Forest of Rossendale. 205 



so to exist until the year 17 10, when they became two distinct 

 Societies. 



The old School or Meeting-House in Bacup, which I have had 

 occasion repeatedly to mention, was the first building in Rossendale 

 erected for the use of the Baptists. It was built expressly for 

 Messrs. Mitchel and Crossley, and failing these, for all Dissenting 

 Ministers of the Protestant Religion. These facts appear in the 

 Trust Deed of the Building, dated April 16, 1692, from which the 

 following extracts, minutely describing the uses to which it was to 

 be applied, are made. *■ 



The original Feoffees in trust were John Lord, Broadclough ; 

 Lawrence Lord, Greensnook ; John Hoyle, Bacopboothe, and John 

 Holden, Priest-boothe. The Building was to be used — 



" I. For the purpose of a School-house. 



" 2. For the use of David Crossley and William Mitchel, both 

 from Yorkshire, preachers of the Word of God, and of the doctrine 

 of Christ, to pray, preach, and worship in, as often as they shall 

 have occasion, and in their absence for all other such like ministers, 

 now called or styled Protestant Dissenters. If two or more such 

 ministers shall want the place for this purpose at the same time, the 

 feoffees shall have the power to dispose of the place during the time 

 the Dissenters shall be prohibited pubhc worship, and when liberty 

 is granted again, the said David Crossley and William Mitchel 

 shall have the use of the meeting-house in preference to others." 



From the Deed of Admission, bearing date April 20th, 1694, a 

 copy of which is now before me, we find that the plot or parcel of 

 land was thirty yards in length, and sixteen yards in breadth, or 

 thereabouts ; that it belonged to John Whitaker, of Broadclough, 

 from whom it was purchased for the sum of Thirty Pounds {e) by 

 the Trustees or Feoffees before mentioned ; that at the date of the 

 Surrender it was in the Tenure or occupation of Joseph Ashworth, 

 that it was of the Manor of Accrington Newhold, and that it was 

 subject to the yearly rent to the Lady of the Manor of One Penny. 



(e) Mr. Hargreaves, in his " Lite of Hirst," states ^% whicfi 1 take to be 

 an error. 



