Burscough Priory. 243 



conditions, local ones, and limited. The misfortune is 

 that " bedding-out" very generally implies, if it does not 

 necessitate, the abolition of a thousand things that are 

 individually and supremely meritorious, the piece of land 

 which it embosses becoming only by a euphemism, "a 

 garden," and this at infinitely greater pains than if 

 cultivated. 



When at Blythe, it would be a pity to forget that at a 

 few fields' distance remains exist to this day of the once 

 celebrated and stately Burscough Priory. The fragments, 

 for they really are no more, consist of portions of one of 

 the principal interior arches, deeply sunk in the mass of 

 earth and rubbish accumulated after the overthrow of the 

 building, the arched head of a piscina alone declaring the 

 ancient level. The ruins seem to have stood untouched 

 and grey, as at this moment, for at least a couple of 

 centuries. The grass comes up to their feet, and looks 

 as if it had been there always. Very interesting, how- 

 ever, is it to note, close by, orchards comparatively 

 young, in their season full of honey-plums and damsons; 

 corn also, within a few yards, the fruit and the grain 

 renewing to-day what no doubt was the exact spectacle 

 five hundred years ago. The priory was founded by 

 Robert Fitz-Henry, lord of Lathom, temp. Richard I. 

 It was richly endowed, and at the time of the suppres- 

 sion required as many as forty servants. Some of the 

 Stanley monuments, and eight of the bells, were then 

 removed to Ormskirk church, where a new tower was 

 built for the reception of the latter, the remainder going 



