A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



Instituted Name Patron Cause of Vacsncy 



17 July 1630 . Edward Fleetwood, M.A. 71 . . . Christ Ch., Oxf. . . . res. J. Gerard 



1650 • 1 , . t,- , 7, f res - K - Fleetwood 



,, /, 1 ohn fisher " i „, ■ .-., .-. r 



31 Mar. 1663 . 1 J (Christ Ch., Oxf. . . . 



20 June 1666 . Richard Clegg, M.A. 78 .... „ . . . d. J. Fisher 



10 June 1720 . William Dickson, B. A. 71 .... ,, ... d. R. Clegg 



7 July 1 ; + 4 . Charles Buck, M.A. 75 „ ... d. W. Dickson 



9 Aug. 1 77 1 . Humphrey Shuttleworth, M.A. 76 . ,, . . . d. C. Buck 



18 Jan. 1813 . James Webber, D.D. 77 .... „ ... d. H. Shuttleworth 

 15 Dec. 1847 . George Lodowick Parsons, M.A. 78 . ,, . . . d. J. Webber 



24 Aug. 1852 . William Law Hussey, M.A. 79 . . „ . . . d. G. L. Parsons 



1862 . George Richard Brown, M.A. 80 . . ,, ... res. W. L Hussey 



15 June 1875 . Henry Williams Mason, M.A. 81 . ,, . . . d. G. R. Brown 



20 Nov. 1902 . Welbury Theodore Mitton, M.A. 82 „ . . . d. H. W. Mason 



It will be observed that the early rectors, presented recorded at the bishop's visitations M in 1 548 and 



by the kings, were as usual busy public officials who 1 5 54. ; but in 1 562 only the vicar and two others are 



discharged their duties by deputy, and that the dona- named, and the vicar alone seems to have conformed 



tion to Vale Royal was probably of advantage to the fully to the Elizabethan requirements. 85 He had 



parish, as giving it a permanent and properly paid apparently been brought up under the Reform of 



vicar instead of a stipendiary curate. These vicars, Henry VIII and accepted all the changes made by the 



however, do not seem to have been of more than civil power, holding the benefice till his death. No 



local importance, and even since the Reformation, zeal can be looked for in such cases, 86 and the three 



while the advowson has been held by Christ Church, chapels appear to have been left to decay, but it may 



Oxford, none of them calls for special mention. Before be noted that the organ in the church was allowed to 



the Reformation the due service of the parish church, remain. 87 The vicars appear usually to have had a 



chantry and chapels at Lund, Singleton and Hambleton curate. 88 In the Commonwealth time additional 



would require five priests. "' This was the staff places of worship seem to have been provided, but it 



71 For pedigree Bee Dugdalc's Visit, with hif parishioners. There is extant a of which he was student ; M.A. 1834. 



(Chet. Soc), ill. Fleetwood com- letter from him dated 1684, in which he Incumbent of Bensington 1835. 



pounded for first-fruits 29 Oct. 1630. complains that the Quakers, 'the most ™ Educated at Christ Church, Oxf., 



He had various quarrels with the parish- incorrigible sinners that I know,' had of which he was student; M.A. 1837. 



ioners and bishop. He seems to hare opened a burial-ground, and desires that He was hon. canon of Manchester 1856 



been a Puritan, 'sometimes' omitting to the sheriff may be informed ; Hist. MSS. and rector of Great Ringstead 1862-88. 



use the surplice, though he said the Litany Corn. Rep. xiv, App. iv, 146. He was Mu Educ.ited at Christ Church, Oxf. ; 



regularly thrice a week. In 1634 the 'conformable' in 1089; ibid. 229. He M.A. 1841. Incumbent of Maiden 



sum of 41. $J. was 'paid for the exercise founded a charily for the poor .it Kirk- Bradley 1851-62. 



and for the moderators and the preacher' ; ham, and also established a school and a M1 Educated at Christ Church, Oxf., 



Fishwick, op. cit. 98. 'Exercise days' loan fund at Todmorden. There is a of which he was student; M.A. 1851. 



are again mentioned in 1646; ibid. 102. monument to him in the church. Incumbent of Wigginton 1858-75, hon. 



He readily conformed to the Presbyterian '* Educated at Christ Church, Oxf.; canon of Manchester 1887. He died 



discipline in 1646 (Baines, op. cit. i, 228) B.A. 1701 ; Foster, Alumni. The name 20 June 1902. 



and signed the 'Harmonious Consent' is also spelt Dixon. WJ Educated at Pembroke Coll., Camb. ; 



in 164S. 7i Educated at Christ Church, Oxf. ; M.A. 1888. Formerly beneficed in 



In 1646 he published, under the title of M.A. 1736; Foster. On his epitaph in Canada; vicar of Peel 1899-X902. 



Strange Signs from Heaven, an account of the church he is described as 'most famous Some details in the text and notes are 



the strange birth above mentioned. A for piety an J learning.' His son Charles due to him. 



parishioner, Mr. Hoejilxn, 'a great Papist was curate of Lund (d. 1808) and had "" At an inquiry made in 1362 it was 



and of great parentage,' and his mother- among ouVr issue a son Henry Rishton stated that in the church of Kirkham 



in-law 'did usually scoff and mock the Muck, lieutenant 33rd Reg., who fell at there used to be of right two priests 



Roundhead", and in derision of Mr. Waterloo; Fishwick, op. cit. 131 2. celebrating daily and serving the parish, 



Prynnc and the others cutoff the cat's "Educated at Christ Church, Oxf.; which 'chantries' had been withdrawn 



ears an! called it by his name' ; his wife M.A. 1760 ; Foster. He was also vicar by the Abbot of Vale Royal, one of them 



also, being pregnant, wished that rather of Preston 1782-1809 ; see the account thirteen years before and the other a year 



than be a Roundhead, or bear one, her child of that church. He was buried in the ago; Inq. p.m. 36 Edv.. Ill, pt. i, no. 



might have no head, which monstrosity chancel of Kirkham Church. 120. 



was accordingly borne by her ; Fishwick, " Educated at Christ Church, Oxf., M Lists at Dioc. Reg., Chester, 



op. cit. 7S-9. becoming tutor and censor ; M.A. 1796; ei The vicar, James Smith, appeared 



■'' Fisher ha J been minister of Bispham, D.D. 1829. He was vicar of St. Mary and subscribed. William Nickson seem, 



and was regarded as 'a go jly and orthodox Magdalen, Oxf., 1803, Prebendary of to have stayed at home and Lawrence 



divine,' succeeding Fleetwood (whose York 1 8 1 2, Dean of Ripon 1828, and Kempe appcare I but did not subscribe, 



daughter he marred) at Kirkham in or had other preferments a: various times ; ^ He maybe the vicar who in 1581 (*) 



before Feb. i6;o-i,when the £50 out of FosteT, Alumni. He vigorously asserted reported the presence of two seminary 



Thomas Clifton's sequestered tithes was his rights, recording his s-jti faction at priests in his parish; Baines, Lanes, (et. 



confirmed to him ; Fluid. Mini. Accts. i, making the vicar ' as he ought to be, the 1868), i, 180 (from Harl. MS. 360, foL 



;q, 96. He conformed at the Restoration first person in the place.* He procured 32). 



and died in possession iS Mir. 1665-6. the rebuilding of the church (the cost " In 1576 for 'dressing the organs' 



It is a token of his conformity that in being borne by a rate; and raised the 2j. was paid, and in 1643 'for organ 



1662 a font was 'put up' at a cost of vicar's income from £250 to over £1,600 pipes, which had been pulled asunder by 



£z 15/. 4./, ; Fishwick, op. cit. 105. At a year; but in the opinion of his parish- the soldiers,' 31. 4*/. ; Fishwick, op. cit. 



the same time the king's arms and the ioners he grossly neglected his duties, 91, 102. The parish clerk in 1572 snd 



Commandments were pointed. being non-resident and rendering no 1 576 was ordered to teach singing; ibid. 



'•Educated at University ColL, Oxf. ; additional service for the increased income, 91. 



M.A. 1663 ; Foster, Alumri. He is and they petitioned Parliament on the w Curates are noticed in the refiners 



chie6y known for his violent opposition matter; Baines, Lanes, (ed. 1870),]!, in 1 596, 16^8, 16 1 9, Ac. ; see also Mtu. 



to Cuthbert Harrison, the Nonconformist 486. (Rec. Soc Lanes, and Che*.), 1, 68, 



minister at Elswick ; he had also disputes "- Educated at Christ Church, Oxf., 1 24. 



I48 



