37 
WITH POETS, ARTISTS, AND ANTIQUARIES 
AT BOLTON ABBEY. 
By J. C. BRUMWELL, M.D., J.P. April 9th, 1889. 
The Lecturer showed how Bolton Abbey has been made more 
accessible by the opening of the new line, and pointed out that 
it was the duty of a Literary and Scientific Club to afford useful 
information to visitors who have not time or opportunity to 
acquaint themselves with all the points of interest. He then 
began his descriptton of the Abbey and its surroundings :— 
The Devonshire Arms stands upon an interesting spot called 
the Town Field. In the early part of July, 1644, during the 
war between King Charles and the Parliament, Prince Rupert 
came here on his way to Marston Moor. Finding this “field 
waving with corn, almost ready for the sickle,” he turned his 
cavalry into it so that they might have board and lodging gratis. 
The accounts of the Clifford who owned the land contains the 
following entry. ‘Bolton, 12th July, 1644. Agreed with 
Richard Barnvis for all that piece of ground at Bolton called the 
Hambilton, as it now putteth out to be eaten and fouled by the 
Prince’s horses as they passed through the county, &c., £20.” 
Here then we have three names for the large field reaching from 
Bolton Bridge to the Abbey grounds, ‘The Town Field,” 
“ Hambilton,’’ and ‘ Bodleton,’ which was the old way of 
pronouncing Bolton. Bodleton means the abode town. Ham- 
bilton means exactly the same, and the Town Field, as it was 
formerly called, gives the same meaning. The explanation is 
that in Saxon times, Earl Edwin, who owned the most of 
‘*« Crafna,” or ‘‘ Craven” as we now pronounce the word, lived 
here surrounded by his servants, soldiers, and slaves. He 
worshipped in a Saxon church near where the Abbey now 
stands. His forefathers must have lived there for many 
generations, because this chapel was richly endowed and was 
the head church of the district. Its privileges, and those 
churches which received help from it, were known as ‘The 
Saxon Cure.” But when William the Conqueror sent his 
troops to this part of Yorkshire Earl Edwin was driven away 
and fled to Scotland. William gave the possession of the Saxon 
Earl to Robert de Romille, one of the barons who followed him 
from Normandy. The son of the Saxon Earl, however, assisted 
by the King of Scotland, came back to the Wharfe with a con- 
siderable army, and committed great atrocities. But, how it 
came about history does not say, this same leader of the ruffians 
who murdered the people of Wharfdale married the daughter of 
