52 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 2. 



We know, however, that Longridge Church was re-bnilt in 1716,^ as 

 in 1702 the learned Bishoi) Gastrell, of Chester, on his visit to the 

 place, directed that the chappelry ought to repair the Chapel, and not 

 the whole parish (Eibchester) ; but it is recommended to do it out of 

 courtesy. He mentions that the Chui'ch at Longridge was served once 

 a fortnight by the Vicar (of Eibchester), who had an order from 

 Bishop Pearson ' to receive the revenues belong to this Chapel.' "The 

 value of the living was £4 13s. 4d. at this time." — Notitia Cesin'msis. 



In 175G the living was augmented, as a tablet in the Church 

 declares : " A.D. 1756, this Chui-chof Longridge was augmented, and 

 A.D. 1760, lands purchased with £400, whereof given by Queen 

 Anne's Bounty £200 ; by executors of William Stratford, LL.D., " 

 £100; by other benefactors £100." In 1784 the Church was again 

 re-built, and a parsonage house was built, for the first time, towards 

 the end of the century. What the cost of tliis " re-building " was I 

 do not know, but apparently it would not be much, judging fi-om the 

 subscribers towards re-altering " the augmented Chapel of Longridge '' 

 in 1784-5: The Earl of Derby, £5 5s. Od. ; Mr. Fox, Eibchester, 

 £2 2s. Od. ; Eev. E. Parkinson, Eev. M. Atkinson, Cuthbert Singleton^ 

 William Bourn, James Pye, Eichard Eccles, John Wliite, John 

 Bradley, George Charnley, T. Walmsley, D. NuttaU, John Cross, J. 

 Billington, Nicholas Bourn, Edmund Eccles, W. Lund, N. Norcross, 

 C. Buck, John Singleton, A. Beesley, J. Pye, W. Lancaster, Eichard 

 Dixon, Eichard Eadcliffe, each a guinea ; and other smaller sub- 

 scribers, amounting to £45. 



An assessment of 2id. in the pound, for the same purpose, was made 

 in February, 1784, and amounted to £5 lis. 6d., for Alston township. 

 Some of the items in the bills are worth re-production : — 



'Baines .says 1690. penurious. By means of his benefac- 



*Some account of this generous bene- tions upwards of sixty small livings 



factor of poor churches deserves to be were augmented. Amongst them — 



given. A relation of the Bishop of Longridge, Whiteohapel, Garstang, and 



Chester, Dr. Stratford was born in 1759. Woodplumpton, benefited to the extent 



He was the secretary of Bishops of £100 each. He died on September 



Stratford, Dawes and Gastrell. His 7th, 1753, aged 75.— (F. K. Eaines 



benificence was the more extraordinary Notitia Cestriensis. ) 

 as he was by nature frugal and 



