father disliking bii change of pi 
 ■todies, l>ut especiallj of religion, ien( 
 n poke, w ith I In it, to po a bee_ 
 
 with ; farther signifying to him. that ho 
 was resolved t<> disinherit him. irUoh hi 
 aleo did. 1 -eeing that bs had 
 
 BOtMng ales to trail to, he fell close to 
 
 hi- itodiei j ami he mi eminently profited 
 in all POI \M Ol k that in 
 
 hut yet Baobab Im oral chosen 
 
 Fellow <>i ( in 41am. In 1678 be 
 
 ('(iiiiniciK'cil Hachelor ol 1 ». ■ ami 
 
 the same \eai he 
 
 St. Paul's erots, which he aluo 
 ll«' w as eho> v I 
 
 ehureh. in Cambridge, which | rap- 
 
 plied tor neerh i yean.- H< 
 
 man famous lOf gravity, learning, and 
 ion ; so that \\ hen v may, 
 
 Counsellor of State to Q 
 
 ami under Treasurer of the Exchequer, 
 founded Emanm I lade 
 
 choice of this man For the first masti 
 
 when Mr. Chadderton >he\ved himsell 
 willing to undertake that gl M, v 
 
 Walter replied, M It* you will not he the 
 master* I will not bs Im founder of 
 
183 
 
 In the beginning* of King James** 
 reign, he was one of the four divines for 
 the conference at Hampton-Court, and was 
 the same year chosen to be one of the 
 translators of the Bibfe. About this time 
 aNo, be was nominated a trustee for the 
 building of the grammar-school at Old- 
 ham, which was built by James Ashton, 
 EStq< Df <'hadderton. in 1611* And 1 sup- 
 pox* about this time (according to Fuller) 
 
 ng on a vi.-it to hi* friends Id Fftnoei' 
 phire, be ptm*hed Id his native country; 
 
 and after preaching two hours, and think- 
 ing he had *sed too long on the pa- 
 Ikmkt of his hearers, he was concluding 
 hii dbCOUfte, when the auditory unani- 
 mously exolalmed, M For Gfod'i lake, sir. 
 
 fro on goon!"- In L6.12 he commenced 
 DoQtOf of Divinity. lb* dfetei ved very 
 
 wrli of Bmanuel College; for whereas the 
 founder give allowance for the main- 
 tenance of three Feliowi only, together 
 
 with the advowson of Standi ound rectory, 
 in Huntingdonshire, near Peterborp'. l)i\ 
 
 (hadderton procured by hta frleudi and 
 acquaintance, allowance for twelve Fel- 
 lows, and above foi (y xdiolai - of the hou<e, 
 -ides the advowsons of Auler or Aller, 
 and Nortkcudberry rectories : as also the 
 vie of Dulverton, i?i Somei >etshire; 
 
 Piddie-Hittoo, Id Dorsetshire ; and be also 
 procured Loughboro', in Leicestershire, of 
 
J 84 
 
 the noble Henry H . Bar! of Hunt- 
 
 ingdon. Dr. Pretton raooeeded him in 
 the mastership of the col 
 liini Dr. Send off, both of n I 
 vived ; and then Dr. II !i. Re was 
 
 of s rerj charitable disposition, Ineomoofa 
 tliat if he heai d ol anj godly min 
 thai was in want, lie would sei 
 forty or tiiiv shillings at i time. Thoorh 
 be lived till hf v 
 remained \ ei > good I 
 the resignation ol id in 
 
 Nov. hi-10, he '1 "[' t tO 
 
 God, being about I and 
 
 u a- inn led m Si 
 
 tract from .v Clfi ke'i Pen 
 
 John L i k i . d.d, Bfa 
 tei , born in PetUcQat»lane, Balil 
 baptised at the parish chai ch the 
 6th, ll»- n en no 
 
 loyalty at Cambridge; bat made his es- 
 cape to the king at Oxford, and served 
 
 in the m\al arm\ • - he w ;- 
 
 present at ti 
 
 Wallingford. He 
 
 when the royal cause was at its 
 
 ebb, July 86, 1647, H 
 
 sermon afl lecturer, at I 
 
 place infected with repuW 
 
 he therefore left it. After this 'tied 
 
]85 
 
 at Oldham, as curate of the parochial 
 chapel there ; after which, by the assist- 
 ance of soldiers, he was conducted to the 
 vicar of Leeds. Soon after, being at York, 
 a commotion arose, and before he could 
 <ret away from thence, he was in danger 
 of being killed by the mob there. After 
 thki Ik* was made rector of St. Botolph's, 
 Bishop -ii ate- street, London. At the pre- 
 sentation of Edmund Ashton, Esq. he was 
 mad" rectOJ of Pre>twieh, in 1 6t>0, and was 
 after-ards nominated by Wilham Earl of 
 
 Darby, to the bishopric of Man, in 168?, 
 and eoij pci ,ited in Dec. After this he 
 \\a- c(iii>f" rated bishop of Bristol, and 
 
 then promoted to the See of Chichester. 
 
 Hi however refused to take the oath of 
 alleuianee to William ] II. He died An^. 
 1689, Bged | '.."• \<mis ? truly loyal to the 
 race of the Stew.ut-. a rigid advocate for 
 the epiecopucy, and a staunch friend to 
 order and regularity. It was daring the 
 time he was rector of Preftwieh that 
 Henry Whitaker jpai di.-char^ed by him 
 from being the parish clerk of the paro- 
 chial chap*] of Oldham, baring neglected 
 to enter either the births, marriages, qr 
 deaths, in the register-book thereof, for 
 twelve years. 
 
 Mr. Samuel OGDEN,aNon-conformist 
 minister,ejected on the noted Bartholomew 
 
 N 2 
 
180 
 
 He was i of Oldham in Lett* 
 
 cashh 8j student ol ( 1 
 bridge. When he bed * 
 be iM.ii i led the daug bter of Mr I 
 who, the Nun-- i Joorael *ey»i 
 
 i i mtnistei In Oldham, 
 adds, i pious Nun-< ■< i his 
 
 i ton, in De 
 shire, ahum <* presented 
 
 to the parocbl d chapel of 1 
 Earl of Rutland, the pah on. M 
 
 g ! rat natural talents ; WU I 
 
 wrote pure Latin; and COOld read any 
 
 Greek aothoi currently into th at 
 
 fii it sight: I 1 \«tm»<1 in the 
 
 Hebron id mathemat 
 
 of music, botfa \ <»< J and im 
 
 He took great delight in poetry, especially 
 
 Latin [>o<>ti \ 
 
 a M8. on the I t Le 
 
 soul between d< 
 
 When tlr d Archl n/jw## 
 
 tia\ elled tin 
 
 Ofc'len, whii run\ ri>ed a Ith L : mi hi 
 He continued hi^ min 
 at Fairfield till 1657, when he was calk 
 Mackworth, m 
 
 I i\e him 
 
 tin* Free-echool at i th, in . 
 
 he died Maj 26, l( .7. aged aboot It , and 
 
 a m buried In the church at \\ 
 
TOWN AND NEIGHBOURHOOD 
 
 OF 
 
 OLDHAM. 
 
 1817. 
 
OLDHAM DIRECTORY 
 
 ihwoetb Robort, carder, eet. 
 
 Andrew John, batter, do 
 Aehton John, Bagger d - George-st 
 
 Allen John. W h«'<-!\s Pig lit. Klii^->1. 
 
 Airy Bella, shopkeeper, Manchesiernrt. 
 
 Ayrton Mi - \ ce, Fountain*st. 
 
 Appleby Blakebro', butcher Hottom-of-m. 
 
 Ion Andrew, shopkeeper, do 
 Buckley Edmund, Royal Sailor, Copy-nook 
 Bradley Benj. hatter, Manchester-st. 
 
 Booth William, ha ot h -- 1 . 
 
 Butterwerth J& post Manchester*^ 
 
 Buckley John, grocer, Laglo-<t. 
 
19i) 
 
 Beswick Cbs. Gen. Aberoromb Roy1on-#t. 
 
 Bentley Gfoorga, fun, weaver, v. 
 
 Blaymire — 8chooI-aia>t< r da 
 
 Bantlay Wul botafear, do 
 
 Bieklej Rowland A ion, irbaelwrightt, da 
 
 Bramhall Mrs. milliner, do 
 
 Bliei l"v Mi — . milliiw- i 
 
 Buckley John. • tettraTj do 
 
 Bellotl Abm* furnoo, Pnygt 
 
 Buckley A I'M. c ilii -.!.: . B Kb 
 
 Bowery Chriat. oora iealei . M 
 
 Bonn J« haikot mafcor (k won r , d » » 
 
 Barlow Etabei t, tin-man. d 
 
 Battereby Richard, batcher, M :>lace 
 
 Bradbury The 
 
 Butler. Blomala tler,drapere, Ac. do 
 
 Briei lay John, hat niannftirtni w . 
 
 Resw ick Adam, . I ountain 
 
 Bai ker W . OOttOft** aita d 
 
 Blakemail J i "(1-inakrr, d<> 
 
 Bamford J . g r ooan ^ taa*i \i 
 
 Bullock Jan I I< nthaw-et. 
 
 v liM-m. 1 lank-lull 
 kei Jau 
 
 Bentlej ( \\< - . 
 
 Haistow J< Liou, Hi^h 
 
 Barnei Pete linker, da 
 Bamford W . \\ bit n, do 
 
 Bradley Joe. eurn dqal do 
 
 Bates Jafl | 0| e-makei . 
 
 Barlow Heuiv. tis^plate-arorii 
 BlsuQkborne Jol - da 
 
191 
 
 Bam ford Andrew, glazier, Lord-st. 
 Bailey Jas. hatter, cVc. EUgh-st. 
 
 Bradbury J. & R. cotton-manuf. Lord-sf. 
 Bamfdrdi Mesdames* Church-lane 
 BinDi Jag. glasa and china dealer, Clegg-st. 
 Bailey John, waste-dealer, Vorkshire->t. 
 
 Botterworth Js. ironmonger, do 
 ButterWortb Kobt. tin-plate-worker, do 
 Barlow II. Esq. attorney, Rhodes-boose 
 Booth Richard, butcher, Bottom-of-m. 
 Clegg Janes, shopkeeper, Manehesfer-st 
 i iper James, hatter, do 
 
 Cooper Wm. school-master, West-st. 
 
 ( [egg Almi. (Soq, hat-manufacturer, do 
 
 Cbadwlck Jos, hatter, do 
 
 Chadwick J as. cotton-manufactarer, do 
 
 Chadwich John, % i oeer, do 
 
 Clegg Richard, hat-manutactm er, do 
 
 Cheetham John, hatter, Hanoter-st. 
 Cbadderton J. grbeer, fte, Manehester-st, 
 
 Cle££ Miss, Lower-bent 
 
 : lines, Bsq. do 
 Clegg James, Bsq. hatananufae. Qarnfold 
 
 Clegg John, hat-manufacturer. EUttg-st. 
 Cle£»r 1 nomas, hatter, near Jackson-pit 
 Cheetham Mrs. Fanny, George-st. 
 Clegg James, hat-manufacturer, Bamfold 
 Campbell W, draper 4 tailor. Market-place 
 Clarke J. bookseller & printer, do 
 Council Peter, tailor, vVc. do 
 Craven John, hatter, Fonntain-st. 
 Cawley T. cheese-monger, Henshaw-st. 
 
Cupit Jam 
 
 Chaddei ib, dealei in old clo 
 
 Cbadwick Rob. ( ockhoui 
 
 Chad w ick John, depute i <Io 
 
 Cook Bettj . — t 
 
 Cbippindale William, Esq. ( I me 
 
 lli-un J. 
 ( Hegg Arthur, <lo 
 
 Inn, Yorkid] 
 
 Corns Samuel, bi ead baker, < 
 Chapman Thoma*, joiner, i — i. 
 
 CuflBODfl T. dra] f, JToi k-hii i 
 Cocl on. Rel 
 M urnps 
 v i\\ idc 
 Clo idow) pot-ieller, 4 
 Cbadwick R. Black I i-o( m. 
 
 Collinge & Laura- hill. Mount-|»l. 
 
 Dixon Joseph, 
 
 Dal ton W. dep. clei k <?hia] cbapel»do 
 
 Dalton Win. battel ;>it 
 
 Di \on T grocei & tea-dealei , 1 1 
 
 Dalton W. \ eterioai el-«1 
 
 Dobson W, ok 
 
 Duerden James, manul Mount-pi. 
 
 Kanishaw G. cotton-mann I 
 
 FletcherJ.dk A.hat-manof Manchei 
 Fletcher Fred, cotton-manufactor 
 Fitton John, shoe-warehouse, do 
 
 Fallows John, school-master, do 
 France Rev. W., St Domil 
 
193 
 
 Frith Anth. tailor & draper, Market-place 
 Farrand Robt. iron-monger, High-st. 
 Fawcett Rev. T. curate of V. C. Church-la. 
 Fielding Abel, grocer, &c. Yorkshire-st. 
 Fletcher R. Friendship Inn, Oldham-lane 
 Fletcher .Is. Uatand Feather, Bottoin-of-m « 
 Gibson Thomas, glazier, Jackson ->t. 
 Greaves T. book-keeper, Manchester-st. 
 Garlick James, house-painter, do. 
 Garlic Saxon, stucco-worker, Lord-st 
 Gartside Alice, dealer in waste, George-st. 
 Gartside Mrs. broker, Market-place 
 Gillian Wm. draper, Cheapside 
 Gonn Michael, tailor, &c. High-st. 
 Grace R. coach proprietor, Church-lane 
 Galloway J. -hoe-maker, Mumps-brook 
 Gleadhill James, cotton-manufacturer, do 
 Greaves Jas. manulaeturei , Bottom-ot-m. 
 Hall George, basket-maker, Cannon-st. 
 
 Heywood Thos. glazier, West-st. 
 
 Handlord J. Jolly Hatters, Manchester-st. 
 Heap Mrs. Ann, innkeeper, do. 
 Heatley Hannah, cotton-manufacturer, do. 
 Holt Richard, shopkeeper, do 
 Holt James, Bull's Head, George-st. 
 
 Halkyard Fdw. surgeon, do 
 
 Hardman Geo. hatter, Fountain-st. 
 Heap James, innkeeper, Cheapside 
 Hiiriiins John, shopkeeper, do 
 HorrocksJ.Old CheshireCheese, Market-pl 
 Horrocks John, jun. butcher, Henshaw-st. 
 Hall Samuel, shopkeeper & hatter, do 
 
194 
 
 Howard) Mrs., butcher, Market-] ' 
 Heys Christ clock & watch m;tker, Hi> 
 Horrooks Jane, Lamb Inn, <lo 
 HodgtOII Abm. May-maker, do 
 HallWm. fish-mon^r, do 
 Higgfobettoari Jos. attorney, Chun ii^l 
 Hindle Henry, reed-maker, Vorkshire- 
 Hutton Benj. surgeon. Qre a j OS S t. 
 Hill James, Spring-Gardens 
 
 Hartley — , ftsstlsn-o otter, Hadciiffe-st 
 
 Haigb Matthew, manuf. Oldham-lane 
 
 Hilton John, cotton-inanuf. llotlom-of-m. 
 
 Hilton Urn* Rod Lion, d<> 
 
 Hilton Ahin. cotton-manufaotuier, do 
 
 Hilton Jolm, waste doaloi , do 
 
 Jaokson W, maohino-naker^ Manchester s. 
 
 Jackson John, hat manuf. near Bent-hall 
 
 JaOksOn John, \\ hite Lion, V i 
 
 Jackson J. tailoi , at 8 T< :i. do 
 
 Jones Wm. KOtft Kinglet. 
 
 Jonc> Joseph, Eoq* noel morahaat. do 
 
 Jones Joseph, jun. Iwj. h do 
 
 Jones John, gOQti do 
 
 Jackson Matthew gTOOOT , M U el SStl 
 
 Jackson Al>m. rrooer, Cheapskle 
 Johnson Thus, book-k 
 Jackson POter, dealer in old bonk-, il gh-st. 
 Jackson J. clerk of the P, chapel. 
 Jackson Ralph, tailor. Back I hapel at 
 
 Jackson K. Hope and Anchor, Maiket-pl. 
 Kay Mrs., Punch Bowl, Maiichuster St 
 
 Knott Thomas, warehouse-man, \\ 
 Kay Robert, hatter A: grocer. 
 
195 
 
 Knott Daniel, coal merchant, Khig-st. 
 Kershaw Samuel, draper, Cheapside 
 Knott Samuel, shopkeeper, do 
 Kay Robert, hatter, Spring-street 
 Kershaw John, dealer in clothes, &c. 
 Kirkham Betty, cotton-spinner, Lord-st. 
 Kenyon John, hat-manuf. Spring-gardens 
 King George, Yorkshire-st. 
 Lees Daniel, Esq. cV sou, c. manuf. Man. -at. 
 Lees James, hatter, do 
 Lytbgoe John, engineer, Hanover-st. 
 Lees Robert, cotton-manuf. West-st. 
 Lloyd Edward, shopkeeper, &c. do 
 Lilly William, cotton-manuf. R. Kiug-st. 
 Lawson Oliver, sawyer, Kintr-st. 
 Lees R. twiner, & cotton manuf. Thorp-hill 
 Lowe Hamlet, butcher, Market-place 
 Lees James. Esq. fustian manuf. ()Idliam-la 
 Lowe John, trroccr, Mump>-brook 
 Lee*R. ajrent to J. Lyes, Esq. Oldliam-la. 
 
 Lee- J. eom^merchaht, dfcc. Bottom*of-an. 
 
 Lout' Mrs. cotton-manuf. JJumpa-brotfk 
 Lees John, shopman, Bottoin-of-mooi 
 L«es John, cotton-manuf. Mount-pleasant 
 Lees Abraham, «rrocyr, do 
 Lees Robert, tiu-plate-worker, do 
 Lowe William, wa>te dealer, do 
 Mellor J. liquor-merchant, Manchester-sf. 
 Mellor J. shop-keeper, Rack Bloom-st. 
 Marshall Thomas shopkeeper, West-st. 
 Maylor Thomas, blacksmith, do 
 Mellor J. currier, corner of King-st. 
 
196 
 
 Marsland Mrs. hat-manufacturer, Kiog-st. 
 Makie John, iron -founder. K i n ir--t . 
 Marsland .lame-. Roe-buck Inn, do 
 Mills John, cotton-mannfaetqrer, do 
 Marsland Benjamin, coal-merchant, do 
 Marsland Jonathan, agent, do 
 
 Mills Joseph, saddler, 
 Mills Daniel, public baker, Cheaptide 
 
 Mills John, tailor, do 
 
 Mills Henry, painter, Btrker-st. 
 
 Mattlcv Joseph, hatter. n< 
 Mayors Philip, Bhopkeepvr, Hen? 
 
 Mellor Mary, diaper. Cock-how 
 Mellor John, hoose-painti 
 
 Marlor Samuel, sh< 
 Marlor Lnev, Kin 
 
 Morris (o><>. pa? n-brq 
 
 Mellor Johp, shoe-warehouse, H 
 
 Mellor Daniel, hat-manuf. (litiieh-! 
 
 Milne Joseph, Rini Us, c hurch-st 
 
 MeadowQroft,tin-plate*i , Huntc 
 
 Milne , book- ihlre^at 
 
 MOSS Daniel, Dnke of Fork, do 
 Mayall Lew in-of-m. 
 
 Nield John, hat-manuf. Ham 
 Nelson — , tailor, Mamie- 
 
 Nichols William, tailor, &c, 
 Newton John, Wheat-sheaf, West >t. 
 
 Nield William, hatter, Founl 
 
 Nield John, Rope 4 Anchor, Hen-I *f 
 
 Nield Thomas, attl ' >st. 
 
 ( tgdep Joseph, book-kr 
 
J 97 
 
 Orme Daniel, confectioner <ic Market-pl. 
 Orme Thomas, watch-maker, Manches. sU 
 Ogden John, liquor-merchant, do 
 Ogden John, hat-manuf. Marsland-st. 
 Ogden Joseph, seeds-man, &c. Cheapside 
 Ogden David, saddler, High-st. 
 Oikes John, clock & watchmaker, do 
 Ogden John, manufacturer, Radcliffe-&i. 
 Ormrod Oliver, grocer, &c. Bottom-of-m. 
 Overens Richard, butcher, 6l skinner, do 
 Piatt James, cotton-manuf. Manchester-st. 
 Priestley Jebfi] watse-dealer, George-at. 
 Peet Thomas, barber. <Ve. ("liapel-st. 
 Prestoa John, travelling draper, High-st. 
 Totter John. Oldham earlier, near Row-st. 
 Renshaw — , hatter & draper, Manchest.-st. 
 Radcliffe Mary Ann, milliner, do 
 Radcliffe D. book-keeper, <fcc. West-st. 
 Rodger* Joseph, brass-founder, Barn-fold 
 Radcliffe Jacob, hat-manufacturer, Bank 
 R add life John, do do 
 
 Radcliffe Daniel, do do 
 
 Ka% nor J. (-General Corn wallU, Henshavv-st. 
 Radcliffe Henry, hatter, Spring-st. 
 Radcliffe Miss, milliner, Lienshaw-st, 
 Redfearn Samuel, I if !ier, Market-place 
 Rowbottom Wra. iron-moager, High-st. 
 Robinson James, shoe-warehouse, do 
 Radcliffe Robt. blacksmith, Parliament-st. 
 Ridley James, attorney, Spring-gardens 
 Riley Jeremiah, blacksmith, Bottom-of-m. 
 Stockdale Robt. shopkeeper, Manchester** 
 
 T 2 
 
198 
 
 •Smethnrst Henry, & -on, haf.tiannf. de 
 Smith Samuel, Mack-smith, Manchester-*! 
 Skelhorn Henry, hatter, do 
 
 Sedgwick Matthew, ooUon-manuf. do 
 
 Scholfield Ann, Beaver Inn, do 
 
 Schdes Jacob, i 1 1 1 1 . pavei d<> 
 
 Sid d all T. ot ton hand -maker. Hop wood Vo. 
 Sraethurtt Samuel, lehooNmaater, Wmt*§L 
 Sprowson Thomas, ■hoe-maker, do 
 
 Seholes Jacob, sen. paver, do 
 
 Scholfield John, shopkeeper] ie 
 Suthera I Charles, Jotoei . < -t. 
 
 Skelhorn M. Prince of G loc eele r , Market-pi 
 
 Scott Joseph, yeoman, Quakers-row 
 Scboien Betty, grocer, Hensha\v-M. 
 
 Stott .1 . agent, d«> 
 Seel ThotM dot, George-el 
 
 Smethturi Robert, Dog A Partridge, do 
 Smethotsl .lame.-, Innkeeper, Wel aon^t 
 Sharpe Joieph, il i Chapel 
 
 Steeple John, butcher, High-at. 
 Scholfield John, Shoulder of Mutton, do 
 Stopherd Ji ^per, A <■ do 
 
 Scholfield John, wine A ipirit ranlt, do 
 
 Smith John, < . Lord-- 
 
 Siddal] Samuel, cotton-manufaetarer, do 
 Senior John, joiner, dte. Back Chapel-et, 
 Shepherd Sarah, Yorkshire-st. 
 Scholfield Joseph, grocery dto« do 
 
 Senior John, draper, &o« do 
 
 Shakeshaft Thomas, Rod Lion. do 
 
 Slithers W. <V sou. Ih |h e t m O T . Mnmp>-br. 
 
J99 
 
 Swire ^Thomas, eloper, Bottom-of-m. 
 Scholes and sons, hat-manuf. Pleasant-spr* 
 Scholes John, c. manuf. Workhouse-croft 
 Taylor James, dog- mak er, Manchester-st. 
 '] atersall John, cotton-manufacturer, do 
 Taylor James, Esq. hat-manufacturer, do 
 Taylor Mary, Spread Eagle Inn, do 
 
 Taylor Joseph, skewer-maker Bloom-st. 
 Tower Henry, warehouse-man, Bent-hall 
 Thomas George, hawker, &c. Wcst-st. 
 Tettow Edmund, cotton-manuf. King-si. 
 Taylor Thomas, blacksmith, do 
 Taylor Thomas, olog^maker, Market-place 
 Taylor Mary, miHiner, Fountain-st. 
 Taylor John, Esq. hat-m. Henshaw-house 
 Tale Robert, grocer, Hiuh-st. 
 Turner Thomas, stocking-maker, do 
 
 Taylor Thoinas, joiner, cVc. do 
 Taylor John, barber, Chapel-<t. 
 Travis John; grocer A: chandler, Churoh-sf. 
 Turner John, wheelwright, Bk. Chape!->t. 
 Travis John, ju.i. Vorksliire-st 
 Taylor Abraham, heald-knitter, &c. do 
 Twemlow John, Esq. Wallshaw-mill 
 Travli M. tallow chandler, Bottom-of-m. 
 Travis John, shopkeeper, do 
 Taylor Belt), cotton mauuf. near Vineyard 
 Wrigley Rev. Miles. A.M. Manchester-st. 
 Whitaker Koht. eotton manufacturer, do 
 Whitehead Peter, hat manufacturer, do 
 Whitaker Henry, fustian cutter, do 
 Ward James, draper, <lo 
 
■:oo 
 
 Whitaker M. L r ii w id baker, 
 
 Wigoal] .1. Iron-monger A i 
 
 \\<>l i hog- A Duck, B 
 
 \\'m_1"\ I'll ' >t. 
 
 Win 
 
 Wbiteley u illiam, n 
 
 Wolfendei 
 
 Whital 
 Wati 
 
 W i i( 
 
 Wo\ I I 
 
 • --!. 
 
 \\ at i. bntctor, «l»> 
 
 Wild James, 
 
 \\ ilsoo J. a \ > Higb 
 
 \Y|;itak< 
 
 W Iillrlir. d T« iho| 
 
 W< do 
 
 \ I ! , l , 1 1 - 
 
 Whitak i lun, 
 
 W xM.il I 
 
 Walkt'i I V 1 1 : : < I. ci 
 
 Woi lb 
 
 Woodfa fa W in. An;.'l luu. I 
 
 Whitehead John, Innke 
 
 VVhitebe li i job r L 
 
 Wiqter B.< \ .¥ . 'etor'i chapel 
 
 Wrighl v» m. NMm 
 
 Watson John, nhoa raabcrr. Hintart lilt 
 
201 
 
 Whitaker John, cotton manuf. Greaves-st. 
 Wright G. jun. draper, &c. Yorks&ire-st. 
 Writrht Geo. Hare A: Hounds, do 
 Wilson Wm. draper, cVC. do 
 Wri-Jry John, grocer <v draper, do 
 Walton David, cotton nmnuiao. Honv-st. 
 Wilson — , tailor, Mumps-hi .»ok 
 Williamson .1. Hulls Head, Hottom-of-m. 
 W ood Join i of roads, do 
 
 Wild and Galley, hat-manuf. Hcnshaw-st. 
 Yardley Kiehard, cotton-spinner, Heut-hall 
 
 . 
 
 Totrysnir of olduam. 
 
 Ashton rhilip, Innkeeper, Koundthorn 
 Aahtoq Ann. cotton maoufactoi .vliill 
 
 Armitage — , shot] keepers Waterhe^-uuU 
 
 Brid< do 
 
 Him tines, Mi'd\ er 
 
 h John, coal merchant, Til-hank 
 
 Booth ( • do. w hetatone-hill 
 
 Beckel John, I 
 
 Buckley) w idow i ii mke^per, M. »oi >de-mil] 
 Beckel Thp 
 
 Baitej J^mee, cotton qnaouf. Copster-hill 
 Brooks Peter, yrocer, Broadway-lane 
 Buckley Rol iiolver-moor 
 
 CoWpei Bern. C< uf. Moorside 
 
 -mill 
 •lib 
 • 
 
202 
 
 Dronsfield James, manufacturer, Sholver 
 Driver Matthew, carrier, Waterhead-mill 
 Duncuft J. Crooked Billet, Hather>haw 
 Dalton John, Royal Oak, May^ate-lane 
 Earnshaw John, surgeon, (ilodwick-brook 
 Grocock Mrs. innkeeper. Hollinwnmi 
 Gee & Kershaw, hat manufacturers, do 
 Greaves Joseph, innkeeper, do 
 Haigh John, manufacturer, Acre-mill 
 Harrop Mrs. CopMei -hill 
 Harrison John, manufacturer. Hollins 
 Holme Rev. (urate of Holiinwood 
 Haslam James, innkeeper, HoWni 
 Howarth lietty, innkeeper. Watetheefl wM 
 Holt — , Roe-DUCk, North-iuoor 
 Jackson \vvi(lo\\ | Weetwood Inn 
 
 Lees lamei, Esq. Higher ( teld 
 
 Lees Joseph, Ksq. Clarksfn 
 
 Lees Edward, Esq. Wernith-cottage 
 
 Lee- S. innkeeper. Side-of«lireenac>e>-n) 
 Lees Robert, umecr, do 
 Lees Thomas, shopkeeper, (iludwick 
 Lees Robert, iiuikeepoi, Lov. ei -moor 
 Lees John, grocer. BottMI-of-aHM 
 Lees Samuel, roller manufacturer, Soho 
 Leach Rol)ert, innkeeper, Three-luue-< 
 jNIashiter Benjamin, Lsq. Tit-bank 
 Milne John, cotton manuf. Stampstone 
 Mellor J. cotton manuf. Hitrher-iuoor 
 Milne Richard, cotton manuf. Higgiushaui 
 Mayall Robert, seu. manufacturer, Bank 
 Moss E. cotton manuf. Waterhead-miH 
 
203 
 
 Mayall Robt. manufacturer, Greenaeres 
 Mellor J. Old Navigation Inn, Hollinwood 
 Mellor J. cotton manufacturer, Lees-hall 
 Nelson Geo. hat manufacturer, Waterloo 
 Newton — , innkeeper, Primrose-bank 
 Ogden Jas. cotton manufacturer, Hollins 
 Ogden Wm. innkeeper, do 
 Okell Thos. innkeeper, top of Hollinwood 
 Potter T. innkeeper, Glodwick 
 Radcliffes Messrs. manuf. Aere-bank 
 Royle — , innkeeper, Greenacres-moor 
 Race John, do. near Waterhead-mill 
 Keholcs John, Loeside 
 
 Scholfield J. sen. coal master, Hollinw r ood 
 Scholfield Isaiah, do. Lime-yate 
 Scholfield John, do. &c. Cowhill cottage 
 Street Samuel, innkeeper, Glodwick 
 Taylor John, manufacturer, do 
 Taylor J. sen. & jun. corn m. Primrose-b. 
 Tetlow John, grocer, Hollinwood 
 Tetlow Mrs. shopkeeper, Hollinwood 
 Whitehead H. innkeeper, do 
 Wroe A Duncuft, cotton manufact. do 
 Webb & Walmsley, manufac. & dyers, do 
 Winterbottom James, shopkeeper, top of do 
 Whitehead Robert, innkeeper, do 
 Whitehead J. shopkeeper, Little-moor-lane 
 Waring J. & W. manufact. Waterhead-mill 
 Waring J. manufacturer, Greenacres 
 Wrigl-ey W. coal merchant, Loeside 
 Wright — , Hollins 
 
20 i 
 
 TOWNSHIP OF CBOMPTO& 
 
 Ashton Ann, Duke ol Y« iw 
 
 A ltd re w Ricbai 
 
 Andrew .!. 
 Blometej J. ( <>v. lit! 
 Butterworth T. mi lurer, m 
 
 Buckley .J. manuf a- ill 
 
 l>U('Ur; 
 
 Bafterwortfa .J. schooli 
 
 CI •<•. Ladej -1 tw 
 
 Cocker Tn 
 
 Cocker John, manuf. do 
 
 Cocker Jai 
 
 CheetbaM Jam r Shaw 
 
 Cocker John, > 
 
 Crompton J 
 
 Cheetham 8 
 
 Cheetli 
 
 Crompton Abrm. Esq. II aipton 
 
 Clegg John, man 
 
 Crompton Abe 
 
 Cocker Abraham, manuf. Loi 
 
 Cocker Philip, mai 
 
 Cocker Jaim man, 1. 
 
 Corker Johd, g< nt. New -kink 
 
 Colllnge widow, farmer, D ■ j hill 
 Dyson Wm. shook* N haw 
 
 DufBn James, manut. ClOQgh, near Shaw 
 Fox William] manuf. >lia\\->ide 
 
205 
 
 Farrow John, butcher, Shaw 
 
 France Thomas, shopkeeper, Jubilee 
 
 Greenwood Paul, Hare <5c Hounds, do 
 
 Greaves B. J. White Lion, do 
 
 Gartside J. tinplate-worker, do 
 
 Howarth J. Bull's Head, Thread-mills 
 
 Heap J. near Dogforts-brook 
 
 Hall J. surgeon, Whitefield 
 
 Hilton Abm. veterinary-surgeon, do 
 
 Hilton James, do 
 
 Havlo .lames, manufacturer, Littlewood 
 
 .lone- Joseph, Cowlishaw 
 
 , lone.- 1 James, Royal Oak, do 
 
 Kenworthv John, school-master, Shaw 
 
 Kershaw John, Crompton-fold 
 
 Lord James, farmer, do 
 
 , Queen's Head, Shaw 
 Mills Abm. yeoman, do 
 Mills Richard, do do 
 Mills Jolm, shoe-maker, do 
 Mills Lvlmund, manufacturer, Greenfield 
 Mellor Thomas, miller, Sfa 
 Mellor Robert, Coach & Horses, do 
 Mills S. manufacturer, High Crompton 
 Mills Jas. col n mei chant, do 
 
 Mills Joshua, yeoman, do 
 Mills John, manufacturer, Primrose-hill 
 Mills John a Js to u fact. Burnedge 
 
 Mills Robert, man rer, do 
 
 Milne John, y. oman, Whitefield 
 Mills Mary, Black Horse, Jubilee 
 Mills James, Esq. sen. Park-house 
 
20<) 
 Mills James, inn- gent Park-hoofs 
 
 Mill* John, ( 'lon^li 
 
 Milli Joseph, yeoman, Dog-hill 
 Newtoo Joseph, batcher, Shaw 
 Nield Daniel, manufacture v-<?dge 
 
 Nield .1 rer, L ■••.'. nud 
 
 Ogden Mary, milliner, Shaw 
 
 ( tgden B i, Hey-hill 
 
 Poftifrel Tho». Pin< . Miaw 
 
 Partington Wm. Low< 
 
 Rimmer L< plate mi aw 
 
 Robinson John, >h<»|>: 
 
 Radcliffe Joshua, manuf. High ( i 
 
 Radcliffe Joseph, do <l«» 
 
 Rhodei J. s tins 
 
 Butcliffe W m. I »wluhaw 
 
 Stoti Robt mannfi dto. Miaw 
 
 Stoti Ji 
 
 >tt John, tallow chandler, do 
 
 stott A 1 > p 1 . yeoman, Oreenhill 
 
 siott ciiai i. v Bone, I .: -.no 
 
 Scholfield John, ii ^horo-edge 
 
 Shan Hugh, manuf. Laneside 
 Trarh John, >pinner, - 
 Travis Bdmund, tallow chandler, do 
 Taylor John, yeoman, do 
 
 Thornton Ai>m. smith, do 
 
 Travis William, clerk of Shaw Chapel 
 Tra\ Ifl Himij. 8 aw 
 
 Taylor Hrnry, near PfcStOlSS 
 Tweedale J. publican, x w^ate-broNT 
 
 Taylor J. farmer, Whitefield 
 
207 
 
 Travis (widow) carrier, Beal-hey 
 
 Travis Geo. Littlewood 
 
 Wild J. manufacturer, Mfarshes 
 
 Wild Joseph, manufacturer, Cowlishaw 
 
 Wild James, spipner, do, 
 
 Wild Henry, shopkeeper, do 
 
 Wild John, yeoman, do 
 
 Winterbottom Jaa. manuf. near do 
 
 Wild John, yeoman, s ! 
 
 W. i \Vm. Blue Bel!. do 
 
 Wbltaker Jam* son, do 
 
 Wild Uenrt . gent 11 mpton 
 
 Wild David, butcher, Whitefield-hall 
 
 Wild John, Black-clougb 
 
 Wi edei John, \ ook 
 
 TOirssim* OF BOTTOM 
 
 Buckley Jonathan, shopkeeper, Heyside 
 
 Buckley Joseph, do do 
 
 Bon kei J. she i , Royton 
 
 i y Jam*'-. R«»\ ! 
 
 Butterworth Robert, manuf. near Royton 
 Bardsley Bdmupd, sen. Thorp 
 Bardsley Edmund, jun« do 
 Bardsley Lawr« Innkeeper, Mreet-bridge 
 Clegg Deborah, Lower-fold or Heyside 
 Chapman v reteriu goon, Turf-lane 
 
 Collier Thomas, clerk of Uovtou Chapel 
 
208 
 
 Cowper Robert, ghopkeeper, Royton 
 
 Cheetham — , do do 
 
 Cowper Win. butcher, do 
 
 Coates \\ id. cV John, <1\< do 
 
 Cbadwick John, mannfact, do 
 
 Chadwfck Tbomarf, do « 1 <> 
 
 E\\\> Robert, ihopkee] er, Efayalde 
 
 Fitton Esmond, n Roytoa 
 
 Gartoide John do 
 
 Gartside Joe. groeer, Lower Hlgginshaw 
 
 Gurfcidn 
 
 Gartaide Hem j , ftbj ley 
 
 Hall Tl aer, '1 arf-lane 
 
 Hardnao Thoe* cooetaMe, Roj 
 
 HoldeD ( reo. lnamihictuit . j too 
 
 Holdeo John, Jo db 
 
 Holden Thomius do do 
 
 Holden Jam*»< • 
 
 Holt Tl. 
 
 Howartb John, miller, Roytoa-wU 
 
 Kershaw Otti* 
 
 Kav John, mai 
 
 Kav Thomaa, d 
 
 Lord John. Ball'a Head, ! ; 
 
 Langhorne R< 
 
 Lewis Jol I miner, '» 
 
 Mellor M. coach | 
 
 Mellor Moees, Bhopkeeper, Reytoo 
 
 Mill- TbOB && 
 
 Meadowcrofl M. do do 
 
 Mills Abm. H> or. do 
 
 Ogden Abm. Earn I ^tfe 
 
200 
 
 Ogden Wm, Unicorn Iun, Royton 
 Ogden Samuel, tailor, &c. do 
 Ormrod Henry, butcher, do 
 Roberts John, shopkeeper, do 
 Robinson Matt, coal works, Street-bridge 
 Stock Benj. Lower Heyside 
 Btead John, yeoman, Tnrf-lane 
 Suteliilo Robert, shopkeeper, Heyside 
 Sevill Peter, corn d. Middleton& Rovton 
 Smith Heiekiah, dogger, Royton 
 Stoker John, blacksmith, do 
 
 BeVIIl James, manufacturer, do 
 
 Sevill Isaac, do do 
 
 Taylor J .•oik-, i , near Heyside 
 
 Taylor Wm. surgeon, Royton 
 i John, tailor, &C. 00 
 
 Taylor John, mamif. do 
 i«yior, ** m. cotton mamn. qu 
 'J iinm Dennis innkeeper, do 
 . [or Edmund maniif< do 
 Travis — i Innkeep* up, Haggate-lane 
 
 Travis Beiyamln, manut'. near KoUon 
 
 Trai - ( ieorge, do dp 
 
 Travis John, do do 
 
 Tia\ if John, do Thoi 
 
 Taylor — . former, do 
 
 Lor Kalph, MMi. TbctrpOoagb 
 Taylor Ralph, jun. do 
 Wild John, manufacturer, Beyside 
 
 W interhoUo'.ii A. A J. >hoj>keeprs, do 
 Wild Daniel, manufacturer, Moss 
 Winterbottom Jo>h. do, Higginshaw 
 
210 
 
 Wood John, farmer, High Barn 
 Wild Edmund, manuf. Koyton-hall 
 Whitworth Benj. even ton 
 
 Whitworth — , Hnplate* . <i«> 
 
 Whitaker Henry, manufacturer, do 
 Whitworth J. yeoman. Deal Royt 
 
 TOJrys/Iir OF CHADDRRTON* 
 
 Ashton Thuma-. manufacturer. CowUill 
 
 Anderton John. »n-fold 
 
 Ashton Philip, ihop do 
 
 Ashton Richard, Thompson 4 
 
 Becker J. vitriol manufacti xdenton 
 
 Butterworlli Wm. yeoman, N»>d 
 
 Booth (*Hdow | Innkeepei , All 
 
 Collinge Robert, grocer 
 
 Chadwick J. innkeeper. Cow hill 
 
 Collin Joseph, no* 
 
 Qegg Ben), innkeeper, HotliUWO* 
 
 Garliok Win. rrqcer, l 
 
 Holden — , innkeeper, near Street-bridge 
 
 Holt Wm. grocer, 
 
 Hall John, do. Hollinw < 
 
 Moretbn — , paper-maker, Street-briii . 
 
211 
 
 Ogden John, grocer, Thompson-lane 
 Pennington J. innkeeper, White-gate-end 
 Smethurst John, manufact. Stockbrook 
 Simpson E. fanner, near Chadderton-fold 
 Simpson Jas. Roe-buck Inn, Hollinwood 
 Scholes Jas. overseer, Butler-preen 
 TaylorT. Bowling-green Inn, Hollinwood 
 Taylor John, grocar , 
 Taylor Win. do. io 
 
 Whitehead Hannah, innkeeper, Lane-end 
 Whitehead Jas. innkeeper Nimble-nook 
 Whitaker Geo. shopkeeper. Alder-root 
 Wood J. maiiut. Bottom of North-moor 
 
 Tin: knd. 
 
 Prinl CUfke, .M.trkct-placu, Oldham. 
 

 r: nn.tr. I. 
 
 
 Page 
 17. 
 4t, 
 47, note. 
 
 
 kinwvke 
 
 r«4d 
 
 I'll!*. 
 
 form. 
 1 
 
 • mmmimykm 
 
 6. 
 
 ? . after mailer, r. (temp. Chu 
 
 18<\ «3, 
 
 4, t N mitted, after Uwwordi " be 
 
 It is potaible to Irare tl*> de*eer' 
 . ol.lli.iiii Mi li M ». and a iewale, wWo«« 
 n.nruc vrv ,!«» n«»i insert), (rot aimUt Radrtife, Eat). 
 
 In Am r dworUu, p. 69, far John CmA- 
 
 \\ oi tli, aged 86, rnd 68. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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