Update on the ruined cottage at Barley

[Maggie.]

They fell into a font and were never seen again, Jan     

[Greensleeves]

It is interesting the impact the plague had on the social structure of the country, when suddenly people with agricultural skills were prized because there was no-one else left to till the land and get in a harvest each year.  It hadn't occurred to me previously that this was why many yeomen farmers rose in the ranks in the 16th century.  That pic of the farmhouse certainly indicates the residence of someone of social standing such as minor gentry.

[Maggie.]

A lot of the families of those times who had influence in Pendle Forest still have descendants living here today.  The same names crop up...... none of which is my own name I hasten to add 

[Wiggy]

History sure is interesting specially when you can see the evidence of the changes all around you, and you can imagine the changes wrought by plagues and pestilence - and landlords and enclosures, mining and industry etc.  Must be great to live with it on the doorstep so to speak. 

One of the reasons I find Coast  so interesting if the history and the changes in the towns around the coast.

Sorry diverging from the matter in hand and the thread - beg pardon

[Maggie.]

Wiggy - despite the cold, wet, dismal, windy weather I love living here with history surrounding me.  And when the sun DOES come out the countyside is stunning.

Bed calls, but one more thing.  Going back to our Ruined Cottage, in post #10, page 2, bottom photo, if you look at the 2 door jambs the joints in each jamb do not correspond in depth.  This would be unusual if the door jambs had been inserted in the original house as built as the builder would have matched each side, particulaly when using such fine stone.  Would this therefore seem to support GS's idea that the jambs were brought from elsewhere and re-used?

[Wiggy]

Well as GS says - they are very handsome pieces of stone aren't they - for a humble cottage!   

 Very interesting that's what.

[deeiluka]

If I'd just won the lottery....and could fly......I'd have been on the next flight over, Maggie, for a personal tour! 

It is impossible to identify the house from census records as there are many farms dotted around the area all of which are referred to as 'Overhouses'. 


Maggie

What a pity.....just think of the fun Rootschatters would have had if it could have been identified.   


Dee   

[Greensleeves]

Looking on the map, I see there is a village called Newchurch nearby.  The name would imply that somewhere there is an old church.  I've been googling around and find that there was a chapel of ease on this site in 1250, although a new chapel was dedicated in 1544.  It says on the church's website that the fabric of the building dates in part from 1544, with later additions.  How close is this site to the cottage, and also to  where the 'font' was found?  I was just thinking that if the original chapel was demolished, the bits they didn't need to recycle in the new chapel might well have found their way into other buildings locally and the discarded font might just have been carted off for use as a drinking trough.

[Maggie.]

Sound thinking GS - you would make a most welcome addition to our small History Group 

Your information on the church of St Mary at Newchurch in Pendle is quite correct in that there was a chapel of ease on the site in 1250.  Prior to this date it is not yet known whether or not there was an earlier place of religious activity at this spot.  However there was apparently a well and quite possibly a religious building dedicated to St Chad at a different place a short distance from the present day church.  As the crow flies this is a relatively short distance from the position of 'the font'.  Our history group is keen to establish exactly where this shrine/chapel/well may have been located.

There were also 3 stone crosses in the parish of Newchurch, known as Upper, Lower and Churchyard Crosses and still remembered in local place names.  None are standing today.