A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



Institution Name 



1 3 July, 1721 . Thomas Atherton, M. A. 1 . . . 



20 Feb. 1734-5 Thomas Plumbe, B.A.' . . . 



20 Dec. 1769 . William Plumbe, B.A.' . . . 



6 June, 1786 . George Vanbrugh, LL.B. 4 . . 



15 Aug. 1834 William Henry Boulton, M.A. 5 . 



4 Aug. 1885 . Charles Warren Markham, M.A.' 1 



24 Nov. 1896 . Roger Francis Markham, M.A. . 



The story of the rectory in the sixteenth and 

 seventeenth centuries is of some interest. Brian 

 Moorcroft, presented in 1528 by the administrators 

 of the estate of James Bradshagh, found his title 

 challenged by Master Thomas Donington, 7 who 

 alleged a presentation by William Browne and others, 

 in virtue of a deed of James Bradshagh's dated 1515. 

 Another dispute occurred after Brian's death, for in 

 1535 William Bradshagh had granted the next pre- 

 sentation to George Kirkby of Aughton and others, 

 and less than a year afterwards he sold the patronage 

 to Bartholomew Hesketh, who also became lord of 

 the manor ; 8 and Thomas Kirkby was presented by 

 the former and Edward Moorcroft by the latter.' 



In 1541-2 the clergy at Aughton, besides the 

 rector, who may have been non-resident, were his 

 curate and two others, paid by Thomas Starkie and 

 Alice Hervey. 10 At the visitation in 1554 Edward 

 Moorcroft was still rector, and Thomas Walsh was 

 his curate ; the other priests had disappeared. Im- 



Patron 



Thomas Heys . 

 John Plumbe . 

 Thomas Plumbe 

 Thomas Plumbe 

 R. Boulton . . 



Cause of Vacancy 

 d. of R. Hindley 

 d. of T. Atherton 

 d. of T. Plumbe 

 d. of W. Plumbe 

 :s. of G. Vanbrugh 



. Sir R. Tempest-Tempest . d. of W. H. Boulton 

 . Sir R. Tempest-Tempest . d. of C. W. Markham 



mediately afterwards it appears as if Moorcroft lost the 

 rectory. From his later history he seems to have been 

 a Protestant, and was perhaps already married, but 

 his removal was due to the right of patronage reas- 

 serted on behalf of the crown." Kirkby received the 

 benefice, but Moorcroft must have been reinstated on 

 the accession of Elizabeth." 



In 1563 the same names occur as in 1554, but 

 Rector Moorcroft was at Windsor, and the curate 

 being ill had to be excused. The rector made his ap- 

 pearance in 1565, but the curate was again sick," and 

 he was buried in the following February." 



John Nutter, rector of Sefton, &c., was presented 

 by the queen in February', I5/6-7; 14 probably he 

 paid little attention to this small parish. In 1592 it 

 was reported at the visitation that there was no 

 ' sufficient ' Bible ; the first tome of the Homilies 

 and Jewell's Apology and Reply were lacking ; there 

 were no perambulations, and no collectors for the 

 poor. 16 



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