SALFORD HUNDRED 



ECCLES 



the ringing chamber. The window, which was of 

 15th-century date has, however, been entirely recon- 

 structed and the ancient detail lost. The lower stage 

 of the tower has a single-light window on the north 

 side, but on the south is quite plain except for the 

 door to the vice. The belfry stage has a three-light 

 square-headed stone louvred window on each face, 

 with a clock face below on the north, south, and west 

 sides. 



The fittings, including the font and the pulpit, are 

 all modern, dating principally from 1862-3 and sub- 

 sequent years. There are no traces of ancient ritual 

 arrangements. In 1856, when the old flagged floor 

 was relaid, two sepulchral slabs, one with a raised and 

 the other with an incised cross, were found near the 

 third column from the east on the south side of the 

 nave at a depth of 2 ft. 6 in. These slabs now stand 

 in the west porch under the tower at each side of the 

 inner doorway. 14 



The monument of Richard Brereton and his wife 

 was erected by the latter in 1600 and stands at the 

 east end of the south aisle of the chancel, but is not 

 in its original position. It is an altar tomb with 

 recumbent figures, the man being in armour with 

 helmet by his side and the lady in a ruff and with an 

 enormous headdress. There is a figure of a child 

 on a bracket on the south side of the tomb, around 

 which runs the inscription. 



Besides the Brereton monument there is an old 

 brass to the Dauntesey family on the south side of the 

 chancel arch, and a painted wooden shield emblazoned 

 with the arms of George Legh (d. 1674) at l ^ e west 

 end of the north aisle. 15 



There is no ancient stained glass. 



There is a ring of eight bells. Four are mentioned 

 in the inventory of Edward VI, but these were re- 

 moved in 1 709 and a new ring of six substituted. 

 One of these bearing the inscription * Prosperity to 

 this church ' still remains amongst the present ring. 

 The tenor has the inscription : ' I to the church the 

 living call and to the grave do summon all.' The 

 curfew is still rung every night. 



The plate consists of two chalices of 1618, with 

 the date inscribed on each below the rim ; a paten of 



1 68 1 with the date and names of the churchwardens ; 

 a flagon of 1723, inscribed ' Eccles Parish 1723' ; 

 another flagon of the year following inscribed * Eccles 

 Parish 1724' ; an almsdish of 1777 inscribed 'This 

 Dish given as a gratuity From the Several Inhabitants 

 of Barton for the use of the Parish Church of Eccles 

 1777' ; a paten of 1862-3 presented by Mr. Henry 

 Blacklock, inscribed with the names of the donor and 

 churchwardens, and the date 1863; and a chalice, 

 paten, and flagon, silver gilt, of 1893. 



The registers begin in 1563 (baptisms and burials 

 1563, marriages I564). 16 



In the chancel are the banners of the Trafford 

 House and Hulme Hall Local Militia, and the Eccles 

 Corps of the Manchester and Salford Infantry Volun- 

 teers 1798. 



The churchyard on the south and east sides is of 

 great extent and is now completely paved with grave- 

 stones. As late as the 1 8th century the church stood 

 amongst fields, and the churchyard was planted with 

 fir trees, but in 1806 it was levelled and the head- 

 stones laid flat. The churchyard coming to be re- 

 garded as a common playground, the greater part of 

 it was inclosed in 1886-7 by the erection of iron 

 palisading and the public restricted to footpaths 

 running from the north to the south and the east 

 to the west entrances. The aspect of the churchyard 

 is very desolate, though trees and shrubs have been 

 planted. The principal entrance is from the street 

 on the south-west by a flight of steps under a wrought- 

 iron screen gateway bearing the royal arms and the 

 date 1815, but set up in the year following at a cost 

 of 49. 



Something of the early history of 

 4DVOWSON the rectory can be gleaned from the 

 charters of Whalley Abbey. It ap- 

 pears that just as the greater part of the parish, though 

 under different titles, had by 1 200 been acquired by 

 the Barton family, so the patronage of the rectory was 

 in their hands, partly perhaps in right of Barton and 

 partly in right of Worsley. 17 At all events, the rectory 

 had been divided into at least four portions, held 

 usually by ' clerks ' who were married and whose sons 

 no doubt expected to succeed. 18 Priests as chaplains 



14 They are described in John Harland's 

 Eccles Church Notes, 1864. In the Owen 

 MSS. -details are given of two other stones 

 each bearing a cross and sword, one of 

 which was found serving as a lintel of a 

 doorway in the north wall of the aisle of 

 the chancel, and the other on the spot 

 once covered by St. {Catherine's chantry. 

 Owen also states that there were ' several 

 of this kind lying about.' Heywood, 

 Eccles Church (1907). 



15 Heywood, op. cit. 26. 



18 The entries 1563-1632 have been 

 printed by the Lanes. Par. Reg. Soc. 



*7 In or before 1180 Albert Grelley pre- 

 sented William the Clerk to a fourth part 

 of the church of Eccles for life ; Wballty 

 Coucher (Chet. Soc.), i, 40. William'* 

 father Haisolf and his brother Matthew 

 had previously held it ; the grant was 

 made ' in pure and perpetual alms for the 

 souls of the grantor's father and mother 

 and for himself, his wife and children,' so 

 that William was not in the position of 

 the modern lay impropriator, but would 

 be obliged to pray and fulfil the church 

 services in return. Though the lord of 

 Manchester presented at this vacancy he 

 probably did so as the guardian of the heir 



of Barton, for (before 1220) Gilbert de 

 Notion and Edith his wife presented the 

 son of William, also a William the Clerk, 

 to the same fourth part of the church, on 

 the same terms ; ibid, i, 46. 



In 1191 Hugh Nonant, Bishop of Lich- 

 field, gave to Geoffrey de Byron, clerk, a 

 mediety of the church of Eccles, Edith de 

 Barton presenting with the concurrence of 

 Robert Grelley. Swain the Clerk had had 

 it before ; ibid, i, 39. It is not known 

 how long Geoffrey continued to hold it, 

 but in or before 1234 there were two 

 others besides William the Clerk holding 

 ' portions ' of the rectory. One of them, 

 Thomas the chaplain of Flekho (or 

 Fleckenhow, in another deed) had been 

 presented by Roger de Notion, and he re- 

 signed to William the Clerk for an annual 

 pension of 6 marks ; the date is approxi- 

 mately known, because R. de Maidstone, 

 Archdeacon of Chester, one of the wit- 

 nesses, became Bishop of Hereford in 

 1234; ibid. 43. 



18 A descent of three generations is 

 shown in the preceding note ; Haisolf, 

 Matthew and William his sons, and 

 William the son of the last-named. The 

 younger William was also married ; ibid. 



357 



i, 45. It was perhaps a son William who 

 about 1280 made a grant to Stanlaw ; 

 ibid, i, 42. On the other hand, as a vicar 

 of Eccles first appears in 1277, it is pos- 

 sible that William the Clerk held the 

 rectory from about 1220 to 1277. 



William was 'parson of Eccles' about 

 1250; Cockcrsand Chart. (Chet. Soc.), ii, 

 723. William the Clerk occurs in 1273, but 

 is not styled ' parson ' ; Dep. Keeper's Rep. 

 xlii, App. 668. He left a son Robert and 

 a daughter Margery. The former married 

 Cecily daughter of Roger de Pendlebury, 

 but had no issue by her ; while Margery 

 had a son and heir Robert de Halghton, 

 who in 1351 and later years claimed cer- 

 tain lands in Eccles against Agnes, the 

 widow of Robert de Eccles the younger, 

 and Margaret daughter and heir, who was 

 under age ; Duchy of Lane. Assize R. i 

 (July), m. id.; 2, m. 8 ; Assize R. 

 435, m. 32. Robert the younger was a son 

 of Robert son of William de Eccles, and 

 was married to Agnes as early as 1338, a 

 settlement bein made in that year ; Mr. 

 Vawdrey's D. The seal shows arms, 

 fretty, a fess. 



William the Clerk gave lands to hi* 

 brother John and his sister Alice ; the 



