CHAPTERS IN THE HISTORY OF ECCLES
By
T. SWINDELLS

THE PARISH CHURCH

There is a peculiar fitness in, commencing this little volume with a short account of the Parish Church of Eccles, inasmuch as many authorities are of opinion that the name of the town is derived from its intimate association with the Parish Church. The Parish of Eccles was originally of very wide extent, including as it did Worsley, Swinton, Boothstown, Irlam, Cadishead, Davyhulme, Pendleton, Pendlebury, and Clifton. It is thought that the district around the Parish came to be known as  Eccles, from the Latin, ecclesia, a church. This is, of course, merely a matter of surmise, for in the earliest documents concerning the dividing up of the land of the country the name of Eccles does not appear. In Doomsday Book no mention is made of either village or church, but some antiquarians have suggested that one of the two churches named therein as holding in Mamecestre (Manchester) one carucate or carve of land was that of Eccles. This is not likely to have been the case, and in all probability the second church was that of Ashton-under-Lyne, for originally Ashton-under-Lyne formed a portion of the Parish of Manchester, but there is no evidence that Eccles ever was.

The fact that the curfew has been rung for so many centuries seems to point to a church having stood here when the eight o’clock bell was instituted; and some authorities desiring to be more accurate date the building of the church as taking place in 1100.

Leaving bare surmise for authentic fact, we find that the earliest known actual reference to the church is contained in a document published in the Whalley Coucher Book. In it Gilbert, son of William de Notten, who married Edith, the Lady of the Manor of Barton, in 1120, declared, “I, Gilbert, son of William de Notten, looking unto God, and for the souls of ancestors, grant to God, to St. Mary, and the Church of Eccles, and the clerks and their men dwelling in that vill (village or town­ship), free common throughout all my land in the Parish of Eccles to wit, so that the said clerks and their men may have all their estovers (wood and underwood) and easements in wood and plain, with feeding of swine of their own rearing, and with other liberties, to be possessed by them for ever.” The witnesses of the deed included Robert de Bury, Richard de Workedel (Worsley), Adam de Pendlebury, Hugh de Tyldesley, and Roger de Workedel. This grant would be of great importance in those early days, bestowing as it did the right to feed swine, and to gather wood for fires and underwood for other purposes. By a second deed Gilbert de Notten gave, “with the assent of Edith de Barton, my wife, to William, clerk of Eccles, one-fourth part of the Church of Eccles for life, in pure and perpetual alms for the souls of my father, mother, and myself, my wife and children, and all our ancestors”; and by a third deed they “gave to God and to the Church of Eccles, and the clerks of that Church, free common of our Manor of Barton.” This deed shows that the landholders in the Parish of Eccles, in the 12th century, paid tythe of grass, in kind to the Church of Eccles.

At this time the Church was associated with the Abbey of Stonelaw, a house of Cistercian Monks, founded at the confluence of the Gowy and the Mersey in Cheshire. Having suffered very considerably from fire, which had destroyed the greater part of the Abbey, and from floods, the monks obtained permission from Pope Nicholas IV. to remove from thence to Whalley in Lancashire, of which new Abbey they took possession on April 4th, 1296. In this way the well-known Whalley Abbey came into existence. For nearly two and a half centuries the Abbot and monks of Whalley were the owners of the Church of Eccles; but after the dissolution of the Abbey in 1539 the living became vested in the Crown, and is now bestowed by the Lord Chancellor.

Another early reference to the Church is contained in a deed, also in the Whalley Chartulary, dated 1180, in which mention is made of Helia de Eccles and William de Eccles; and in which Albert Grestlet, the younger, Baron of Mamecestre, gives to William de Eccles a quarter part in the Church of Eccles, to be held in alms for the souls of certain persons mentioned. It may be noted here that Robert de Grestlet, son of the younger Albert de Grestlet, was, in 1215, one of the Barons who compelled King John to sign Magna Charta at Runnymede. Seven years later, in 1222, this same Robert de Grestlet obtained a grant of a yearly fair of two days’ duration, to be held in Mamecestre on the eve and day of St. Matthew. This was the origin of the Acres Fair, held until about a century ago in St. Ann’s Square.

Another early grant to the Church at Eccles was contained in a deed bearing date 1282, in which William the younger, clerk, gave to the Abbot of Stanlaw, eight acres of land in Eccles in exchange for other land which he held from the Abbot for life. One part of this land lay in the Broomyhurst Field (Broomhouse), and the rest on the other side of the Church, between the Hengen-de­benk (Hanging Bank) and the river. This same William de Eccles gave to his brother John sixteen acres of land and a garden in the village of Eccles, John to render for it in lieu of all service one pound of frankincense for burning as incense in the Church of Eccles at the Festival of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, August 25. Amongst other early benefactors to the Church was the family of Richard le Rymour (poet) of Withinton (Winton), who having had seven acres of land situated between Monton and Winton conveyed to him by Thomas de Grestlet, Baron of Manchester, conveyed the same to the Abbot of Stanlaw. There was a curious grant made in 1293 by Henry de Worked Legh (tilled field), “to God and the High Altar at the Feast of St. Martin of a pound of wax for candles.”

These are a few of the grants made to the Church of Eccles in the course of the 12th and 13th centuries; but the values of such grants were in very striking variance from the values of our day. This is shown in the report of the Inquisition, held on September 13, 1282, in Manchester, before Henry de Lee, Sheriff of Lancashire, of the true value of the knights’ fees, and the advowsons of the churches which were held of Robert Grelle, in the Manor of Manchester. In that report we find that the total income of the Church of Eccles was £20 per annum, that of Prestwich was £18 13s. 4d., Bury £13 6s. 8d., Ashton-under-Lyne £10, and Flixton £4 13s. 4d.

In the early days of our Parish Churches chantries played an important part, and our Parish Church enjoyed its share of such endowments. A chantry was a private chapel adjoining the Church wherein a priest chanted mass daily for the repose of the souls of persons named by the person endowing it. The earliest chantry foundation at Eccles was that of Thomas del Boothe, of Barton. It was dedicated to St. Katherine the Virgin and Martyr, and to-day there can be seen on one of the pillars the sculptured representation of the wheel and other emblems of the Saint. Boothe made a reference to the chantry in his will, which was dated 1368. In the same document he also left the sum of £30 to endow a chantry to be built on Salford Bridge. The old bridge, together with the chantry, survived intact for over four centuries, when the increase of traffic over the bridge resulted in the removal of the chantry and the widening of the bridge. Boothe was buried before the altar of St. Katherine, and he bequeathed the sum of £6 13s. 4d. to the chaplains of the chantry to pray for the souls of a number of persons including Roger de la Warre, who was the 10th Baron of Manchester. De la Warre fought in the French wars, was taken prisoner in 1360, was sum­moned to Parliament in 1362, was again fighting in 1364, was sent with the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury with 1,000 men to Calais in 1368, accompanied John of Gaunt to Aquitaine in 1369, and died in 1370. His son John, who succeeded him as Baron of Manchester, died unmarried, and was succeeded by his brother Thomas, who rebuilt, collegiated, and endowed the Collegiate Church of Manchester, now the Cathedral.

The second chantry was founded by Lawrence Booth, of Barton, who was born about 1400. He played an important part in public affairs, and rose to a high position in the State. His progress may be described in a few words. He was ordained sub-deacon 1421, and was admitted to the priesthood in 1446. In 1450 he became Master of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and was Chancellor of the University from 1456 to 1458. In 1451 he was appointed Lord Privy Seal, and in 1454, being chaplain to Queen Margaret, he was appointed her Chancellor. His clerical appointments were: Prebend Stall at Lichfield 1449, Prebend at York and Archdeacon of Richmond 1454, Dean of St. Paul’s (London) 1456, Bishop of Durham 1457, Lord High Chancellor of England 1472, and Archbishop of York 1476. This Eccles worthy joined with his half-brother in founding the chantry in 1450, and some of the conditions of the endowment were remarkably well defined and stringent. No chaplain was to be absent from the chantry on more than 30 days in a year, nor to hold any office out of the Parish of Eccles. Directions were given as to the services to be performed on certain days, and all vestments, books, chalices, and other articles were to be kept at the Vicarage House, and not to be removed except when required for service. The founder’s anniversary day was to be solemnly observed, and on that occasion thirty shillings was to be distributed. The Vicar was to receive 6d., each chaplain present 6d., each chaplain of other churches present in honour of the occasion 4d., the Parish Clerk of Eccles 4d., four singing clerks 2d. each, 20d. was to be spent in oblations at the mass; and the balance of the 30s., together with a further 20s., was to be distributed to the poor of Eccles, 1d. for each person.

William Booth, who was half-brother to Lawrence Booth, and who joined him in the endowment of the last-named chantry, also founded one which he styled “The College of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church of Eccles.” This was in 1460, when William Booth was Archbishop of York, and in the deed were certain instructions as to the building of a house for the convenience of the Chaplains of the chantries of St. Katherine and of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The house was to be built on a piece of land near the Churchyard.

The fourth chantry, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was founded by Sir Geoffry Massey, Lord of the Manors of Worsley and Tatton, whose only daughter married William Stanley, brother of the first Earl of Derby. Stanley, dying in 1498, left one child, also named Joan. The widow afterwards married Sir E. Pickering, and, after his death, Sir John Brereton, the last-named union resulting in the birth of one child, Philip Brereton. Joan, the child of William Stanley and granddaughter and subsequently heiress of Sir Geoffry Massey, married John, son of Sir Thomas Assheton, of Assheton-on­Mersey, in 1513, and after his death Sir Richard Brere­ton, of Malpas, who died in 1557. Her grandson, Richard Brereton, of Worsley, dying in 1598, settled all his estates upon his wife’s kinsman, Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor of England, from whom descended the Earls and Dukes of Bridgewater. The estates are held to-day, the Worsley one by the Earl of Ellesmere, and the Tatton one by Earl Egerton, both of whom are descended from Sir Thomas Egerton. The later history of the chantries is soon told. The first was incorporated with the main building, and, being rebuilt in 1863, formed the south transept to the nave. The second and third appear to have been joined to form the Trafford Chapel, and the fourth became the Bridgewater Chapel. The endowments of the chantries were suppressed in 1548, restored in 1553, and were finally extinguished five years later.

It may be noted here that in 1521 the annual receipts of the Church of Eccles amounted to £119, the tithes of Mawnton being £16 8s. and those of Swinton £4 7s. The mention of Monton reminds me that at Monton Grange there is a most interesting room, which in all probability formed a portion of an earlier building used for residential purposes by some of the priests connected with the Parish Church. The walls of the room are of great age, and during some alterations a few years ago, when the floor boards were removed, some curious finds, including grains of corn and old coins, utterly defaced by age, were made. Tithes were often paid in kind, and very probably the Monton tithes were paid in the room to which I have referred.

In common with most of the Parish Churches of England, that of Eccles witnessed great changes in Reformation days. When Whalley Abbey was dissolved it was taken over by the King, who granted a portion of the tithes of Eccles to John Penn, by whom they were let to Sir Richard Brereton. The Rectory of Eccles was granted to Sir Thomas Holcroft; and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth it was demised, along with a portion of the tithes, to Sir Gilbert Gerrard. Canon Raines says that in 1610 they were conveyed by the Crown to Morris and Philips, and by them to James Anderton, of Lostock. Baines traces them from Anderton to Sir John Heathcote, of Longton, and James Cooke, of Salford.

Half a century ago there existed in the possession of Mr. Gorse, the then parish clerk, a document, bearing date August 27, 1595, dealing with the provision and allocation of seats in the Parish Church. At a meeting of gentlemen of the parish it was agreed that “three entire Church leys should be laid throughout the parish, for repairing and amending of the Church in all decayed places, and also for the making of new pews, and furnishing the Church with new forms for the ease of parishioners; also that the Churchwardens now for the time being shall have power and authority to appoint places for the gentlemen of the parish, and also for the Vicar, according to their degree and calling; and in like manner they shall have authority to place the rest of the parishioners, as well husbandmen and cottagers as others of mean estate and calling, having a special regard to their charges and payments which they have severally paid towards the repairs of the said Church, and making anew the said forms.” In a further clause we read that “neither servants, boys, young women, or children shall presume into the upper places or pews of the Church, but if they do, that they shall be removed by the said Churchwardens into seats or room standing in the inferior places of the said Parish Church.” After this came directions as to the position of the seats to be allotted to the landed proprietors in the parish. The first named was Richard Brereton, of Worsley, who should have the two settles or pews upon the south side of the Chancel gates, next to the Chancel. The settle adjoining the turn-greese (the spiral staircase) and the highest settle on the north side of the Church, adjoining the Barton Chapel, were allotted to the house and manor of Barton. Then followed the pews belonging to the houses of Agecroft, Wardley, Booths, Hope, Wyttleswick, Irlam, Kempnall, Clifton, Beaucliffe, Hulme (Davy Hulme), Pendleton, Monk’s Hall, and Lostock. The whole of the names are still familiar with the exception of Wiggleswick or Wickleswick, which was the name of a hamlet cleared away for the purpose of extending Trafford Park, but the name is still preserved in Wickleswick Wood in the park. The closing sentence of the document said: “Moreover, it is thought meet and so ordered that at the time of divine service it shall be lawful for all men of good behaviour to be placed in one of the said settles or pews, the owners thereof being absent, by the direc­tion and appointment of the then Churchwardens, and not otherwise.”

Thus arranged in due order of degree, our forefathers met for divine service in the year 1595, eight years before the death of the great Protestant Queen. Three years later a further order was issued, allotting seats to the widows of men who in their lifetime contributed to the Church ley in the order of the amounts paid; and to other parishioners in the same manner. The Vicar at that period was the Rev. Thomas Williamson, who was succeeded by the Rev. John White, whose “Way to the True Church” is still well known to local bibliophiles.

At the time to which we are now referring there existed on two of the windows of the Church painted representations of the arms of the Booth family, together with a request for prayers for the repose of the souls of eertain members of the family. To the same period belongs the tomb of the Breretons, erected in 1600 under the direction of Dorothy Brereton, of Tatton and Worsley. It was erected to the memory of Richard Brereton, whom we have previously mentioned as having bequeathed the Worsley estate to the Egertons; and it was Dorothy Brereton who left the Old Hall at Worsley to an Egerton. The appointment of Parish Clerk on July 17, 1622, was a matter of some importance, and an examination of the minutes of the meeting will reveal some interesting features. The report is headed thus: “It was consented, covenanted, and agreed unto, by the Right Worshipful and Worshipful of the Parish of Eccles, with the Vicar and Churchwardens of the time being, whose names are hereafter specified, on behalf of the whole parish on the one party, and Thomas Smith, Parish Clerk of the same parish, on the other party, as followeth :-“Imprimis.—That the said Thomas Smith, or whosoever shall be Clerk for the time being, shall from time to time, and at all times from henceforth, when need shall require, collect and gather throughout the whole parish all sums of money as shall be requisite and expedient for the buying of bread and wine for the several Communions when and as often as they shall be warned and appointed. That the Clerk shall do such services as have been accustomed to be done by the Parish Clerk, or as shall be by law appointed. That the Clerk, in consideration of the aforesaid services by him to be done, shall yearly receive at the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary all such several sums of money of the inhabitants of the Parish of Eccles, and their successors, and of such as hold any land as are contained and specified in the several schedules affixed to these presents, according as they are therein subscribed under their names; and also that every cottage throughout the whole parish shall pay one penny a year to the Clerk; and if any of the inhabitants of the parish, or any other before specified, shall refuse or forbear to pay levies for bread and wine demanded by the Clerk for 14 days next after that, that it shall be a sufficient discharge for the Clerk to give up their names to the Churchwardens. Also if any of the inhabitants of the parish, or any other before specified, shall refuse to pay the said Parish Clerk his wages according as they are severally subscribed under their names as aforesaid, being law­fully demanded by the Clerk, and do not pay the same within 14 days next after, that then the Churchwardens, upon information given unto them by the said Clerk, shall require and call for it by course of the law, upon the charges of the parish.”

This imposing declaration was duly signed by the Vicar, eighteen gentlemen, and six Churchwardens, and approved and countersigned by the Bishop of Chester. What would be the feelings of the Parish Clerk of to-day if he was required to collect his wages from the parishioners in sums of one penny and upwards?

When the curious document just quoted was signed, the Rev. John Jones was Vicar. He held the position for 47 years, and was succeeded in 1657 by his son, who had occupied the living about five years when the Act of Uniformity was passed. In common with some 2,000 other clergymen, Mr. Jones refused to conform, and the result was that on August 24, 1662, he was ejected from the living. How the congregation of Monton Chapel arose out of this incident will be told in another chapter.

At the time of Mr. Jones’s ejection, Monk’s Hall was a private residence in the occupation of Ellis Hey, who at one time sold the Chorlton Hall estates in Manchester to Thomas Mynshall, founder of the Mynshall Charity, for the sum of £300. The enormous increase in the value of the land in the city will be realised when I point out that the land sold for £300 consisted of two portions— one with boundaries, roughly speaking, represented by London Road, Grosvenor Street, Brook Street, and the river; and the second including most of the land on the left-hand side of Portland Street from Aytoun Street to beyond Chorlton Street, and bounded by Shooter’s Brook.

Matters ecclesiastical in Eccles evidently followed an uneventful career for the greater part of a century after the ejection of Mr. Jones, and there is nothing to record until 1717, when a licence was obtained from the Consistory Court of Chester for the “erection at the west end of the building of a gallery, for the greater convenience of the parishioners and for the better main­tainance of the schoolmaster.” It was decided to let the seats in the gallery to the highest bidders, and some interesting details were given as to the expenditure of the rents. Five shillings a year was to go to the Church­wardens for repairs to the gallery, 31s. 6d. to the relief of the poor of Eccles, 6s. to the poor of Barton, 5s. 8d. to the poor of Worsley, and any remainder to the school­master, who should teach scholars in the school erected in the churchyard.

A document bearing date 1726 is worthy of notice. In it we read that John Bridge, of Eccles, having a small cottage upon the Vicarage land, was not able to pay his rent to the Vicar, Mr. Vaughan, unless he was assisted. An appeal for help was therefore issued, signed by the ministers of Stretford, Flixton, and Ellenbrook, the Curates of Eccles, Astley, Upholland, and Salford, a Fellow of the Collegiate Church of Manchester, and five Churchwardens. Truly, a formidably signed document; but the result of the appeal may be gauged from the fact that only fifteen persons responded. These included Humphrey Trafford, Esq., Lady Anne Bland, and other wealthy persons, and the total amount contributed was 9s. 5d. The Mr. Vaughan referred to was an absentee, and a letter written by him to the Parish Clerk on September 30, 1727, is curious reading.

“Mr. Parr,—I hope this will find you recovered from your distemper. I desire you would send me word per next post in what circumstances Ned Watson died, and if my rent be safe, and if his widow designs to continue my tenant. Let me know how my parish is for health. And pray let me know if the Vicarage house is empty, and if you can recommend a proper tenant. I want to know how Mr. Spence goes on and where he lives. I suppose the surplice (burial) fees rise high this sickly time. I hope you continue to collect ‘em, and take an account of what you pay Mr. Spence. Pray collect my Michaelmas rents of all but Widow Watson. Let Mr. Bayley pay Mr. Spence what he owes me, and pray pay the brickman, but first of all stop 30 shillings for ye Sexton. And take care they do not cheat me. I must depend upon you for my steward till I can come over, which I am afraid will not be this winter. Pray ask Mr. Jones, of Flixton, to pay you the sum of money the Bishop ordered for dilapidations, and send it me by Bill from any Manchester man to Litchfield. I believe Mr. Martinscroft would take the house, but I leave it to your care and management till I have a tenant. Pray have an eye to it and the rest of my affairs, for I trust you. Let me know how the schoolmaster pleases. My services to your wife and all friends. From your affectionate friend and servant,

THOMAS VAUGHAN.

Two centuries ago there was much absenteeism amongst clergymen, some men holding three or four livings; and in all probability Mr. Vaughan was a fair sample of a large section of the English Vicars and Rectors of the day. His successor, the Rev. B. Nicholls, aroused the indignation of the villagers by having a number of trees growing in the Churchyard cut down. He was also an absentee, only visiting the parish very occasionally.

Mention has been made of the Church ley, which was a rate levied on all parishioners. There exists a copy of the return of the ley made on November 30, 1744, and from it we can learn how each parishioner was rated. A few examples will perhaps be of interest. In Worsley, we find that the Hon. Wm. Egerton, of the Old Hall, was assessed at 12s.; Lord Colchester, of Wardley Hall, at 6s. 5d.; Robert Lansdale, of Drywood Farm, at 4d.; and John Peake, of Roe Green, at 1d. In Swinton, Roger Taylor, of the White Horse, paid 4½d.; Francis Sherrington, of Booths Hall, paid 6s. 8d.; Edmund Trafford, of Trafford, paid 6s. 6d.; Mrs. Hannah Lee, of Barton Old Hall, paid 2s. 6d.; and Thomas Willis, of Monk’s Hall, 2s. 8d. Richard Pollitt, of Monton, paid 5d.; Lawrence Holker, of Chorlton Fold, 10d.; and John and George Aldred, of Monton, ld. each. Those who paid a penny were cottagers, and others were assessed in proportion to the value of their holdings.

In 1769 the north and south galleries were erected, most of the pews in them being let to the highest bidders, the total annual value being £21, which sum went to increase the modest stipend of the curate.

The east gallery was built in 1805, and at the same time some ancient gates leading to the chancel were removed. Important alterations were made in 1846, 1850, 1852, 1855, and 1862. In 1852 a new roof was placed over the galleries; and in 1855 the old flagstone floor (reminiscent of the annual rush-bearing) was removed, and a new floor of stone on concrete, with wooden flooring in the pews, was laid down. The old oak pulpit, which had been encased in deal, had its covering removed, and stood once again as originally built. In 1862 the eastern gallery was removed, the old vestry at the west end was converted into the principal entrance, the old organ built in 1813 was replaced by a more modern instrument, the Brereton tomb was removed to its present position, and a new roof was erected over the chancel—over £6,000 in all being spent. In these various alterations none of the characteristic features of the ancient building were sacrificed. The recent restoration will be fresh in the memories of all.

A few words should be said concerning the Vicars who have conducted service in the Church. Mention has already been made of Helia, Clerico de Eccles, and William, Clerico de Eccles, in 1180; and in 1200 we read of Thomas, Chaplain of Eccles. In 1240 the officiating Chaplain was William, and in 1275 he was succeeded by William the younger. From 1284 to 1420, when Richard Heywood officiated, there is a hiatus. Then there is a further blank until 1504, when Thomas Wright was appointed. Since then, and covering a period of 409 years, there have been twenty-four Vicars, and, with the exception of Edmund Jones, who was ejected, and Canon Lyttelton and Canon Cremer, the whole of these ministers have died occupying the position of Vicar of Eccles.

Such is a brief record of the Story of our ancient Parish Church.