A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



trustees to William Brctherton, who died in I 890, 

 and has descended to his son the Rev. H. VV. 

 Bretherton, rector of Eccleston.' 



Mawdesley Hall is situated at the north end of the 

 village at the top of an outcrop of red sandstone rock, 

 some 10 or 12 ft. above the road, from which it 

 stands back a distance of about twenty yards. The 

 house, which faces south, is of two stories, of the H 

 type of plan, originally built in the 1 7th century, 

 but much altered towards the end of the i8th or 

 beginning of the 19th century, the central hall being 

 of the first date and the two wings of the second. 

 A low lean-to building has also been added in 

 modern times at the back between the wings. 



The central portion, which is of timber and plaster 

 on a low stone base, measures about 30 ft. across 

 outside, and like the rest of the house is of two 

 stories, the upper one projecting and carried by 

 carved brackets and a plaster cove. There is also a 

 cove under the eaves, but the ' half timber work ' in 

 the upper part of the wall is paint on plaster, and the 



i^AWDESLEY HaLL 



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windows are modern casements. The ground floor, 

 however, retains its original 17th-century timber 

 framing and doorway, one-half of its length, on the 

 west, being occupied by a large mullioned and tran- 

 somed window. The west wing, which projects 8 ft., 

 is built in red sandstone ^^lth yellow stone dressings 

 and chamfered quoins, and the windows have architraves 

 and keystones and corbelled sills. The east wing has 

 a projection of 9 ft. and is of brick with stone quoins 

 and plain square-headed windows, but the plainness 

 of its appearance is concealed by ivy. The roofi 



which are covered with stone slates, are hipped 1 ack 

 from the wings on the front elevation with very good 

 effect, but have gables at the back. The general 

 appearance of the house is one of much picturesque- 

 ness, the contrast of colour in the materials used being 

 very happy. 



The central wing has a door at the east end opening 

 into a lobby, beyond which are the staircase and the 

 door to the hall on the left. The hall, which has a 

 flagged floor, is 21 ft. 3 in. long, i 7 ft. 8 in. wide, 

 and 9 ft. 3 in. high, and is lighted on the south side by 

 a long window of eleven lights. The ceiling is divided 

 into three bays of unequal width by two round-cham- 

 fered oak beams, one at either side of the fireplace, 

 with supporting brackets to the wall posts. The 

 walls are wainscoted in oak on three sides to a 

 height of 6 ft. 8 in. in three stages, the west wall 

 alone being left plain, except for a panelled dado 

 2 ft. high. On the lintel of the doorway are the 

 letters W.M. for William Mawdesley. The same 

 initials with the date 1625 are cut in the stone 

 head of the fireplace. The fireplace is 8 ft. 4 in. 

 wide, making the middle ceiling bay of much greater 

 width than the others. Over the fireplace is a large 

 plaster panel of rather rough workmanship,' with a 

 shield bearing the Mawdesley arms with helm, crest, 

 and mantling, together with the date 1655 and the 

 initials R.M. for Robert Mawdesley. The different 

 dates and initials would seem to show that the hall 

 was originally erected by William Mawdesley, and 

 that alterations were being m.ade before his death 

 (1659) ^y 'I's son Robert. Except for the hall, the 

 interior of the house has little interest, the end wings 

 being comparatively modern, though some of the old 

 doors with their original furniture are retained. The 

 timber framing of the central wing shows on the 

 north elevation above the lean-to roof of the addition, 

 together with the old stone chimney of the hall, but 

 the framing is of a purely constructional character. The 

 gables at the back are quite plain, without barge-boards. 



The garden in front of the house has a stone fence 

 wall with good moulded coping and is approached 

 directly from the road by a rocky incline and a flight 

 of eight steps leading to a small wooden gate, which 

 has a semicircular stone recess on one side, with a stone 

 bearing the initials of Robert Mawdesley and the date 

 1653. These steps and the built-up wall of the 

 garden form a very picturesque feature. 



On the north side is a large timber and plaster 

 barn, probably of the same date as the house. 



In addition to the local surname, the names of 

 Bispham, Germain, Bamford and Rigby occur in the 

 i+th century.' Another noteworthy family of long 

 continuance was that of Nelson ; a pedigree was 



' Inform, of Rev. H. W. Brctherton. 



' The panel, including the arms, has 

 been painted red, blue and white {1908). 



' Alice widow of Sir John de Hesketh 

 and Sir William de Hesketh granted land 

 formerly belonging to John son of Adam 

 de Mawdesley to Roger son of Adam de 

 Kispham in IH5; Towneley MS. BB, 

 no. 1405. RogersonofHenryde Bispham 

 in the preceding year gave to Sir 

 Robert de Dalton all the lands he had by 

 the gift of WiUiam de Hutton and Sir 

 John de Hutton ; no. 1501. Adam son 

 of Gilbert de Hutton in 1302 recovered 

 liind in Mawdesley and Croston, in right 

 of his grandmother Alice, against William 



de Hutton, who had entered as son and 

 heir of Cecily, put in seisin by Adam's 

 guardian ; Assize R. 418, m. 3. 



Sir John le Fleming in 13 16 demised 

 land in Mawdesley to Thomas son of 

 John Germain and Alice his wife ; 

 Towneley MS. BB, no. 1425. The 

 same lord in 1331 demised to John Ger- 

 main, Alice his wife and Henry his son 

 land in Mawdesley for life at a rent of 

 Ss. 4</. ; no. 1457. In 1345 he demised 

 land formerly held by Henry Germain to 

 John Germain, Amot his wife and Ralph 

 his son ; no. 1448. Joan daughter of 

 Robert Germain did not in 1 3 60 prosecute 

 her claim against Thomas son of Roger 



98 



de Clifton for a tenement in Mawdesley ; 

 Assize R. 441, m. i d. Thomas 

 Germain, late of Mawdesley and then of 

 Sulhyle (Solihull) in Warwickshire, son 

 and heir of William Germain, in 1473 

 sold his messuage, &c., in Mawdesley to 

 Richard Ashton ; Raines MSS. (Chet. 

 Lib.), XXV, p. 283. These passed to 

 Warine Nelson, whose sons Robert and 

 Thomas had them in i C07-8 ; ibid. do. 

 283, 287. ^^ 



In 1398 Henry de Bamford and Ellen 

 his wife had lands, &c., in Mawdesley 

 and Croston ; Final Cone, iii, 54. The 

 lands are not named in the Bamford 

 inquisitions, but a Bamford House at 



