A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



stated as to the result, beyond a hint that the king 

 was about to intervene to prevent further proceedings. 1 



The modern celebrity of Altcar is due to the 

 Waterloo coursing meeting which takes place here 

 about February. There are also one or two minor 

 meetings. 



The township is governed by a parish council. 



In recent years improvements in the drainage of 

 the district have been made, and a pumping engine is 

 employed to keep the water under control.* 



In former times the villagers of Altcar used occa- 

 sionally to challenge those of Formby, then chiefly a 

 fishing village, to fight, the combats taking place at 

 Fleam Bridge, on the boundary. 3 



' Mid Lent Sunday was known as Braggot Sunday, 

 from a specially-made non-intoxicating drink called 

 Braggot ; its place was afterwards taken by mulled 

 ale. A labourer expected four eggs from his em- 

 ployer, which he took to the ale-house, where the 

 e gg s > with spices, were drunk in hot ale. This 

 custom died when the public-houses were closed.' 

 All Souls' Day was observed by children begging a 

 ' soul loaf.' The rush-bearing customs died out sixty 

 years ago. A little fair was held ; a mock mayor was 

 elected the first man who succumbed to the effects 

 of the drinking that took place and he and fantas- 

 tically-dressed neighbours went in procession, calling 

 at various houses for money or drink. 4 The rush- 

 bearing took place between 12 and 19 July. 4 



' There are many trees and roots buried in the 

 moss lands and carr lands of Altcar. Every now and 

 then a plough comes in contact with one of these 

 long-buried trees. . . . They are chiefly oak trees ; 

 the trunk of one of them must have been z ft. 6 in. 

 in diameter. . . . There are also some trees of 

 softer wood, which seems to be black poplar. Many 

 of the trees have been cut down ; but in some cases it 

 would appear that the trees had been torn up by the 

 roots by some storm in the higher grounds and then 



floated down the flooded waters of the Alt. ... In 

 cutting the drain-sluices, the horns and bones of 

 wild animals have been found buried with the trees. 

 Much of the timber is sound and undecayed, while 

 some is so soft that it can be cut out with a spade.' 6 



The field names include Priest Carrs and Monk's 

 Carrs, Hemp Yard, God's Croft, and Salt Fields. In 

 1779 there were also Showrick Side, Hainshoot 

 Meadow, Cuddock Meadow, and Nearer Mossocks. 



In 1066 the manor of ALTCAR was 

 MANOR held by Uctred ; it was assessed at half a 

 plough-land, and was ' waste ' the only 

 manor in the hundred so described and no value is 

 recorded. It was a portion of the privileged three 

 hides in the parishes of North Meols, Halsall, and 

 Ormskirk. 7 



After the Conquest it seems to have been taken 

 into the demesne of the honour, like the adjacent 

 Formby. It is next mentioned in the perambulation 

 of the forest made in 1228. The jurors found that 

 Altcar had been placed within the forest since the 

 coronation of Henry II, and should be disafforested ; 

 within its bounds had been included portions of the 

 neighbouring townships Ince 

 Blundell, Raven Meols, Down 

 holland, and Lydiate. It wa 

 disafforested accordingly. 



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After the death of Ranulf 

 Blundeville, earl of Chester, in 

 1232, his sister Agnes, wife of 

 William de Ferrers, earl of 

 Derby, succeeded to this part 

 of his possessions. Within a 

 very short time (before 1238) MEKIVALE ABBEY. 

 she and her husband had be- Fairy or and gules. 

 stowed Altcar upon the Cis- 

 tercian Abbey of Merivale (de Mira Valle) in War- 

 wickshire, a Ferrers foundation. There are several 

 charters relating to it.* 



