A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



virtue of the feoffment made on the marriage, became 

 possessed of the disputed property. This descended 

 to her son John Orrell ; on which Peter Swift, as 

 heir male, attempted to oust him, but the case was 

 dismissed.' At the time of the sale of the manor to 

 Henry Eccleston, the windmill was in the occupation 

 of Thomas Sefton, who in the inquisition taken after 

 his death in 1593 is called ' of Skelmersdale.' * There 

 was also a family named Ascroft holding lands here 

 and in other places adjacent. 3 



The local name occurs in a complaint in 1246 

 by Avice de Skelmersdale against Peter de Skelmers- 

 dale concerning land which she claimed as her 

 inheritance. 4 



There is but little concerning this township in the 

 various assize rolls, but a complaint by Richard son 

 of Roger de Bury relates to a disturbance there in 

 1348.* A list of the inhabitants in 1366 has been 

 preserved. 6 



In 1608 the capital messuage of Richard Moss, 7 a 

 recusant, of Skelmersdale, was granted on lease by the 

 king to Edward Thurstan and Robert Webb; 8 Richard 

 Moss was still living in 1628 when, as a convicted re- 

 cusant, he paid double to the subsidy." Two families 

 of the name appear on the recusant roll of 1641 

 Henry Moss and Elizabeth his wife, and Joan wife of 

 Richard Moss. 10 The hearth-tax list of 1666 shows 



that Richard Moss, a dyer, lived here, his dwelling 

 having three hearths." Richard Aspinwall of Albrough, 

 and Edward Moss, as ' Papists,' registered estates here 

 in 1717." 



The commons were enclosed in 1781 ; a copy of 

 the award and plan are at Preston. 



The Commonwealth surveyors in 1650 stated that 

 a chapel had formerly existed in this place, but nothing 

 further seems to be known of it. They recommended 

 that a church should be built here." 



The Anglican church of St. Paul was first built 

 by subscription in 1776," and enlarged in 1823. A 

 chapelry was constituted in 1858." The vicar of 

 Ormskirk is patron. The building had to be closed 

 for a time owing to its insecurity caused by mining 

 operations, but has been rebuilt. There is also a 

 licensed mission church. 



A school was erected in 1732. 



There are Wesleyan Methodist," Primitive Metho- 

 dist, and Free Gospel chapels. The Salvation Army 

 has a meeting place. The Congregationalists used 

 two cottages for worship in 1878 ; in the following 

 year they erected an iron chapel, 18 replaced in 1905 

 by a permanent church. The Welsh Presbyterians 

 or Calvinistic Methodists also have a chapel. 



The Roman Catholic church of St. Richard WM 

 opened in 1865. 



AUGHTON 



Acheton, Dom. Bk. ; Acton, 123 5, common ; Hac- 

 ton, occasionally ; Aghton, 1330, and common to six- 

 teenth century ; Aighton and Auton also occur. 

 Aughton appears in the sixteenth century. Local 

 pronunciation is Aff'n. 



Literland, Dom. Bk. ; Uplitherlond, 1 199 ; Lither- 

 land, 1 212, and common ; Uplederland, 1226 ; Up- 

 lytherlond, 1297; Lytherlond, 1322. 



This parish consists of a single township of the 

 same name. The area is 4,609^ acres." The popu- 

 lation in 1901 was 3,517. 



The southern and south-western boundary is formed 

 by the Sudell Brook. The hilly ridge, over 200 ft. 

 high, stretching west through the neighbouring parish 

 of Ormskirk, comes to an end in the central portion 



of the township, a height of 260 to 270 ft. being 

 attained at the Devil's Wall ; there is a fine view 

 from this point. Gaw " Hill is a little to the south." 

 Aughton proper is on the south-western slope of 

 the hill. Here is the church, with the old hall to 

 the north-west, and water-mill and windmill formerly 

 adjacent. Further to the north-west is Walsh Hall. 

 A mile east of the church is Town Green, with Moor 

 Hall still further to the east. Holt Green is south- 

 east of the church, and has the Mickering a little to 

 the south. From near the last-mentioned farm the 

 Cock Beck flows west to Sudell Brook, and in the angle 

 between the confluence is Brookfield, to the south of 

 which, on the border of Maghull, was formerly i 

 water-mill. Beckington or Bickiston Brook rises, or 



