A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



were none presented for recusancy ; but Judith 

 Whitstones was reported to have prayed upon beads.' 

 There were three endowed chantries in the church. 

 The most ancient of them was founded in the latter 

 half of the fifteenth century by Thomas the first earl 

 of Derby, and others, at the altar of Our Lady.* 

 The rental amounted to j8s. 6d., derived from lands 

 in Aughton and Ormskirk ; out of this 4/. 5^. was 

 paid to the king in right of Burscough Priory and 6J. 

 to Richard Whitstones. 3 The second chantry was at 

 the altar of Our Lady of Pity, founded by Thomas 

 Atherton of Bickerstaffe, for a priest to sing and cele- 

 brate for the souls of himself and his ancestors. The 

 priest had an annual rent of 7 marks from the heirs of 

 the founder, charged upon their lands in Aughton, 

 Bickerstaffe, and Sutton. 4 The third chantry was 

 that at the altar of St. Mary Magdalen, founded by 

 Peter Gerard, clerk, brother of Miles Gerard of 

 Aughton. The stipend of \6s. was derived from 

 tenements in Aughton and Formby. 5 Afterwards the 



Gerards endeavoured to secure the property of the 

 chantry on the ground that it was not founded in 

 perpetuity. 6 None of the chantry priests had 

 other benefices. The lands of the Gerard and 

 Atherton chantries were leased in 1583 to Henry 

 Stanley of Bickerstaffe, but making default in his 

 payments he forfeited the lease, and it was trans- 

 ferred to Nicholas Dickson in 1599.' Six years 

 later the chantry of St. Peter was leased to Robert 

 Caddick for twenty-one years, 8 but shortly afterwards 

 transferred to George Johnson. 9 It appears to have 

 been finally disposed of by the crown in 1670.' 



The grammar school was founded about 1612, and 

 the charity school, now incorporated with the national 

 schools, in 1725. 



The charities of the parish, in addition to the 

 schools, are numerous and valuable. Bishop Gastrell 

 records many as existing in 1720." Details elicited 

 at the inquiry in October, 1898, are given in the 

 notes." 





