ORIGIN OF TEE MIDDLETON EERD. 297 



A few words about the probable origin of the Mid- 

 dleton Park herd. The strong family connexion, 

 cemented by frequent inter-marriages, which existed 

 between the Asshetons here, those at Whalley Abbey, 

 and the Listers of Gisburne, renders it (in the words 

 of Mr. Assheton) "highly probable that had either 

 family by any means acquired the wild cattle, they 

 were very likely to have spread from them to the 

 others." That such a cross did come to Middleton 

 from Whalley Abbey, tradition there, we have seen, 

 affirms; and the circumstance that the Middleton Asshe- 

 tons eventually inherited Whalley Abbey itself tends 

 strongly to confirm this traditional recollection. But I 

 think that history supplies us with a much more 

 probable account of the primal source from which they 

 were derived. Less than a mile, in a southerly direc- 

 tion, from the park at Middleton is the village of 

 Blakeley, the district round which produced, centuries 

 since, the wild bull. In speaking of " Saltfordshire," 

 which included Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Orwick, &c, 

 Leland says : — " Wild Bores, Bulles, & Falcons bredde 

 in times paste at Blakele." There can be but little 

 doubt that hence, where they were found close by, the 

 " Wild Bulles " were driven into the large park of 

 Middleton Hall in very early times, as they were into 

 so many others. Leland wrote this account about 340 

 years ago ; and as he speaks of these animals as wild " in 

 times paste," we appear to be justified in supposing that 

 they may have been introduced into the park of 

 Middleton long before his time. 



Two singular coincidences cast light on the above 

 recorded facts. There is still close to Blakeley a place 

 called " Boar Green ; " and the Shakerleys, of Somer- 



