Little Walton Hall in Walton-le-Dale was a seventeenth century building, which stood on the site of Bamber Bridge Co-operative Stores in Station Road. It was occupied by Thomas Walton in the late 17th century. The photograph is of a drawing that shows a crowd gathered outside the gates. This drawing was produced circa 1870. It not clear who it was drawn by or exactly what it represents. The hall was gone by the late 19th or early 20th century. It was marked on the Ordnance Survey maps from the middle of the 19th century. Here it is seen as ‘Old Hall’.
Old Hall farm did exist on the former Hall Estates Land from some time after, and one of the streets on the later built housing estate is named ‘Old Hall Drive’, which I assume is in acknowledgement of the Old Hall (Little Walton).
1848 Map
1910 Map
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LITTLE WALTON. This estate was probably created by a feoffment of one of the early lords of Walton. William de Walton, living in 1253, was father of Geoffrey, whose son John had a grant from William son of Gilbert de Brockholes of lands in Walton, which the latter held by the feoffment of Robert Banastre for 5s. 6d. rent. In 1327 William son of Geoffrey de Walton was pardoned for the death of Richard Torbock. John de Walton contributed to the subsidy levied in 1332, and died about 1348, leaving issue William his heir and Henry, clerk to Earl Henry of Lancaster and Archdeacon of Richmond from 1349 to 1359. William de Walton recovered possession of a third part of the manor of Huyton in 1358, was living in 1376, when he vested his lands in Walton and Cuerden in trustees, and left issue Henry —who contributed to the poll tax of 1379, had licence in 1383 for his oratory at Walton, and died without issue—and John, who negotiated a marriage for his son William in 1396–7 to Emma daughter of Thomas Bradley of Chippingdale. William the son was still a minor in 1401, and died without issue, his brother Henry continuing the succession. He was an out-burgess at Preston gild in 1415, brought a plea in 1448 against John Bradley of Chipping, gent., and had issue James who married, before 1467, Joan younger daughter of Nicholas Singleton, and was an out-burgess at Preston gild in 1459.
Richard eldest son of James Walton married Elizabeth daughter of James Moresby before 1490 and died in 1519, when William his son and heir paid relief at the court of Walton for his lands in Walton and Cuerden. He died about 1552, leaving by Joan his wife Thomas, his successor, who survived his father only a few years, and died about December 1555, having had issue by Jane his wife a son William, whose wardship was sold to Thomas Langton, kt., in January 1556. William Walton was an out-burgess at the Preston gilds in 1562, and, with sons Thomas and William, in 1582 and 1602; he was assessed to the subsidy granted in 1599 in respect of his lands here, and died soon after 1610. Thomas his heir married Priscilla daughter and heir of John Cottam of Tarnacre, and died in 1619, leaving William, who was an out-burgess at the gild of 1622, with sons William, John and James, and grandsons Thomas and Christopher, sons of William the younger. William Walton died shortly before 1626, when his heir was assessed to the subsidy granted I Charles I for his lands here.
William Walton was an out-burgess at Preston gild in 1642, with brother John, son Thomas and grandson John. He died a few years later. His son Thomas suffered the sequestration of his estates for recusancy, but obtained a lease of two-thirds from the county commissioners in 1653. He paid hearth tax in 1666 upon five hearths. Mortgaging his estate in 1682 to John Leigh of Preston, he failed to redeem it and was obliged to alienate. Dr. Kuerden, as quoted above, notes ‘the ancient seat of Walton of Little Walton, but now belonging to Mr. Ratcliffe Ashton, son of Mr. Ashton of Cuerdale.’ The estate has since descended in the line of Assheton of Downham and Cuerdale, like Banister Hall.
The house at Little Walton, or Bamber Bridge, is an ancient structure with central porch and gabled wings, the walls showing traces of a timber framework. On the entrance gate-post is the date 1675.
There were numerous offshoots from this family, including the Waltons of Marsden Hall, of Midge Hall in Myerscough, of Preston, and of Little Hoole.
The family of Haydock and their successors, the Leghs, long held lands here. Thurstan Banastre gave Bradley in Walton to Henry de Bispham son of Warine de Walton, who regranted it to William son of Adam de Praers. Robert Banastre gave land by Bradley Brook to his clerk Philip of Chester, which Avice de Raby daughter and heir of John the clerk of Chester gave to William de Praers shortly before 1298, when Praers gave the whole estate to Matthew son of Gilbert de Haydock. The estate descended like Haydock and Bradley in Burtonwood, and was held by the Leghs in the 16th century of the Langtons for 6s. 1d. rent and ½ lb. of cummin. A John Legh was assessed to tax in 1666 upon three hearths, and in 1662 the heirs of Legh paid a puture rent of 1s. to the honor of Clitheroe.
William Walton was an out-burgess at Preston gild in 1642, with brother John, son Thomas and grandson John. He died a few years later. His son Thomas suffered the sequestration of his estates for recusancy, but obtained a lease of two-thirds from the county commissioners in 1653. He paid hearth tax in 1666 upon five hearths. Mortgaging his estate in 1682 to John Leigh of Preston, he failed to redeem it and was obliged to alienate. Dr. Kuerden, as quoted above, notes ‘the ancient seat of Walton of Little Walton, but now belonging to Mr. Ratcliffe Ashton, son of Mr. Ashton of Cuerdale.’ The estate has since descended in the line of Assheton of Downham and Cuerdale, like Banister Hall.
The house at Little Walton, or Bamber Bridge, is an ancient structure with central porch and gabled wings, the walls showing traces of a timber framework. On the entrance gate-post is the date 1675.
There were numerous offshoots from this family, including the Waltons of Marsden Hall, of Midge Hall in Myerscough, of Preston, and of Little Hoole.
The family of Haydock and their successors, the Leghs, long held lands here. Thurstan Banastre gave Bradley in Walton to Henry de Bispham son of Warine de Walton, who regranted it to William son of Adam de Praers. Robert Banastre gave land by Bradley Brook to his clerk Philip of Chester, which Avice de Raby daughter and heir of John the clerk of Chester gave to William de Praers shortly before 1298, when Praers gave the whole estate to Matthew son of Gilbert de Haydock. The estate descended like Haydock and Bradley in Burtonwood, and was held by the Leghs in the 16th century of the Langtons for 6s. 1d. rent and ½ lb. of cummin. A John Legh was assessed to tax in 1666 upon three hearths, and in 1662 the heirs of Legh paid a puture rent of 1s. to the honor of Clitheroe.
A portion of the estate appears to have passed to Richard le Serjeant of Walton, about 1400, by his marriage with Amabel daughter and heir of Hugh de Haydock. The estate of Law House was in the possession of the Serjeant family in 1461. The name is of frequent occurrence until the middle of the 17th century. Before 1650 Richard Serjeant of Middleforth died possessed of Hanshaw Hall in Walton, which passed to his seven daughters and co-heirs. In 1662 the heirs of Richard Serjeant paid 14d. puture rent to the honor of Clitheroe for ‘Manehouse’—that is, Mosney House. Leonard Serjeant, descended from another branch of this family, died in 1640, leaving several daughters his co-heirs, of whom Katherine was the wife of Richard Sharrock. William Sharrock, probably a kinsman of Richard, suffered forfeiture for recusancy, but petitioned in 1653 for a reversal, alleging that ‘God by His marvellous light has discovered to your petitioner the deep and erroneous ways of the Popish religion wherein he was bred.’ He had taken the oath of abjuration, and was a frequenter at church.
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WALTON OF LITTLE WALTON.
This family, bearing the name of the township, from a remote period held an estate in Little Walton (on the south side of Walton-in-le-Dale) and in Cuerden. William de Walton-in-le-Dale had a son, John de Walton, living in 1327 and 1331.
William, son of John de Walton, acquired, in 1349, by grant of Richard de Blackburn, two messuages and 12 acres of land. In 1367, William de Walton had Wm. de Langley’s remission of lands in Walton, with a house upon the bridge over Derwent, and a burgage in Preston. William de Walton was Mayor of Preston in 1378, 1386, and 1389. He occurs as ” William Walton of Preston, mercer,” in 1388. ” Robert de Walton de Walton ” occurs in 1396 ; and John de Walton in 1397. William de Walton, living in 1435, had in that year a writ of post disseisin issued in his favour against Wm. de Livesey concerning lands in Walton-in-le-Dale.
A later member, probably Thomas Walton, married Jenet, daughter to Richard de Kuerden, whose Will was dated 1529. About that date, Thomas Walton disputed with James Walton title to messuages in Preston. In 1553, Edmund Walton laid plaint against Thomas Walton for forcible entry and tortious possession of lands in Cuerden and Walton-in-le-Dale.
William Walton, gent., of this township, occurs as a juror in 1582, and as a freeholder in 1600. In 1596, William Walton laid plaint against James Walmisley, his wife Katherine, and daughter Margaret, for intrusion on his estate called the Holme, &c., in Walton and Cuerden.
Thomas Walton, living in 1610, held the estate in Little Walton. By his wife Priscilla, daughter and heir of John Cottam of Tarnaker, he had sons, William ; John ; and James ; and a daughter Anne. His son-
William Walton, gent., was assessed for his lands in this township to a Subsidy in 1610. His wife was Dorothy, daughter of Mr. Christr. Anderton of Hodgwick (she survived him, and married, secondly, Edward Walmesley, gent.), and he had sons, William ; and Christopher. He died, Feb. 18th, 1625-6, seized, as returned by inquisition, of lands in Walton-in-le-Dale called Hunt’s Land and Baldwin’s Land, and other lands in Cuerden and Tarniker.
Thomas Walton, gent., son of William, aged ten years in 1630, paid the Subsidy tax for these lands in 1663, was living in 1682, but was dead before 1687. He was enrolled as a foreign burgess of Preston in 1662, with his sons, William, Thomas, and Roger.
At the same Guild appear upon the Roll, John Walton son of Thomas of Walton in-le-Dale, deceased, and James his brother. Thomas Walton of Winder, gent., ” son of Thomas Walton late of Walton de- ceased,” was an out-burgess of Preston at the Guild of 1702.
The residence of the Waltons was the old house at Bamber Bridge on the west side of the road from Preston to Chorley. The estate was alienated by Thomas Walton, gent., in 1682. By deed of demise dated 26th Oct., 1682, between John Leigh of Preston, gentleman, on the one part, and Thomas Walton of Walton-in-le- Dale, gentleman, on the other part, it is witnessed that John Leigh, for the securing to Thomas Walton of sums of £200 and £400 (part of consideration agreed to be paid by John Leigh to Thomas Walton for purchase of the messuage, demesne lands, &c. , mentioned), in pursuance of articles of agreement between these parties dated 12th Sept. last, has granted, bargained, sold, &c. , to Thomas Walton, his exors. , all that his capital messuage and tenement, &c., called Little Walton, with the demesne lands, &c., of him John Leigh in Walton-in-le-dale and Cuerden, and all his estate, right, title, &c. , therein, to have and hold to Thomas Walton for 500 years, by yearly rent of one pepper-corn, provided always, and Thomas Walton covenants with John Leigh by these presents, that in case John Leigh shall pay to Thomas Walton 1640 200 on April 1st, 1683, and 1440 on Feb. 2nd, 1683-4 that then these presents shall cease, and Thomas Walton shall re-grant, release, &c., the said Messuage, lands, &c., unto John Leigh. (Signed) THOMAS WALTON. (Witnesses) “Will : Rishton, Will : Hebson. ” Dr. Kuerden, writing about 1695, notices the old seat of the Waltons, which had then passed into the possession of the Ashetons :
“Passing the Lostoc Water at a fair stone Bridge parting Leyland from Blacburn Hundred you meet with the other road from Chorley to Preston, and on your left the antient seat of Walton of Little Walton, but now belonging to Mr. Ratcliffe Ashton son of Mr. Ashton of Cuerdale.” The house at Little Walton (Bamber Bridge) is an old-fashioned structure, with central porch and gabled wings, and the walls show a timber framework in parts. On the gate-post in front is carved the date “1675.”
Little Walton Hall, Walton-le-Dale, drawing
Courtesy of the Lancashire County Council‘s Red Rose Collections
https://redrosecollections.lancashire.gov.uk/view-item?i=213907
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Townships: Walton-le-Dale’, in A History of the County of Lancaster:
Volume 6, ed. William Farrer, J Brownbill (London, 1911), British History Online
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp289-300
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