CHAPTER XXXVII.

LONG PRESTON.

Old coach-road-Well-to-do aspects of Long Preston-The late Mr. John Thompson -Saxon Church--Domesday record-The manor-History of the Parish Church-Ancient rectory house-Description of interior of church-Interesting memorials-Early font-Marks of fire-Cromwell House-The parish registers -Plague at Long Preston-Local tradition-Churchwardens' accountsAncient sun-dial-Beacon Coppy-Charity Hospital-School-Old millsLocal possessions of the monks-Citation of charters-Lambert familyCurious discovery of gold-Long Preston Peggy-The story of her adventures -Fragments of old ballad.

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HE quiet and respectable village of Long Preston, which extends a good half-mile along the Settle road, 4 miles from that town, has a very pleasing and well-to-do appearance. Edward Dayes, in his Picturesque Tour (1803), describes it as an opulent place, where the people appear cheerful, their houses clean, and everything carries with it an air of comfort." He also adds, "great quantities of calico are made here." When the Leeds and Kendal coaches passed through the village, they went by the old road at the high end, and over Long Preston Moor,-a very bad route in boisterous weather and so into Upper Settle.

The houses mostly are comparatively modern, and look neat and good; many of them being the property of their occupants,-retired farmers and other families of independent means. There are nice, open places, here and there planted, trim flower-gardens, and on the spacious green, opposite the Eagle inn, the Holgate Memorial Fountain (1869) is a conspicuous attraction. There are two good inns, the Boar's Head and the Eagle; a Conservative Club; several chapels-that belonging to the Wesleyans is now being re-built at a cost of over £3000; and a capital Village Institute with a library of 3000 volumes. The latter establishment owes its existence and prosperous career in great measure to the untiring efforts of the late Mr. John Thompson, of Kirkmangate, by whose recent death (in Nov., 1891), at the age of 67, the village loses one of its most useful and respected inhabitants. Mr. Thompson, who was a nephew of the late Mr. Robert Procter, farmer, whose house and tastefully-laid out grounds he afterwards purchased, interested himself in

every movement calculated for the benefit and welfare of the village. He was chiefly instrumental in getting the cattle-market established at Long Preston, and in agricultural matters generally he always took a warm and disinterested part. In all affairs relating to the township, and in local history generally, Mr. Thompson was a ready authority, and his death leaves a gap which cannot easily be filled.

Long Preston, anciently called Preston, from the residence of its priest or pastor here in Saxon times, has been a place of no inconsiderable ecclesiastical note for a very extended period. Its first church, which doubtless stood on the site of the present one, was founded probably not less than a thousand years back. It is mentioned in Domesday (A.D. 1086), and is the only Yorkshire church between Bentham, on the north, and Kildwick, on the south, included in that ancient survey. The record is as follows:

LAND OF ROGER OF POICTOU.

MANOR. In Prestune (Long Preston) Ulf had three carucates to be taxed, and one church. In Stainforde (Stainforth) three carucates. In Wicklesforde (Wigglesworth) one carucate. In Helgefelt (Hellifield) one carucate and a half. In Newhuse (Newsome) half a carucate. In Padehale (Painley) one carucate. In Ghiseburne (Gisburn) two carucates. In Hortone (Horton-in-Craven) one carucate and a half. In Chevebroc (Kelbrook) six oxgangs. In Croches (Crooks) two oxgangs to be taxed.

The manor, says Whitaker, anciently belonged to the Amundevilles, probably the first grantees under Roger of Poitou. Descending through three generations of this family, it was given to Richard, Earl of Gloucester and Hereford, who gave it to Richard de Bruis, son of Isabel, his sister. On his decease it passed to Robert de Bruis, his elder brother, who next gave it to William, another brother, who was disseised by Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester. This Earl married Joan of Acres, daughter of King Edward the First, and left at his death, in 1295, a son and heir, Gilbert, then aged five years.*

In the Nomina Villarum of 9th Edw. II. (A.D. 1315), Johannes Darcy is returned as lord of the manor of Preston.

In the first quarter of the 12th century the advowson of the church belonged to Walter de Amundeville, by whom it was bestowed upon the Church and Canons of Embsay,† and confirmed to them with the consent of Richard the Clerk, of Preston, by Henry Murdoc, Archbishop of York and Abbot of Fountains. In 1151 the Priory was translated to Bolton, and Preston, with its church, is recorded among a large

* Dugdale, Bar., vol. i., p. 215. It appears from an extent of the manor of Preston-in-Craven, taken in the 33rd Edw. I. (Cal. Gen., II., 697) that the abovementioned Earl held four carucates of land in Wyklesworth (Cal. Ing. p.m., i., 202).

† Dugdale Mon. Ang., vol. ii., p. 104.

accumulation of estates, rents, tithes, privileges, &c., then in its possession.* In consequence of this grant, the Canons of Embsay and Bolton, whatever share of the profits they might reserve, appear to have presented a Rector until 15 Kal. Mart. in the year 1303, when Archbishop Corbridge decreed that this Church should be served by a fit Vicar, and his ministers, presentable by the Prior and Convent of Bolton; which Vicar should receive tithe of wool, lambs, foals, calves, and of the profits of all lands enclosed and not tilled, mortuaries, oblations, and all things belonging to the altarage, together with the great and small tithes of Arnford. That the Vicar should likewise enjoy the rectory-house, &c., and nine acres of glebe, bearing all ordinary burdens. Of extra burdens, re-building the chancel, and repairing vestments, renewing church ornaments, books, &c., the Convent to bear two-thirds, the Vicar one-third.†

The old rectory-house, here mentioned, was pulled down some centuries ago, but the present vicarage occupies its site. The vicarage garden, however, it is interesting to discover, is now precisely of the same dimensions as stated in a 13th century deed of partition connected with the above confirmation.

At the dissolution of the lesser monasteries, the rectory and advowson of Preston were granted by Henry VIII. to Christ Church, Oxford,‡ but by fine levied 28th Henry VIII. (A.D. 1536-7), the manor, together with thirty-one others in Yorkshire, and the office of Feodary of Spofforth, was alienated to Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland.§

Of the original Norman church at Preston there are few, if any, traces remaining; the main body of the building dating probably from the time of the third Edward. The chancel was entirely re-built (at a cost of £1400) in 1868, by Messrs. Healey, of Bradford, and the improvement of this part of the edifice is much enhanced by an exquisite stained window of three lights, executed by Capronnier, of Brussels, in 1858. The church comprises chancel, nave, aisles, south porch, and low western tower, with pinnacles, and three bells. There are spacious galleries on the east and south sides of the interior. The eleven windows by Capronnier, of Brussels, in their fourteenth century frames, are exceedingly beautiful, and constitute a perfect study of the work of this eminent firm from 1858 down to the present time. The oldest window in Craven, and indeed in England, executed by this firm, is as I have before pointed out, at Gargrave Church, and dates from 1854. A chantry, dedicated to Our Lady and St. Anne, and forming the south * Dugdale Mon. Ang., vol. vi., pp. 201, 205.

Whitaker's Craven.

Dugdale Mon. Ang., vols. ii., p. 170, and vi., p. 207. § Yorkshire Rec. Ser., vol. ii., p. 77.

choir of the church, was founded and endowed (8th Edw. IV.) by Sir Richard Hamerton, Kt., and which was certified by Archbishop Holgate (37th Henry VIII.) as of the annual value of £5 6s. 8d. Here is a well-preserved ancient tomb (dated 1445) to the memory of Lawrence Hamerton, the builder of Hellifield Peel, and bearing a Latin inscription (quoted by Whitaker) and five shields: the first, Hamerton impaling Tempest; second, Hamerton impaling Assheton; third, Hamerton quartered with Knolle and Arches borne quarterly; fourth, quarterly, Plumpton; fifth, Hammerton and Radcliff of Longfeld.*

As appears by a charter, dated 8 Jun. 10th Hen. VI. (A.D. 1431) there was a private chapel, dedicated to St. Michael, attached to the church before the erection or endowment of this chantry. Whitaker says that it probably stood near the entrance to the churchyard, as a floor of painted tiles was met with in digging graves.

The following memorials are preserved in the church :

A stained window in the south aisle to James Knowles, founder of the Long Preston Hospital, A.D. 1615. Adjoining it a similar window of two-lights to Wm. and Sarah Hardacre (1849).

A tablet over the north door to Edward Hall, Esq. (d. 1812), Elizabeth, his wife (d. 1790), and Isabella, their daughter (foundress of the Free School, d. 1834.) One to Thos. Yorke, Esq., of Halton Place (d. 1811), and another to the Rev. Hy. Kempson, M.A., Vicar of the parish, (d. 1857), and Mary, his wife (d. 1870).

West window to Capt. Jas. Chas. Baird, 15th King's Hussars (d. 1837), aet. 32, "the beloved father of Mary Coulson."

A brass tablet "in memory of a beloved mother, Susannah Coulson,-By her youngest son, John Edmond Coulson, Vicar, May 3rd, 1862."

Above this tablet a stained window," in dearest memory of Alan Lane Coulson, Lieut. 4th Batt. Duke of Wellington's Regt., Aged 20. Drowned at sea, April 23, 1882. Homeward bound from Melbourne on the ship Shannon.' Beloved and eldest son of J. E. and Rhoda Mary Coulson, of Long Preston Vicarage."

In the north aisle a stained window in memory of T. J. Porritt, of Cantsfield, Kirkby Lonsdale, who died at sea, Dec. 24th, 1871, and was buried, Lat. 36° south, Long. 119° east.

Near the north door a stained window in memory of Robert Morley (d. 1886.) A window (by Capronnier) presented by Mr. Morley is at the west or tower end.

In the south wall of the church a new stained window, the gift of Mr. J. M. Robinson, of Hughenden House, Long Preston, "To the dear memory of my parents, William and Hannah Robinson, and of our child Hannah Mary."

The fine-toned organ, (of 30 stops) restored a few years since by Messrs. Denman, of York, was brought from St. Albans Abbey about 25 years ago, when that famous abbey-church got its new organ. There is

* The matches of these shields are explained in Whitaker's Craven, 3rd edition, p. 146. See also Pedigrees of the Hamertons, quoted on p. 362.

kept in the chancel here an old oak seat, six feet in length, which has a beautifully-wrought back, with a carving of arms, and the inscription, "James Knowles, I.K., 1616." In the vestry is a window of ancient glass, in four pieces, blazoned with arms. The font is hexagonal, with oak canopy, inscribed I.K., 1726. The base is Saxon or early Norman, and has been incised with a cross, probably, or some other Christian symbol, which seems to have been hacked off with a rough implement during a time of mutiny or persecution. In the tower, some distance above the ground, is a strong vault-like apartment, about six feet by four, which in all probability has been used as a safe for the keeping of documents

and valuables belonging to the parish. There is no doubt that the building has been garrisoned in war-times, or during military raids, and that the inhabitants have sought the protection of the sturdy walls of their old church in preference to the lesser security of their own homes. When the chancel was restored twenty-four years since, it was quite plain that such had been the case, for traces of fires were found in abundance on the floor, and the burnt bases of some of the columns were in places as black as a fire-back. At the north end of Long Preston there is an interesting old homestead called Cromwell House, which seems to suggest some connection with the disturbed time in the Civil War. But the name, apparently, is only a perversion of the family name of Crumbleholme,

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