A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 





Adam de Coldcotes senior gave a house and the old 

 garden to his son Henry in 1358.' 



The Laghok family had land here. At the begin- 

 ning of 1325 Richard de Laghok recovered in the 

 Court of Hale from John de Grelley of Barton (or 

 John de Barton) and Cecily his wife a toft and 30 

 acres of land. Seven years later Adam son of 

 Richard de Lachog transferred the same tenement, 

 said to lie in ' le Brerehevid ' in Halewood, to 

 Richard son of Robert de Lachog. The family 

 acquired various other small properties by various 

 titles, and in 1364 John son of Roger Daukinson de 

 Lagog and Joan his wife sold a field called Hond- 

 field to Sir Henry le Norreys of Speke. 2 



A little later there appears a John Layot (or Leyot), 

 possibly of the same family, 3 whose career was note- 

 worthy. He was baptized at Hale, and seems to have 

 been much attached to this place. He was ordained 

 deacon in Lent, 1382, on the title of his benefice, the 

 vicarage at Huyton. 4 In later years he is described as 

 a bachelor of decrees. 6 Yet he appears to have 

 married early in life, perhaps before he started on an 

 ecclesiastical career. He had at least two sons, Richard 

 and Robert. Richard was not only a master of arts, 

 but held the position of chancellor to the duke of 

 Bedford in 1420, so that he may well have been forty 

 years of age. 6 



It was in favour of this son that the father, according 

 to the Irelands, endeavoured to settle his lands in Hale 

 without their cognisance. He had acquired lands 

 there in 1393,' and in order to overawe the lords of 

 the manor he executed a feoffment to the duke of 

 Bedford, who by deputy took seisin. 8 He died in 

 1427, and was buried in the middle of the chapel of 

 Hale, where he had made provision for two chantry 

 chaplains. 9 



Various settlements were made. In 1426-7 Master 

 John Layot, rector of a mediety of the church of 

 Malpas, granted land in Hopkinsyard to Robert his 

 son, who duly took possession. 10 John Layot junior, 



, John and Robert, of 

 sf Chalke in Wiltshire 



who succeeded, had two sons, 

 whom Robert became rector of 

 and in 1460 made a settlement of the property ; to 

 his mother Joan Smerley, if she survived him ; to his 

 brother John Layot, chaplain, and to Thomas and 

 William, the sons of John by Ellen, 'formerly his 

 wife,' and Elizabeth the daughter ; in case of failure 

 of all heirs the lands must be sold, and the money 

 delivered to the reeves of the chapel of Hale for its 

 maintenance, repair, and emendation, for the souls of 

 Robert himself and his parents, friends, and benefactors." 

 More than thirty years later still a John Layot, 

 vicar of Chalke, appears as owner ; and in 1497 he, 

 then rector of Fyfield, at which place one of the Norris 

 family was settled, appeared in St. John's, Chester, and 

 made a statement to the effect that he had made no 

 private settlement, and that after his death the pro- 

 perties must, by right of inheritance, pass to Sir 

 William Norris of Speke." 



In the meantime the lord of Hale had not' been 

 idle. William Ireland had gathered evidence that the 

 Layot land had been copyhold, and having been trans- 

 ferred from one to another by deeds without any ap- 

 pearance before his manor court they were forfeited 

 to him ; and at Lancaster in 1481 he had brought a 

 writ of assize of novel disseisin against John Layot, 

 priest, and Thomas Layot. The court rolls were pro- 

 duced, but the defendants had such 'great evident 

 proofs ' by original deeds and evidence of possession 

 that they won their case easily. Hence there was 

 no opposition when in 1493, on the death of John 

 Layot, chaplain, Sir William Norris at the hallmote 

 of the manor of Hale claimed certain lands there 

 though by what right was unknown and they were 

 delivered to him ; relief z\d. n 



The list of tenants in 1292 summoned to prove 

 their title to their holdings has been mentioned above. 

 There is also extant a rental of 1324, commencing 

 with the name of Simon de Walton, lord of the manor 

 of Walton. 1 * 



I 



