40 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 1. 



The " Select Vestry" for 1820 — 1825 seems to have been composed 

 of William Buck, Eev. Eobeit Parkinson, Eic. Shuttleworth, Seth 

 Eccles, senr., David Nuttall, Edmund Eastham, Oliver Hothersall, 

 Henry Parkinson, W. Clough, Wm. Walne, James Pye, and Eichard 

 Moss. 



The earliest books or papers belonging to the " Select Vestry" of 

 Dilworth do not appear to have been preserved prior to Sept. 12th, 

 1845, as at a meeting held on that date it was ordered that " a book 

 should be purchased by the Surveyor to make entries into of this and 

 aU future meetings." 



The members from 1845 to 1860 were — 



Wm. Bourne, Thuratau Greenall, 



Wm. Marsden, John Seed, 



\\'m. SkUbeck, John Jump, 



Kd. Parkinson, Thos. Spencer, 



Rd. Dixon, Will. Dixon, 



Charles Foster, Wm. Bond, 



Wm. Banks, Robert Smith. 



Mrs. Fanny Eocles, one of the oldest inhabitants of Longridge, has 

 enabled me to give the following account of the building of Longridge, 

 and of some of the interesting manners and customs of the people 

 during the latter part of the last, and early part of the present, century. 



Prior to 1800, Longridge was but a mere hamlet, containing a few 

 scattered cottages and a couple or so of inns. The greater portion of 

 the land on the northern and north-western side of the fell was 

 moorland and imenolosed. In 1804 King Street was built; the old 

 Club Eow having been built a few years before. An old cottage in 

 Fell Brow for years went by the high-sounding name of " The Town's 

 Hall," and was the property of the late Eev. E. Parkinson, Curate of 

 Longridge. Mr. Wm. Buck owned a good deal of property- at that 

 time, and was much beloved by the people. Lime used to be carried 

 in large quantities in panniers on mules' backs. A thriving industry 

 was the besom trade. They were carted from Longridge to Liverpool ; 

 and the carrier used to load back with spirits. Two days were set 

 apart for the annual GuUd — on one day was the horse-race, and a foot 

 race was held on the second day. 



