BLACKBURN HUNDRED 



WHALLEY 



at the north-west of the 1 8th-century building, 

 running northwards some 64 ft. and forming the 

 third side of a courtyard open to the north. In 

 1879 ^ range of offices was erected to the north side 

 of the kitchen court incorporating the old gate- 

 house, which was restored ; and in 1885-8 the whole 

 of the old 16th-century building underwent yet 

 another restoration, the front being wholly refaced, 

 the sash windows removed and larger mullioned 

 windows substituted, while many additions and 

 alterations were made on the north side, including 

 the erection of a lofty billiard-room on the first floor. 

 The greater part of the exterior elevation of the 

 house, which is built entirely of stone, is therefore 

 modern and has little architectural interest. The 18th- 

 century central block remains unaltered, but is ex- 

 ternally a singularly unattractive and dull example of 

 the taste of the day, the square unmoulded battlements, 

 if original, giving it a pseudo-Gothic appearance more 

 usually met with fifty years later. The interior, 

 however, contains some very good Adam decoration. 

 Very few of the original features of the old 

 building remain inside, but in one of the bedrooms 

 is a fireplace dated 1668, and a large stone fireplace 

 now built up and some of the old stone doorways 

 yet remain on the ground floor. The interior of the 

 house is, however, generally speaking, without anti- 

 quarian or architectural interest. The house contains 

 some old furniture, including an oak chest, oak dresser, 

 and four-post bed, all bearing the initials of Grace 

 Murgatroyd, the wife of Nicholas Starkie, who perished 

 in the explosion at Hoghton Tower in 1642—3. 



Over the archway of the rebuilt gate-house a dated 

 stone inscribed 'J.S. 1631 M.S.' has been retained, 

 and on the lawn in front of the house is a 17th- 

 century stone sundial, similar in design to one at 

 Loveley Hall, with the initials I.H. T.T. on the 

 shaft, but undated, and with a new plate. 



The hearth tax in 1666 found fifty-eight hearths 

 in Simonstone liable. The largest houses were 

 those of John Starkie and John Cockshott, each with 

 eight hearths. Miles Whitaker's house had five, 

 three houses had four and two had three hearths. '° 



The land tax return of 1789 shows that Le 

 Gendre Starkie and Thomas Whitaker were the 

 principal owners." 



There is no place of worship in Simonstone, but 

 divine service has for many years been conducted by 

 the vicar of Padiham in the National schoolroom. 



READ 



Reuet, IZ02 ; Reuid, 1259; Reued, 1269. 



Read lies in the tongue or promontory between the 

 Calder on the south and Sabden Brook on the north ; 

 a small part, on the bank of the former stream, is 

 level, but the greater part consists of the western 

 termination of the long ridge already spoken of as 

 extending for more than 7 miles on the south side of 

 Pendle Hill. In Read, at the eastern boundary, this 

 ridge attains 860 ft. above sea level. A Roman road 

 runs along part of the ridge. The village of Read 

 stands at the foot of the southern slope ; the hall and 

 park lie to the west of it. The scenery is picturesque. 

 Sabden occupies part of the north corner. The 

 population in igoi was 1,346 ; the area measures 

 1,548^ acres.' 



The principal road is that from Whalley to 

 Padiham and Burnley. A minor road from the 

 west goes along the top of the ridge. The Great 

 Harwood loop line of the Lancashire and Yorkshire 

 Railway Company crosses the southern corner of the 

 township, but there is no station. 



There are now cotton-mills near the eastern 

 boundary and at Sabden. The land is mostly used 

 for pasture. The soil is loam and clay, overlying 

 shale. 



This township has a parish council. In 1904 

 part of the area was taken into the new township 

 of Sabden. 



There is a reading room in the village, with a 

 small library. 



Included in the honor of Clitheroe, 

 MANORS REj4D seems to have been assessed as 

 8 oxgangs of land, which were demised to 

 free tenants or thegns at the rent of is. 6d. an 

 oxgang. In 1201—2 Henry de Read obtained a writ 

 concerning 5 J oxgangs of land in Read held by 

 John de Read and Gam el his brother, Henry son of 

 William and Alexander son of Richard.' In 1258 

 the township paid 1 2s. to the lord of Clitheroe,' but 

 the details recorded in 1 3 1 1 are either imperfect or 

 show that the tenements and services had become con- 

 fused, for Henry de Lacy then had the following 

 tenants : John del Holt, I oxgang of land, paying 

 zs. id. ; John son of Simon, the same and a parcel 

 called Leysinglands, 2/. 3a'. andg^^. ; Adam del Clough, 

 3 J oxgangs, 4;. 6il.; William son ofHenryde Clitheroe, 

 I oxgang, zs. 3a'. — \zs. in all from 6\ oxgangs of 

 land and another piece.* The Church's land is not 

 mentioned. 



Adam del Clough, the principal tenant in 13 11, 

 was probably the son of a John del Clough who 

 occurs in 1292.' Adam" left a son John,' whose 

 heirs appear to have been two daughters — Katherine, 

 who married Lawrence Nowell of Great Mearley, and 



moved when the present north-west wing 

 was built. They are shown in old pictures 

 of the house previous to 1850, 



^^ Lay Subs. Lanes, bdle. 250, no. 9. 



" Returns at Preston. 



1 The Census Ref. 1901 gives 1,552 

 acres, including 14 of inland water. 



!> Farrer, Lanes. Pipe R. 1 54. Some of 

 the names occur in the Whalley charters 

 and in the account of the Holt family 

 below, 



^ Lanes. Inq. and Extents (Rec. Soc. 

 Lanes, and Ches.), i, 217. 



"* Ibid, ii, 10. Leyslng's assart is named 

 in early 13th-century charters in Whalley 

 Couch. (Chet. Soc), iv, 1067, &c. 



' Assize R. 408, m. 56. Robert del 



Clough, perhaps an ancestor, obtained a 

 messuage and land in Read from Margaret 

 daughter of Richard de Church ; Townelcy 

 MS. GG, no. 1 102. She was living in 

 1310. Geoffrey son of Robert de Simon- 

 stone granted to Robert son of Eustace 

 land in Read, in Ravensdenfield, Little 

 ridding (by Gooselache), Gill ridding and 

 Medulache, at a rent of 31. \d. ; Towne- 

 ley MS. DD, no. 1015. 



^ Adam probably acquired other parts 

 of the manor. Adam son of Ellis de 

 Standen gave all his lands In Read to 

 Adam del Clough and Alice his wife ; 

 Towneley MS. DD, no. 41. In 1315 

 John son of Ellis de Read gave to Adam 

 de Clitheroe a rent of bd. due from Adam 



del Clough for a messuage and two selions 

 in the Side and Oldlands obtained from 

 Thomas son of Jordan son of Simon de 

 Read j Towneley MS. RR, no. 340. 

 Alice widow of John son of Simon de 

 Read In 13 16 claimed dower in a mes- 

 suage, &c., held by Adam del Clough ; De 

 Banco R. 213, m. 239. 



7 John del Clough in 1 343 recovered 

 against feoffees of the Abbey of Whalley 

 the tenth part of the manor of Read, of 

 which he alleged they had disseised his 

 father Adam del Clough in the time of 

 Edw. II J De Banco R. 334, m. 179 d. 



The seal of John del Clough shows a 

 cheveron engrailed between three cross 

 crossleta ; Add. MS. 32104, no. 904. 



