A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



or not they were finished with upper windows and 

 gables cannot be stated. The west front, however, 

 appears to have been originally one of some architectural 

 merit, and the two upper mullioned and transomed 

 windows between the bays and the chimney are still 

 in place, though built up. The upper room was 

 probably a long gallery, possibly with a range of 

 windows at both sides and broken up by bays on the 

 west. The wing, however, is now more or less dilapi- 

 dated, and used as a shippon and for other farm pur- 

 poses, and the east wall to the garden has been rebuilt 

 in brick. The south end of the east wing is built of 

 large squared stones to the height of the eaves, the 

 gable above having been rebuilt in brick, and this 

 patchwork method is followed in greater or less degree 

 in other parts of the house. The north front facing 

 the river is altogether without interest, but that facing 

 the garden, approached as it is between dwarf brick 

 walls forming a kind of bridge over a ditch, which 

 marks in all probability the line of a moat, is not un- 

 picturesque, notwithstanding the air of neglect about 

 both the garden and house. The irregularity of the 

 building, the great length of the west wing which 

 seems to close in the garden on this side, and the yew 

 trees which stand on each side of the entrance gate 

 all go to make a picture which is not without a certain 

 charm. 



The interior has been very largely modernized and 

 the ground floor has few points of interest except for 

 the kitchen fireplace, which has an elliptical stone arch 

 14 ft. wide and ingle-nook 5 ft. deep, but the upper 

 room in the east wing retains most of its ancient 

 features and is lit at the south end by a seven-light 

 mullioned and transomed window,^* which is almost 

 the only external architectural feature left on that side 

 of the house. The hood mould of a similar window 

 on the ground floor still remains, but new sashes have 

 been inserted. The upper room itself is 3 1 ft. long 

 by 18 ft. 6 in. wide, and has an oak floor and good 

 oak wainscot to the walls, with large square panels and 

 longer narrow ones above. The room was originally 

 also lit at the south end of the west side by another 

 seven-light window, now built up, forming with that 

 at the south end a fine range of fourteen lights as a 

 kind of angle bay. On the east side is an elaborate 

 plaster mantelpiece with ornamental pilasters, cornice 

 and large strapwork panel, in the centre of which is 

 the Osbaldeston coat of arms, with many quarter- 

 ings, now almost indecipherable on account of many 

 coats of whitewash, together with the initials E. O. 

 and M. O., probably those of Edward Osbaldeston 

 and Maud (Halsall) his wife, who held the estates 

 I 575-90. On the frieze above the initials of Edward 



Osbaldeston again occur. The ceiling, which is 

 I I ft. high, is plain, but the beams have ornamental 

 plaster work for some distance on either side with 

 vine pattern on the soffit and foliage in the spandrels. 

 The other rooms on the first floor are without 

 interest. 



On the door head of one of the outbuildings on the 

 west side of the house are carved the arms of 

 Osbaldeston impaling Bradley, with the date 1 593 

 and the initials of John Osbaldeston and Ellen (Bradley) 

 his wife, and on either side the initials T. O. and 

 T. D., the first probably being those of Thomas 

 Osbaldeston their son. The stone evidently belonged 

 to the older part of the house, and has been used up 

 in the later building. 



In the will of Edward Osbaldeston dated 25 June 

 1588 '' mention is made at Osbaldeston Hall of the 

 large table in the parlour, the boards and tables and 

 forms in the hall, the great aumbry in the buttery, 

 ' the great brewing leade, the great brewing knopp 

 and the leade under it in the brewhouse,' the ' greate 

 beif pott in the boylinge howse called Coleman,' the 

 inner chimney with the rest of the irons " in the 

 kitchen to hang pots on, the glass and casements in 

 the windows, the wainscot 'within all and every 

 part ' of the house, and the great standing bed with 

 the wheel bed under it in the great chamber. 



Saxton's map shows a deer park at Osbaldeston, 

 which had been destroyed before Dr. Whitaker's 

 time. 



STUDLEHURST.—?irt of this small freehold 

 estate was given by Ailsi son of Hugh before the end 

 of the 1 2th century to Geoffrey son of Swain de 

 Clayton, and a further part was granted to him by 

 Hugh son of Ailsi." Robert de Stodelehurst held 

 a freehold here in 1246, when he, together with his 

 lord, Hugh de Osbaldeston, was sued by Adam de 

 Sunderland for common of pasture." The same 

 year Hugh demised land here to Robert for life.'' 

 In the time of Edward I, Richard son of Roger de 

 Stodulhurst released the homage and service of 2/. at 

 the Assumption from the tenant of this land to the 

 lord, Adam son of Thomas de Osbaldeston.*" In 

 1336 Robert son of Adam de Stodelhurst held a small 

 freehold here for life.*^ After his time it is probable 

 that this estate reverted to the manorial lord, for in 

 1379 Robert, Roger and Adam, all of Stodilhirst, 

 are described in the poll tax roll as husbandmen. 



For a long period there is no record of the owner- 

 ship of this estate. In the 15th century John Lussell 

 was admitted to the gild at Preston in 1415, and 

 Christopher his son or grandson was present at the 

 gild held in 1459. *2 Thomas Lussell had become 



'* ItB two end lights are built up. 



'* Land, and Ches. fVllls and In'ientoriei 

 (Chet. Soc. li), 75. 



'^ These were to remain continually 

 at Osbaldeston as heirlooms. 



" In Ailsi's grant the boundary began 

 where Stodlecloch fell into the Ribble 

 and ascended the clough to Bikakcr, 

 where a ditch had been set in a straight 

 line to Shipenehurst-cloch, thence to the 

 old hedge against the ICarr and so to the 

 Ribble ; Dods. MSS. cilix, fol. 7 ; Kuerden 

 MSS. (Coll. of Arms), iii, B 2. In Hugh's 

 grant the boundary began at a marked 

 oak at Alexander's garden and ran east- 

 ward to the waynejatc, along that road 

 to the ditch running down to Pratesclogh, 

 thence upward to the head of the clough, 



and westward across by a ditch to Tare- 

 garred Ake, thence by the ditch to Golde- 

 bornc, and following that stream to the 

 syke at the head of land belonging to 

 Ralph, and between his land and the said 

 Geoffrey's eastward to Alexander's land, 

 and so to the marked oak ; together with 

 meadow land in Altune, viz, at West- 

 buttes end unto Alrene-snape, also Seke- 

 mons reeding from the descent of the 

 syke at the eastern head of that ridding 

 by the Ribble up the syke to the road, 

 and westward along the road to another 

 syke, and so to the Ribble ; for 2J. yearly 

 at the Assumption ; Kuerden MS. B 3. 



" Assize R. (Rec. Soc. xlvii), 32 j 

 Dods. MSS. cxlix, foL 21. 



'• The boundary began where Wend- 



broc fell into ThufBbroc, following Wcnd- 

 broc northward to Blakelache and thence 

 to Ridscha-cvesc, following Lc Ewcsc 

 eastward to Alreneburne (or Abrcnc- 

 burne), thence southward across to Hakes- 

 he rdes-hevese, following Lc EvM west- 

 ward to the first boundary ■, Kuerden 

 MSS. iii, B 2b. 



80 Dods. MSS. cxlix, fol. 21, William 

 and Adam de Stodlehirst attest charters 

 temp. Edw. I, ibid, pauim, 



^ Final Cone, ii, 103. In 1331 the 

 Abbot of Sawley brought a plea of noTcl 

 disseisin against Thomas de Osbaldeston 

 and Robert de Stodelhirst of Baldcrston ; 

 Assize R. 1404., m. 20. 



*2 Guild R, (Rec Soc. Lanes, and Chcs.), 

 lo-i I. 



