WEST DERBY HUNDRED 



the time. 1 One of his own grants has been pre- 

 served ; it conferred on Alan son of Robert de Holmes 

 a defined parcel of land in BickerstafFe for a rent of 

 2oJ* In 1 292 he recovered some land which had 

 been unlawfully ' improved ' from the wood and 

 heath. 3 



Adam was succeeded by his son Ralph, 4 a prominent 

 man in the county, being sheriff in 1308, 1310, 

 1312, 1314, and 1315, and knight of the shire in 

 1313.' He took part in the rising of Thomas, earl 

 of Lancaster, against Piers Gaveston, for which he was 

 pardoned in October 1 3 1 3- 6 He was killed at Preston 

 4 November, 1315.' As 'Ralph son of Adam de 

 Bickerstath ' he made a grant to Burscough Priory. 8 



Adam de Bickerstath, son and heir of Ralph, 

 succeeded, holding the manor till 1346 or later. 9 In 

 1331 he settled upon his wife Joan and his son Ralph 

 six messuages and six oxgangs in Little Eccleston in 

 Amounderness, then in the possession of Henry de 

 Bickerstath 1() ; and arranged the succession of two- 

 thirds of the manor of Bickerstafte, after his decease and 

 the decease of his wife Joan, to Ralph and his issue." 



ORMSKIRK 



Ralph de Bickerstath's name appears frequently 

 from 1347 to 1372.'" His son and successor was 

 another Adam, the last of the principal line. His 

 first appearance is in 1361, when he complained that 

 certain persons, apparently his 



trustees, had been guilty of , ^ j. j 



waste. 13 He settled his estates 

 in 1377 on his only daughter 

 and heir Joan, who married 

 Nicholas de Atherton. 14 



Nicholas was a younger son 

 of Sir William de Atherton of 

 Atherton. He was a knight 

 in 1401, when he represented 

 the county in Parliament. 15 He 

 died in 1420, and by his will 

 desired to be buried at Orms- 

 kirk. 18 His son Nicholas suc- 

 ceeded, but his tenure was brief, 



as he died at the beginning of 1424. Just before 

 his death he gave his manor of BickerstafFe to trustees. 

 His son and heir Henry was then aged nine years 



ATHIRTON OF BICKER- 

 STAFF K. Gale,, three 

 sparrow-hawks argent, 

 belled or. 



277 



