CHAPTER IV. to$n**ip Ji6torp.-Junbtr6~tfa. UNDERSFIELD differs from the other divisions inasmuch as it does not give its name to any of the townships comprised within it . It contains a large area of moorland, some parts of which (as Blackstone Edge) lie more than one thousand five hundred feet above the sea and includes within its boundaries Todmorden, Walsden, Littleborough, Wardle, Smallbridge, and part of the town of Rochdale . Two sources have been suggested from which the name of Hundersfield or Honoresfield may have been derived, viz ., from a Saxon chief called Honorius or from its having been the field of some victorious battle ; neither explanation, from the absence of supporting evidence, is satisfactory. Baines, in his " History of Lancashire" , says that in the time of Stephen [1135-1154] the name of Michael de Hunrisfield, son of Suard, lord of Hunrisfield, appears in a deed without date, but as he omitted to inform us what the deed contained and where it was, the statement cannot be accepted as of much value . The name of Michael de Hunresdefeld does occur as a witness to a charter of about 1235 2 but there is no evidence to show that he held the possession of the lord- ship, and there can be little doubt but that it formed part of the manor of Rochdale held by the Lacy family, with the exception of portions, assarts and reds (for the most part) which had from time to time been granted (in some cases from the Crown) to various settlers . At the Lancaster assizes, 28th October, 1202, there was a case brought forward between Thomas the son of Jordon and Hugh do Elande and Uhtred and Michael respecting two bovates of land in Hunnordesfelde, when it was decided that Thomas held the lands from In 1st Edition, and repeated in all the other editions . 2 Coacher Book of Whalley, p . 593 . TOWNSHIP HISTORY . 95 Hugh de Eland by payment of two shillings and eightpence a year, but for this recognisance he had to pay to Hugh one mark of silver . , A century later a jury at Lancaster had to inquire if Henry the son of Richard de Hiperum and John de Lacy had unjustly deseised Thomas de Langfelde of a tenement and two-and-a-half acres of meadow in Todmorden and Hunresfield, when John de Lacy produced a charter and claimed to hold jointly with his wife the land in question ; Thomas de Langefelde was fined for making a false claim . 2 In 1319 John de Eland was found to hold a carucate of land here by service and homage and a payment of sixty shillings.3 A little before this time, probably in the end of the thirteenth century, Robert de Liversegge granted to John de Buron, knight, and Johanna his wife, all his lands which he had in Hundresfeld, and which he held of Henry de Lascy, earl of Lincoln, lord of the manor, to whom he paid suit and service . This was witnessed by Adam de Prestwich, Dominus de Hopeton, constable of Pontefract Castle .4 By charter dated at the church of Rochdale, 5th October, 9 Edward I . [c.D. 1281], John the son of Elias de Hunresfeld gave to Robert de Stanrinkes all his lands in Hunersfeld called "le Stanringe rodde " which he had from Adam de Turnehagh ; this was witnessed by Robert de Assheworth, Alexander de Stanringes and Mathew de Werdle ; by another deed dated at Hunresfeld, 19th December, 9 Edward I . [A.D. 1281], Adam the son of Geoffrey de Turnehage gave to William the son of Roger de la Schore his lands in Hunresfeld ; this was attested by Robert the son of Roger de Butterworth, William de Litholres, Roger de Berdeshill and others ; shortly afterwards, by charter dated at Hunresfeld on Sunday, the feast of the nativity of the blessed Virgin, 2o Edward I . [8th September, 1292.], Elyas de la Stanrynghes gave to Roger del one-fifth part of his lands in "le Stanrynrode," he doing due service and paying a rental of twopence a year ; amongst the witnesses to this were Andrew del Ton and William de Haward ; in 1307 "Magister" Robert, son of Thomas de la Staneringges gave to Roger del Shore all the land which he had from Elias de la Hunersfeld, one of the witnesses being Elias de Stobbelegh ; in 1315 John the son of Henry the son of Elias de Hunresfeld conveyed to Adam the son of Geoffrey de Turnehagh all ' Feet of Fines, Lanc ., John, No. 21 . ° Ass . Roll, Lane., M. 3, 3- 1 3 Inq . Post Mort., 1319. 4 Black Book of Clayton . 96 HISTORY OF THE PARISH OF ROCHDALE . the lands which he had inherited from his father Henry in the vii de Hunresfeld, and by charter dated on the feast of the purification of the Virgin Mary, II Edward III . [2nd February, 1344 .], Thomas de Staneringes let for six years to Henry del Staneringes his lands and mill which he held of Alexander his father in Hunresfeld at a rental of two shillings of silver ; the attesting witnesses are Roger de Dernelegh, Nicholas del Shore, Henry del Shore and Richard the son of Alexander de Wordel . , Adam del Cloghe and Matilda his wife, by fine made at Westminster, 13th October, 1361, gave twelve acres of land and six of meadow in Honeresfelde to John of Werdeshulle, with warranty to John and his heirs for ever ; for this John paid twenty marks of silver .2 By fine made at Westminster, 15th April, 1374, between Henry de Scolefelde and Robert del Shore, chaplains, and Robert Lowe and Johanna his wife, concerning the fourth part of fifty-two acres of land and meadow in Honeresfeld, Robert and Johanna acknowledged that the land belonged to Robert del Shore and for this they received twenty marks of silver .3 In 1378, by fine made at Lancaster (2nd August), Henry de Burton and Alicia his wife gave a messuage and five acres of land and a wood to William le Genour for ten marks .4 In 1332 there were only ten people in Hundersfield who contri- buted to the subsidy . [See p. 32 .1 In 1380 upwards of thirty were taxed. [See p. 34.] The gradual sub-division of the soil is shewn in the history of the hamlets which make up this division of the parish. The manor Survey of 1626 gives 1o9 freeholders, 67 copyholders, and 5636 acres of common land . This division of the parish in 1641 contained 738 adult males, all of whom took the protestation . [See Appendix.] The return of the payments made in Hundersfield in 1694 for the war tax has been preserved and is of some interest . ' Evidences of Edmund Bamford de Shore, Raines' Lanc . MSS ., xi ., 171 . 2 Feet of Fines, Lane ., Edw. III ., No. 138 . 3 Do. ,, , 11 189 . 4 Lane. Fines, 1-6 John of Gaunt, No . 26 . TowNshIIP HISTORY. 97 TAX FOR RAISING MONEY BY A POLL, PAYABLE QUARTERLY FOR ONE YEAR, FOR CARRYING ON A VIGOROUS WAR AGAINST FRANCE .' [The authority to the collector for the township of Hundersfield was signed by Joshua Horton, Ric. Entwisle and Jos. Gregge .] s. d. ' s. d. Henry Howard, Esq ., and for last Jno. Butterworth and his wife - 0 2 0 Qr. z 2 0 Widdow Wolfenden, one son and James Stott o r o one daughter 0 3 0 Mr. Tho. Buckley I I o Alice Crossley o I o Mrs. Buckley, son and one daughter o 3 0 Jno. Wild, a tabler o I o Mrs. Holland and two children - 0 3 o Jno. Cheetham, one son and one Abraham Stott o I o daughter 0 3 0 A tabler9 with Abraham Holt - o I o Ralph Smith 0 I 0 Ed' Turner and his wife - - - 0 2 0 Susan Ashworth, a tabler - - - 0 1 o Mary Eletcher, a tabler - 0 1 0 Jno. Howorth o I o Ed' Thorneley, clerc" 0 1 0 Jno. Smith, his sister and one Susan Scholfeild, widow - o 1 0 tabler 0 3 0 James Scholfeild - - - - o 1 o Jno. Lord 0 1 0 Margarett Whitehead - - - o 1 0 Ed" Lord and his wife - - - - 0 2 o Arthur Whitehead 0 1 o Ed' Milnes o I o Eliz. Stott and two children - - 0 3 o Henry Taylor 0 2 0 Jno. Travis and his wife - - - o z o Abel Brearley o I o Jno. Lees o I o Abraham Whitworth and his wife 0 2 0 Jno. Heyward, his wife - - - - 0 2 0 Charles Stott o 1 0 James Taylor o I o Jno. Hollows, his wife and one Randal Butterworth, his wife and child 0 3 0 son 0 3 0 Jane Romsbothom o r o Alice Hodgson, a tablet - - - o I o Alexander Kershaw, his wife and Wm. Hutton and his wife - - - 0 2 0 one child 0 3 0 Wm. Lord o I o Anne Grindroade 0 1 0 Widdow Butterworth and one son o 2 o Jno. Kershaw and his wife, Ed. James Turner and his son - 0 2 0 Mills and another tabler - 0 4 0 James Sharples and his wife - 0 2 0 James Milnes, his wife and two James Stott and his son - - 0 a 0 children 0 4 0 Dan. Bamford and one child - 0 2 o One woman tabler and her o I o Jno. Buckley, miller - - - - 0 1 o James Stott and his wife - - - o 2 o Robt. Shepard and his wife - 0 2 0 Mary Stott, widdow, and one Robt. Bolton and his wife - 0 z 0 daughter 0 2 0 James Casse, his wife and two Jno.