I wonder if anyone knows whether the registers of Ashworth have been printed or are otherwise widely available? When was the chapel opened (and when did the registers start)? I understand that it was originally a chapel-of-ease to Bury or Middleton. Thanks, Edward

St. James's Church ASHWORTH - Near Heywood ASHWORTH Church is dedicated to St. James, but when that dedication took place is not known. Its distance from Ashworth Hall, the ancestral home of a branch of the Holt family, would preclude the idea of its having originally been a private domestic chapel. According to the Ecclesiastical Year Book it was in existence in 1514 and was probably built during the reign of Henry VIII by the Holts for the use of their tenants. Amongst the Holt family records of 1522 occurs more than once the name of '' Sir Thomas Holt, Capellanus," and it may be assumed that he offici­ated at Ashworth. The Inventory of Church Goods taken by the order of Edward VI. in 1552 gives details of "one vestment, chalice and paten as belonging to a chapel called Assheworthe in the parish of Middleton." It remained in the parish of Middleton until 1867. In 1559 Robert Holt of Ashworth left " 6s. 8d. to the sustentation of Ashworth Chapel to be paid when the church reeves require it. " For the next fifty years little is known of the history of the chapel, but from 1614, when John Ashworth became Vicar, there is an almost complete list of curates. In 1626 Hugh Brooks is described in a contemporary deed as Vicar of Ashworth, and claimed land in Healey as belonging to the living. During the Civil War and when Oliver Cromwell was Protector, the Nonconformists held great power. Ashworth then became a Presbyterian Conventicle, at least from 1647 to 1652. Henry Pendlebury, 1648-1650, was a noted theologian. In 1650 the Commonwealth Survey shows that there was then no maintenance and for the time being no ministers. The Commissioners recommended that the chapel should be made into a parish church and gave a list of certain houses in Ashworth, Birtle, Bamford and Rochdale, which they thought ought to be included in the Parish. In 1671 Richard Whitehead of Pilsworth created a rent charge of £6 a year on a house called Wallbank, near Whitworth, half of which was to be paid to the curate of Ashworth Chapel. The last Holt of Ashworth Hall died without issue, and the estate was sold in 1700 to Samuel Hallows of Grays Inn. Not long alter he pur­chased the estate he made a claim to the chapel as a domestic chapel. This claim was apparently relinquished, as in 1737 the claimant gave a sum of £200 to meet a similar sum for Queen Ann's Bounty. Notwithstanding this gift, the donor does not appear to have been a popular patron if we accept the evidence of a contemporary who writes, " 1740 January 21st. This day died Mr. Sam Hallows of Ashworth, to the great joy of all his neigh­bours." Bishop Gaskell reports that the Holt family had always allowed £4 a year to the chapel, which was increased to £20 or £30 by a grant from " the Vicarage " (Middleton Rectory?) £400 had thus been given for an endowment fund and ! by other contributions this was increased to £600, which was laid out in an estate. In 1751 the chapel produced £50 per annum ; about £30 from the land and £20 from the pews. When Samuel Hallows died he left the estate, with which went the patronage of the living-, to his nephew John Hatfield of Hatfield, who in 1751 sold it to Thomas Ferrand of Rochdale. He in turn sold it in 1767 to Samuel Egerton of Tatton, in whose family it remained until 1942 The Church, with the exception of the chancel, was rebuilt and enlarged in 1789. In 1837 the chancel, the only relic of the old building, was done away with and the east end of the church made to assume its present shape. By this alteration and others in the gallery, about 110 additional sittings were added, and the whole of the gallery, with the exception of that portion reserved for the singers, was understood to be appropriated '' henceforth and for­ever " for the use of the Sunday Scholars. The whole building was thoroughly repaired and wooden Gothic Mullions introduced into the windows. The alterations cost £300, towards which subscrip­tions and the reopening service collection amounted to £145, the balance being paid by the Patron. During the alterations, which took three months, the church was closed and services were held in a large room, used as a school, in the Hall Fold. Ashworth school had been instituted in 1828; eight poor children being instructed in considera! tion of £8 per annum subscribed by Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, who in 1838 built a new school, which was in use as a day-school until the beginning of the twentieth century, and is now used for church purposes, having been recently purchased by the Parochial Church Council. In 1882 the church was re-floored and new pews were installed. The nineteenth century was a time of great industrial expan­sion and the rural countryside around Ashworth with its fast run­ning streams, ideal for turning waterwheels, was soon invaded by a multitude of small mills, serving a variety of trades, including Fulling, Dyeing, Bleaching, Spinning and Weaving. There was a corn mill and some coal mines and quarries in the parish. These industries attracted many new inhabitants to the surrounding districts, and made the extension of the chapel very necessary. It must be borne in mind that at this time the nearest churches to Ash­worth were Rochdale (2), Heywood (1), Bury (2), and Edenfield, so Ashworth was the focal point of a very large area with a popula­tion expanding at a tremendous rate. The Church Registers, which were in existence in 1868, show this increase in population quite clearly. Unfortunately the remaining registers only date back to 1813 in the case of Burials and Baptisms, and 1824 for Marriages. The first recorded Baptism was " Poggie Scofield was born April 21, 1741." in that year there were nine baptisms and the number remained in the 'teens until late in the eighteenth cen­tury. Thereafter it rose fairly constantly until in 1837 there were 132, which is the highest recorded. The first recorded burial was in 1776 and was the only one in that year. By 1837 the number had risen to 42. In 1858 the Lord Bishop of Manchester held a con­firmation at Ashworth at which one hundred candidates were presented. Ashworth was constituted a parish in 1867 and there were then 200 Sunday Scholars. During much of this time of expansion the Vicar was David Rat! hbone 1832-1871. Until the Local Government Act of 1894, when the Parish of Ashworth was included in Birtle-cum-Bamford, in the Rural District of Bury, the ratepayers of the Township of Ashworth met annually in the Vestry to appoint Overseers of the Poor and a Surveyor of the Highways, and to nominate a Guardian of the Poor and four Constables. All these were local men, the surveyor for many years being a farmer. At the same time a rate was levied for repairs to the Church and other necessary purposes connected therewith. The Sexton was usually the Landlord of the adjacent Egerton Arms and collections were taken in his hostelry as well as in church. With the advent of steam the mills gradually closed in the country districts, and industry concentrated in the towns, where many new churches were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. St. James thus served a constantly decreasing area until now the parish is a purely rural one!, large in acreage, but with a small population. In 1949 it was found necessary to unite the benefice with St. Paul's, Norden, but the parish still maintains its own entity and services. Perched on its hill it is a place of loving pilgrimage for many whose forebears worshipped here in years gone by, and for those country lovers who like to worship in an ancient church situated in a wonderful position. Interior The East window was, erected by Mrs. Hartley in memory of her father the Rev. David Rathbone, who was incumbent for 38 years until his death in 1871, her mother and brother; other windows were given by their relatives in memory of Richard and Sarah Ashworth, Oscar Baron, N. F. Davison, W. Looker and J. C. Waldie. The Oak Altar was presented in 1909 by Canon Rathbone Hartley, the Eagle Lectern in 1906 by D. Leech, Esq., the Reading Desk in 1927 by the Parishioners in memory of W. L. Pickup, for many years churchwarden, and the pulpit in 1937 by Miss Edith Baron. On organ was purchased in 1840 and placed in the gallery. It replaced the instrumental music, which up to that time had been provided by Violin, Clarinet, etc. About 1900 a new organ was built in it's present position. The Font is made of stone from Mount Tabor, near Halifax, and was a gift of Wilbraham Egerton, Esq., in 1852. The bell was given by Samuel Egerton, Esq., in 1774 and did duly until 1895, when it was replaced by a peal of eight tubular bells. These have since had to be taken down as the bell chamber was unsafe. When this has been rectified they can be re-hung. The poetical description on the west wall of the lamentable end in Birtle of a harmless old man and his faithful wife, neglects to state that the murderer was hanged at Lancaster in 1826. The church plate consists of a silver Chalice and Paten, on which are engraved the Egerton Arms and the date 1808, and a Silver Chalice and Paten given by Mrs. Adams whose husband Rev. C. Adams was Vicar, 1932-194:5. The Churchyard The Churchyard is entered by a Memorial Gateway, erected in memory of those who fell in the 1914 -18 war. It has been enlarged on several occasions; four of them being between 1832 and 1871, when the land was given by the Egerton family, who also paid for the erection of the walls. The latest addition was in 1949 the land then being' given by Messrs. Walker and Homfrays Ltd. There are many interesting and some original epitaphs on the old flat stones. In 1867 the Vicar forbade any inscription being placed on a tombstone without his permission except the name, age, date and abode, as " several unfitting, inappropriate and unscriptural verses appear." ----- Original Message ----- From: "Edward Reid-Smith" <Edward.Reid-Smith@bigpond.com> To: <ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 5:31 AM Subject: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Ashworth church and registers > I wonder if anyone knows whether the registers of Ashworth have been printed > or are otherwise widely available? When was the chapel opened (and when did > the registers start)? I understand that it was originally a chapel-of-ease > to Bury or Middleton. Thanks, Edward > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > To search the archives of this list go to: > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?surname=ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L-request@rootsweb.com > >

Just in case its of any use - there are quite a lot of burials at Middleton St Leonards for people from Ashworth in the 1600s and 1700s. (Have them indexed). Doreen. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.9.7/60 - Release Date: 28/07/2005

Thanks Doreen, I suspected that there may be some Ashworth burials (etc?) at Middleton. The earliest memorial at Ashworth is for 1796 (Mary Chadwick of Ashworth Hall), so I'll be in touch if I need to check Middleton. cheers, Edward

Sylvia Do you know if Bishops Transcripts exist for the dates prior to the parish registers namely 1813 in the case of Burials and Baptisms and 1824 for Marriages and, if so, their location Alan KL Malaysia Quoting Sylvia Walch <sylvias@sylvia80.freeserve.co.uk>: > St. James's Church > ASHWORTH - Near Heywood > ASHWORTH Church is dedicated to St. James, but when that dedication > took place is not known. Its distance from Ashworth Hall, the > ancestral home of a branch of the Holt family, would preclude the idea > of its having originally been a private domestic chapel. According to > the Ecclesiastical Year Book it was in existence in 1514 and was > probably built during the reign of Henry VIII by the Holts for the use > of their tenants. Amongst the Holt family records of 1522 occurs more > than once the name of '' Sir Thomas Holt, Capellanus," and it may be > assumed that he offici­ated at Ashworth. The Inventory of Church Goods > taken by the order of Edward VI. in 1552 gives details of "one > vestment, chalice and paten as belonging to a chapel called Assheworthe > in the parish of Middleton." It remained in the parish of Middleton > until 1867. In 1559 Robert Holt of Ashworth left " 6s. 8d. to the > sustentation of Ashworth Chapel to be paid when the church reeves > require it. " > > > > For the next fifty years little is known of the history of the chapel, > but from 1614, when John Ashworth became Vicar, there is an almost > complete list of curates. In 1626 Hugh Brooks is described in a > contemporary deed as Vicar of Ashworth, and claimed land in Healey as > belonging to the living. During the Civil War and when Oliver Cromwell > was Protector, the Nonconformists held great power. Ashworth then > became a Presbyterian Conventicle, at least from 1647 to 1652. Henry > Pendlebury, 1648-1650, was a noted theologian. In 1650 the Commonwealth > Survey shows that there was then no maintenance and for the time being > no ministers. The Commissioners recommended that the chapel should be > made into a parish church and gave a list of certain houses in > Ashworth, Birtle, Bamford and Rochdale, which they thought ought to be > included in the Parish. > > In 1671 Richard Whitehead of Pilsworth created a rent charge of £6 a > year on a house called Wallbank, near Whitworth, half of which was to > be paid to the curate of Ashworth Chapel. The last Holt of Ashworth > Hall died without issue, and the estate was sold in 1700 to Samuel > Hallows of Grays Inn. Not long alter he pur­chased the estate he made a > claim to the chapel as a domestic chapel. This claim was apparently > relinquished, as in 1737 the claimant gave a sum of £200 to meet a > similar sum for Queen Ann's Bounty. Notwithstanding this gift, the > donor does not appear to have been a popular patron if we accept the > evidence of a contemporary who writes, " 1740 January 21st. This day > died Mr. Sam Hallows of Ashworth, to the great joy of all his > neigh­bours." Bishop Gaskell reports that the Holt family had always > allowed £4 a year to the chapel, which was increased to £20 or £30 by a > grant from " the Vicarage " (Middleton Rectory?) £400 had thus been > given for an endowment fund and ! > by other contributions this was increased to £600, which was laid out > in an estate. In 1751 the chapel produced £50 per annum ; about £30 > from the land and £20 from the pews. When Samuel Hallows died he left > the estate, with which went the patronage of the living-, to his nephew > John Hatfield of Hatfield, who in 1751 sold it to Thomas Ferrand of > Rochdale. He in turn sold it in 1767 to Samuel Egerton of Tatton, in > whose family it remained until 1942 > > The Church, with the exception of the chancel, was rebuilt and enlarged > in 1789. In 1837 the chancel, the only relic of the old building, was > done away with and the east end of the church made to assume its > present shape. By this alteration and others in the gallery, about 110 > additional sittings were added, and the whole of the gallery, with the > exception of that portion reserved for the singers, was understood to > be appropriated '' henceforth and for­ever " for the use of the Sunday > Scholars. The whole building was thoroughly repaired and wooden Gothic > Mullions introduced into the windows. The alterations cost £300, > towards which subscrip­tions and the reopening service collection > amounted to £145, the balance being paid by the Patron. During the > alterations, which took three months, the church was closed and > services were held in a large room, used as a school, in the Hall Fold. > Ashworth school had been instituted in 1828; eight poor children being > instructed in considera! > tion of £8 per annum subscribed by Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, who in 1838 > built a new school, which was in use as a day-school until the > beginning of the twentieth century, and is now used for church > purposes, having been recently purchased by the Parochial Church > Council. In 1882 the church was re-floored and new pews were installed. > > The nineteenth century was a time of great industrial expan­sion and > the rural countryside around Ashworth with its fast run­ning streams, > ideal for turning waterwheels, was soon invaded by a multitude of small > mills, serving a variety of trades, including Fulling, Dyeing, > Bleaching, Spinning and Weaving. There was a corn mill and some coal > mines and quarries in the parish. These industries attracted many new > inhabitants to the surrounding districts, and made the extension of the > chapel very necessary. It must be borne in mind that at this time the > nearest churches to Ash­worth were Rochdale (2), Heywood (1), Bury (2), > and Edenfield, > > so Ashworth was the focal point of a very large area with a popula­tion > expanding at a tremendous rate. The Church Registers, which were in > existence in 1868, show this increase in population quite clearly. > Unfortunately the remaining registers only date back to 1813 in the > case of Burials and Baptisms, and 1824 for Marriages. The first > recorded Baptism was " Poggie Scofield was born April 21, 1741." in > that year there were nine baptisms and the number remained in the > 'teens until late in the eighteenth cen­tury. Thereafter it rose fairly > constantly until in 1837 there were 132, which is the highest recorded. > The first recorded burial was in 1776 and was the only one in that > year. By 1837 the number had risen to 42. In 1858 the Lord Bishop of > Manchester held a con­firmation at Ashworth at which one hundred > candidates were presented. Ashworth was constituted a parish in 1867 > and there were then 200 Sunday Scholars. During much of this time of > expansion the Vicar was David Rat! > hbone 1832-1871. > > Until the Local Government Act of 1894, when the Parish of Ashworth was > included in Birtle-cum-Bamford, in the Rural District of Bury, the > ratepayers of the Township of Ashworth met annually in the Vestry to > appoint Overseers of the Poor and a Surveyor of the Highways, and to > nominate a Guardian of the Poor and four Constables. All these were > local men, the surveyor for many years being a farmer. At the same time > a rate was levied for repairs to the Church and other necessary > purposes connected therewith. The Sexton was usually the Landlord of > the adjacent Egerton Arms and collections were taken in his hostelry as > well as in church. > > With the advent of steam the mills gradually closed in the country > districts, and industry concentrated in the towns, where many new > churches were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. St. > James thus served a constantly decreasing area until now the parish is > a purely rural one!, large in acreage, but with a small population. In > 1949 it was found necessary to unite the benefice with St. Paul's, > Norden, but the parish still maintains its own entity and services. > Perched on its hill it is a place of loving pilgrimage for many whose > forebears worshipped here in years gone by, and for those country > lovers who like to worship in an ancient church situated in a wonderful > position. > > > > Interior > > The East window was, erected by Mrs. Hartley in memory of her father > the Rev. David Rathbone, who was incumbent for 38 years until his death > in 1871, her mother and brother; other windows were given by their > relatives in memory of Richard and Sarah Ashworth, Oscar Baron, N. F. > Davison, W. Looker and J. C. Waldie. > > The Oak Altar was presented in 1909 by Canon Rathbone Hartley, the > Eagle Lectern in 1906 by D. Leech, Esq., the Reading Desk in 1927 by > the Parishioners in memory of W. L. Pickup, for many years > churchwarden, and the pulpit in 1937 by Miss Edith Baron. > > On organ was purchased in 1840 and placed in the gallery. It replaced > the instrumental music, which up to that time had been provided by > Violin, Clarinet, etc. About 1900 a new organ was built in it's present > position. > > The Font is made of stone from Mount Tabor, near Halifax, and was a > gift of Wilbraham Egerton, Esq., in 1852. > > The bell was given by Samuel Egerton, Esq., in 1774 and did duly until > 1895, when it was replaced by a peal of eight tubular bells. These have > since had to be taken down as the bell chamber was unsafe. When this > has been rectified they can be re-hung. > > The poetical description on the west wall of the lamentable end in > Birtle of a harmless old man and his faithful wife, neglects to state > that the murderer was hanged at Lancaster in 1826. > > The church plate consists of a silver Chalice and Paten, on which are > engraved the Egerton Arms and the date 1808, and a Silver Chalice and > Paten given by Mrs. Adams whose husband Rev. C. Adams was Vicar, > 1932-194:5. > > The Churchyard > > > The Churchyard is entered by a Memorial Gateway, erected in memory of > those who fell in the 1914 -18 war. > > It has been enlarged on several occasions; four of them being between > 1832 and 1871, when the land was given by the Egerton family, who also > paid for the erection of the walls. The latest addition was in 1949 the > land then being' given by Messrs. Walker and Homfrays Ltd. There are > many interesting and some original epitaphs on the old flat stones. In > 1867 the Vicar forbade any inscription being placed on a tombstone > without his permission except the name, age, date and abode, as " > several unfitting, inappropriate and unscriptural verses appear." > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edward Reid-Smith" <Edward.Reid-Smith@bigpond.com> > To: <ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 5:31 AM > Subject: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Ashworth church and registers > > > > I wonder if anyone knows whether the registers of Ashworth have been > printed > > or are otherwise widely available? When was the chapel opened (and > when did > > the registers start)? I understand that it was originally a > chapel-of-ease > > to Bury or Middleton. Thanks, Edward > > > > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > > >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > > To search the archives of this list go to: > > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?surname=ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > Create your own home page with Web Dwarf, a FREE HTML Editor > http://www.vmims.com/dwarf.htm > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This e-mail has been sent via JARING webmail at http://www.jaring.my

Sylvia, do you have HOLT connections, in particular, HOLT`s from the Bury area.? My wife`s people were HOLT`s from Bury, hence my interest. Norman A. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sylvia Walch" <sylvias@sylvia80.freeserve.co.uk> To: <ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 7:42 AM Subject: Re: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Ashworth church and registers > St. James's Church > ASHWORTH - Near Heywood > ASHWORTH Church is dedicated to St. James, but when that dedication took place is not known. Its distance from Ashworth Hall, the ancestral home of a branch of the Holt family, would preclude the idea of its having originally been a private domestic chapel. According to the Ecclesiastical Year Book it was in existence in 1514 and was probably built during the reign of Henry VIII by the Holts for the use of their tenants. Amongst the Holt family records of 1522 occurs more than once the name of '' Sir Thomas Holt, Capellanus," and it may be assumed that he offici­ated at Ashworth. The Inventory of Church Goods taken by the order of Edward VI. in 1552 gives details of "one vestment, chalice and paten as belonging to a chapel called Assheworthe in the parish of Middleton." It remained in the parish of Middleton until 1867. In 1559 Robert Holt of Ashworth left " 6s. 8d. to the sustentation of Ashworth Chapel to be paid when the church reeves require it. " > > > > For the next fifty years little is known of the history of the chapel, but from 1614, when John Ashworth became Vicar, there is an almost complete list of curates. In 1626 Hugh Brooks is described in a contemporary deed as Vicar of Ashworth, and claimed land in Healey as belonging to the living. During the Civil War and when Oliver Cromwell was Protector, the Nonconformists held great power. Ashworth then became a Presbyterian Conventicle, at least from 1647 to 1652. Henry Pendlebury, 1648-1650, was a noted theologian. In 1650 the Commonwealth Survey shows that there was then no maintenance and for the time being no ministers. The Commissioners recommended that the chapel should be made into a parish church and gave a list of certain houses in Ashworth, Birtle, Bamford and Rochdale, which they thought ought to be included in the Parish. > > In 1671 Richard Whitehead of Pilsworth created a rent charge of £6 a year on a house called Wallbank, near Whitworth, half of which was to be paid to the curate of Ashworth Chapel. The last Holt of Ashworth Hall died without issue, and the estate was sold in 1700 to Samuel Hallows of Grays Inn. Not long alter he pur­chased the estate he made a claim to the chapel as a domestic chapel. This claim was apparently relinquished, as in 1737 the claimant gave a sum of £200 to meet a similar sum for Queen Ann's Bounty. Notwithstanding this gift, the donor does not appear to have been a popular patron if we accept the evidence of a contemporary who writes, " 1740 January 21st. This day died Mr. Sam Hallows of Ashworth, to the great joy of all his neigh­bours." Bishop Gaskell reports that the Holt family had always allowed £4 a year to the chapel, which was increased to £20 or £30 by a grant from " the Vicarage " (Middleton Rectory?) £400 had thus been given for an endowment fund and ! > by other contributions this was increased to £600, which was laid out in an estate. In 1751 the chapel produced £50 per annum ; about £30 from the land and £20 from the pews. When Samuel Hallows died he left the estate, with which went the patronage of the living-, to his nephew John Hatfield of Hatfield, who in 1751 sold it to Thomas Ferrand of Rochdale. He in turn sold it in 1767 to Samuel Egerton of Tatton, in whose family it remained until 1942 > > The Church, with the exception of the chancel, was rebuilt and enlarged in 1789. In 1837 the chancel, the only relic of the old building, was done away with and the east end of the church made to assume its present shape. By this alteration and others in the gallery, about 110 additional sittings were added, and the whole of the gallery, with the exception of that portion reserved for the singers, was understood to be appropriated '' henceforth and for­ever " for the use of the Sunday Scholars. The whole building was thoroughly repaired and wooden Gothic Mullions introduced into the windows. The alterations cost £300, towards which subscrip­tions and the reopening service collection amounted to £145, the balance being paid by the Patron. During the alterations, which took three months, the church was closed and services were held in a large room, used as a school, in the Hall Fold. Ashworth school had been instituted in 1828; eight poor children being instructed in considera! > tion of £8 per annum subscribed by Mr. Wilbraham Egerton, who in 1838 built a new school, which was in use as a day-school until the beginning of the twentieth century, and is now used for church purposes, having been recently purchased by the Parochial Church Council. In 1882 the church was re-floored and new pews were installed. > > The nineteenth century was a time of great industrial expan­sion and the rural countryside around Ashworth with its fast run­ning streams, ideal for turning waterwheels, was soon invaded by a multitude of small mills, serving a variety of trades, including Fulling, Dyeing, Bleaching, Spinning and Weaving. There was a corn mill and some coal mines and quarries in the parish. These industries attracted many new inhabitants to the surrounding districts, and made the extension of the chapel very necessary. It must be borne in mind that at this time the nearest churches to Ash­worth were Rochdale (2), Heywood (1), Bury (2), and Edenfield, > > so Ashworth was the focal point of a very large area with a popula­tion expanding at a tremendous rate. The Church Registers, which were in existence in 1868, show this increase in population quite clearly. Unfortunately the remaining registers only date back to 1813 in the case of Burials and Baptisms, and 1824 for Marriages. The first recorded Baptism was " Poggie Scofield was born April 21, 1741." in that year there were nine baptisms and the number remained in the 'teens until late in the eighteenth cen­tury. Thereafter it rose fairly constantly until in 1837 there were 132, which is the highest recorded. The first recorded burial was in 1776 and was the only one in that year. By 1837 the number had risen to 42. In 1858 the Lord Bishop of Manchester held a con­firmation at Ashworth at which one hundred candidates were presented. Ashworth was constituted a parish in 1867 and there were then 200 Sunday Scholars. During much of this time of expansion the Vicar was David Rat! > hbone 1832-1871. > > Until the Local Government Act of 1894, when the Parish of Ashworth was included in Birtle-cum-Bamford, in the Rural District of Bury, the ratepayers of the Township of Ashworth met annually in the Vestry to appoint Overseers of the Poor and a Surveyor of the Highways, and to nominate a Guardian of the Poor and four Constables. All these were local men, the surveyor for many years being a farmer. At the same time a rate was levied for repairs to the Church and other necessary purposes connected therewith. The Sexton was usually the Landlord of the adjacent Egerton Arms and collections were taken in his hostelry as well as in church. > > With the advent of steam the mills gradually closed in the country districts, and industry concentrated in the towns, where many new churches were built in the latter half of the nineteenth century. St. James thus served a constantly decreasing area until now the parish is a purely rural one!, large in acreage, but with a small population. In 1949 it was found necessary to unite the benefice with St. Paul's, Norden, but the parish still maintains its own entity and services. Perched on its hill it is a place of loving pilgrimage for many whose forebears worshipped here in years gone by, and for those country lovers who like to worship in an ancient church situated in a wonderful position. > > > > Interior > > The East window was, erected by Mrs. Hartley in memory of her father the Rev. David Rathbone, who was incumbent for 38 years until his death in 1871, her mother and brother; other windows were given by their relatives in memory of Richard and Sarah Ashworth, Oscar Baron, N. F. Davison, W. Looker and J. C. Waldie. > > The Oak Altar was presented in 1909 by Canon Rathbone Hartley, the Eagle Lectern in 1906 by D. Leech, Esq., the Reading Desk in 1927 by the Parishioners in memory of W. L. Pickup, for many years churchwarden, and the pulpit in 1937 by Miss Edith Baron. > > On organ was purchased in 1840 and placed in the gallery. It replaced the instrumental music, which up to that time had been provided by Violin, Clarinet, etc. About 1900 a new organ was built in it's present position. > > The Font is made of stone from Mount Tabor, near Halifax, and was a gift of Wilbraham Egerton, Esq., in 1852. > > The bell was given by Samuel Egerton, Esq., in 1774 and did duly until 1895, when it was replaced by a peal of eight tubular bells. These have since had to be taken down as the bell chamber was unsafe. When this has been rectified they can be re-hung. > > The poetical description on the west wall of the lamentable end in Birtle of a harmless old man and his faithful wife, neglects to state that the murderer was hanged at Lancaster in 1826. > > The church plate consists of a silver Chalice and Paten, on which are engraved the Egerton Arms and the date 1808, and a Silver Chalice and Paten given by Mrs. Adams whose husband Rev. C. Adams was Vicar, 1932-194:5. > > The Churchyard > > > The Churchyard is entered by a Memorial Gateway, erected in memory of those who fell in the 1914 -18 war. > > It has been enlarged on several occasions; four of them being between 1832 and 1871, when the land was given by the Egerton family, who also paid for the erection of the walls. The latest addition was in 1949 the land then being' given by Messrs. Walker and Homfrays Ltd. There are many interesting and some original epitaphs on the old flat stones. In 1867 the Vicar forbade any inscription being placed on a tombstone without his permission except the name, age, date and abode, as " several unfitting, inappropriate and unscriptural verses appear." > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Edward Reid-Smith" <Edward.Reid-Smith@bigpond.com> > To: <ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 5:31 AM > Subject: [ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L] Ashworth church and registers > > > > I wonder if anyone knows whether the registers of Ashworth have been printed > > or are otherwise widely available? When was the chapel opened (and when did > > the registers start)? I understand that it was originally a chapel-of-ease > > to Bury or Middleton. Thanks, Edward > > > > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > > >==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > > To search the archives of this list go to: > > http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl?surname=ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > ==== ENG-LAN-MIDDLETON Mailing List ==== > Create your own home page with Web Dwarf, a FREE HTML Editor http://www.vmims.com/dwarf.htm > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.yahoo.com

Dear Sylvia, Thanks for the long account of Ashworth which you provided. My original query was in connection with the Chadwick family which (according to 1841 and 1851 censuses) were farming at Ashworth Hall. A memorial inscription to John Chadwick who died 1810 says that he was of Ashworth Hall, too. I have been working on the Chadwicks (later of Heap, Heywood, and Rochdale) in conjunction with step-cousins in Canada and USA, and will forward your little history to them also. Edward (of Wagga Wagga)