Memorial Inscriptions Memorial AtInscriptions At The Parish Church The ParishOf Church Of StSt Mary,Mary, TheThe VirginVirgin Deane Deane BoltonBolton (Second Edition 2018) (Second Edition 2018) PREFACE This edition of the Monumental Inscriptions of Deane Church has been transcribed from an earlier version produced by the Bolton & District Family History Society in April 1983. It was typewritten and therefore of limited circulation. It was thought that Deane Church did not hold a copy in its archives and therefore the only way to retrieve the inscriptions was to re-run the project. Fortunately a copy was discovered in Bolton Museum archives and photographed. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software was used but due to the limited facilities available, much of this material was not suitable for the process. As this is such a valuable source of information, the decision was taken to manually enter the text. This process was a labour of love which covered many months. To ensure this does not need to be repeated, digital copies are to be deposited with Bolton Museum, Manchester Library , Bolton and District Family History Society and available from the website www.deanechurch.co.uk Eric Morgan 15th July 2018 FOREWORD The ancient church of St Mary the Virgin, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire has perhaps the most interesting history of any in these parts. It is for this reason that the Bolton and History Society decided to list the monumental inscriptions of the older parts of the churchyard and also in the interior of the church. It dates from at least Norman times and probably earlier. The earliest written reference appears in a charter circa 1205 naming "Robert the Chaplain of St Marie Dene". It was then a chapel in the large parish of Eccles and did not become a parish in its own right until granted a charter by Henry VIII in 1542 Ministers of St Mary's, Deane c 1205 Robert "chaplain of St Marie, Dene". pre 1227 Thomas "clerk of Eccles". 1227 William "clerk of Eccles". 1230 William of Eccles, junior. 1240 Thomas of Haulgth. 1275 Robert of Burnden. 1290 Thomas “parson of the Dene". 1294 Roger "the clerk". Chaplains 1388 Richard of Workesley (Worsley). 1471 Wilfred of Whalley* 1506 Peres Crompton c 1516 Thomas Strete 1520 William of Cledesham* 1522 Jamys Laithwaite 1522 Wilfred of Catherall* 1531 Theodore of Paslew* 1541 Hamlet Mabon 1542 William Rothwell 1569 Richard Grimshaw - Successor not known 1575 David Dee M.A. 1593 Lancelot Clegge 1636 Richard Hardie M.A. 1643 John Tilsley M.A. 1663 John Angier M.A. 1673 Richard Hatton 1712 James Rothwell B.A. Vicars 1767 Thomas Withnell M.A. 1776 Robert Latham M.A. 1818 Thomas Brocklebank 1830 Edward Girdlestone M.A. 1855 Francis Henry Coldwell M.A. (later Thicknesse) 1868 William Bashall M.A. 1877 Henry Sheridan Patterson 1912 John Russell Line M.A. 1927 Robert Catterall Worcley M.A. 1950 Kenneth Mackay Bishop M.A. 1974 Roger Brumby Jackson B.Sc. Rector 1980 Roger Brumby Jackson B.Sc. *Note:- The four names marked should be taken as being very dubious. The only reference to be found is in Whittles History of Bolton (1855), an author well known for his flights of fancy. The first mention of a graveyard was in a document of 1276 it was not until 1813 that an extension of the old burial ground was carried out on the southern side. Further extensions on the north side were made in 1857, 1876, 1896, 1921 and 1928. Parts of the old Vicarage garden were consecrated in 1940 and 1956. Although many of the oldest gravestones have simply initials and family names, the oldest legible dated stone appears to be of 1608 to the west of the main path. Many quaint and interesting epitaphs are to be found and for those Latin we have attempted a translation. Where broken or partly illegible stones are found, it may be useful to consult the three volumes of Deane Parish Registers printed by the Lancashire Parish Register Society. These volumes can be consulted in Bolton Reference Library and are numbered 53, 54 and 79 covering the period 1604 to 1812. In addition there are hand-written transcripts from 1604 to 1886. How to use the transcripts - 1. The inscriptions have been listed in alphabetical order of the first surname mentioned on the gravestone. NOTE On the old stones with three initials only, the centre one is the surname with the man and wife's initial to left and right respectively. 2. Where more than one such surname exists, the first Christian names are alphabetically listed; then in date order. 3. Each inscription is given a number so that other surnames on the same stone can be found in a supplementary index. 4. To enable the researcher to find the grave in the churchyard, each entry gives a section number 1 to 5. These sections are shown on a plan of the churchyard. Also the type of stone is indicated: ‘F’ (flatstone), ‘H’ (headstone), etc. 5. A separate list of plaques, tablets, stained glass window memorials, etc., inside the church has also been appended. Finally, thanks must be given for the facilities given by the Rector of Deane, the Rev. R.B. Jackson, and to all the members of the Society who worked so tirelessly on this project. MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS - ST. MARY'S CHURCH, DEANE 1 4/F I A 1689 2 4/F E A 1690. MARGARET, the daughter of JAMES ASPINALL of Westhoughton, departed this life September 17th, 1803 3 2/F J A J 4 1/F R A 1609. In memory of MARY, the wife of THOMAS ALDRED of Hindley, who departed this life July 10th, 1847 aged 62 years 5 4/F R A. Here is interred the body of ALICE, the daughter of JOHN ASPINALL of Rumworth who departed this life upon the 29th day of December 1775. 6 2/ R A 1671 7 2/ T A 1685. B A 8 3/F In memory of the late JOHN AINSWORTH of Heaton, who departed this life April 27th 1850 aged 51 years. Afflictions sore long time I bore, Physicians were in vain Till God did please to give me ease, and free me from my pain. In affectionate remembrance of ELIZABETH, the beloved wife of THOMAS AINSWORTH, who departed this life May 8th 1887 aged 60 years. Also CATHARINE, daughter of the above, who departed this life October 7th 1875 aged 11 years. Also ANN, daughter of the above, who departed this life January 16th 1876 aged 25 years. Also the above THOMAS AINSWORTH who departed this life May 10th 1910 aged 84 years. At Rest. 9 1/F RALPH AINSWORTH. His burial 10 1/F ABRAHAM ALDRED was interred ye 9 of Mar 1721 11 1/F Here resteth ye body of ANN, ye wife of ABRAHAM ALDRED interred ye 14 day of Sep. 1728. William Lowton. His burial 1833 12 1/F Here is interred the body of WILLIAM the son of JAMES ALDRED of Shakerley, who departed this life upon the 25th of January 1761. Here resteth the body of JAMES ALDRED of Shakerley who departed this life July 19th 1796 aged 77 years. Also MARGARET the wife of JAMES ALDRED departed this life February 19th, 1799 aged 75 years. Also FRANCIS son of ABRAHAM and ELLEN POWELL of Great Bolton who departed this life Nov. 26th 1832 aged 7 weeks. Also BENJAMIN their son who departed this life June 18th 1866 aged 20 years. Also ELLEN wife of ABRAHAM POWELL who departed this life July 10th 1866 in the 63rd year of her age. 13 3/F In loving memory of JAMES the beloved husband of MARY ELIZABETH ASHCROFT v/ho died Nov 22nd 1921 aged 67 years JAMES ASHCROFT. 14 3/F In memory of JOHN ASHCROFT of Middle Hulton who died Jan 23 1813 aged 69 years. Also ALICE his wife died June (the rest of the inscription is worn away) 3 B 15 1/F Here resteth the body of JOHN the son of JAMES and ANN ASHCROFT who departed this life July 17th 1825 aged 2 years and 9 months. Also ANN ASHCROFT their daughter departed this life July 28th 1825 aged 1 day. ANN ASHCROFT born March 25th 1795, died January 25th 1851 JAMES ASHCROFT born March 25th 1798, died February 8th 1851 SARAH ALICE ASHCROFT, grand daughter of the above, born January 29th 1865, died May 26th 1866. Thy will be done. 16 2/F In memory of HARRIAT ASHTON the daughter of RICHARD and MARY ANN who died October 15th 1837 aged 8 years. A1so their daughter MARIE GREEN, the wife of GEORGE GREEN who died on the 13th January 1856 aged 23 years. Also HANNAH the wife of JOHN FISH who died October 6th 1865 aged 37 years. Also the above RICHARD ASHTON who died November 3rd 1877 aged 78 years. 17 2/F Sacred to the memory of PHILLIS the beloved wife of THOMAS ASHTON of Great Bolton who died May 17th 1840 in the 36th year of her age. Also WILLIAM their son who died June 11th 1853 aged 26 years. Also the above named THOMAS ASHTON who died May 5th 1859 aged 57 year Also HENRY their son who died January 18th 1867 aged 35 years. Also of MARY ANN relict of the above named THOMAS ASHTON who died April 21st 1875 aged 65 years. 18 5/F Here is interred the body of JOHN ASHWORTH of Farnworth who departed this life upon the 11th of March 1745 in the 81st year of his age.