A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



of Kendal, who died in 1 246, held three oxgangs by 

 the feoffment of Nicholas, son of William de Lea, 

 for 4/. yearly, with common of pasture in Formby 

 belonging to one oxgang, and the homage of William, 

 rector of Walton, and his service of one oxgang. 

 These lands were granted to Robert the Taylor, 1 

 whose widow, Hilda, in 1254 demanded her dower 

 in two oxgangs. 1 The share of Alan le Brun can 

 also be traced for some time. 3 Robert, son of Edwin, 

 was a benefactor to Cockersand Abbey. 4 Nicholas 

 Blundell, the heir of Robert son of Osbert, was in 

 possession of his two oxgangs in 1328.* 



The Molyneux family of Melling had lands here 

 in the first part of the seventeenth century ; 6 and in 

 1 744 William Molyneux of Mossborough in Rainford 

 named his ' manor of Ravensmeols ' in his will ; 7 

 in 1757 it was purchased from his daughter, Lady 

 Blount, by John Formby of Formby, and has since 

 descended with Formby. 8 



At the death of Edward the Confessor, 41NSDALE 

 was held by three thegns as three manors, in which 

 there were two plough-lands valued beyond the cus- 

 tomary rent at 64^., the usual rate. 9 It was given by 



Henry II, with Raven Meols and other manors, to 

 Warin de Lancaster, 10 and has since descended like 

 Raven Meols. Henry de Lea, son of Warin, held it in 

 1 21 2 ;" and in 1327 it was held by Sir Richard de 

 Hoghton in the right of his wife, Sibyl de Lea, by 

 fealty only, without other service." 



It was probably Warin de Lancaster who enfeoffed 

 Osbert of this manor, which 

 Robert son of Osbert, also known 

 as Robert de Ainsdale, held of 

 Henry de Lea in 1212, paying 

 IO/. 13 Robert and his family 

 were benefactors to the abbey 

 of Cockersand. 14 They acquired 

 lands in Great and Little Crosby, 

 and adopted Blundell as their 

 surname. 14 There is little to 

 show their connexion with Ains- 

 dale, apart from a claim of 'wreck 

 of the sea,' which after trial in 

 1292 was rejected. 16 In 1328 



Nicholas, son of David Blundell, granted his manor 

 of Ainsdale to Gilbert de Halsall in fee : I7 and the 



DDDD 

 ODD 

 DO 



BLUNDELL or CROSBY. 

 Sable, tea billet,, four, 

 three, two and one ar- 



