HALSALL OF HUYTON

Sometime between 1572 and 1577 Christopher Kenwricke married Jane, daughter of Henry of Huyton. Christopher and Jane were to be the parents of Isabel Kenwricke, the wife of Henry Latham of Whiston.

ORIGINS IN HUYTON

A rental of Huyton in 1491 showed Thomas Halsall paying his half share of a 6s joint rent and James Halsall paying 2s for a cottage, both as tenants at will.1 James Halsall occurs in a rental of Percival Harrington in 1535 paying 12d for a cottage at will.2

A rent roll of Abbey c. 1511 shows among those paying rent for the abbey’s lands in Huyton: the vicar, priest and singers; Dom George Hill (one of the chaplains of the Winwick chantry, who died c. 1530);3 the wife of Edmund Hodgson; and Thomas Halsall (6s 8d) and Lord Derby4 (paying 3s 6d for ‘Saint Leonarde Lande’).5 Thomas Halsall occurs in a similar rental c. 1522.6

Bardsley felt that the origin of the surname lay precisely in the village.7

Henry Halsall

It seems likely that Henry Halsall of Huyton belonged in some way to the important family of Halsall of Halsall, a branch of which was certainly settled at Eccleston in Prescot, but no clear connection can be demonstrated. There were also Halsall families at Knowsley in Huyton and in Prescot town, but it has not been possible to distinguish between them.8

Jane Halsall’s father Henry lived in a ‘house with two bays’ on the north side of Huyton Church, held under ‘the farmer of Huyton rectory’ and ‘parcell of the late dissolved Priory of Burscough’.9 The property was to be the subject of two law suits after Henry’s death.

James Leyland, husbandman of Huyton (born c. 1518) testified in 1598 that his father had lived there before Henry Halsall, paying rent to Hamlet Stockley (bailiff of Burscough Abbey). There were then two bays of building, a smithy and another chamber (subsequently taken down) for the parish priest, William Chawner.10 Leyland called the lands ‘part of the rectory of Huyton’, while Percival Harrington, esquire (born 1551) called them ‘Crown lands’.11

The house and lands were then occupied by Henry Halsall, whose eldest legitimate child Jane (later the wife of Christopher Kenwricke) was born there (c. 1540/1560). Henry Halsall built a replacement barn. Henry may already have been living there by c. 1537, for his son-in-law Christopher Kenwricke ‘and his predecessors’ were said in 1597 to have been ‘ancient tenants for 60 years’.12

[In 1553 Huyton rectory was granted by the crown to Sir Urian Brereton of Handforth, while ‘St Leonard’s land’ and other possessions were granted to Edward, third ] [We may note that in 1555 there was an inquiry into the ruinous condition of Huyton church. 13 On 1 January 1555/6 a ‘fre gramer scole’ was founded in Huyton: the schoolmaster Edward Lawe was to be given the use of ‘Our Ladys Chamber’ close to the churchyard.14 Roger Mason died after 40 years as vicar of Huyton c. 1557.15 James Smith was vicar briefly in 1558, but on his resignation that year Edward Lowe was presented by the crown and remained vicar until c. 1565. In 1568 the crown granted Huyton rectory to Laurence Mynter for 31 years].

Henry Halsall had two daughters, his co-heirs Jane and Isobel. His son-in-law Michael Tyldesley testifed in 1598 that Henry had no son: he did however have an illegitimate son Roger Halsall. 16 We shall see however that his other son-in-law Christopher Kenwricke acted in association with Henry’s illegitimate son Roger Halsall in 1577, defending a probate suit against Henry’s widow Elizabeth.

On 24 June 1560 Henry Halsall took a 21-year lease from Lord Derby of 12 acres in Roby Carre, paying 23s 4d and a fine of £20. He also held a ‘styrkegate’ at a rent of 13s 4d.17

Henry Halsall also purchased from Edward, earl of Derby a messuage and land in Huyton.18 1 Jane Halsall and Christopher Kenwricke

Born at Huyton c. 1540—1560 Jane Halsall married Christopher Kenwricke of Rainhill between 1572 and 1577. Jane’s sister Isobel Halsall married by 1581 Michael Tyldesley (c. 1543–1603), gent. of Huyton.19

Roger Halsall

Henry Halsall had a son Roger Halsall (born perhaps c. 1543), who was ‘not mulierlie begotten’ (i.e. illegitimate). On 16 April 1564 Roger took a 21-year lease of 10 bays and 25 acres at Halewood, valued at 47s 4½d:20 he may have been the father of Henery Halsawe and Mary and Alice Halsall baptised at Hale chapel (Childwall) on 10 October 1572, 15 April 1575 and 2 March 1579/80. 21 Roger Halsall appeared at the Widnes court leet (which had jurisdiction over Huyton, Knowsley, Eccleston, Rainhill and other townships) in 1573 in a plea of debt.22 Roger Halsall was overseer and witness of the will of Richard Wainwright of Halewood made on 16 December 1581 and an appraiser of his inventory (n.d.): the will was proved on 23 June 1582.

Rodger Hallsall married Anne Holonde at on 23 February 1584/5. On 6 March 1593/4 Roger Halsall was one of four appraisers of the inventory of William Wainwright of Halewood. 23 He was perhaps the father of Margaret Halsall, baptised at Hale on 27 November 1594; John, baptised there on 22 March 1595/6; Ann (22 January 1599/1600); and Jane (7 November 1600). Roger Halsall was baptised on 10 October 1598 and 23 January 1599/1600. Amongst burials at Hale were those of Roger and Ane Halsall on 24 February 1599/1600.

Roger subsequently married Jane. On 30 August 1612 Roger Halsall, yeoman of Halewood made his will, asking to be buried at Hale, near his first wife. There were bequests to three sons (Edward, Henry and William) and four daughters (Marye, Elizabeth, Margaret and Ellin) and to sons-in-law William Cartwright, John Orme and Robert Parcevall and to many unnamed grandsons. There was 20s to Hale chapel. Roger was buried at Hale on 19 October 1612: an appraiser of his inventory, taken on 20 October was Henry (probably the husband of Roger’s niece Isobel Lathom, née Kenwricke). The will (with a codicil) was proved on 8 April 1613.24

Roger Halsall’s son Edward of Halewood (who had been a witness of the will of William Wainwright of Halewood in 1594 and received his ‘best doublet’) made his own will on 23 November 1618, making bequests to his wife Ann, son Roger, four daughters Margaret, Jane, Ellen and Elizabeth and a brother William. He also spoke of his ‘loving kinsmen Edward Deine and Henry Lathom’ (Henry Lathom’s wife Isobel was Edward Halsall’s first cousin). His wife and son were to be executors.25

On 9 April 1629 there was proved the will of Roger Halsall of Halewood.26 One Edward Halsall paid tax on three hearths at Halebank in 1664.27

Death of Henry Halsall

On 4 May 1577 Alice Harrington (who lived at Huyton) lodged a plea of debt in the Widnes court against Henry Halsall. Henry Halsall died by June 1577,28 a year before the first surviving Huyton parish register begins. Henry’s illegitimate son Roger Halsall had joined with his son-in-law ‘Christopher Kenrige als Kenwright’ in exhibiting a ‘supposed will’. This was challenged by Henry’s widow Elizabeth in an action brought against Roger Halsall and Kenwricke on 20 June 1577.

Elizabeth alleged that since exhibiting the ‘supposed will’ Roger ‘hath said and declared to dyvs psons that Henrie Halsall, father to the Roger had not made any will ... And reported further that if he should dye wthout will makinge, the same Roger should be thereby sore hindered and should have no of his father’s goodes for that he then likewise said he was not mulierlie begotten. And further the said Roger Halsall hath required dyvers psons to exort his said father to make a will ... sithence the date of the said supposed will.’

Edward, earl of Derby and ‘dyvers other persons’ had asked Christopher Kenwright whether his father- in-law had made a will and Christopher had ‘confessed thereunto that he had not’.29 The result of this dispute is not known. 2 [By 1569 William Wade was vicar of Huyton: in 1578 he opened an alehouse: it was reported that there had been no sermons at Huyton church that year].30

On 4 June 1581 Christopher and Jane Kenwricke pleaded for recovery of the messuage and land of which Jane and her father Henry Halsall had been seized by purchase from Edward, earl of Derby. Jane had subsequently married Christopher Kenwricke and following Henry Halsall’s death ‘four years ago’ (i.e. c. 1577) the property had passed to Christoper and Jane. In 1580 however, Henry’s widow Elizabeth Halsall had entered the property, taken possession of all the deeds and had refused to give them up. More recently she had promised delivery of the deeds, but had failed to comply.31

It is almost certain that this suit (and the later one in 1597–8) related to the tenement at Huyton church, where Elizabeth Halsall clearly continued to live after Henry’s death. It seems unlikely that Elizabeth Halsall was the mother of Jane Kenwricke.

Christopher and Jane Kenwricke’s children were John, Isabel, Dorothea and Ellen (the last two born at Rainhill and baptised at Prescot on 17 August 1578 and 8 June 1582).32

Henry, son of Michael Tyldesley of Huyton was baptised there on 21 November 1581 and Nicholas on 3 April 1583/4. Robertus, son of Michael Tyldesley of Huyton, generosus was buried there on 15 January 1587/8 and a son John baptised on 23 January 1588/9.

[On 1 July 1587 Roger Devias, formerly curate of Prescot, became vicar, on the death of William Wade: he was described in 1590 as ‘no preacher’ but remained for 20 years until his death in 1607/8].33

Christopher Kenwricke belonged to a recusant family and we may note that at the visitation of 1592 ‘Elizabeth’ [surely a mis-reading for Christopher’s sister-in-law Isabel] ‘wife of Michael Tyldesley of Huyton’ was one of eight parishioners excommunicated for being non-communicants for a year or more.34

Death of Elizabeth Halsall in 1588

‘Elizabeth Halsall de Huiton, vidua’ was buried at Huyton on 5 August 1588.

Judging from depositions in the later law suit, it must have been at the time of Elizabeth’s death that Michael and Isabel Tyldesley became tenants of the Huyton rectory property (then owned by William Brereton of Handforth (Cheadle) and his brother, Edward Brereton of Whickleswick, Trafford Park). By 1593 Christopher Kenwricke persuaded his brother-in-law Michael Tyldesley to let him have the tenancy (under the Brereton brothers). Tyldesley himself rode with Christopher to see William Brereton at Handforth: they took with them a letter of request and recommendation from Lord Derby. Although the land was only ½ acre, the rent was 4s 6d per annum (which Tyldesley later said was greater pro rata than any for 40 miles around) with an extra year’s rent as a fine. William Brereton made a verbal lease, subject to the consent of his brother Edward (who had married in 1587 Katherine Massey, elder daughter of George Latham of Irlam and thus first cousin of Christopher’s son-in-law Henry Latham of Whiston).

Henry Lathom and Christopher’s cousin Simon Garnett then went to see Edward Brereton at Whickleswick (Trafford Park) and got his agreement (Christopher then being sick). Christopher Kenwricke then entered the premises and built a new barn. The feet of fines show that in September 1594 Christopher Kenwricke bought a messuage in Huyton from Michael Tyldesley and his wife Isabel.35

[We may note that in c. 1592 the lay rector was called upon to repair the ‘ruinated’ chancel of Huyton church].36

Deaths of Jane Kenwricke and Isabel Tyldesley in 1596

‘Jane ux: Christo: Kenwrik, Ranhil’ was buried at Prescot on 18 October 1596. ‘Isabella, uxor Michaelis Tyldesley de Huyton gen.’ was buried at Huyton on 13 December 1596.

The deaths of Jane and Isabella, the two co-heirs of Henry Halsall, began a further suit in the duchy 3 court in 1597 in which Christopher Kenwricke (as Jane’s widower) sought to recover Henry Halsall’s three-bay house by Huyton Church, with its close and parcel of land which he had held under the farmer of Huyton rectory. There were further particulars of the two bay ‘messuage or cotage’ and its ‘yard or backsyde’ 16 yards long by eight yards broad, lying near the north end of the two bays.37 Michael Tyldesley was one of those who made depositions at Huyton church on 20 April 1598.

Judgement was given in favour of Christopher Kenwrick on 26 October 1598.38

[In 1602 Huyton rectory was sold to Edward Cason and Richard Barrell].39

Remarriage of Jane Kenwrick’s widower

By 1600/1 Jane Halsall’s widower Christopher Kenwricke had married one Katherine and is shown in that year as a recusant at Rainhill with his wife and son and daughter John and Elena.40

Christopher died c. February 1602/3 at Rainhill and administration of his goods in the Canterbury province was granted on 17 February to his son John.41

‘Michaeli Tildesley de Damme infra par. de Huyton generosus’ was buried at Huyton on 28 July 1603.42

©T.M. Steel 20 May 2010

4 1 J.H. Lumby (ed.), ‘Calendar of Norris Deeds’, Record Society of Lancashire & Cheshire [hereafter R.S.L.C.], 93 (1939), p. 192* (1045)[B.L., Add. Ch. 53088]. Farrer copies almost the same rental from the ‘Aston Hall Deeds’: it has ‘heirs of Thos Latham’ & of Jn Bellarbye (L1/51/9/5) 2 Record Office [hereafter M.R.O.], L1/51/9/5 (Farrer papers) 3 A. King, Huyton & Roby (Knowsley, 1984), p. 21 4 Thos, the 2nd earl (d. 1522) 5 The National Archives [hereafter T.N.A.], DL 43/4/7 (duchy, rentals & surveys, Burscough rental, 3 Henry VIII) 6 T.N.A., DL 34/4/8??? (Burscough abbey rent roll, c. 1522) 7 C.W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames (London, 1901), p. 351 8 Jn Eccleston of Eccleston (c. 1496–1541/2), who succeeded his father Ralph as lord of Eccleston 1522 m. Katherine, dau. of Sir Henry Halsall of Halsall. Jn Eccleston’s wid. Isabel m. c. 1543 Mr Henry Halsall, 4th s. of Sir Henry Halsall & lived at the New Hall, Prescot. Henry’s 1st w. Mgt d. 1542, Isabel c. 1553 & Henry by 1558. Henry was Deputy Steward of Prescot: he was cited 1543, with Isabel ‘late the w. of Jn Eccleston, deceased’: T.N.A., PL 20/29/3 (court of common pleas, writs, 35 Henry VIII); PL 15/175 (common pleas, plea roll, 34 Henry VIII, Assumption). Henry occurs (‘of Prescot, gent.’) in the palatinate writs 1545: T.N.A., PL 20/30/3 (common pleas, writs, 37 Henry VIII, autumn). One Henry Halsall (b. c. 1502) ‘servant to Lord Derby’ (Edwd, 3rd earl) gave evidence in a Windle dispute 1550–1: T.N.A., DL 3/56 [D1] (duchy, court of duchy chamber, pleadings, depositions & examinations, series 1, Edwd VI). ‛Henry Halsall, esq.’ was the nephew of Richd Halsall, rector of Halsall, mentioned in his will made 7 Aug. 1560 9 10 T.N.A., DL 4/40/48* (duchy chamber, depositions, Kenwricke v. Beesely & Hodgeson, Huyton, 40 Eliz.) 11 Burscough Priory was suppressed Feb. 1536: Roger Mason (a canon of Burscough) instituted 1517, continued as vicar until 1558: King, Huyton & Roby, p. 22. ‘A few years earlier’ Mason appeared at a visitation with 7 other priests, including Wm Chawner: J.E. Bailey (ed.), ‘Inventories of goods in churches & chapels of Lancashire’, 1552, II, Chetham Society, Remains Historical & Literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster & Chester [hereafter C.S.], 113 (1888), p. 87*. Of these priests Robt Standish & Wm Prescott both d. c. 1556. There were 6 priests 1541, 8 in 1548 & 6 in 1554 (including the ‘aged vicar’ & a curate). In c. 1557 & 1564 there were proceedings against tenants of Huyton parsonage lands: ‘Church goods’, II, C.S., 113, citing, Ducatus Lancastriae (calendar of pleadings), I, part 2 (London, 1823), p. 283 [T.N.A., DL 1/35/2]; II, part 3 (London, 1827), p. 277 [DL 1/58/18]. The Winwick chantry was suppressed 1548 & its property granted to Ld Derby 1549 12 T.N.A., DL 1/68 [K1] (duchy chamber, pleadings, Eliz.) 13 H. Fishwick (ed.), ‘Pleadings & Depositions in the Duchy Court of Lancaster’, III, Record Society of Lancashire & Cheshire [hereafter R.S.L.C.], 40 (1899), pp. 191–2 14 King, Huyton & Roby, p. 30, citing Lancashire Record Office [hereafter L.R.O.], DDM/33/1 15 Will dated 12 May 1557 16 T.N.A., DL 4/40/48* 17 Huntington Lib., Ellesmere mss, EL 934, unf; EL 935, f. 55r. EL 935 also shows Eliz. Halsall & ‘Jane her dau. who m. Geo. Hytchon’; Robt Halsall & Henry his s. with 12 bays & 12 acres; & Thos Halsall, s. of Geo; all with holdings at Knowsley (ff. 49v, 51r) 18 19 Victoria County History [hereafter V.C.H.] is certainly incorrect in claiming that Tyldesley’s w. was ‘Isabella (dau. & co-heir of ... Wolfall)’: W. Farrer & J. Brownbill (eds), V.C.H. (London, 1907), III, Prescot, p. 174, n. 12), citing Kuerden, ii, f. 270, n. 37, 111 20 Huntington Lib., Ellesmere mss, EL 935, f. 59v 21 No parentage given in PR entries for these years 22 T.N.A., DL 30/11/128 (14–15 Eliz.). In Halton fee, Widnes feodary included Knowsley, Huyton, Roby, Kirkby, Crosby, Sutton, Eccleston, Rainhill, , Cronton & 23 Will proved 3 Apr. 1594: Wainwright bequeathed his best doublet to Edwd Halesale 24 L.R.O., WCW (wrongly indexed under Richd Halsall) 25 Inv. 12 Dec. 1618, will proved 1 Apr. 1619 26 L.R.O., WC/4 (act book); inv. (9 Apr. 1629) only survives; Roger’s wid. was Eliz. 27 T.N.A., E 179/250/11 28 Cited Jun. 1581 as ‘4 years ago’ 29 L.R.O., DRCh/1577/alleg./Halsall, Henry 30 King, Huyton & Roby, p. 25 31 T.N.A., DL 1/122 [K1] (duchy chamber, pleadings, Eliz.) 32 For christenings, marriages & burials [hereafter cmbs] Prescot to 1631: J. Perkins (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish of Prescot, 1531–1595’, Lancashire Parish Register Society [hereafter L.P.R.S.], 137 (1995) & F.V. Driffield (ed.), ‘The Parish Register of Prescot, 1573–1631’, L.P.R.S., 76 (1938) 33 V.C.H., III, p. 156 34 W.F. Irvine (ed.), ‘Visitation of the Warrington Deanery, 1592’, Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire & Cheshire [hereafter T.H.S.L.C.], n.s, 10 (1894), p. 186 35 T.N.A., PL 17/51[m. 266] (palatinate, court of common pleas, fine file, 31 Eliz.); V.C.H., III, p. 174, n. 12 cites the purchaser as ‛Christopher Kenrick of Rainford’ (sic) 36 ‘Visitation, 1592’, T.H.S.L.C.,10, p. 186 37 T.N.A., DL 1/177 [K2, K4] (duchy chamber, pleadings, Eliz.) (1597) 38 T.N.A., DL 5/22 [f. 305] (duchy chamber, entry books of decrees & orders): for more details, T.M. Steel, ‛Kenwricke of Eccleston & Rainhill’ [http://tsgf.pbworks.com (2010)] 39 V.C.H. (III), p.154 40 41 T.N.A., PROB 6/6 [p. 147] (prerogative court of Canterbury & related probate jurisdictions, probate act book) 42 2 weeks after the bur. of Chris. Kenwricke’s br. Jas at Prescot. See also T.N.A., DL/30/16/164 Henry Halsall & Thos Meade, clericus (Widnes feodary court, 12–13 Jas. 1)