A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



John, was in possession in 1483, and died on 1 1 June, 

 1522." 



From this time it is possible to give a more com- 

 plete account of the descent.* Ralph's grandson John 

 succeeded, being followed by his son Thomas, 3 whose 

 son Henry greatly increased the family estates, though 

 some of his acquisitions were afterwards sold. 4 

 Edward, his son, succeeded, 5 and in 1618 Henry 

 Eccleston was described as ' son and heir apparent,' 

 and soon afterwards inherited the manors of Eccleston 

 and Burtonhead. 6 He died in April, 1628, leaving 



two young sons, Edward 7 and Thomas ; the former 

 died within four years, leaving a son Henry, who 

 died in 1631, when the estates went to the above- 

 named Thomas, then nineteen years of age. 8 



Thomas Eccleston ' took an active part in defence 

 of the king's cause at the outbreak of the Civil War, 

 and suffered imprisonment. He was slain at War- 

 rington in 1646.' His estates were sequestered by 

 the Parliament, but his two sons Henry and Thomas, 

 then aged nine and three years respectively, were in 

 some way secured alike from loss of faith and property." 



364 



