SALFORD HUNDRED 



having been parted with by a former rector and their 

 existence forgotten. 



There is a ring of six bells. Originally there were 

 four, but in 1721 they were recast into five by 

 Abraham Rudhall and a sixth by the same founder 

 added. Of these, two still bear the date 1721, and 

 four have since been recast, three in the years 1742, 

 1761, and 1788 respectively, and one, the second bell, 

 again recast in 1884 by Taylor of Loughborough. 



The plate, which is all modern and silver gilt, 

 consists of a chalice of 1883, another of 1887, and a 

 third of 1897 ; three patens of 1885, and a flagon of 

 1880. 



The registers begin in 1603, and are complete to 

 the present time, with the exception of the registers 

 of marriages, the entries of which cease in October 

 1658 and are not resumed till January 1661. The 

 churchwardens' and overseers' accounts begin in 

 1647 and are continued to the present time." 



The churchyard, which is almost encircled by a 

 number of fine beech trees, lies principally on the 

 south and west, and was extended in 1824 and again 

 in 1886. In it is buried Charles Swain, the poet 

 (died 1874) ; also Henry Wyatt, an artist, who died 

 in 1840. The oldest gravestone is 1641. 



The tithe map is kept at the office of Messrs. 

 Marchant, Bury. 



The old rectory house, called The Deyne, or 

 Deyne Hall, which stood a little to the north of the 

 present rectory, was a timber and plaster building, 

 said to have been originally quadrangular in plan, but 

 at the time of its demolition in 1837 it consisted of a 

 centre and two wings, on the H'tyP 6 f plan. In 

 1 644, when rector Allen was ejected, a portion of the 

 house was pulled down,* 3 and it was never restored to 

 its original dimensions. The present rectory took its 

 place in 1840."* 



PRESTWICH WITH 

 OLDHAM 



The rectory is mentioned early 

 in the I3th century, and in 1291 

 its annual value was given as 

 1$ I3/. 4</. M Fifty years later the ninth of the 

 sheaves, wool, &c., was only ten marks. 24 At this 

 time the tithes of half of Tottington in the parish 

 of Bury were paid to the rector of Prestwich. This 

 may have been the result of some grant by the lord 

 of Tottington, or may indicate that originally the 

 parish also included Bury, Middleton, and Radcliffe. 16 

 The income of the benefice in the time of Henry VIII 

 was estimated at 46 \s. ^.J.* 7 This was probably 

 much below the real value, for in 1650 the glebe and 

 tithes of Prestwich were 120 a year, and the tithes 

 of the chapelry of Oldham, which had then been 

 made an independent parish, ji4O. 18 By 1720 the 

 income had risen to 400," by 1792 to 700,* 

 and by 1834 to l > 2 3* 1 ^ ls now returned as 

 2,000." 



The patronage was vested in the lords of Prestwich 

 until the death of Sir Robert Langley in 1561, when 

 on the division of his estates it was given to one of 

 the co-heirs, Dorothy, wife of James Ashton of 

 Chadderton. 33 In 1710 William Ashton, rector of 

 the parish and heir male, sold it to Thomas Watson 

 Wentworth of Wentworth Woodhouse," whose son 

 Thomas, Earl of Malton, in 1 744 sold it to Dr. John 

 Griffith, rector from 1752 to 1763. In 1755 it was 

 sold to James Collins of Knaresborough, and by him 

 in 1758 to Levett Harris, rector from 1763 to 

 1783. Two years before his death this rector sold 

 the advowson to Matthew Lyon of Warrington, whose 

 son James became rector in 1783. In 1815 the 

 Marquis of Westminster purchased it and gave it to 

 his son Thomas, Earl of Wilton. 35 It was again sold, 

 by the present earl, Sir Frederick J. W. Johnstone, 

 bart., being the patron. 36 



The following is a list of the rectors : 

 Institution Rector 



c. 1 200 . . . Thomas jr .... 

 0.1230 . . . Robert 38 



Patron 



Cause of Vacancy 



M G. Middleton, op. cit. Numerous 

 extracts are given in Booker, Prcstwiicb. 

 See also an article in Manch. Guardian 

 Local N. and Q. no. 351. 



38 Ten or fourteen bay* of buildings ' ; 

 Walker, Sufferings of the Clergy. 



2Sa Nicholls, Prestiuich, 139; for view 

 of the old house see Booker, op. cit. 88. 



84 Pope Nicb. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 249. 



K Inq. Non. (Rec. Com.), 39. The 

 details are as follows : Prestwich, zos. ; 

 Pilkington, zzs. zd. ; half of Tottington, 

 311. zd. (the other half going to Bury) ; 

 Chadderton, i6s. 6d. ; Oldham, 23*. zd. ; 

 Royton, 71. ; Crompton, 1 3*. 4</. It will 

 be noticed that Heaton, Alkrington, and 

 Tonge are not named. 



86 The upper end of Tottington, with 

 Musbury, Cowpe Lench, Newhall hey, 

 Duerdon, Clough, and Graine continue to 

 pay a moiety of the tithe (or rent charge) 

 to Prestwich. 



Traditionally the gift of these tithes 

 is attributed to John of Gaunt, who on 

 one occasion desired the rector of Bury 

 to say mass for the success of his journey. 

 Being refused, he asked the same of the 

 rector of Prestwich, and in return for 

 his compliance gave the moiety of the 

 tithes ; W. Nicholls, Prestwicb, 29. John 



of Gaunt was only two years old in 

 1341. 



*> Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), v, 226. 

 The rents of the glebe lands were lozs. jd.\ 

 tithes of grain, 24 5. qJ.; other tithes, 

 6 os. 8</.; mortuaries, ioj.; Easter offer- 

 ings, &c., 11 is. The fee of the bailiff 

 and the synodals and procurations amount- 

 ed to 151. 4</. 



88 Commonwealth Ch. Survey (Rec. Soc. 

 Lanes, and Ches.), 15, 22. 



29 Gaitrell, Notitia Cestr. (Chet. Soc.), 

 ii, 107. There was an established com- 

 position of ioj. in Ringley and 41. zd. in 

 Prestolee for corn tithes. 



There were then six churchwardens ; 

 each on retiring nominated two, the rector 

 choosing one as successor. 



80 Aikin, Country round Manch. 235 ; 

 1 the tithes are for the most part paid by 

 a moderate composition : zos. per Cheshire 

 acre for wheat ; 15*. for barley (of which 

 very little is grown) ; and los. for oats.' 



81 Booker, Prestwich, 52. 



82 Manch. Dioc. Dir. 1905. 



83 See the presentations in 1569 and 

 later years ; also Ducatus Lane. (Rec. 

 Com.), ii, 318. About 1610, however, it 

 was stated that 'the patrons in several 

 courses are Mr. Holland, Mr. [James] 



71 



Ashton of Chadderton, and Mr. Reddish ' ; 

 Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiv, App. iv, II. 

 The advowson of Prestwich was included 

 in a fine of 1562, James and Dorothy 

 Ashton being deforciants. Dorothy died 

 without issue ; Duchy of Lane. Inq. p.m. 

 xvi, 22. Her husband died in 1612. He 

 appears to have had an absolute gift of the 

 advowson, for in 1607, he stood 'lawfully 

 seised of an estate of inheritance in fee 

 simple or fee tail of and in the advowson,' 

 and had granted the next presentation in 

 1593 to trustees, who were to present 

 James Ashton of Moulton in Lincoln- 

 shire ; Raines, D. (Chet. Lib.). 



84 Notitia Cestr. loc. cit. ; the price was 

 ,1,000 in hand and 100 a year for ten 

 years. A piece of ground called Salters 

 Croft was conveyed with the advowson. 



85 Booker, Prestwich, 53. 



86 Manch. Dioc. Dir. 



87 He attested a grant of half Denton 

 by Matthew de Reddish ; Lord Wilton's 

 deeds. 



88 Robert rector of the church of Prest- 

 wich granted to Richard son of Gilbert 

 de Scolecroft half the land which Sir 

 Gilbert de Barton granted to God and B. 

 Mary the Virgin of Prestwich in the vill 

 of Chadderton ; Hornby Chap. D. 



