List of honorary Local Secretaries. DISTRICT. Whalley and Winwick and ... LANCASHIRE. NAME. Rev. J. S. DOXEY, Christ Church Vicarage, Bacup. The Rev. E. LUPTON, Crystal Road, South Shore, W. ECROYD, Lomeshaye, Burnley. The Rev. W. B. GRENSIDE, Melling Vicarage, A. J. ROBINSON, Clitheroe Castle, Clitheroe. The Rev. A. CROFTON, Reddish Green. D. J. LEECH, M.D., Elm House, Whalley Range. JOSEPH RAWLINSON, Ulverston. W. O. ROPER, Lancaster. W. D. PINK, King Street, Leigh. The Rev. W. STUART WHITE, Esh Vicarage, Durham. The Rev. J. W. WILLIAMS, The Vicarage, Farnworth. Lt. Col. FISHWICK, F.S.A., The Heights, Rochdale. W. OWEN, F.R.I.B.A., Cairo Street Chambers, W. S. WEEKS, Clitheroe. T. R. ELLIS, 18, King Street, Wigan. Newton-le-Willows. Rev. J. CARSON, Winwick, Newton-le-Willows. Wray, near Lancaster Rev. C. L. REYNOLDS, Wray Vicarage, Lancaster. CHESHIRE. E. W. Cox, Highfield, Rock Ferry. Rev. FRANCIS SANDERS, Hoylake. Rev. H. G. BARNACLE, Holmes Chapel. Rev. J. F. MESSENGER, Newton Moor Vicarage, Rev. the Hon. W. TREVOR KENYON. JAMES HALL, Lindum House, Nantwich. WM. BANCROFT, Northwich. GEORGE PEARSON, Southside, Wilmslow, TRANSACTIONS. OLD MORETON HALL, AND ITS PAST AND PRESENT OWNERS. By Robert Head. Read 21st November, 1895. ΤΗ 66 HROUGHOUT the length of our beautiful English land, I trow there is not anywhere a more beautiful picture than that formed by this block of irregular building, known to us as Old Moreton Hall. Its situation is at the extreme corner of Cheshire, off the highway between Congleton and the Potteries, the lofty hill of Mow Cop being its conspicuous landmark. King, in his Vale Royal, says: "Near the foot of that famous mountain called Mow Cop begins the water of "the Whelock, making his first passage near unto Moreton, wherein are two very fair demeans and "houses of worthy gentlemen and esquires, of "most ancient continuance-the one of the name "of Moreton, and which, as I have heard, gave 'breeding to that famous Bishop Moreton, who, "in the time of Richard III, contrived that project "of the marriage of two heirs of the houses of "York and Lancaster." This allusion, doubtless, B is to Cardinal John Moreton, who was Master of the Rolls in 1473, created Bishop of Ely and Lord Chancellor in 1478, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1486. Unfortunately there is, however, nothing extant to prove that King was justified in saying that Old Moreton Hall was the birthplace of the famous bishop. The manor of Moreton, like many others in this county, was held by knight service under the barony of Halton, the family probably deriving the name from their possessions. In the reign of Henry III, Lettice Moreton, who had become the heiress through failure in the direct male line, bestowed the estate in marriage upon Sir Gralam de Lostock, of Lostock Gralam, Northwich. Until the death of Sir William Moreton, in 1763, the ownership continued in male descent; but Sir William dying childless, the estates passed to his sister's son, the Rev. Richard Taylor, Rector of West Dean, who assumed the surname of Moreton. He died in 1784, leaving a son, the Rev. William Moreton, whose two daughters-Frances Annabella and Elizabeth-became at his death the co-heiresses. Frances Annabella Moreton, who married Mr. John Craigie, formerly sheriff-substitute of Roxburghshire, died in 1892, when her sister, Miss Elizabeth Moreton, the present benevolent owner, became sole heiress to the Moreton moiety of the manor of Rode. To this lady I am indebted for many kindnesses, particularly the privilege of inspecting the collection of deeds and ancient documents belonging to the family, extending back many years. These, which I trust to utilise some day in compiling a history of the Moreton family, include the following: Correspondence, in three volumes, from temp. |