Farnworth

Until the 19th century Farnworth was a small moorland village, but with the growth of nearby Manchester during the industrial revolution it rapidly became a large urban settlement sandwiched between its sprawling neighbour to the south and the town of Bolton, a few miles to the North. Anciently, Farnworth, which means ‘settlement among the ferns’ seems to have formed part of the Lordship of Barton, a manor within the Barony of Manchester, but by the 13th century it had become a manor in its own right. The early holders of the estate are obscure and the first named Lords of Farnworth appears to have been Robert de Redford and Richard the ‘chief of Farnworth’.

In 1320 the Lordship was held jointly by Adam de Lever of Great Lever, Henry de Hulton and Richard de Redford but what had been a whole estate seems now to have been divided between these three soon afterwards. The principal share, or moiety, descended with the Hulton family who haled from the nearby village of the same name. A cadet branch of the family, founded by John de Hulton, came to live in Farnworth during the late 13th century and he was succeeded by his son Henry who is recorded in a number of charters and grants from the time. Henry was succeeded by his son John, who is noted as having received a grant of Harpurhey in Manchester from John de le Warre in 1327 and a few months later came into the possession of Oakeney in Horwich.

After John’s death, Farnworth descended to his eldest son, William, who is noted later in the 14th century as settling on his heirs a number of Lordships and estates in Farnworth, Rumworth, Lostock, Kearsley, Irlam, Barton, Breighmet, Syndale , Westhoughton , Middleton, Great Lever, Bolton, and Lower Hulton as well as several estates in Manchester. He died in 1392 and this impressive estate came to his eldest son, John, who had made a good marriage to Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir William de Atherton. John died in December 1422 leaving ‘certain lands in Barton called Farnworth of the Lord of Manchester’ to his son James. He in turn was succeeded by his son James and his grandson, William, who appears as an accessory in a case of murder in 1445. A kinsman of his, Randle Hulton was accused of the fatal shooting of Richard Whitehead, and both William and his brother John were accused of helping him. In the event all three men were acquitted.

Farnworth then passed to William’s son, John who left an only daughter, Alice. She married a cousin, Adam Hulton of Over Hulton. The Lordship though had been entailed and passed to Alice’s uncles, Richard, Christopher and James. Richard was an ‘idiot’ and James too young, so the profits of the Lordship came to Christopher. Eventually Farnworth descended to William, the son of James Hulton, but a great deal of rancour had been aroused in the Hulton family over what Alice Hulton should have received. In a bid to end the disputes in 1521, William Hulton released land to her descendants. When William died, in 1556, his direct heir was his infant grandson, William, however, Farnworth passed instead to the descendants of the elder William’s brother, John. This caused yet more legal wrangles, with William’s widow, Christian claiming a part of Farnworth Hall.

John Hulton left Farnworth to his son Alan, from whom it passed to his son John and then to his nephew, Alan Hulton. This Alan had a number of sons and the Lordship passed down to the second son George. In 1598 George made complaints that ‘certain persons were intruding on his lands in Farnworth and Kearsley and digging coal pits there.’ He died in 1610 and was found to be holding the ‘manor of Farnworth, with the capital messuage and various lands there of Sir Nicholas Mosley.’ Mosley was Baron of Manchester and Hulton was paying 4s 6d to his ‘overlord’. Within a few weeks of their fathers’ death, George’s children had sold Farnworth to their kinsman Adam Hulton of Over Hulton. In 1660, Adam’s son and heir, William, contested the election for the borough of Clitheroe and sat in Parliament from July to December of that year.

In 1738 the Lordship of Farnworth appears as the possession of William Hulton and his son, also William claimed the waste of the manor, having ‘frequently exercised the right of driving the commoners and hath gotten coal under Halshaw moor.’ At some time after this the Lordship became the property of the Earls of Ellesmere. In 1963 this family succeeded to the Dukedom of Sutherland and in 1988 the Lordship of Farnworth was sold to a private purchaser.

Rights, customs and incidents

Anciently, Farnworth, which means ‘settlement among the ferns’ seems to have formed part of the Lordship of Barton, a manor within the Barony of Manchester, but by the 13th century it had become a manor in its own right.
In 1738 the Lordship of Farnworth appears as the possession of William Hulton and his son, also William claimed the waste of the manor, having ‘frequently exercised the right of driving the commoners and hath gotten coal under Halshaw moor.’ At some time after this the Lordship became the property of the Earls of Ellesmere.

Historical holder / succession information

1. his eldest son, John [source claim requiring identity review]
   1392 · passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: He died in 1392 and this impressive estate came to his eldest son, John, who had made a good marriage to Elizabeth, the daughter of Sir William de Atherton.
2. Alice’s uncles, Richard, Christopher and James
   passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: The Lordship though had been entailed and passed to Alice’s uncles, Richard, Christopher and James.
3. Christopher [source claim requiring identity review]
   passed_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: Richard was an ‘idiot’ and James too young, so the profits of the Lordship came to Christopher.
4. a private purchaser [source claim requiring identity review]
   1963|1988 · sold_to · historical_holder_or_transferee
   Source wording: In 1963 this family succeeded to the Dukedom of Sutherland and in 1988 the Lordship of Farnworth was sold to a private purchaser.