Under the careful hand of Mr. G. F. Buckley (one of our members), and at his expense, some trenches have been dug, showing the surface of the camp buried in about two feet of soil, distinct traces of pavement have been found, but it is not wise to pronounce yet what these pavements belonged to. The camp ought now to be taken in hand and scientifically treated, when, no doubt, we shall find the hypocaust and the prætorium.

Other Roman finds at Castleshaw are certainly very interesting. Part of an amphora and some potsherds, some of Samian ware, and one or two coins, said to be Roman, along with some broken bricks or tiles, have been turned up; but what is wanted is, that the plan of the camp should be laid bare, same as those of similar camps on Hadrian's Wall. I would suggest that the finds should be kept at "Wood," perhaps the only permanent institution near the place, under the care of a responsible official, and that the public should be admitted to view them under proper regulations.

I trust these suggestions may be approved by our Saddleworth friends, seeing that it would cost them nothing, and the finds would be kept practically on the spot. Our thanks are due to Mr. G. F. Buckley, who has kindly undertaken these excavations, and, I can assure you, has worked at them till he was tired. The total cost has been out of his pocket, but seeing he has succeeded so well I doubt not he feels well requited for his labours.

(1) John de Barton, of Fryton, in the parish of Hovingham, Rydale, co. York, married Maud, the second of the daughters and co-heirs of Roger and Agnes de Middleton, and had the manor of Middleton conveyed to him by Agnes de Middleton, his wife's mother, after the death of Roger, her husband, c. 1322-3. Previous to this event John had, apparently, resided at Fryton, but afterwards, while retaining possession of his Yorkshire estate, removed to Middleton, which thenceforth became the chief residence of his descendants. He, apparently, died in or before 1330.

(2) Thomas Barton is mentioned in a footnote in Earwaker's Local Gleanings, vol. i., p. 23, in which, referring to the arms of the Bartons, we find this statement: "It is a curious fact that in the year 1330 Thomas Barton, of Fryton, co. York, seals with a chevron between three boars' heads couped, in granting an annual rent out of land and tenements in Middleton, co. Lancaster, and

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Fritton, co. York, to a certain John Malham, &c."* This apprises us that the grantor of this rent was acting, either as trustee of an heir in his nonage, or in his own right as lord of the manor of Middleton, in 1330, and that John de Barton, the immediate predecessor of this Thomas, or of his ward, was then dead.

(3) John Barton appears to have been the next successor, but of him I only find that he held a knight's fee in Middleton and Mowbray from the Duchy of Lancaster, that he was living in 1369, and had died before the 30th October, 1373.†

(4) He was succeeded by his eldest son, William de Barton, who married, before the 44 Edward III. (1370-71), Isabella, the daughter of William de Radcliffe, who survived him, and is said to have been living 6 Henry V. (1418-19). We obtain a passing glimpse of this lord of Middleton under orders to embark,‡ before the Feast of St. John the Baptist (June 24th, 1379), with the forces which crossed the sea with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, in his foreign expedition, in the following company: Robert, son of William de Clyfton; William de Barton, of Ridale; Adam del Darn; Henry Fitzhenry, son of Thomas de Alkeryngton; John de Ribelton, of Preston in Amoundernesse; Hugh de Tyldesley; John Redeman; and Adam, son of Adam of Lancaster. He is also mentioned in the inquisition on John de Ainsworth, held at Manchester on the Sunday before the Feast of All Saints, 13 Richard II. (30th October, 1389), as shown by quotation therefrom: "Item dicunt quod Willi'mus

*It would also appear to indicate some earlier connection between this family and the original Bartons of Barton-on-Irwell, whose arms were three boars' heads couped.

+ Chet. Soc., vol. xxxvii., p. 197.

Baines, by Croston, vol. i., p. 124.

Barton de Rydale et Radus filius suis ceperunt exitus de terris in Midilton a die promulgationis utlagarie [anno 47 Edward III. (1373)] usque in hunc diem." Here we find that William Barton and (afterwards) Ralph, his son, had been receiving the issues out of the lands of Middleton from the year 1373 up to the date of that inquisition, i.e., 30th October, 1389, in which case it is evident that John Barton, the predecessor of William, must have died before the former date, and, furthermore, that William himself had been succeeded by his son Ralph before 1389. On this point, however, we have direct evidence in the following: "Anno Octavo Regalitatis [1384]. The King and Duke [of Lancaster] for the Duke. Writ of Diem Clausit Extremum, on the death of William Barton."*

(5) Ralph de Barton, born not later than 1352, succeeded his father in 1384. He presented to Middleton rectory on the 4th September, 1386, but the name of the presentee does not appear;† and is supposed to have founded or to have been commemorated by the founding of the chantry on the south side of Middleton Church, which, together with the church and north chantry, that had recently been rebuilt by Cardinal Langley, bishop of Durham (an offshoot of the ancient manorial family of Middleton, and one of the town's most illustrious sons), were consecrated in 1412. Ralph died on the Monday before the Feast of St. John the Baptist, 1398, but for some reason his I.P.M. was not held until the 8 Henry IV. (1406-7), wherein it is declared that he died seized of the manor of "Middleton cum hamlettis

* Baines, by Croston, vol. i., p. 154.
† Raines's History of the Chantries.
Chet. Soc., vol. xcv., pp. 86-7.

de Asshworth, Birkehill, Aynesworth, Medowcroft, et Lynalx," &c., and that Richard de Barton, his son and heir, was aged nineteen (in 1406-7), and was then by the gift of the king, dated at Ludlowe 4th August, 1 Henry IV. (1399), under the guardianship of James de Radcliffe. So says the I.P.M., but an earlier date for this grant appears, viz.: “Henry par la grace, &c. John Wakering Chancell' d'un comite Palatyn de Lanc' nous grantesmez a n're l'echin Escuier James de Radcliffe la garde du fiz et heir de Rauf de Barton de Ridall ensemblement oversq: la garde de tous les terres et ten'tz de mesne leir tanq: a son plein age. Don a n're paleys de Westm: le 8 jour le May l'an du n're regne premier" (1399).

There was also a further command from the king at the palace of Westminster, dated 18th May, 3 Henry IV. (1402), that sufficient surety should be obtained for the due render of homage and payment of relief for the tenements and lands in Middleton of the said Richard Barton. There is also an inquisition for proof of age of this Richard, which tells of a baptism at Middleton Church over five hundred years ago, which being, perhaps, the earliest record of such a ceremony in Middleton, is worth mentioning: Ricardus de Barton, 10 Henry IV. (1408-9). “In alia inquisitione 10 Henry IV., probatis statis infra scripti Ricardi Barton qui natus fuit apud Midleton die mercurii prox: ante festum Corpori xpi anno 9 Ricardi II. [1386] et baptizatus ecclesia de Midleton. Et Ricardus Mallebisse fuit compater et Matilda Fairfax fuit comater."

(6) Richard de Barton, a minor at the death of his father, and in wardship until 10 Henry IV. (1408-9), married a lady whose Christian name was Alice. From the emblazonry which appears on the two shields of a certain monument, which will be referred to later, it is probable