A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



!i "" !s '?"*""> 3 



and I gules -within a 



ure c /, ar ged 



hurgensium).' For the next five hundred years War- 

 rington was governed by means of the lord's manor 

 court. 



In 1254-5 William le Boteler obtained a charter 

 for an annual fair at Warring- 

 ton to be held on the eve, day, 

 and morrow of the Translation 

 of St. Thomas the Martyr. 8 

 A second fair of eight days, be- 

 ginning on the eve of St. An- 

 drew, was conceded by Edward I 

 in 1277 ; at the same time a 

 weekly market on Friday was 

 allowed. 3 Eight years later the 

 summer fair was extended to 

 eight days, and a weekly market 

 for Wednesday was allowed 

 apparently in substitution for j t 

 the Friday market, which was eight covered cups 

 not afterwards held. At the 

 same time a grant of free warren in his demesne 

 lands of Sankey, Penketh, Warrington, and Layton 

 was allowed to the lord. 4 The fairs have continued 

 to the present time, the days being 1 8 July (old 

 St. Thomas's) and 30 November ; the Wednesday 

 market also survives, and another on Saturday 

 has been established, by custom probably. 



The claim of William le Boteler to have 

 markets and fairs, as well as free warren, wreck 

 of the sea, and gallows in Warrington and Layton 

 was tried at Lancaster in 1292. He produced 

 the charters mentioned, and claimed to have had 

 wreck of the sea at Layton and gallows in War- 

 rington without interruption from the time of the 

 Conqueror. The jurors found that his claim was 

 valid, and further that he and his ancestors had 

 held a market and fair from beyond the memory 

 of man. 5 



The constables chosen each October at the 

 lord's court governed the town, under the justices 

 of the peace, down to 1813, when commissioners 

 appointed by the local Improvement Act of that 

 year were associated with them. 6 In 1832 the town 

 became a parliamentary borough under the Reform 

 Act, returning one member; and in 1847 it was 



incorporated, 7 and has since been governed by the 

 council. As already stated the manorial rights, in- 

 cluding the market tolls, were purchased . by the 

 corporation. The municipal boundary at first in- 

 cluded only about half the area of the township, 

 Orford and Little Sankey remaining outside. 



Some portions of the township of Latchford and 

 Thelwall in Cheshire were also included in the 

 borough. 8 The boundary was extended in 1 890, and 

 again in 1 896 ; it now includes all the ancient town- 

 ship of Warrington (except Orford) and Latchford as 

 far south as the Manchester Ship Canal. 9 



In 1890 the enlarged town was divided into nine 

 wards, 10 each with an alderman and three councillors. 

 The gas and water supplies are in the hands of the 

 council, which has also instituted an electric light and 

 power supply, and an electric tramway service. Baths, 

 gymnasium, and other useful and necessary institutions 

 have been established." 



A grant of arms was made in 1 897." 



A circulating library, begun in 1 760 by the pro- 

 jector of the Warrington Academy, was in 1848 

 united with the museum of the local Natural History 



}ANK HALL, WARRINGTON ; NOW THE TOWN HALL 



Society, founded in 1835, and being taken over by 

 the corporation became the public museum. 13 This 

 was the first town in the kingdom to open a rate- 





