To face p. 250.

STANDISH CHURCH, SHOWING THE OLD TOWER AND SPIRE, WHICH WERE TAKEN DOWN IN 1867

From a photograph taken by J. L. PRICE, Esq., of Standish

found that the Church of Standish was "in grete ruyne and decaye"; and John Holcroft and Thurstan Tyldsley, Esquires, gave orders for the re-edifying of the same under heavy penalties. Later in the same year Edward, Earl of Derby gave further peremptory orders for the rebuilding of the dilapidated edifice. Thirty-eight years later, on 22nd October 1582, a contract was signed for the "building and setting up of the Church." A fund was raised by means of a levy on the whole parish, and the names of those liable to contribute were, with the sum which each was called upon to pay, inscribed upon a roll, a separate roll being made out for each township. The proclamation calling this levy is signed by Henry, 4th Earl of Derby and Alexander Rigby. These parchment rolls, along with the contract, were found on an old bookstall some years ago by the Rev. R. H. Whitworth, a former curate of Standish, now Vicar of Blidworth, who, recognising their value, purchased and restored them to the present Rector of Standish.1 The contract and agreement for the rebuilding were transcribed for Baines' History of Lancashire (edited by Harland and Herford, 1870 edition), where they may be studied in detail. For the For the purposes of these notes, it will be sufficient to give a short

summary:

"Robert Charnock, Esq., of Astley,2 in the County of Lancaster, is contented to take upon himself the charge and oversight of the building and setting up of the Church of Standish along with Lawrence Jolly,3 freemason."

1 It is to be hoped the churchwardens of Standish will have these rolls transcribed, and a full copy kept among the Church muniments.

2 In the late Mr. Patchett's Ancient Charters and Documents relating to lands in Aughton, there are some deeds concerning the Charnocks of ffarington. In one of these deeds, dated 1571, Robert Charnock of Astley is mentioned.

3 Lawrence Jolly was baptized at Standish 21st January 1561-2, and buried at Standish in 1631. He married Helen, daughter of

Robert Charnock left a record of the various sums he disbursed and received. He states that "the seven payments cessed within the paryshe of Standyshe for buylding of the Church there come to the sum of £244, 18s. 9d., whereof he received £223, 5s. 2d.

The total sum disbursed by Robert Charnock for the rebuilding was £221, 14s. 2d.

It may be these accounts deal only with a final effort to complete a Church which had probably been in process of rebuilding many years previous to 1582; for in 1539 Rauff Standish bequeathed £20 for the repair of Standish Church; in 1557, John Dicconson of Coppull, in Standish Parish, bequeathed by will the sum of 13s. 4d. to "ye building of my parish church," and he desired to be buried in "Our Ladye Chancell"; and in 1558 John Wrightington of Wrightington bequeathed 40s. to the building of the Church, and 6s. 8d. to Sir Richard Mody "for his pains with me.' These bequests seem to indicate that some rebuilding was in process between 1539 and 1582.

Miles Gerrard of Ince, and had a son, James, baptized at Standish 1st August 1595, who was slain at Marston Moor. An old water-mill, situated 1 mile south-east of Standish Church, called "Jolly Mill," perpetuates the family name. Over the door of the mill-house are the initials I I and date 1654. There is an account of the Jolly family of Standish in Chetham Society, vol. 33, by Lieut.-Col. Fishwick.

E

Unfortunately, the rebuilding contract of 1582 does not give us any information of the nature of the work which was then executed; there is no mention of payments to carpenters; but if the present beautiful oak roof was then erected, it must have cost a very considerable sum. The builders of 1582 left the nave, as regards the exterior, much as we see it now, except that the tracery of all the windows has been renewed.

For examples of the old tracery, a reference must be made to the illustration showing the exterior previous to 1867: the three easternmost windows in the Standish Chapel, and the clearstory windows of the nave, then all contained the original tracery, and a mutilated clearstory window on the south side of chancel should also be noticed. Mr. Perryn, in his note-book, states clearly what was done during his rectorship as regards the windows of the

chancel :

66

Sept. 3, 1799.-Robert Holbrook, mason, was paid £49, 19s. for the erection of a new east window in the chancel.

"1806.-I put two new mullions and a new window into the chancel SW. In March I put a new window into the chancel, thus I have completely repaired the mullions and new ironed and glazed all the Rector's windows in the Church of Standish.”

The coursing of the masonry on the exterior walls is generally even and regular, indicating a continuity of work and a unity of design. Here and there may be detected stones of a different quality, especially on the north wall of the north chapel these fragments of yellow and red sandstone are probably remnants from the earlier church, incorporated with the present building when the exterior walls were rebuilt in 1582, the stone then used being millstone grit, which is extensively quarried at High Moor and Parbold. An alteration or break in the level of the lower plinth may be noticed on the south-west side of