A RELIC OF OLD BOLTON. [SEE ILLUSTRATIONS.] ONCERNING the old relic, the subject of the pair of engravings on the CONCER preceding page, it was said recently by a local architectural utilitarianone who admitted, however, that he derives much pleasure while delineating many choice features in the antiquities of Bolton-that with the closest scrutiny, he could not find any featnre of interest in it; that there was not even a moulding, or bit of detail worth remembering; that simply nothing existed but its picturesque grouping of gables, and that these and the "queer old ruin, he, for one, should not miss." While admiring his candour, and admitting that a portion of his allegation was strictly true, we should, perhaps, be considered false to our mission did we not seek to discover better evidence, and with it the remainder of the truth. Allegorically we put "Antiquarian" in the witness box, and a further instalment of the truth was elicited in favour of Madame Wood and Plaster. This witness who was indignant at the previous witness's lack of antiquarian enthusiasm, after rating him soundly for his sins of omission and commission, and quoting the sentiments of Livy and Macaulay with respect to the study of antiquity, warmly expressed his own opinion that many vivid associations surrounded the old fabric. A third witness expressed a belief that from an architectural point of view, this bit of old Bolton was worthless; and after assigning really cogent reasons against the groundless assumptions of others that it was once Bradshaw Hall, or that its erection dated from the year 1517, declared that it would, he thought, be a bit nearer the mark if we said the middle of the sixteenth century, and ended by pleading that necessity demanded its demolition. The evidence of a fourth witness went to prove the antiquarian value of this Bradshaw-gate relic, and the advisability of saving it as the focus of many associations connected with the history of Bolton. One sterling quality, in two separate aspects, he demonstrated, namely, the simplicity of the edifice on one hand, and on the other, the true nobility who, in turn, figured as its primitive owners, occupiers, or guests. The last witness alone approached the subject of associations earnestly, but he fell short in his praiseworthy research, and therefore failed to disclose a tithe of the underlying facts. Who among these allegoried witnesses (correspondents through the local press), or who among their readers dreamt that intimately connected with the old building were many who figure prominently in local history? Closely connected with it are the names of Thomas Lever, Esq., of Chamber Hall, governor-elect for Bolton in 1672, of Chetham Hospital, Manchester, and benefactor to the poor and school of Bolton; Mrs. Blackburne, of Orford, his daughter, a benefactress to the church and poor of Bolton; John Blackburne, of Orford, her son, and inheritor of the estates of his grandfather (the same Thomas Lever), afterwards lord of the manor of Warrington by purchase, and eminently known as the Evelyn of his day; Oliver Heywood, the divine; Rev. John Lever, the ejected curate of Cockey Chapel; his three daughters, Misses Lydia, Martha, and Elizabeth Lever, who, in their day, were "alike eminent for a grave and modest deportment, for personal charms and intellectual endowments, called by the swains of that age, the "flowers of Bolton,"* and by their poorer neighbours, "the fine ladies of Bradshaw-gate,” or "the white-aproned ladies ;"+ Peter Dorning, "a man of respectable connections and character," who within those old walls wooed and won Miss Lydia Lever; Rev. Joseph Heywood‡ (son of Oliver), who in like manner won her sister, Miss Martha; Robert Dunn, whose prize was their sister, Miss Elizabeth; Rev. John Lever, Vicar of Bolton, who lived on terms of amity with his namesake, their father, and "used to walk up and down the town with him arm in arm ;¶ John Dorning of Farnworth, chapman, son of Peter and Lydia, who in 1743 bought the old homestead from John Blackburne for £87; Sarah Dorning, his sister; Dorning Rasbotham, cousin of John and Sarah Dorning, a resident magistrate, who, amongst other MSS., preserved a list of the prices of provisions in Bolton in the year 1745, and for forty-two years afterwards, and who probably wrote much of his manuscript within those old walls where he was always welcome, and of which he in his turn became the inheritor; and last, though not least, "our mutual friend" Parson Folds, after whom the tributary street which bounded the old residence on the north side (formerly called Lever-street), was named Fo ds-street.tt These are facts which utilitarians cannot dispose of with a fillip, nor evade when thrust home with a kindly wish. At the risk of crushing out other important matter we proceed to submit our unavoidably lengthy, but we trust interesting, munimentary evidence as to former proprietorship of the venerable old premises. Title deeds now in the hands of Thomas Walmsley, Esq., J.P., Bolton, and Brooklyn, Great Lever, have enabled us to trace back the ownership of this venerable old wood and plaster "messuage, burgage, or dwelling-house" to the year 1680, or two hundred years ago. Mr. Walmsley having kindly granted our written request for permission to inspect the documents, we promptly availed ourselves of the offer, and on the 29th of November last journeyed to * Relation of conversations with Mrs. Betty Chapman, of Little Bolton, then aged 79, great great granddaughter of Oliver Heywood, and great granddaughter to Rev. John Lever. Brown's History of Great and Little Bolton, an extremely rare work. Appellatives denoting that in the reign of William III., or Queen Anne, a white linen apron was considered as a mark of dignity. After his ordination he came on a visit to the house of some friend in Bolton, and being a handsome young man, his friend said to him, "Do you want a good wife? If you do, I can introduce you where you may find one." His friend being a grave kind of person, Parson Heywood took him at his word, and he introduced him to the daughters of the Rev. John Lever, who resided with an old housekeeper of their deceased father, "in a house in Bradshaw-gate, near where the public-house, the sign of the Fleece,' then stood." The father died in 1692, and according to our venerable informant, in very good circumstances, leaving each of his three daughters a good portion. Vide Brown's relation of Mrs. Chapman's statements. Mrs. Chapman's relation to Brown the historian. ++ Diary of the father of Thomas Holden, Esq., Registrar of the Bolton County Court' his residence, where, besides finding the deeds and their owner" at home," we found ourselves honoured as the welcome recipients of his genial hospitality. Having, on turning over the deeds, ascertained that a lease and a release, dated 1st and 2nd June, 1743, were the earliest among them, we turned the release open, in expectation of finding recitals of older deeds, but we were disappointed. Near the end of the deed, however, embodied in a heterogeneous covenant against incumbrances, we alighted upon an out-of-the-way reference to a pre-existent lease, which to some extent compensated us for the disappointment experienced on opening the deed. From that covenant we learned that in 1680 the premises of which the old relic now forms a part-were owned by one "Thomas Lever," but the clause in which the name occurs afforded no description whatever of the individual so called, by which his identification could be established. Our reflections at the moment were directed to the only propertied person of that name, connected with Bolton and that period, whose locale and position warranted the assumption that he was owner in 1680 of the -premises in question. We refer to Thomas Lever, Esq., who was elected, in 1672, governor for Bolton of Chetham Hospital, Manchester. His name appeared as such in an old memorial list painted upon a board or tablet formerly within Bolton Old Church, headed "To the Memory of Humfrey Chetham, Esqr., Founder of the Hospital and Library in Manchester, A.D. 1651," &c., and purporting to be a complete list of the governors for Bolton and Turton of that institution, up to and inclusive of the year 1737. We were also aware that upon another old board or painted tablet, also formerly within the same old church, headed "The names of the Benefactors to the Church, Poor, and School of Bolton," the name and address," Thomas Lever, Esq., of Bolton,'' appeared, opposite the date "1704," in connection with two benefactions by him-£30 to the poor, and £30 to the schools. Subsequent research confirmed our conjecture that lessor, governor, and benefactor were one and the same individual. Thomas Lever, Esq., then of Chamber Hall, was the Bolton worthy whose name figures in the covenant mentioned. He died in the 80th year of his age, and was interred † within the Old Church on the 21st of August, 1704—a date which, it will be observed, corresponds with that of the abovementioned benefactions. His son and namesake, also described as of Chamber Hall, who died in 1679, aged 25, could not, of course, have been the lessor named in a deed dated in 1680. The covenant referred to alludes briefly to a lease dated 11th February, 1680," granted by Thomas Lever" to " John Lever, clerk," of the "messuage, burgage, or dwelling-house," &c., in Bradshawgate † His tombstone was one of those laid bare in 1866, upon the floor of the south aisle of Bolton Old Church, after removal of the high-backed pews which stood nearest to and in front of the old south aisle of the chancel or ancient chapel of the Levers, afterwards of the Bridgmans, and lastly of the Bradford family. It was the most southerly tombstone in the row in which it was found, and lay about ten feet from the old south wall. The following is a copy of the whole, of the inscription :"Thomas Leaver, of Chamber Hall, gentleman, aged 25 years, departed this life the 10th and was here interred the 13th Decr., Anno Doma 1679. Thomas Leaver, Esq., was here interred 21st day of August, 1704, being the 80th year of his age." |