220 A HISTOKY OF LONGRIDGE. [Chap. 10, 



CHAPTER X.— WHITECHAPEL. 



Population — Situation— Antiquity of Church — Chxireh bell, 1581 — Sir H. deHoghton— 

 Value of living, 1650 ; 1700— Foundation of School, 1705 — Church enlarged, 1720 ; 

 1753 — Ancient Sun dial — List of Vicars — Kev. E. D. Barmister — Rev. T. Saiil : 

 Non-residence — Correspondence, 1810-12- Only 24 pews — Church unoonsecrated^ 

 No marriages or burials — Petition of inhabitants — Letter from Bishop Sparke — 

 Bishoji's monition— Resignation of Mr. Saul— Rev. H. Shuttleworth : Patron of 

 li\dng — Correspondence. 



The Parish of "WTiitechapel was formerly occupied by a colony of 

 handloom weavers, but they have long since left the place, and to-day 

 it is only a rather poor agricultural district, the land being mostly fell 

 land, and much exposed to the weather. The population was in 1831, 

 928 ; 1861, 646 ; and in 1881, 561. 



It is situated on the slopes of Beacon Fell, and is about 4^ miles 

 from Longridge, in a westerly direction. 



The Chureh at Whitechapel, or ThreMaU Chapel as it was some- 

 times called from the fact of its being situated in the ThreLfaU Tything, 

 is of considerable antiquity. The very diminutive size of the original 

 structure (27 feet by 13 feet) would warrant the assumption that it 

 was first erected as a private oratory. 



A copy of a document now in the Church chest is given by Col. 

 Fish wick in his History of Goosnargh, from which it appears that 

 a beU belonging to the Chapel was taken by Alexander Houghton in 

 1581, who promised to replace it when required to do so. In 1728 an 

 application was made to Sir Henry de Hoghton for the beU, who, in- 

 stead of restoring it, stated that " Queen Elizabeth had given a bond 

 to his ancestors for £50, which was not worth anything at aU, and he 

 had no tenants in Goosnargh." He, however, gave 10s. towards the 

 cost of a new bell. 



In 1650 it was reported that there was only £50 allowed to Mr. 

 Sherbourne, the minister there, " the chappelry consisting of four score 

 ffameleys at the least," the inhabitants desire it may be made a parish 

 and competent maintenance allowed. 



Bishop Gastrell, writing at the beginning of the 18th century, states 

 " that Whitechapel, within Goosenargh, certified that nothing at aU 

 belongs to it, and is servied now and then only out of charity at ye 

 request of ye people." 



