Pilkington (ancient township)
Encyclopedia
Pilkington was a township
in the parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham
, hundred of Salford
and county of Lancashire
, in northern England.
when Roger Pilkington who died in about 1347, married Alice Bury. Roger Pilkington and his father, also Roger, were present with Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, at the Battle of Boroughbridge
in 1322. The older Roger was imprisoned and fined, his son secured pardon by undertaking military service abroad. His son Sir Roger Pilkington (1325–1407) served under Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
in 1355, and under John of Gaunt
in 1359–60 and 1369. The Pilkingtons built a house with a moat between 1359 and 1400 and were granted a licence to crenellate the manor house at Bury in 1469 when it became known as Bury Castle
.
Roger's son Sir John Pilkington (d. 1421) was granted custody of the manors of Prestwich and Alkrington
. He married Margaret (d. 1436), heir of John Verdon of Brixworth
, Northamptonshire, soon after the death of her first husband, Hugh Bradshaw of Leigh
. Margaret's son from her first marriage, William Bradshaw, died in 1415, leaving a daughter, Elizabeth. In 1430 Margaret settled the manors of her inheritance which included Stagenhoe
in Hertfordshire, Clipston, Northamptonshire
and Brixworth in Northamptonshire, and Bressingham
in Norfolk, on her Pilkington sons, John, Edmund (d. about 1451), and Robert (d. 1457). Four years after the Battle of Bosworth Field
in 1489, Sir Thomas Pilkington of Pilkington lost his estates by Royal Attainder to the Stanleys, who received the title 'Earl of Derby
'. Sir Thomas Pilkington was granted Royal pardon in 1508
, Pilkington formed part of the Bury Poor Law Union
. In 1866, a Local board of health
was established for the Whitefield area of Pilkington, which had begun to urbanise
and expand into a town in its own right. In 1885 part of Pilkington was merged into the Municipal Borough of Bury
. Following the Local Government Act 1894
, the township of Pilkington was dissolved and its area divided between the then County Borough of Bury, Radcliffe Urban District, Whitefield Urban District, Outwood township and Unsworth township.
, and encompassed the settlements of Blackford Bridge, Cinder Hill, Hollins, Besses o' th' Barn
, Outwood, Ringley, Stand, Unsworth, and Whitefield
. The township was abolished in 1894.
Township (England)
In England, a township is a local division or district of a large parish containing a village or small town usually having its own church...
in the parish of Prestwich-cum-Oldham
Prestwich-cum-Oldham
Prestwich-cum-Oldham was an ancient ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire, England...
, hundred of Salford
Salford (hundred)
The hundred of Salford was an ancient division of the historic county of Lancashire, in Northern England. It was sometimes known as Salfordshire, the name alluding to its judicial centre being the township of Salford...
and county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, in northern England.
Manor
The Pilkington family can be traced from about 1200. The senior line acquired the manor of BuryBury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
when Roger Pilkington who died in about 1347, married Alice Bury. Roger Pilkington and his father, also Roger, were present with Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, at the Battle of Boroughbridge
Battle of Boroughbridge
The Battle of Boroughbridge was a battle fought on 16 March 1322 between a group of rebellious barons and King Edward II of England, near Boroughbridge, northwest of York. The culmination of a long period of antagonism between the king and Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, his most powerful subject, it...
in 1322. The older Roger was imprisoned and fined, his son secured pardon by undertaking military service abroad. His son Sir Roger Pilkington (1325–1407) served under Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, KG , also Earl of Derby, was a member of the English nobility in the 14th century, and a prominent English diplomat, politician, and soldier...
in 1355, and under John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
in 1359–60 and 1369. The Pilkingtons built a house with a moat between 1359 and 1400 and were granted a licence to crenellate the manor house at Bury in 1469 when it became known as Bury Castle
Bury Castle
Bury Castle is an early medieval moated manor house in Bury, Greater Manchester . It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The manor house was built by Sir Thomas Pilkington – lord of the manors of Bury and Pilkington, and an influential member of Lancashire's gentry – in 1469...
.
Roger's son Sir John Pilkington (d. 1421) was granted custody of the manors of Prestwich and Alkrington
Alkrington
Alkrington Garden Village, more commonly known as Alkrington, is a suburb of Middleton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England....
. He married Margaret (d. 1436), heir of John Verdon of Brixworth
Brixworth
Brixworth is a village and civil parish in the Daventry district of Northamptonshire, England. The 2001 census recorded a parish population of 5,162. The village is particularly notable for All Saints' Church, Brixworth, its historic Anglo-Saxon church....
, Northamptonshire, soon after the death of her first husband, Hugh Bradshaw of Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
. Margaret's son from her first marriage, William Bradshaw, died in 1415, leaving a daughter, Elizabeth. In 1430 Margaret settled the manors of her inheritance which included Stagenhoe
Stagenhoe
Stagenhoe is a Grade II listed stately home and surrounding gardens located in the village of St Paul's Walden in Hertfordshire. Stagenhoe was rebuilt in the 18th century, after a fire in about 1737. It is now used as a Sue Ryder Care nursing home....
in Hertfordshire, Clipston, Northamptonshire
Clipston, Northamptonshire
Clipston is a village and civil parish that is administered as part of the Daventry district of Northamptonshire in England. The town of Market Harborough is much nearer and so the village may be regarded as an economic satellite of that town rather than Daventry. At the time of the 2001 census,...
and Brixworth in Northamptonshire, and Bressingham
Bressingham
Bressingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 751 in 305 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of South Norfolk....
in Norfolk, on her Pilkington sons, John, Edmund (d. about 1451), and Robert (d. 1457). Four years after the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
in 1489, Sir Thomas Pilkington of Pilkington lost his estates by Royal Attainder to the Stanleys, who received the title 'Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end of the reign of Henry III and died in 1279...
'. Sir Thomas Pilkington was granted Royal pardon in 1508
Governance
Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
, Pilkington formed part of the Bury Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
. In 1866, a Local board of health
Local board of health
Local Boards or Local Boards of Health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate slaughterhouses and ensure the proper supply of water to their...
was established for the Whitefield area of Pilkington, which had begun to urbanise
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
and expand into a town in its own right. In 1885 part of Pilkington was merged into the Municipal Borough of Bury
County Borough of Bury
Bury was a local government district centred on Bury in the northwest of England from 1846 to 1974.Under the Bury Improvement Act 1846 a board of twenty-seven improvement commissioners was formed for Bury. The Improvement Commissioners District was enlarged in 1872...
. Following the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, the township of Pilkington was dissolved and its area divided between the then County Borough of Bury, Radcliffe Urban District, Whitefield Urban District, Outwood township and Unsworth township.
Geography
It was bounded on two sides, the southwest and north, by the River IrwellRiver Irwell
The River Irwell is a long river which flows through the Irwell Valley in the counties of Lancashire and Greater Manchester in North West England. The river's source is at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately north of Bacup, in the parish of Cliviger, Lancashire...
, and encompassed the settlements of Blackford Bridge, Cinder Hill, Hollins, Besses o' th' Barn
Besses o' th' Barn
Besses o' th' Barn is an area of Whitefield within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies between Radcliffe and Prestwich....
, Outwood, Ringley, Stand, Unsworth, and Whitefield
Whitefield, Greater Manchester
Whitefield is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground in the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, south-southeast of Bury, and to the north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
. The township was abolished in 1894.