132 A HISTORY OF LOXGRIDGE. [Chap. 6. 



CHAPTEE VI.— OLD HALLS AND OLD FAMILIES. 



Hothersall Hall— Joseph Gillow— Hothersalls, 1199-1740— John Hothersall, captain— 

 "Younge Mr. Hother.sall"- The Leckonby's - -The Phipps's- Pedigree of the 

 Hothersalls-Bro. T. Hothersall, S.J. —Rev. W. HothersaU, S.J. —Sir W. Vava- 

 sour— Hothersall boggart— Mr. Wilkinson— Jonathan Ojjenshaw -Memorial -F. 

 Openshaw, J.P.— Pedigree of Openshaws-Ccttam Hall-Rev. T. Cottam, S.J.— 

 Rev. L. Cottam— Pedigree of Cottams— Written Stone- -The Ratoliffes-- Button 

 Hall— The Townleys, 1400-1730— Pedigree of Townleys -High House— Hey House 

 —The Roades's— Buckley Hall— Rev. Fr. Holden— Rev. N. Sanderson— Rev. Seth 

 Eccles, D.D. — Dewhirsts, of Alston. 



In giving an account of the old halls and old families in the district, 

 after full consideration, I have thought it desirable to set apart a 

 separate chapter for them. I have, however, been comjielled by exi- 

 gencies of space to omit any reference to Salesbury HaU, Osbaldeston 

 Hall, and the numerous old halls in Goosnargh. 



I shall in this chapter, then, deal with the Hothersalls and Open- 

 shaws, of Hothersall Hall ; the Cottams, of KnoU Hall ; the Eadcliffes, 

 of Written Stone ; the Buttons and Townleys, of Button Hall ; the 

 Sandersons, Holdens, Ecch s's, and others. 



Hothersall Hall. 



Hothersall HaU, the seat of Frederick Openshaw, Esq., J.P., is a 

 modern, plain, and unpretentious building. But on its site existed 

 the old hall, long the family residence of the Hothersalls, the Lords of 

 the Manor of Eibchester. Mr. Gillow, of Bowdon, in his "Biblio- 

 graphical Bictionary," gives the following interesting account of the 

 old hall and itsformer owners, the Hothersalls : — 



The manor of Hothersall, in the joint township of Alstoii-cum-Hothersall, belonged to 

 the family before the invasion of the Normans, and the mill, which now stands by the 

 banks of the Ribble, occupies the site of the ancient manor-house. It had its chapel, 

 its secret hiding places, its ghost; and it has gathered round it memories and traditions 

 which time-worn stones, carvings, and inscriptions still tend to preserve. Allied by 

 intermarriage with the Hoghtons, of Hoghton ; Rishtons, of Dunkenhalgh ; Cromel- 

 hohnes, of Dutton ; Talbots, of Salesbury ; Walmsleys, of Showley ; and other ancient 

 Lancashire families, the Hothersalls could show as proud and unbroken a descent from 

 the time of the Conquest as any other family in the county. 



The only stone I have been able to find belonging to the old hall is 

 the one bearing date 1695, a photograph of which fronts this page. 



In the Visitation of 1664-5, the HotherisaDs are stated to have no 

 arms; but from the stone, which evidently was placed over the entrance 



