STOCKPORT ADVERTISER Notes and Queries. FIRST VOLUME: 1881. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, 1881. Notes. A STOCKPORT TAVERN IN 16 34. [1.] Stephen Collet, in his "Relics of Literature," "A few gentlemen who stopped some time at an (1) Elementa Anglicana: or, the Principles of (2) "A Collection of Hymns and Anthems which (4) "The Sophistry of the First Part of Mr Paine's (5) "Virtue's Friend: Consisting of Essays first (6) "Historical and Miscellaneous Questions for the Use of Young People. (Two quotations.) Stockport: Printei by J. Clarke, Little Underbank." 18mo., pp. 239." The dedication to John Kay, Esq., Manchester, is dated Sept. 30th, 1800. (7) "The First Part of a New Exposition of the Revelation of the Apostle John: Coutaining the Sealed-book Prophecy, or the Eleven First Chapters, by J. M. M. D. (Quotation.) Stockport: Printed by J. Clarke. 1800." 8vo., pp. xi, and 210. The dedication is siguet "John Mitchell." (8) "The Second Part of a New Exposition for the Revelation of the Apostle John: Containing the Little Book Prophecy, or the Eleven Last Chapters; by J. M. M. D. (Quotation.) Stockport: Printed for the Author by J. Clarke, Underbank. 1801.” (9) "The State of Religion; a Call of Humiliation, together with the Duty and Blessing of Contrition, and a Practical Improvement. In two Parts; with a Dissertation on the Duties of the Lord's Day, by John Meldrum. (Quotation.) Stockport: Printed and sold by J. Clarke. 1796." Rev. John Meldrum was for twenty-eight years Pastor of the Independent Chapel at Hatherlow, where he died, 1814. also author of a sermon on Murder, entitled "The care of Providence over life, and the sin of destroying it." Manchester, 1790, 8vo., pp. 40; and a work on "The Incarnation of the Son of God," in two vols., 8vo., 1807. Gatley. He was P. M. H. REMOVAL OF STOCKPORT CHURCH BELLS. 13.] In Mr Heginbotham's "History of Stockport," part ii., under the head of the Church Tower in the ecclesiastical section, appears the following interesting account of the removal of the church bells:"About the commencement of the present century a portion of the tower having given way, some rude buttresses were erected to support it; but in 1805, the bells having been rung for several days in succession, in celebration of Nelson's great victory at Trafalgar, the old tower was so shaken that it became dangerous. The bells were seldom rung afterwards, and the last time they were pealed from that tower was on the 13th October, 1809, at the Jubilee, when "George the Third was king." In the year following, the steeple was taken down, although the necessary Act had not then been obtained for rebuilding it, and the bells were stowed away in an old mill in Portwood. There they were allowed to remain for several years, and this circumstance called forth the following amusing rhymes :-" A Remonstrance from the Bells of St. Mary's Church, Stockport, addressed to the Churchwardens and Trustees of that building :" Torn from the tower where long we hung, No more with cheerful solemn sound To fill the House of Prayer. No more resounding through the vale, When Lubin weds his Susan dear, Ah! when shall our glad notes again He walks at Stockport fair? Our pleasing notes have caught the strain, But Wellington, whose matchless fame How can our notes his praise proclaim, Oh, ye who took this work in hand, If bells, as ancient records say, And let us on a steeple tall Most quickly find a lace. Or sweetly soothing chimes, Your spirits raise, your sorrows heal, Stockport, March 17th, 1814. Queries. God save the King!" [4.] SWEEP'S BELLS. In the Town Clerk's office, at Congleton, are some instruments known as "Swep's Bells." I should like to know the origin of these bells, and how long it is since they were in use. MACCLESFIeld. 1 [9] TRYAL OF JOHN STEVENSON. An 8vo. vola me on the subject of "the tryal of John Stevenson, of Bickerton, for the murder of Francis Elcock, of Nantwich," was published in 1759, at Middlewich. Who was the printer, and was the work a purely local production? ED. [10.] SAMUEL EATON.-Information is asked for concerning this gentleman, who about 1654 published a book, in which he describes himself as "A teacher of the Church of Christ, heretofore meeting at Dukinfield, now in Stockport, Cheshire." The title of the book was "Quakers confuted." ED. [11.] "RIDING THE STANG."-Can you, or any of your Cheshire readers, inform me as to the origin of this objectionable local custom, and how it came to receive its peculiar name? Manchester. J. H. P. [12] "WHEN THE DAUGHTER IS STOLEN SHUT THE PEPPER-GATE."-There is an old Cheshire proverb to this effect. Has it any affinity to that other proverb'When the steed's stolen shut the stable door." How came the former to be used locally ? LINDOW. [13] "OLD HOB."-In volume II. of "Hone's Every-day Book" it is stated that there is an old custom very common in Cheshire called "Old Hob;" it consists of a man carrying a dead horse's head, covered with a sheet, to frighten people. It also appears that the frolic is usual betweey All Soul's Day and Christmas. Can any of our readers inform us whether this custom ever prevailed in this part of Cheshire ? ED. NOTES AND QUERIES. To the Editor of the Advertiser. Sir, I am very much pleased that you are opening a column for Notes and Queries, because I am confident that a mass of very interesting matter will be brought into this department of your paper that would otherwise be lost. How little we know of the local history of the neighbourhood of Wilmslow, and for the reason that, in the past, everything of secondary interest has been allowed to pass into oblivion. I hope we shall do better in the future. The history of the old halls and manor houses, especially of those connected with historic families, has been to some extent preserved; but it has often struck me that this is only a very small part of what is wanted. The chief house of a parish, the seat of the former lord of the manor, is given, but nothing more. We want the history of the people. Now, within a few miles of Wilmslow there are a number of very fine old houses, old granges, that must have been inhabited by very substantial people, of which we know next to nothing. I would suggest to some of your numerous correspondents to give us, in your new department, a history of these places. It is by no means necessary, or even desirable, that this should be done by one hand. If several correspondents, gentlemen or ladies, would each attend to those places in his or her immediate neighbourhood, it would save expense and trouble in collecting information, and would also be the more interesting. For myself, I am not upon the spot, nor have I either the time or the means to do much in this way, or I would willingly give my share. You will excuse me if I just, from memory, give a list of some of the places whose history would be acceptable. In Dean Row and the contiguous townships there are-Colshaw, Newton Hall, Willett Hall, Woodford Old Hall, Woodford New Hall, Mottram Hall, Leigh Hall, Green Dale, Collar House, Hunter's Pool Farm, &c. In the Hough and neighbourhoodWhite Hall, Lower House, Higher House (which has disappeared), Taylor's Farm, Warburton's Farm, Rowbottom's Farm, &c. In Chorley and neighbourhood-Stone House, The Oak Farm, The Riley, Little Moss, Soss Moss Hall, Davenport Hall, Common Carr, Street's Farm, Row of Trees, Blackshaw's Farm, in Fields; The Hall Farm, in Brook Lane; and others. In Warford-Sandle Bridge, Norbury Houses, and Pownall Brow, and what is now called Warford Hall, &c. In Mobberley-Mobberley Hall, Old Hall (the Rectory), Newton Hall, Dukinfield Hall, Town Lane Hall, Church Farm, Antrobus Hall, Burley Hurst, Hollin Gee, and the very ancient place of Saltersley. In Morley there are Mr Wych's Farm-I think it is called Oak Farm; for there was here in the past a most marvellous oak tree. I have heard of it being standing after all the inside was rotten and gone, and the interior-if we may believe reports-was no mean size. It was used as a shippon for several stirks, and for storing the winter's turf as well. I have been told there is an account of this tree in print, but I don't know where it is to be found. To return, there is Stamford Lodge, quite an ancient place, with a new house and a new name. It was formerly called Dane Farm. And then passing into the other part of Pownall Fee-Styal-we have the Oak Farm, Oversley Ford, Styl Green Farm (late Watkinson's), Worthington's Stanneylands, and old Heskey's. And then in Fulshaw we have Fulshaw Hall, and Blackbrook, with I do not know how much of a historygoing back to the times of the old knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and which was a place of sanctuary of some peculiar kind-lang syne. In Northen Etchells, adjoining Styal, we have Peel Hall, with its moat and three-arched stone bridge-the best specimen of an old moat that I know of anywhere-an we have Chamber Hall, Blackbrook, and Sharston Hall. I have written, as I have already stated, from memory and in haste, and may have overlooked many; but these are all known to me from observation, and they are places that in the past have been the dwellings of the landowners and yeomen of the neighbourhood. Even the buildings, in the hands of an antiquary of experience, would furnish very much interesting information. I hope I have not trespassed too far upon your space. I shall be greatly satisfied if some gentlemen of ability will take up the subject and let us know something about what kind of buildings these are, and what sort of people our forefathers were who put up such substantial structures. I have an idea that they were not the old fogies we sometimes think they were. To persons of means and leisure, and with suitable tastes, such work would be a delightful labour, and would furnish additional handsful to the sheaves "gleaned after time." WILLIAM NORBURY. Leigh, 7th February, 1881. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, 1881. Notes. CHURCH HULME. were com [14] From an interesting account given in Mr Wot inton Barlow's Collector," and published in 1853, of the records to be found in the rezisters of the church at Holmes Chapel (Church Hulme), we cull the following:-"The church is undoubtedly of great antiquity. Inscriptions attached to cert-in sepulch al brasses and ffigies relating to the Needhams, and enumerated in a 'survey' of the church, made in 1559, dete as far back as 1448." It consists, as Ormerod describes it, of a tower, nave, chancel, and side ai-les, terminating in private chancels. The side aisles are of comparatively modern addition, and with reference to the private chancels, we find it noted in Bishop Gastrell's " N titia," that in 1609 there was a "confirmation of Mr Winnington's right to an oratory, or chappell, in the south side of ye chancell, which he and his ancestors have enjoyed time out of mind, with an addition made to it about 20 years before ye date of this an [no] 1609 Reg. B. 2, p. 300." In 1548" the shere ff and just's of peaxe missioned by the King to take an account of the bells and plate in the churches of the county of Chester, and in their certificate (from records of Augmentation Office) "Holms Chapel" is set down as possessing "one chales" and "iiij bells." Some of the old parish churches in the same neighbourhood were not so well off. Brereton, for instance, has "ii bells," and it is also added that "one bell" was "broken, lyenge in the churche, w'ch is solle for the necessary rep'acion of the churche, that is to say, by leade to cover the yle and to glass wyndowes, and to deck the church walls wt storyes." In 1648 the eminent Nonconformist divine, Henry Newcome, came to settle at Goostrey. "We lived," says he, "at first in some rooms of Francis Hobson's, near the chapel, half-a-year, and thence we removed to Kermencham." In 1651 he chronicles the fact that "on Tuesday, February 18th, Mr Machin" (afterwards ejected from Whitley)" and I preached at Holmes Chapel." In 1687 the people of Holmes Chapel were growing obstreperous, and with much zeal for Protestantism, were determined to show their abhorrence of the man who would neglect or damage its interests, even though he were a king. Accordingly, Bishop Cartwright, in his Diary, p. 23 (published by the Camden Society), records that on February 17th, 1687, he "admonished the inhabitants of Hulme Chapel, in the consistory, of their riotous shutting up the chapel doors on 6 Feb., being Sunday, the King's anniversary day of inauguration; and enjoined them penance for the same, to be performed and certified against the next Court day." ED. Soss Moss, NETHER ALDERLEY. [15. A correspondent (T. J.) sends us the following interesting communication:-"In reading your Notes and Queries, last week, I saw the name of a large wood in Nether Alderley. More than 40 years ago I resided near to that place, and I well remember a local puzzle among juveniles was-"What does five S's, two O's, and one M spell?" SSSSS, O O, M. In the following form it may not be devoid of interest to some of your younger readers. Commence with the S in the centre, and the words "Soss Moss" will be formed in many ways: S SSOS S SSOM OSS SSOMS MOSS SSOMS SSMOSS SSOMSSOS OSS MOSS SSOMS SOSS MOSS S SOM S S S MOSS SSOM OSS SSOS S SSS S Replies. CURIOUS VOLUMES IN STOCKPORT CHURCH, (Query No. 5-February 12.) [16.] Heginbotham informs us, in reference to the above subject, that the following items, amongst others, are contained in an inventory recorded in the Churchwardens' Book, dated September 11, 1683:"A large Bible, according as the Canons requireth ;' "Two Books of Common Prayer," "One Book of Homieleys," ," "The Book of Cannons," and the " Act for Burying in Wollen." Commenting on the inventory, the historian, in a foot note writing of the first-named, says that "there is now in the vestry a Bible, most probably that mentioned in this inventory. It is very old, printed in black letter, with references, but very imperfect, having neither date nor imprint. It is bound with half-inch oak boards, covered with leather, and has two clasps and five studs on each back. A staple is attached to one of the backs, having two links of flat iron, each about 2 inches long, by which it seems to have been chained in the church, according to the custom followed soon after the Reformation. Another very old and imperfect book is preserved in the vestry. It is dated August 6, 1565, and is written in defence of certain Articles of the Church of England. With it is bound'A View of A Seditious Bull, sent into England from Pius Quintus, Bishop of Rome, 1569, taken by the Rev. Father John Jewel, late Bishop of Sarisburie, whereunto is added a short Treatise of the Holy Scriptures. Both of which he delivered in Divers Sermons in his Cathedrall Church of Saris burie, 1570. London, printed by John Morten, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majestie, 1611.'"' ED. ANNE BOLEYN AT BOLLIN HALL. (Query No. 7. Feb. 12) [17] This tradition is referred to in the Account of the Restoration of Wilmslow Parish Church, published by Dr Thomas Clarke, churchwarden in 1866. Page 18. What ground for this tradition exists I have never been able to learn. Queen Anne Boleyn, or Bullen, or Bulleyne, belonged to a Norfolk family, whose seat was Blickling Hall, near Aylsham, in that county. Last year I was at some pains to examine the tombs and brasses of her family at the neighbouring Parish Church of Salle, in Norfolk. There are records of interments of successive generations of her ancestors to be seen there, and no connection with Cheshire appears at all. The name Bullen is not unfrequent in Norwich at this day. Queen Anne Boleyn's father was created Viscount Rochford and Earl of Wiltshire, so that Sir Thomas Boleyn does not appear, in choosing his titles, to have had Cheshire in his mind. [18.] That the legend referred to in the above query is fallacious and unreliable appears plain upon the face of it. From a very early date the names of the two families were quite distinctive. Our correspondent (Mr Pearson) correctly gives that of the Norfolk family, whilst as regards the Cheshire Bolins we have a record-"The Ancient Tenure of the Manor of Bolin"-which, so early as the reign of Henry IV., speaks of a Willam-de-Venables de Bolin, who died about the third year of that monarch's reign. That the two families were quite distinct, and in no wise interested in each other, seems plain. The legend probably owes its origin to the similarity of sound in the names, and nothing more. ED. |