"2 It is 153 miles distant from the City of London 3 miles from the Chapel of Upholland and 4 miles from the Mother Church, it is placed at the extremity of the said Parish and seems to have been erected rather for the convenience of the adjoining Parishes (Wigan & Ormskirk) than for the advantage of this, the congregation tho' numerous consisting mostly of the inhabitants of those parishes; however it is supplyed by John Mercer, Rector of Eccleston, or his Curate, every Sunday in the year except when the Sacrament is administered at the Mother Church. "3. Mr. Durning of Bispham left Forty Shillings yearly for ever to the said Chapel and 150 Pounds given by several persons at several times and it is put out upon land security and the interest thereof duly paid. "4. Twenty Shillings p. ann. is left to the said Chapel during the life of Richard Hawet who is above 70. "5. The surplice ffees usually amount to ten Shillings per ann. "6. Six Pounds more belonging to the said Chapel is lodged in my hands to be put out to interest. 66 "The account on the other side is attested by us. "(Signed) Joh. Mercer, Rect of Eccleston, Thomas T Lancaster, his mark "May 23, 1717."40 CHURCH PLATE. The silver alms dish and two chalices are inscribed : "The gift of Eleanor Daughter of Nicholas Rigbye Esq. of Harrock The two patens have no inscription, and the large silver flagon was presented by the Rev. W. Yates, Rector of Eccleston in 1840. I found at the Bishop's Registry, Chester, a report, dated 1804, from the Rev. John Johnson, then incumbent of Douglas Chapel, of which the following is a copy: 40 MS. in Bishop's Registry, Chester. "In the Chapelry of Douglas are 67 Papists, one person viz. Thos Bimpson Jun perverted to Popery by marrying a Papist woman. "There are three places where they assemble for worship, viz: Wrightington Hall, Parbold Hall, and Fairhurst Hall, their priests are Mr. Felix Delalond of Wrightington Hall, Mr. Marsh of Parbold Hall, and Mr. Orton of Fairhurst Hall, there is a popish school kept at Parbold Hall by Mr. Marsh.41 Stipend £57 a year £40 of which arises from the augmentation by Lot from Queen Annes Bounty, laid out in land let for that money in Hoole, 12 left by Legacys and £5 the perpetuation of the Rector of Eccleston making together the £57." REGISTERS. The registers actually kept at Douglas Chapel only commenced in 1813, but on making a search at the parish church at Eccleston, I found among the carefully kept registers there entries of burials and weddings at Douglas in the seventeenth century. The burials were within the church, presumably, and I have been quite unable to account for the small number recorded. It has always been doubted whether Douglas Chapel had been consecrated, and if there had ever been a consecrated burial ground the site of it has been lost. The following is a copy of the burials at Douglas from the Eccleston registers : "1682-3, Feby 24. Robt Walke a Scothman Buried at Douglass 41 Richard Marsh, O.S.B., born 1762, son of Peter Marsh, junr., of Hindley, near Wigan, became Prior of the Benedictine Monastery at Dieulward in 1789, escaped thence the night it was seized, 15th October, 1793, joined his refugee brethren at Acton Burnell in 1794, with whom, after many changes of residence, he settled at Parbold in 1802. In this year he resigned the Priorship, the community removed to Ampleforth, and he opened a boarding school at Parbold Hall, which he continued for about two years. He was subsequently Prior of Ampieforth Monastery, twice PresidentGeneral of his Order, and in 1838 received the titular dignity of Abbot of Westminster. He died at Rixton, near Warrington, 13 Feb., 1843, aged 80 years.-EDITOR. Q "1684, Augst 13. Robt Simpson of Parboldt Afft brot Augst 16th "1689, Feby 15. Jane Turner of Parbold. Buried at Dug: Chap Afft B. 20th" The dates of the weddings recorded are:-August 17th, 1721, January 28th, 1722, August 10th, 1724, by license from Rector of Ormskirk; September 27th, 1724, by license from Rector of Eccleston; January 17th, 1725, one marriage by license. Whilst searching through the Eccleston registers, I found some interesting entries in the Eccleston parish account book, having reference to Douglas Chapel. These entries, commencing in 1712, cover the period mentioned by Bishop Gastrell's commissioners, when the Rector of Eccleston and his curate seem to have supplied the needs of the chapel from the parish church. The entry, "Spent at cutting ye trees," is of special interest, as it seems to confirm the suggestion made by the late Rev. W. Price, that the land surrounding the chapel has been encroached upon. In 1860 there were only two or three small trees in existence at the west end of the chapel, and these were certainly of not more than thirty years growth. The following are a few of the entries referred to, and it will be noticed that "singers" were not an expensive item. EXTRACTS RELATING TO DOUGLAS CHAPEL FROM THE ECCLESTON PARISH ACCOUNT Book— £ s. d. 1712. Paid for a Common Prayer book for ye Clarke Douglass Chappol O I Paid to ye Clarke of Douglass Chappol 5 1712 (continued). Paid for carrying Bread and Wine to Douglass Paid to ye Clarke of Douglass Chappol for Paid for glazing and for a Bell rope at Douglas 1713. Paid for mending ye surplice at Douglas Chappel Paid to Adam Bate for 24 yards of flagging for Pa for dressing and laying some stones yt 1715. Paid for a flaggon for Douglas Chappel Chappel 1725. Spent at cutting ye trees in Douglas Chappel yard Paid to the White limer for work at Douglas Spent at measuring up ye stones at Douglas 1731. Spent upon Singers at Douglas Chapell 1741. Douglas Chappell bell recast at Wigan O O ENDOWMENTS AND DONATIONS. From documents already quoted, it is evident that previous to the Reformation the chapel of Douglas was endowed with glebe lands, some particulars of which we glean from the researches of Canon Raines. For a period of 200 years after the Reformation, the incumbent's stipend seems to have been of a rather meagre and precarious nature, and in 1646 we are told of "the present "maintenance belonging thereto being not above 20s. a yeare.' 11 42 In 1623 Thomas Legh, of Hallam, bequeathed— "To Duglas Chapel by Perbold xxli praying the good old parson of Standish43 my old maister & the parson of Eccleston to do their best to root out popery & do good & not to set them selvs too much of the of this world but to strive to winn -soules to God wch is their best function." 4+ Other endowments recorded are Previous to 1650.-Andrew Whittle, of Wrightington, a donation of £20, the interest to be paid yearly towards the stipend of the minister. John Toogood, late of Wrightington, donation of £5. The incumbent received at this time, in addition to above, £55 per annum from the Rector of Eccleston.45 December 21st, 1646.-Ordered by Parliament that the yearly sum of £25 "be payed out of the tythes of Culcheth, Esq. for the maintenance of "the minister of the Chappell of Douglasse "annexed to the parish church of Eccleston." 46 November 8th, 1648.-Ordered, that the yearly sum of 40s. be paid by Robert Hesketh, Esq., of Rufford, for the increase and maintenance of the minister, &c.47 Previous to 1717.-Mr. Durning, of Bispham, left 40s: yearly; Richard Hamet left 20s. yearly. 1767.-The living augmented by Queen Anne's Bounty, by purchase of glebe lands at Hoole, consisting of eleven acres.48 1840. James Taylor, cotton spinner, of Bolton, gave a sum, during his lifetime, of £223 15s. 6d., invested in three per cent. consols, for the benefit of the incumbent of Douglas Chapel. This sum was left in the hands of six trustees-W. H. Talbot 42 Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. xxviii, p. 23. 43 Mr. Leigh, Rector of Standish, 1620. 44 Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, vol. xxx, p. 126. 46 Ibid, vol. xxviii, p. 45. 47 Ibid, vol. xxviii, p. 67. 48 Private family papers, Rev. John Price. |