140 A HISTORY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 6. 



Feederick Openshaw, J.P. 



Frederick Openshaw, Esq., J. P., succeeded to the estates of his 

 uncle. In the prime of life, he devotes himself to improving his 

 estate, 300 acres of which he farms himself. His cattle sales are 

 known all through Lancashire. In politics a Conservative and in 

 religion a Churchman, Mr. Openshaw is, of course, popular among the 

 "Church and Tory" people of Ribchester; but by his kindly and 

 genial qualities he is liked and respected by all who know him. 



The Cottams, of Cottam (Knoll) Hall. 



Cottam Hall, the ancient residence of the Cottams, situated close to 

 Kuowle Green Church, on the high road to Hui-st Green, is stiU 

 standing, though it has been converted into a modern farm house. 

 Baines refers to the house as " Knoll Hall." 



From a careful inspection of the house and buildings, which now 

 bears the not inappropriate name of the " Manor House," I can find 

 no date, or inscriptions on the stones or oM woodwork. It is probable 

 that, when the hall underwent renovation early in the present 

 century, any memorial stones there may have been were removed. 

 Some years ago, I was informed by the wife of Mr. W. Bradley, the 

 present tenant, a party of Catholic clergj-men made a close inspection 

 of the place, with a precisely similar result to my own examination. 



The haU, which, in the account given below of the Eev. Thomas 

 Cottam, is described as " Dilworth HaU," was probably built early in 

 the 14th century as mention is made of it in ancient MSS. It has 

 been a fine place judging from the present house, which is in a 

 remarkable good state of preservation, the style of architectxire being 

 that of the Jacobean period. Numerous tales, apparently well 

 authenticated, are current in the Knowle Green district about the 

 Cottams. It is said that during the latter part of the last century, 

 Cottam, the then owner of the estate, kept up a large stud of horses, 

 and a fine pack of hounds. He was a frequenter of the Stonyhurst 

 Buck Hunt meets, celebrated, strange to say, by a namesake of the 

 Cottams — Cottam, the schoolmaster and poet of the neighbouring 

 parish of Hurst Green. 



