THE PEAT MOSSES OF THE FYLDE 29 



of the Coclcefsand Abbey (e.g., et pasturae tocius mussae circumadjacentis), 1 

 and later entries in the Duchy records and elsewhere in which rights of pasture 

 and turbary are disputed {e.g., Woodplumpton, 1542-3).- Increased cutting 

 and more constant utilisation reduced the mosses, and on Morden's map of 

 1 700 both Pilling and Marton mosses are smaller than on earlier maps. On 

 Moll's map of some years later Pilling moss occupies only a compact ellipse of 

 land at a considerable distance from the Wyre on the south and the coast on the 

 north, while Marton moss no longer continued to the coast at Lytham in the 

 south, but ended near the present site of St. Annes. 



In 1 731 a scheme to improve the Marton area was agreed upon, and although 

 by 1741 no progress had been made yet in 1780 reclamation was going ahead 

 well/ Presumably as a result of this scheme Marton moss does not appear 

 on Bowen's map (1767), or on that of Harrison (1789), and on the latter a road 

 appears from Latton (near the present Blackpool) to Lytham. A much 

 larger map by Yates and Billinge in 1 786, however, shows that a considerable 

 area of moss still remained between Higher Ballum and Moss Side, while a 

 small patch of moss is also shown in Weeton just south of Mythorp. On the 

 larger and very much more accurate maps of the early nineteenth century 

 (Smith 1808, and Greenwood 1818), these patches of moss still remain, though 

 on Hennet's map of 1828-29 the Weeton moss is not marked. In 1810 Marton 

 moss is mentioned by Bntton and Brayley 4 as one of the principal mosses of 

 Lancashire and the digging of moss at Morton is mentioned in Butterworth's 

 statistical hand-book (1841). 



The 1 inch O.S. map (1842) shows reclamation completed, since no moss is 

 marked in the south-west of the Fylde, though Lytham Moss and Marton 

 Moss are both named, and in the same district the place names, Moss Hall, 

 Moss House, Moss Edge, West Moss, Brown Moss Edge, Lower Brown Moss, 

 on the map indicate former conditions. The moss of St. Michaels, between 

 that town and Sowerby, and the moss to the north and north-west of Catforth, 

 appear on the map of Yates and Billinge (1 786), though omitted on the earlier 

 maps, probably because of inaccurate surveys ; neither is marked on early 

 nineteenth century maps. The small marsh at Thornton, also, was reclaimed 

 by the beginning of the nineteenth century. Although earlier evidence of its 

 existence is available, this marsh is first shown on the 1 786 map as a small 

 V-shaped area from the coast. In December, 1798, however, a private act 

 for reclamation of this marsh was promoted and passed." In the accompanying 

 petition the marsh is said to have occupied 800 statute acres. 



As regards the north of the Wyre, Dr. Pococke (1745) wrote," 'From 

 Pyling we passed near Preesall, and in about three miles came to Stalmine, 

 having gone on two side of Pylin moss or bog ' (i.e., the west side), and later 

 at Garstang, ' we saw to the west the great moss or bog of Piling.' During this 

 period the moss is shown as a single compact area under the collective name of 

 Pilling Moss on the maps of Bowen (1767), Yates and Billinge (1786) and 



'Op. cff., p. 179. 



' Duchy Pleas, Accounts and Inv., post, mort., passim. 

 '•History of Poulton-le-Fylde (Chetham Society). 

 1 Topograpical account of Lancashire. 

 ' Commons Journals, L1V., p. 83. 

 '' Camden Society pubis, of his journey. 



