The following article appeared in our newsletter number 105, contributed by Stephen Tonge.
I have recently put together a small booklet called ‘Transcripts of Old Documents Concerning Turton (1545 – 1630)’ which contains the text of eighteen documents from Lancashire Archives, and one from Chetham’s Library.
They are word-for-word renderings using the original spelling and punctuation, with minimal commentary. The contents are probably a bit obscure to be of general interest, but I hope may provide useful source material for researchers. The booklet contains, amongst other things, lists of inhabitants of Turton in the late Tudor and early Stuart periods.
One of the documents, which I estimate to have been written in the late 1570s, records the refusal of the freeholders of the district to serve as constable. It is written in the notoriously difficult handwriting and awkward spelling of John Orrell, lord of the manor of Turton (died 1581). Below is a brief excerpt to give a feel for the style of language used:
‘The names of the Fre holders in Towreton that they and theyre tenands wyche do refuse and denye for to be counsoabyils as the tyme and turne shall serve when it comes unto theyme’
The constable would have been appointed annually and was responsible for keeping the peace, in the days before a police force existed. It was an unpaid role which could be time consuming and sometimes dangerous, so the reluctance of the freeholders to undertake it is understandable. Richard Wood of the Oak was the only freeholder who agreed to serve as constable. The others, John Horrocks, Roger Brownlow, James Walmsley, Laurence Bradshaw and Anthony Greene, all refused. Even if the township was fined, they would rather pay the fine than serve. Anyway, they said, the cost would be shared amongst all the inhabitants of Turton rather than being borne by them alone.
John Orrell’s relationships with the freeholders of Turton seems to have been fractious in this period, with a number of disputes arising about rights to the common land in Turton. The situation described in this document fits with a general picture of uncooperativeness between the lord of the manor and the freeholders in Turton.
One piece of information in this document that particularly interested me related to the ownership of the Walmsley estate. Orrell noted that James Walmsley had bought half of Mr Tresham’s land in Turton, and Laurence Bradshaw of Tonge had bought the other half. Tresham was the grandson of Sir James Harrington, who in 1497 held property in Turton, his tenant then being James Walmsley. The property stayed in the Tresham family until Thomas Tresham sold it in 1571, so this is the date that the Walmsley family first became the owners of the place, having previously occupied it as tenants. Laurence Bradshaw’s half was presumably adjacent to the Walmsley estate, so maybe Stanrose (Briggs Fold), Dewhursts or Stones (Egerton Park area). I will update the text of our Egerton book to include this information in the next reprint.
If any members of the society would like a copy of the ‘Old Documents’ booklet let me know, I have a few spare copies.
List of Documents
- Award Concerning Turton & Entwistle Boundaries 1545
- Agreement to Grant a Lease to John Sharples 1575/6
- Charterers’ Agreement Regarding the Commons 1578
- Survey of Turton Moor 1580
- Freeholders Refusing to Serve as Constable circa 1580
- Birchwood Edge Recovery 1580/1
- Letter to Orrell from Osbaldeston 1581
- Turton Leases Made by John Orrell (est. 1581 - 1588)
- Invitation to Meeting at Robert Wood’s House 1586
- The Award of Thomas Lathom 1586
- Richard Orrell's Letter Requesting Money 1591
- Various Leases of the Common (undated)
- Maintainers of the Way from Charterers Moss 1594
- Maintainers of the Way from Green Walls 1597
- Poor Rates for Turton & Longworth 1598
- Accounts of Turton Mill 1602 - 1603
- Survey of the Manor of Turton circa 1608
- Mrs Siddall’s Complaint against John Sharples 1620
- Depositions of James Anderton and Henry Walsh 1630
Index of Surnames
Spellings have been modernised
(not named), 48
Anderton
Christopher, 65
James, 65
Ashaw
Leonard, 19, 59
Ashton
(not named), 38
Astley
Gilbert, 42, 44, 60
John, 41, 50
Banister
James, 58
Barlow
Charles, 15, 17, 40, 42, 44, 46, 58, 61
Barton
Andrew, 5
Boothe
Thomas, 37
Bradley
Peter, 41, 46, 60
Bradshaw
Ellis, 43
Lawrence, 10, 11, 19, 20, 22, 59
Margerie, 29
Richard, 18, 29, 37, 40, 42, 44
Brandwood
James, 48, 58, 61
John, 58
Oliver, 8
Robert, 50
Roger, 48
Bromiley
Arthur, 43, 47, 60
John (widow of), 62
Thomas, 9, 15, 16, 17, 18
William, 12
Bromley
Thomas, 28
Brooke
John, 48, 49
Richard, 54
Brooks
Richard, 58
Brownlow
John, 12
Lawrence, 10, 11, 19, 31, 59
Roger, 20, 22
Cannon
Mr., 38
Carter
Peter, 18
Cartwright
Ralph, 41, 47, 50, 60
Chetham
Hugh, 48, 50, 58
Humphrey, 65
Cooper
(not named), 13
William, 41, 47, 50, 62
Crochlowe
Roger (widow of), 44
William, 44
Crompton
Richard, 62
Thomas, 11, 48
Cronkshaw
Richard, 46, 61
Crosse
Thomas, 52, 57
Cunliff
Ralph, 44
Dewhurst
Gyles, 44
Elston
Alexander, 44
Entwisle
Alexander, 58
Ellis, 5
George, 5, 58
Gilbert, 41, 42, 48, 50
Gyles, 47, 58
Hugh, 5, 62
Oliver, 8
Ralph (widow of), 48
William, 5, 40, 42, 44, 46, 60
Fletcher
Abraham, 49
Fogge
Edmund, 42
Lawrence, 60
Oliver, 15, 18, 39, 48
Richard, 61
Robert, 16, 40, 42, 44, 46
Fogge alias Gilliburne
Richard, 11
Greene
Anthony, 20, 21, 22
Ralph, 10, 11, 19, 20, 40, 43, 59
William, 12
Greenhalgh
Ellis, 48
Thomas, 46, 61
Hardman
Henry, 43, 47
James, 62
Harrington
Sir James, 22
Harwood
(not named), 13, 14
William, 41, 42, 46, 60
Haslam
Alexander, 41
Alexander (widow of), 44
John, 45
Robert, 44
Roger, 44
Haworth
Andrew, 15, 16, 17, 29, 40, 42, 44, 58, 61
Elizabeth, 30
Henry, 55
James, 31
Lawrence, 16, 17, 18, 30
Piers, 8
Ralph, 46, 47, 50
Richard, 50
Roger, 15, 17, 18, 49
William, 8, 18, 29
Haydock
John, 62
Hey
Giles, 48
Holden
George, 47
Robert, 21, 47, 62
William, 41, 49
Holiday
George, 48, 50, 58
Holland
William, 56
Holt
Charles, 49
Ellen, 28
James, 48, 50
Ralph, 15, 16, 17, 18, 27, 28, 31, 43, 61
Robert, 37
Hopkinson
Christopher, 48
Edward, 8, 9, 58
Horrobin
Alice, 29
Andrew, 51, 58
Lawrence, 15, 16, 17, 29, 50, 58, 61
Robert, 5, 29, 43
Horrocks
Christopher, 5, 21, 43, 59
Christopher (widow of), 48
Christopher (wife of), 12
John, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 49, 51, 58
John (widow of), 43
Peter, 30, 48
Horwich
Anthony, 50
Thomas, 40, 43, 62
Hough
Richard, 15, 16, 17, 18, 28
Thomas, 43, 47, 62
Isherwood
(not named), 13, 37
Christopher, 48, 58
Francis, 51
Oliver, 15, 16, 40, 44, 47, 62
William, 47, 50, 62
Jolly
Edmund, 55, 56
John, 55
Nicholas, 56
Kay
James, 48, 49
Thomas, 46
Kaye
John (wife of), 20
Martin, 60
Thomas, 60
Kenion
William, 43, 60
Kershaw
Ellis, 8
James, 15, 16, 17, 39, 40, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60
John, 46, 58, 60
Lawrence, 27, 39
Nicholas, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, 60
William, 40, 42, 44, 46, 58, 60, 61
Knowles
Andrew, 41, 47, 50
Andrew (widow's servant), 58
Henry, 47
Richard, 44, 47, 50, 62
Richard (widow of), 60
Lanson
Sir John, 8
Lathom
Thomas, 32, 35
Lever
Ellis, 44
Humfraye, 10
John, 44
Lomax
Simon, 49, 50
Thomas, 15, 17, 41, 42, 43
Longworth
Alexander, 12, 44
Christopher, 44
Henry, 8
John, 47
Oliver, 45
Richard, 15, 16, 17, 40, 47, 48, 49, 50, 58, 61
Thomas, 44
Lyvesey
Joanne, 23, 24, 25
John, 13, 19, 23, 24, 25
Richard, 23, 25
Marsh
George, 40, 47, 50, 58, 61
Myles Aspinall, 15, 16, 17
Mather
William, 12, 43
Mawdesley
Edward, 13, 19, 23, 24, 25
Elizabeth, 23, 24, 25
Mayoh
Lawrence, 44
William (widow of), 44
Meadowcroft
Francis, 61
Morte
Thomas, 10
Motheram
Thomas, 10
Oldham
Ellen, 45
Isabell, 45
Roger, 45
William, 46, 61
Orrell
Agnes, 32
Alexander, 5, 61
Elizabeth, 32, 34
Ellen, 32
Frances, 32
James, 47, 58
Jane, 28
John, 5, 8, 9, 10, 22, 23, 25, 27, 32, 33, 64
Ralph, 15, 17, 18, 33, 39
Ralph (widow of), 40
Richard, 8, 32, 37, 62, 65
Susan, 32
Thomas, 8
William, 9, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 43, 65
Osbaldeston
Edward, 26
Pendlebury
Thomas, 44
Phillip
Hugh, 20
Pilkington
Oliver, 11
Richard, 5
William, 39, 41, 42
William (widow of), 44
Prescott
Henry, 21
Richard, 41
Richard (widow of), 45
Radley
(wife), 55, 56
William, 39, 40, 42, 44, 46
William (widow of), 60
Ratcliffe
Ann (Dame), 59
John, 11, 19
John (Sir), 59
Rigby
Thomas, 55
Rishton
James, 56, 58
Rye
Isabell, 45
Ryley
Henry, 43
Schofield
Ellis, 41, 42, 46, 60
Sharples
Edmund, 9
Edward, 9
John, 9, 15, 16, 18, 27, 39, 64
John (widow of), 43
William, 18, 28
Shepherd
William, 41, 42, 46, 50, 58
Shorrocks
Jeffrey, 47, 61
Siddall
Mrs, 64
Snalson
Ralph, 41
Standish
Mr., 38
Stones
Alexander, 45, 61
Dorothy, 45
Isabell, 45
John (widow of), 41
Peter, 49, 50
Tarkinton
Thomas, 41, 42, 46, 50, 60
Taylor
George, 49
John, 12
Peter, 27
Peter (widow of), 39
Richard, 12, 15, 16, 17, 43, 61
Roger, 15, 16, 17
Thomas, 18, 28
Tresham
Mr., 20
Thomas, 22
Turner
Roger, 49
Tyldesley
Thurstan, 5
Valentyne
James, 48
Walch
Henry, 39, 40, 65
John, 15, 16, 17, 18, 30, 37, 39, 43, 60
Thurstan, 61
William, 15, 16, 17
William (widow of), 62
Walkden
John, 51
Walmsley
Christopher, 49
George, 62
James, 10, 11, 19, 20, 22, 59
James (widow of), 43
William, 43
Warburton
Adam, 8
James, 48
John, 48, 49
Warde
Andrew, 10
Whalley
Oliver, 47, 61
Whewell
George, 50
Whittle
(not named), 13
Thomas, 40, 47, 62
Wood
Edmund, 43, 60
Ellen, 29
Hugh, 15, 16, 17, 18, 28, 43, 60
Joanne, 28
John, 8, 15, 16, 17, 27, 31, 39
Richard, 11, 12, 19, 21, 22, 31, 43, 59
Robert, 15, 16, 17, 18, 29, 31, 39, 43, 61
Roger, 12
William, 43, 60
Worthington
Alexander, 9, 15, 16, 17, 27, 39, 43
John, 12
John (widow of), 43
Richard, 11, 19
Thomas, 59
William, 61
