A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



Langton. Argent 

 three cheverons gules. 



was granted to Robert de Langton, a younger son ot 

 the Robert just named, from whom descended the 

 Langtons of LOWE in Hindley," the last of the line 

 being Edward Langton, who 

 died in 1 73 3. The descent 

 is stated in cross-suits by Peter 

 Langton and Ellen widow of 

 John Langton in 1444. The 

 former said that Henry son of 

 Adam de Manchester, chap- 

 lain, holding (as trustee) the 

 manor of Hindley, granted it 

 to Robert de Langton and 

 Margaret his wife and their 

 heirs.'^ In virtue of this 

 their son and heir Robert 



succeeded them, and was followed by his son John, 

 who married Amice daughter of Roger de Brad- 

 shagh of Westleigh. John lived to a great age, 

 dying in July 1443 ; his son Gilbert died before him, 

 leaving as heir his son, the above-named Peter ; 

 John's second wife Ellen was the other party to the 

 suits." Peter Langton died at sea in May 1450, 

 leaving a son and heir Gilbert, seven years of age.'* 



In 1528 there was a dispute between Robert Lang- 

 ton of the Lowe and others as to the title to waste 

 lauds and the right to dig coal. The plaintiff, son of 

 Gilbert Langton, asserted that he was sole lord and 

 owner of the manor of Hindley, and he had built 

 some cottages on the waste, assigning to each a plot 

 of ground ; this was on account of ' the increase and 



multiplying of the people in those parts,' and 

 sufficient pasture had been left for the other free 

 tenants. Gilbert Culcheth, however, held a manor 

 described as ' half the manor,' and a dwelling called 

 Hindley Hall ; and Hugh Hindley of AspuU, whose 

 ancestors had from time immemorial been seised of nine 

 messuages and 80 acres in this moiety of the manor, 

 took the law into his own hand, disregarded the in- 

 closure, and dug and got coal and turf as accustomed, 

 and this ' with strong hand, by the aid of certain his 

 masters, gentlemen.' It appeared that about 1475 

 permission to get coal had been asked by ' old Hugh 

 Hindley's wife,' and had been granted by Gilbert 

 Langton, then chief lord of Hindley. Inclosures 

 being then a general grievance, the Chancellor of the 

 Duchy and his council ordered seven of the cottages 

 to be pulled down and various parcels of land to be 

 restored to the common, from thenceforth ' not to be 

 kept in severalty by any pretending to be lords of the 

 said waste.' Others they allowed to stand. The 

 tenants were to have the right to take turf and dig 

 coals, which, ' within late years,' had been found on 

 the waste ; but to prevent abuses Robert Langton 

 and his heirs were to nominate three charter-holding 

 tenants and Gilbert Culcheth one, to ' appoint the 

 places where coal and turbary should be digged and 

 taken for fuel ' of the general body of tenants." 



Peter Langton at his death in January 1572—3 held 

 the manor of Hindley of the heirs of Thomas 

 Langton of Makerfield in socage by fealty only.*" 

 The heir was his son Robert, then twenty-six years of 



grant to Fulk had been in fee and not to 

 his issue, but seems to have withdrawn, 

 and the case went against him by de- 

 fault; De Banco R. 216, m. 56 ; 257, m. 

 72d.-, 264, m. 264. In 1319 there was 

 also a claim for the third part of the moiety 

 against Adam de Bradshagh and Isabel his 

 wife, widow of Fulk Banastre ; De Banco 

 R. 229, m. 129. 



Jordan de Worsley left a daughter and 

 heir Margaret, who married Thurstan de 

 Tyldesley, and they at Michaelmas 1352 

 claimed the manor of Hindley against 

 Sir Robert de Langton. The jury, how- 

 ever, did not allow It ; Duchy of Lane. 

 Assize R. 2, m. 2 d, 



Edward Tyldesley of Morleys in 162 1 

 held his lands in Hindley of Philip Lang- 

 ton ; Lanes, Inq, p.m, (Rec. Soc. Lanes, 

 and Ches.), ii, 260. 



^^ Lanes. Inq, p.m. {CWzt. Soc), ii, 95. 

 There is a difficulty in having a younger 

 Robert de Langton so early as 1330, but 

 the pleadings seem to require it. It 

 should be noticed that Robert de Lang- 

 ton, the husband of Margaret, Is usually 

 identified with the baron of Newton ; see 

 Lanes. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), I, 98, and 

 Visit, of 1533 (Chet. Soc), 24, 25. 



^* Final Cane, ii, 1 94. The whole 

 grant comprised a third part of the manor 

 of Langton in Leicestershire, a messuage 

 and plough-land in Hendon, a messuage 

 and 38^ acres in Walton le Dale, the 

 manor of Hindley, and half the manor of 

 Golborne. 



A number of Hindley deeds are among 

 the additional charters In the B.M, in- 

 cluding : — 



No. 17670. Grant by Robert son of 

 Sir John de Langton to Henry de Milne- 

 gate, chaplain, of the manor of Hindley ; 

 1325. 



No. 17674. Grant by Robert de Lang- 

 ton to Henry (son of Adam) de Man- 



chester, chaplain, of the manor of Hindley 

 and half the manor of Golborne ; 1334. 



No. 17683. Quitclaim by Ralph son 

 and heir of Sir John de Langton to 

 Robert son of Sir Robert de Langton of 

 the manors of Hindley, Langton, and 

 Hendon ; 1361. 



No. 17687. Quitclaim by Henry son 

 and heir of Ralph de Langton to John son 

 and heir of Robert de Langton, junior, of 

 the manor of Hindley, Sec. ; 1395. 



No. 17690. Refeoffment to John de 

 Langton of Hindley and Agnes his wife 

 of tenements In Hindley; 141 9. 



No. 17694. Settlement by John de 

 Langton of Hindley in favour of his wife 

 Ellen de Radcliffe ; 1429. 



No. 17698. Grant in tail by Peter de 

 Langton, chaplain, to John de Langton 

 his brother ; 1432. 



No. 17699. Grant to William son of 

 John de Langton ; 1433. 



17 Pal. of Lane Plea R. 6, m. 15, 16. 

 In the former of these suits Peter claimed 

 from Ellen a box of charters, containing 

 among others the final concord and 

 marriage covenant referred to and an 

 exemplification of the said fine granted 

 by Richard II In 1391 at the request of 

 John de Langton. In the second Ellen 

 claimed damages from Peter Langton, 

 Robert Gerard, and many others, for 

 trespass on her close at Hindley and 

 destruction of her corn and grass. Ellen 

 claimed a life Interest In the manor by 

 grant from her late husband ; but as she 

 did not appear when summoned judge- 

 ment was given for the accused. 



In a later case William son of John 

 Langton Is mentioned ; Ibid. R. 8, m. i, 

 37A. 



The Inquisition taken after the death 

 of John Langton In 1443 confirms the 

 statements In the text ; Peter the grand- 

 son and heir was then twenty-four years 



108 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



of age. It recites a grant made in 141 3 by 

 the deceased to Gilbert his son and his 

 wife Elizabeth daughter of Sir Thomas 

 Gerard, who afterwards married William 

 Gernet. The manor was held of Henry 

 Langton, lord of Makerfield, but by what 

 service the jury were Ignorant ; It was 

 worth. Including the Holllnhey, ,^io a 

 year ; Towneley MS. DD, no. 1471. 



^^ Early Chan. Proc. 22-137, ^^^ 

 26-611 ; petitions by William Langton, 

 to whom his * cousin ' Peter had be- 

 queathed GIlbert*8 wardship. 



" Duchy Plead. (Rec. Soc Lanes, and 

 Ches.), I, 160-71. The hall was tenanted 

 by James Strangeways, and came to be 

 known as Strangeways Hall. 



The Gilbert Langton, father of Robert, 

 had a brother Thomas, to whom In 1485 

 certain tenements in Hindley were granted 

 for his life ; Agecroft D. no. 348. By an 

 Indenture of the same date Robert son 

 and heir of Gilbert Langton of the Lowe 

 confirmed a grant by Ralph Langley, 

 warden of Manchester, to Peter Langton, 

 son of the said Gilbert, for life ; B.M. 

 Add. Chart. 17707. 



Gilbert Langton of Lowe, ' squyer,' 

 was one of the gentry of the hundred in 

 15 12, Robert his son and heir apparent 

 occurs In 1505 ; Towneley MS. GG, no. 

 1534. In 15 12 Gilbert Langton made a 

 grant of certain lands In Hindley to 

 Robert his son and heir apparent ; B.M. 

 Add. Chart, no. 17715. In Aug. and 

 Sept. 1555 Sir Thomas Hesketh of 

 RufFord and others made grants of lands 

 in Hindley to Gilbert son of Peter Lang- 

 ton of Hindley, deceased ; Ibid. 17719-20. 



^ Duchy of Lane Inq. p.m. xii,no. 14. 

 Peter Langton was In possession of the 

 manor in 1549, when he made an ex- 

 change of lands with Gilbert Culcheth ; 

 Local Glean. Lanes, and Ches. Ii, i. It is 

 with him that the recorded pedigree begins. 



