Who Was Living in Heywood in 1655?

The following is an account of the population of Heywood and nearby districts during 1649-55. It is probably the earliest such record of who lived there. The information was collected during a survey of churches and parishes, shortly after the English Civil Wars. 

The chapels at Ashworth and Heywood were assessed and recommended to become parishes. This is basically a promotion for a chapel, giving it its own parish territory under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of the parish priest. The survey also recommended which lands would become part of what parish, and named all the males who lived there.
Ashworth Chapel (opened in 1514) is still a working church.

“There is in the parish of Middleton one chapel called Ashworth Chapel… And that the said chapel is fit to be made a parish church; and that Mr. Henry Pendlebury, a godly Orthodox minister well qualified, was late Minister there and supplied the Cure [care of souls], but has ceased to officiate at Ashworth Chapel for want of maintenance, and at present there is not any minister there.

And we find that all Ashworth and Birkly (Birtle) hamlets (except some messuages [house and land] and tenements now in the several tenures or occupations of Mr. Richard Meadowcroft, James Haworth of Sillinghurst, Peter Livesay, James Kay of Gindle, James Kay of Broad Carr, and Thomas Toppinge) are fit to be appropriated to Ashworth parish; And we find that these messuages, tenements, and cottages in Bamford, in the several tenures of Henry Pendlebury, John Hardman, Francis Holt, Thomas Birch, Roote Dixson, Edward Chadwicke, Richard Meadowcrofte, James Fenton, and Bamford Hall and demesne lands [land owned by the lord of the manor], are fit to be appropriated to Ashworth parish.

“Heywood is a Chapel situated upon the side of Bury parish… and does not have any glebe lands [area of land used to support a parish priest] belonging to it; there is the use of £5, due to the minister who officiates at the said Chapel, being a Gift given by Mr. William Holme, deceased, towards the maintenance of the Minister (Mr. Jonathan Schofield is minister there, and is orthodox for divinity, well qualified for life and conversation); And there was assigned to the said Chapel for the maintaining of the ministry of Heywood, the tithes [payments made to a church] out of the hamlets of Heywood, Bamford, Whittle, and Lomax, being part of the sequestrations due unto the Rectory of Bury, by the Committee of Plundered Ministers, by an order dated the 24th of April, 1645, subscribed under the hand of Gilbert Millington, and the said tithes are valued and esteemed to be worth £22 per annum…

"Heywood Chapel… is fit to be made a parish.

Heywood chapel, rebuilt in 1640 and closed in 1859.

“We also present that there is within Heape, in Bury parish, these families which are near adjacent to the Chapel of Heywood, Rauffe Seddons, John Makonds, Fardinando Stanley, gent., Robert Holts, widow Birchs, Arthur Holts, Thomas Bolts, Francis Meadowcroft, Alexander Chadwicke, Richard Smethurst de Wham, Edmund Holts, John Hamers, James Barnfords, Edward Bamfords, gent., John Gould, John Wolfenden, Robert Scolefields, senr., Robert Scolefields, junr., Robert Haworth, Richard Dicksons, Rohti Ashworths, Rauffe Holts, Richard Croppers, Grace Haworths, Alice Leach widow, Thomas Hopwood, Jonathan Butterworth, John Cropper, Robert Croppers, William Wardleworths, James Turners, Laurence Chadwicks, Thomas Croppers, James Croppers, Robert Leaches, Richard Meadowerofts, John Meadowcrofts wife, Richard Fenton, Roger Heywoods, James Haworths, John Fentons.

“In Bamford, being part of Middleton parish, Edmund Chadwicks, John Chadwicks, Charles Chadwicks, Thomas Birch, Samuel Hey, Charles Stott, Richard Chadwick.

“In Gristlehurst: Thomas Holte, Esq., Samuel Shawe, Richard Hitchinson, Johis Holte.

“In Marland, within the parish of Rochdale: Thomas Hardman, Richard Livesey, Widow Lawton, James Nuttalls, Alexander Chadwicks, Alice Chadwicke's widow, Abel Whitticar.

“In Middleton parish or Pilsworth hamlet: James Hardmans, Richard Talors, Thomas Chadwicks, William Stocks, John Smiths.

“In Hopwood hamlet: John Lord, Henry Wrigleys, James Wrigleys, Edmund Wolstenhomes, Samuel Scoles, Robte Hulton, Edmund Leaches, James Brierlies, Edward Heywoods, John Wrigleys, George Cowpers, James Lords, James Hultons, widow Lords, Edmund Buries, Henry Marcers, James Wrigley, senr, James Fitton, Abraham Hopwoods, Abraham Scoles, Peter Ashton, Edward Cowp, the heirs of Arthur Lord, Abell Fitton, John Burie, Susan Burie, vid (widow), Richard Lord, Richard Wolstenholme, widow Leaches, Abraham Butterworths; all these are adjacent near unto Heywood Chapel, and have hitherto daily resorted being situated nearer to that Chapel then any other Church or Chapel, and fit to be made a parish if another be not erected nearer; And there is a mansion or dwellinghouse formerly built by the Inhabitants of the said Chapelry, and one garden, and about one acre of ground, which the ministers have formerly enjoyed.”

   Related pages   

Comments

Kate Gibson said…
By eck there were some right gradely names in Monkey town in the 1600's !!
Lapinbizarre said…
The surnames are mostly very familiar. My paternal grandmother was an Ashworth. My father's family (Mortimers) were from a clan that lived in the West Riding, in a triangle between Halifax, Leeds and Bradford, since at least the early 16th century.