1580, was keeper of his Majesty's records in the Tower, and rendered assistance to Camden in furnishing him with a catalogue of Earls, for his Britannia. He also made considerable collections for the history of Yorkshire: some of these are deposited in the British Museum, and some in the Herald's office. In the epistle dedicatory to Mills' catalogue of honor, he is called "Limping Thomas Talbot, a great genealogist, and of excellent memory*." The remains of the Hall here, are partly wood and partly stone; and the whole formerly encompassed a quadrangular court. A piece of Roman sculpture of Apollo, from Ribchester, has been incorporated in one of the walls.

In a low situation, on the banks of the Calder, is GAWTHORP, the ancient residence of the Shuttleworths, who were settled here as early as the time, of Richard the Second. The house is an ancient embattled building, and, according to Dr. Whitaker, "combines the picturesque effect of the castellated mansion with some degree of internal lightness and convenience." In the vicinity of this, is HUNTROYD, a modern mansion, in a fine romantic country, belonging to Legendie Piers Starkie, Esq.

LEYLAND HUNDRED is the smallest of the six subdivisions of this county, and has the river Ribble for its northern boundary, whilst West-Derby hundred forms its southern and south-western extremity; and the hundreds of Salford and Blackburne join it to the east and south-east. This hundred presents nearly a flat surface, and has portions of the Lancaster, and the Leeds and Liverpool canals passing across its eastern side. Three great turnLiverpool to the

pike roads from Wigan to Preston, and from

latter town, are also carried through it. Within this district is

only one market town.

* See Gough's Topography, Vol. 11. 397.

CHORLEY.

CHORLEY.

THIS town stands on the great turnpike road between Liverpool and Preston, near the source of a small rivulet, called the Chor, which gives its name to the place. The river Yarrow, rising in the moors to the east, flows near the town, and gives motion to numerous mills that are erected on its banks; these, with the printing, and bleaching grounds, for many miles round, intermixed with the cotton factories, conspire to communicate to the whole district an aspect of extreme bustle and industry. The church here, for it has been lately made parochial, and separated from the parish of Croston, is an ancient pile of building, the walls of which are studded with several coats of arms and old inscriptions, and the windows are decorated with various paintings.

The town consists of two lordships, which belong to different proprietors. Its police is governed by one magistrate, who, with one or more magistrates for the county, hold a petty sessions here, and at Rivington, near it, once a month alternately. The Bishop of Chester also holds a court here twice a year, by his steward or proxy. Chorley is a very improving place; and to render it more so, various clubs, and a building tontine, have been established, to encourage new erections, which the population of its vicinity, the plenty and cheapness of provisions, and abundance of materials for dwelling houses, with the numerous manufactories in the parish and neighbourhood, so naturally tend to support and encourage. The plenty of coals also, with lead, alum, sand, and marle, as well as the quarries of flag, slate, ashler, and millstones, procured here, and sent to various parts of the kingdom, by means of the Lancaster, and Leeds and Liverpool canals, which pass close to the town, are highly favourable to such speculations. In the year 1801, this town contained 4516 inhabitants, having at that time 840 inhabited houses, occupied by 920 families.

In the church-yard is a Grammar-School, which, though endowed with some legacies, has not any free scholars. An alms

3

house,

house, for the support of six poor persons, and a prison have been erected in this town. Here are two weekly markets, and four annual fairs, which are much resorted to.

About one mile west of the town, is the site of GILLIBRAND HALL, the proprietor of which, Thomas Gillibrand, Esq. is Lord of one of the manors already mentioned. The old house, which was surrounded by a moat, has been recently taken down, and the foundation of a new mansion is just laid.

Near the village of Rivington is a lofty hill, noted for a high peak, or beacon, which served in the civil wars as a watch-tower, or signal post. From its commanding situation, and the extensive views obtained from it, many parties frequent this elevated spot during summer evenings. In the village is a free grammarschool, founded by James Pilkington, Bishop of Durham, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and endowed with lands situated in that bishopric.

At the distance of six miles, south of Chorley, is the township of STANDISH, where a family of the name of Standish appears to have been settled from a period soon after the conquest. Of this family was John Standish, Esq. who, according to Holinshed, was a servant to King Richard II. and distinguished himself by wounding Watt Tyler, in the memorable rencontre between him and the monarch, in Smithfield. For this service he, with the mayor and citizens who were then present, were knighted. Among other eminent persons in this family, was Sir Ralph Standish, who commanded an army in France under Henries the Fifth and Sixth; and Sir Alexander Standish, who was knighted for his valiant behaviour at the battle of Hopton-field, in Scotland, in 1482. Henry Standish also, who was made Bishop of St. Asaph, in 1519, accompanied Sir John Baker on an embassy to Denmark, in 1526; and, in 1530, was one of the bishops who assisted Queen Catherine in the suit concerning her divorce from Henry the Eighth. The living of Standish is a rectory worth more than 7001. per

annum,

annum, and is in the gift of the Lord of the manor. The church, a handsome building, with a steeple, was erected in 1584, chiefly by the aid of the rector, who maintained the workmen with provisions during the time. Within it is a tomb of Sir Edward Wrightinton, Knt. an eminent counsellor, who died in 1658. Another is raised to the memory of the first protestant rector, Richard Moodie, of whom there is a statue, dressed in a Franciscan habit, of which order he had been before he conformed to the protestant establishment, with an inscription declarative of his munificence, as above stated.

The seat of Sir Frank Standish, bart. is at DUXBURY HALL, about a mile and a half south of Chorley, on the west side of the road towards Adlington Hall, in the way to Wigan. This place is chiefly appropriated to a Stud-Farm.

Dr. Leigh has represented and described a small signet in a copper Urceolus, which was found near Standish; at which place were also discovered, at the same time, about 200 Roman coins," and two gold rings, of the equites aurati, or Roman knights*." The township of Standish, with Langtree, in 1801, contained 307 inhabited houses, and 1542 inhabitants.

WRIGHTINTON HALL, to the west, is an old stone house, situated in a small, but beautiful park; and is noted for having the first sash-windows of any house in the county, or in any part of the kingdom northward of the Trent. The Lancaster caual passes at a short distance on the south-west of Wrightinton and Standish, and greatly facilitates the conveyance of coals, with which the parish abounds, as well as cotton goods and coarse linens, which are here manufactured.

About three miles and a half south of Chorley, and within two miles to the north-east of Standish, is ADLINGTON HALL, the seat of Sir Richard Clayton, Bart. a modern house, erected by the present owner on the site of the old mansion. An ancestor of

* Natural History of Lancashire, Part 3, fol. 81, 101, 105.

of this family came to England with William the Conqueror, and had the manor of Clayton, near Leyland, conferred upon him for his services. A family of the name of Adlington formerly possessed the estate of Adlington; but it has been in the possession of the Claytons for nearly two centuries, who have made it their constant residence. The house is situated on a gentle elevation, and forms a prominent feature in the landscape from many stations in the surrounding country. It has a southern aspect, and appears to the eye at a distance, as if

"Bosom'd deep in tufted trees."

The collection of pictures is not large, but amongst them the following may be mentioned as worthy of praise:-David with the head of Goliath-Mars and Venus, by L. Giordano-ARCHBISHOP LAUD, by Vandyck-A dead head of Charles the First, an admirable painting-NELL GWYN, by Sir Peter Lely-Virgin and Child, by Carlo Dolce, an undoubted work of this master, and in his best manner- -St. John, by Guercino-Pope Pius the Sixth, placing the helmet on the head of Lieut. Colonel Browne, with his benediction, by Northcote. Besides these, here are several family pictures, by Sir Godfrey Kneller, and other mas

ters.

North of Chorley is the parish and township of WHITTLE-LEWOODS, the natal place of Sir JONAS MOORE, who was born in the year 1614. Distinguished for his mathematical skill, he was particularly patronized by King Charles the Second, and appointed by him surveyor-general of the ordnance. He was also one of the governors of Christ's Hospital, and induced the king to found a mathematical school in that great national seminary; for the use of which, Sir Jonas compiled a general system of mathematics, in two volumes, quarto, which work, the first of the sort in England, was published after his death in 1681. He was the first to discover and promote the talents of Flamsteed, who was ultimately placed in the Royal Observatory, at Greenwich, at the express recommendation of Moore. He died in 1679,

and