LOSTOCK-HALL, about three miles west of Bolton, is an ancient mansion, which, with the estate, belonged to the Andertons, but passed, by a female branch, to the Blundells of Ince. The house is formed of wooden beams and plaster; and over the entrance door are the initials of the persons who lived here, with the date when it was built, c. 1563. Most of the rooms are wainscotted, with massy pannels. The gateway is of stone, and resembles the style of the schools at Oxford. Over the highest bay-window are the royal arms, with the date 1590. A: C: D: ROCHDALE 3 Is a parish of great extent, and crowded population. It measures eleven miles from north to south, and nine from east to west; and according to a statement in "the Description of the Country round Manchester," the inhabitants are estimated "at 50,000, of which about 10,000 are resident in the town." In the official report of the population, Rochdale is not named, but I presume it is either included in Castleton, or in what is there termed the "town of Spotland." This comprehends Failinge and Healy, Chadwick, Catley-Lane, and Woolnstenholme, also Whitworth and Brandwood, all of which places contained 1,795 houses, and 9,031 inhabitants. Rochdale parish includes the townships of Hundersfield, Spotland, Butterworth, and Castleton, the two last of which are separately noticed in the population report, and their inhabitants numbered at 9,390, whence it is presumed that there must be some error in that enumeration, respecting the number of persons in this parish; or otherwise the population of the whole amounted to 18,421 persons. The vicarage of Rochdale is said to be of superior value to any other in the kingdom; though in the reign of Henry the Eighth, it was estimated at only 111. 4s. 93d. The present vicarial dues arise from lands and houses*, and the presentation is in the Archbishop * Thomas Wray, D. D. soon after obtaining possession of this vicarage, about A. D. 1762, procured an Act of Parliament (for which, says Dr. Whitaker, bishop of Canterbury, to whom the tythes belong. This living formerly appertained to Whalley-Abbey; and coming to the crown at the dissolution, was granted by the King, 31st of Au gust, 1537, to Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, in exchange for the manor and park of Mayfield. Nine chapels of ease are subordinate to the church of Rochdale, one in the town, and one at each of the following places; Littleborough, Milurow, Todmorden, Whitworth, Friermeer, Lydyate, Saddleworth, and Dobcross. The original town of Rochdale was entirely within the township of Castleton, where an ancient castle formerly reared its embattled walls, and where still remains a lofty artificial mound of earth, called the Keep. Dr. Whitaker supposes that a castle was erected here before the Roman conquest, as in a record †, apparently part of an inquisition after the death of Thomas of Lancaster, "it is described as the site of an ancient castle, long since gone to decay." The parish of Rochdale, as distinct from Saddle worth, Whitaker, his successors, as well as the town, are much indebted to his memory), to enable the vicar for the time being to grant building leases for ninety-nine years. * "The chapel of Saddleworth, the only one upon the old foundation within this parish, was erected by William de Stapleton, Lord of that remote and barbarous tract, (in Yorkshire,) in the end of the twelfth, or beginning of the thirteenth century; for by charter, S. D. Geoffry (the elder), dean of Whalley, and the vicar, that is on the first foundation, of said Cedde in Rachedam, with the consent of Roger de Lacy, patron (advocati) of the said church, gave licence to the said Stapleton to cause divine offices to be celebrated in his chapel at Sadleword.”—History of Whalley, p. 433. This is in the Harleian collection in the British Museum, and states, "Rachedale ab antiquo vocato Racheham est quædam patria continens in longum XII mil et amplius et in lat X mil. et amplius et valet annuation ultra Reprisas IIII E et continet in se III Villas divitatas et multas Ham'blettas cum multis magnis vastis in eisdem villis et Hamblettis vid. Honorisfeld, Spottland, Buckworth (sic) et Castleton." worth, occupies two vallies, formed by the Roch and Spodden rivers, "with the great inclined planes and collateral gullies sloping down to each." Archbishop Parker* founded a free grammarschool in this town, by indenture †, bearing date January 1st, in the seventh year of Queen Elizabeth's reign. The ground on which the school-house stands was given by the Rev. Richard Midgley, vicar. Since the first foundation, the revenues of the school have been increased by additional benefactions; but, according to Dr. Whitaker, the master's salary is now only 301. a year. Another free-school was established here by Mrs. Hardman; and since the year 1784, sixteen sunday-schools have been formed. Besides the parish church and chapels of the establishment, here is a meeting-house of the presbyterians, another belonging to the baptists, and a very large one appropriated to the methodists. Here are two weekly markets and three annual fairs. The parish abounds with slate, stone, and coal; and the manufacture of baize, flannels, kerseys, coatings, and cloths, is carried on to a considerable extent. In the parish church was interred, November 25, 1800, Dr. Mathew Young, Bishop of Clonfert, in Ireland, who was induced to reside at Whitworth, in this neighbourhood, in order to obtain the advice and medicines of a person who professed to cure cancers, and indeed almost every human malady ‡. But though the inspired *See Strype's Life of Archbishop Parker, p. 182. + The original deed, with several MSS. by the Archbishop, are deposited in the library of Corpus Christi Coll. Cambridge, This populous part of Lancashire is noted for a class of persons who sometimes rapidly acquire fame and fortune by professing to cure certain disorders of the frame and constitution by the application of some secret nostrum. If this should accidentally effect one cure, or if nature performs it during the administration of the prescription, the babbling tongue of wonder circulates the tale, and produces an astonishing celebrity for the medicine. Thousands flock inspired son of Esculapius had accidentally succeeded in some cases, he failed in the present. STUBLEY was long the residence of the original family of the Holts, a memorable name in these parts, The house appears to have been built by Robert Holt, Esq. in the reign of Henry the Eighth, and consists of a centre with two wings. "It contains within much carving in wood, particularly a rich and beautiful screen between the hall and parlour, with a number of crests, cyphers, and cognizances belonging to the Holts, and other neighbouring families. It was abandoned for the warmer and more fertile situation of Cartleton, by Robert Holt, Esq. about the year 1640*.” On flock around the self-created doctor, and confidently swallow any harmless, or powerful composition he may recommend. Among such a concourse a few must acquire health and soundness, and though the prescription did not in the least contribute towards this, yet the whole cure is ascribed to the medicine, and credulity both confides in, and loudly extols its unexceptionable virtues. During my stay in Manchester, I heard of three instances where an illiterate old woman, an ignorant farrier, and an impudent weaver all assumed superior knowledge in anatomy and medicine, and arrogantly assumed the profession of physician or surgeon; but what was more surprising, each of these was consulted by a numerous flock of patients, among whom were some persons of property. Since therefore credulity and folly are so prevalent, it is not to be wondered at that knavery and cunning should occasionally prey upon them. Though the superstitious fears of ghosts and enchantments have nearly subsided, a superstitious respect to, quack medicines and pompous nostrums, occupies the place in the minds of the illiterate; and it is difficult to say which be the most absurd and degrading folly of the two. In the chapelry of Whitworth lived two persons known by the name of the Whitworth Doctors, whose fame at one time spread all over the neighbourhood, and even to the metropolis and other parts of the kingdom. "They were chiefly noted for setting broken and dislocated bones, and for the cure of cancerous and other tumours by caustics, properly termed by themselves keen. Not less than one hundred persons annually take lodgings in Whitworth to be under their care, besides the great resort of occasional visitants. With very reasonable charges they have realized handsome fortunes, which they enjoy with the general esteem of their neighbours.” Description of the Country round Manchester, p. 250. * Whitaker's History of Whalley, p. 436. On the bank of the Beil is the ancient house of BELFIELD, formerly part of the possessions of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and, after the dissolution of that order, the property of the Butterworths, of whom Alexander Butterworth, Esq. dying in extreme old age, devised this, and other considerable estates to Richard Townley, son of a younger son of Royle Townley. In the township of Butterworth is CLEGG-HALL, a strong square building, apparently of James the First's time. It was built by the Ashtons, of Little-Clegg, and is the only estate within the parish which still continues in the local family name. FOXHOLES, to the north of Rochdale, is the seat of John Entwisle, Esq. who inherits it under the Will of his kinsman, Robert Entwisle, Esq. The present mansion was built by Mr. Entwisle, on the site of the old hall, in 1792. The family of Entwisle are of great antiquity in this county, and were originally seated at Entwissell, which Camden styles "a neat and elegant house, formerly belonging to an honourable family of that name." They derive their descent froni Sir Bertyne or Berthram Entwissell, Viscount and Baron of Brybeke, in Normandy, who, for his eminent services, was knighted at the battle of Agincourt. He was slain, in support of Henry the Sixth, at one of the battles of St. Albans. His family quitted their paternal estate in the sixteenth century, and fixed their residence at Foxholes. Rochdale and its vicinity are considered as the centre of that provincial phraseology, known by the name of the LancashireDialect, and which has acquired some literary notoriety by the humorous writings of Tim Bobbin. Of this quaintly jocose author, whose name was JOHN COLLIER, a few particulars will not be irrelevant. He was born near Warrington, and was first intended by his father for the church; but instead of that he was placed with a Dutch-loom-weaver. Disliking this sedentary life, he commenced itinerant school-master, and taught both by day and night. After wandering about precariously for some time, he obtained an humble |