A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



Besides this stock, ninety-four cows, three bulls, 129 oxen and sixty-nine calves had been 

 drafted during the year for sale or disposal elsewhere. Gilbert, son of Michael de la Legh, chief 

 stock-keeper, had sold 137 oxen for £$y 14.S. 6d., and seventy-two cows, and eleven calves for 

 ,^24 gs. lod., while the rent of twenty-seven vaccaries put to farm yielded ;^8i for the year."' 

 Murrain and wolves took toll from the stock, and cattle thieves had been active. There are 

 similar accounts for the year 1305. 



The household accounts of Thomas of Lancaster for the year 13 18-19 contain some references 

 to the taking of harts for the earl's use in Blackburnshire, and of bucks and partridges from 

 Bowland.^" Soon after his succession to his wife's inheritance, in order to check the trespassers 

 in his chases and parks in Blackburnshire, Tottington, and Bowland, he obtained a royal commission 

 for the appointment of justices to try offenders according to the effect of the grant by Edward I 

 to Edmund of Lancaster, his brother, and his heirs, that they should have justices to try trespasses 

 committed in their chases and parks. '^ 



After the earl's attainder the free chases of Blackburnshire and Bowland suffered at the hands 

 of cattle thieves and deer stealers. On 16 May, 1322, a commission was directed to the officers 

 of the crown to try those who had committed depredations in the late earl's deer parks and forests 

 of deer and cattle, horses and dead stock."' In Toxteth many head of deer had been killed with 

 the apparent connivance of the parker, the parsons of Sefton, Prescot, and Aughton being 

 prominent offenders. In Simonswood many roe deer were taken and venison in Hale Park, Lindale 

 Park, UphoUand Park, Pimbowe Park, Healey Park, and Croxteth. Many of the leading families in 

 south-west Lancashire, such as Lathom, Dacre, Molyneux, Holand, Waleys, Bickerstath, and Norreys 

 were convicted. In Healey Park two wild cows were killed, and in Musbury Park three members 

 of the Radcliffe family, with Richard the parson of Bury and several Heatons and Haworths, had 

 stolen the king's deer. Roger, the lord of ' Lyttil Bolton,' Adam the clerk of Bury, a Klege 

 (Clegg) and others hunted in Musbury Park, in the forest of Rossendale and Tottington, but John 

 and Adam de Radcliffe and Roger de Bolton pleaded that they had merely chased in their own 

 territory {marche) in Salfordshire, their dogs only once passing into the king's free chase and that 

 harmlessly. Adam de Bury ' le prestesone,' John del Lawe, chaplain, and about twenty-five others 

 were presented as common trespassers against the king's venison in the chases of Blackburnshire, 

 especially in Ightenhill. In the last-named place the park with sixty acres of meadow was 

 reputed to be capable of maintaining thirty mares with their ofiipring of three years. Nicholas 

 de Mauleverer, then constable of Skipton Castle, and a number of people from ' Cravin ' and 

 ' Ayredale ' took the horses from the stud-farm outside the park and the stock of cattle from Pendle 

 and Trawden and, having slaked their thirst with the contents of a tun of wine which they 

 found at the manor-house of Ightenhill, drove them into Yorkshire."' A number of Amounderness 

 and Lonsdale people were also presented as trespassers against the king's venison in Fulwood, 

 Myerscough, Bleasdale, and Wyresdale. William, son of Roger de Eccleston, Richard de Whalley, 

 and Adam de Formby had taken ten deer there, whilst Roger de Burgh, and two Crofts had taken 

 other ten. Thomas Banastre, knt., with two Rigmaydens entered Wyresdale, pretending that 

 they had licence to hunt, and slew three bucks and some roe deer, openly hunting with hounds and 

 horn. Even the sheriff, Robert de Leyburn, with his friends had entered Fulwood and departed 

 with two stags, whilst John de Plesington had accounted for six deer in the forest of Amounderness. 



At an inquest held at Ightenhill, in 1323, it was presented that John son of Gilbert de la Legh 

 claimed free chase upon the ' Estemores ' in Towneley and Cliviger, belonging to the land which 

 he had by marriage, and had there taken four deer. Adam Noel claimed free chase within the 

 bounds of Great Mearley, but as yet had taken no deer. He had acquired three old oak trees in 

 Sabden by purchase. Adam de Clitheroe claimed free chase to the west of Hindeburn Water 



'" De Lacy Compoti (Chetham Sec, O.S. cxii), 1-39. 



'"In 13 18 Robert de Holden accounted for twenty harts Uken by Richard de Merclesden in Blackburn- 

 shire, for carriage of twenty harts from Ightenhill to Pontefract against the feast of All Saints, and for 

 driving of sixty-three cows from co. Lane, to Canterbury at Midsummer, 1318. At Michaelmas, 13 19, 

 twenty-four harts were received from Blackburnshire for which Richard de Merclesden received 48/! 

 At the same time Robert de Pievre received for his expenses in staying in Blackburnshire with seven harriers 

 and taking six harts there 24/. U., and Gilbert de Bulling 6/. for taking three sturgeons, 6d. for bringing 

 them by sea to Preston, and 6/. for their carriage thence to Pontefract. Phillipp's MSS. 3853 penes 

 W. Farrer. ' 



'» Cd. Pat. 1 3 1 3-1 7, p. 65. '« Ibid. 1 32 1-4, p. 160. 



™ The stock was valued by the sealed verdict ot a jury at Ightenhill, 4 October, 1323 (the day before 

 the king arrived to spend ten days there), at the sum of ^236 6/. and consisted of four bulls (53/ U.) 

 eighty-eight cows ^58 13/. 4a'.), seven oxen (^5 13/. 4d.), three bullocks (40/.), four heifers (53/ 4^) and 

 six calves (6/.), two rounceys CC13 6/. 8a'.), sixteen mares (^80), six draught horses (^6), three three-year- 

 old colts (^15), eight two-year-old colts (^26 13/. 4</.), seven three-year-old fillies (^H), four two-year-old 

 fillies (X6), and a tun of wine (66/. 'id.). 



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