WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



under them. 1 On the sale of their estates early in 

 the seventeenth century it was acquired by Robert 

 Blundell of Ince, s and became involved in the dispute 

 between the latter and the earl of Macclesfield. In 

 depositions taken at the trial (1664) it was stated 

 that Sir Cuthbert had improved the lands belonging 

 to Renacres and let them in common with the 

 demesne lands of Halsall ; and the tenants of Halsall 

 had ' done boon ' in Renacres. 3 The owners or 

 tenants of Renacres had generally been called as 

 suitors at the courts of the manor of Halsall, though 

 none of them seem to have appeared there ; and 

 they paid lays to the constable of Halsall. 4 So far 

 as Renacres was concerned, the cause was decided 

 in favour of the Blundells' claim in 1719, and it 

 has since descended with Ince Blundell. 5 



Renacres gave its name to one or more families 

 in the neighbourhood. 6 



SN4PE, as may be implied in its name, was a 

 border farm or hamlet. 7 Thomas son of Alan de 

 Snape granted (about 1 300) certain land in Halsall 

 to Thomas the clerk of North Meols and Emma his 

 wife. After the death of Thomas de Snape, his 

 widow Alice taking her third as dower, this land was 

 claimed by his heiresses Margery wife of Robert del 

 Riding of Sefton (Roger their son), Goditha wife of 

 Paulinus del Edge of Halsall, Avice wife of Adam de 

 Molyneux, Anabil wife of Robert the Tailor of 

 Lathom in right of their sister Denise, who, they 

 said, died in possession. The jury found that 

 Thomas the clerk and his wife had been unjustly 

 disseised by force and arms, and must recover, the 

 damages being taxed at 34/. 8 



DOWNHOLLAND 



Holand, Dom. Bk. ; Holland, 1258; Doun- or 

 Downholland from 1290. 



Bartune, Dom. Bk. ; Barton, 1246. 



This is a composite township, Barton in early 

 times having been separate. It lies on a very gradual 

 slope from a slight ridge reaching 70 ft. above sea 



HALSALL 



level down to fenland only 1 1 ft. above that level. 

 The three villages, Downholland, Haskayne, and 

 Barton are situated on the higher ground. The 

 lower ground is of a marshy character, but mostly 

 reclaimed and converted into fertile fields, drained by 

 ditches in the lower parts and divided by spare 

 hawthorn hedges in the higher portions of the 

 township. There is a natural dearth of plantations 

 and hedgerow trees in a district swept continually 

 by sea-breezes, and what trees there are are stunted 

 and bent by the prevalent westerly winds, whilst the 

 many picturesque thatched cottages in the villages 

 also seem to turn their backs to the west. The 

 principal crops produced in the township, grown on 

 the sandy soil, are potatoes, cabbages, wheat, and oats. 

 The area of the township is 3,472 J 9 acres, of which 

 Downholland has 1,378 acres and Haskayne 908. 

 In 1901 there was a population of 692. 



The principal road is that going northerly from 

 Lydiate through the hamlets of Downholland and 

 Haskayne in succession ; a cross-road leads to Barton, 

 which is close to the northern boundary. The 

 Leeds and Liverpool Canal winds through the town- 

 ship, crossing the main road at Downholland and 

 Haskayne ; it is the principal means of carriage for 

 the farm produce of the district. The Cheshire 

 Lines Committee's railway crosses the mosslands 

 north, and has a station called Mossbridge. Just at 

 the southern boundary there is a junction with the 

 branch line of the Liverpool, Southport and Preston 

 Junction Railway, which has a station at Barton 

 village. 



The township is governed by a parish council. 



Near this village there was ' a remarkable fountain 

 of salt water,' a quart producing ' near half a pound 

 of good white granulated salt." There is abundance 

 of brine under Barton Moss, but though a company 

 was formed to pump it, nothing was done. 



Chisnall and Warnshaw brooks run through the 

 township. Sander Lane, the Quarters, Hallaso Carr, 

 and Stake Hey are mentioned in the Alt Drainage 

 Act of 1779. 



