Lands That the Dalton Family Owned in Lancashire

Researched, complied & edited by Rodney G. Dalton from sources on the world wide web and from his family database

We know that le Sieur de Dalton and his descendants owned the lands in Dalton^*, where they took their name. All these lands and places below are in Lancashire & Yorkshire and a few others. These Dalton’s were very wealthy people and owned 1,000’s of acres of land. They were what was called landed gentry and were Knight’s and Esquires.

^*Dalton is a village and civil parish in West Lancashire, near Skelmersdale and south of the River Douglas. Dalton was listed in the Domesday Book, and soon after the Norman conquest became part of the Barony of Manchester.

We will start off with Sir Rychard de Dalton, born sometime before 1200. He was the son of John de Dalton 2nd.

Sir Rychard de Dalton:

In the Flower's Visitation of Yorkshire in 1563-4, it gave the main pedigree of the Dalton family. It started with Sir Rychard Dalton I of Byspham^* born about 1230 and holding the manors of Byspham in Lancashire and Kirkby Misperton in Yorkshire. He had two sons, Sir Robert and Sir John. Sir John held the manor of Kirkby in 1332 and is said to have founded the Yorkshire line of Daltons.

^*Bispham is a village in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. Bispham is the civil parish containing the village. The village and is located 1 mile south of Mawdesley and 5 miles north of Parbold.

Bispham is south of Croston, Mawdesley and Tarleton, north of Hilldale and Parbold, west of Heskin, Wrightington and Eccleston. The River Douglas travels through Bispham and it is a tributary to the River Ribble and has two tributaries itself, the River Tawd and the River Yarrow. It shares its local parish with Mawdesley as Bispham has no actual churches on its land. The land around Bispham is both pastoral and arable and abundant with wildlife. Bispham covers an area of approximately 1,000 acres of grade 2 agricultural land. Rising to 80 metres above sea level at its eastern tip, it is bounded on the south side of the River Douglas, and on the north side of Bentley Brook.

Sir John de Dalton:

Sir John de Dalton of Kirby Misperton^*, Yorkshire, was born about 1275. He was the son of Sir Richard Dalton II. In 1323-4, Sir John bought a manor and mill at Kirkby Misperton, locally known as "Kirby Owcar" or over-carr, from Richard de Kirkby, apparently that held as a tenancy of the Abbey of St Mary's York. An "Abbot's close" on later maps near the entrance to the nationally known theme park called Flamingo Park, may mark the early manor house site.

^*Kirby Misperton is a small village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located about 4 miles south from Pickering by road and about 7½ miles north from Malton.

Sir Robert de Dalton:

Sir Robert de Dalton, son of Sir Richard Dalton II was born about 1278. He had the upbringing appropriate to his position in feudal society and appears to have been knighted at a young age. He succeeded to his inheritance at the death of his father in 1293; owning land, largely in the Hundred of Leyland at Bispham and Dalton.

1291- Robert de Dalton had lands in ^*Halewood. His son Sir John, Lord of Bispham, did too. By a settlement dated 1367, the remainders went to Sir John 's sons, John and Robert. The property consisted of a house, garden and 40 acres at a rent of 7s a year.

^*Halewood, a township in Childwall parish, and a chapelry partly also in Huyton parish, Lancashire. The township lies on the Garston and Warrington railway, near the river Mersey, 5½ miles E of Garston;.

1305- Robert de Dalton claimed common of pasture from Ellen, widow of Henry de Lathom, and prior of Burscough^*.

^*Burscough, a township-chapelry in Ormskirk parish, Lancashire; on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and on the Southport and Ormskirk railway, 4 miles NNE of Ormskirk.

1323- Emma, wife of Robert de Taldeford, claimed lands at Taldeford (a hamlet near Lathom) from Sir Robert de Dalton of Bispham and his wife Mary and Robert de Bispham.

The lands of Bispham village numbered about 900 acres in the 14th Century and today number about 1000 acres. Occupancy of Bispham Hall by a succession of Daltons lasted from 1324 to 1558, when Sir Robert Dalton (later of Thurnham) transferred his interest to William Stopford. During 238 years of known Dalton occupancy, at least 9 generations of Daltons, some with fairly large families, descended from Sir Robert. It was inevitable that they migrated into the surrounding areas for their livelihood.

Bispham was originally in the Parish of Croston as was the adjacent small village, Mawdesley. Records show the purchase of land by the Bispham Daltons of Bentley Carre in Mawdesley^* where farming was of prime importance and basket making was also a trade of the Daltons. The distance between Bispham and Croston is about two and a half miles.

^*Mawdesley is a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England. The township lies on a branch of the river Douglas,

Besides being part owners of Croston Hall^*, Daltons owned land and farmed in Croston. Records show the sale of tenements in Croston by Sir Robert and his mother Margaret, prior to purchasing the Manor at Thurnham. Our branch shows the family ownership of the same farms in Croston for almost 400 years from 1609. Because they were landowners, rather than agricultural labourers, the land tended to remain in the possession of descendants, usually the eldest son. Many descendants of this family remain in Croston and Mawdesley today.

^*Croston Hall was a country mansion house, built in a gothic style architecture, situated in the village of Croston, Lancashire.

The De Trafford Family built Croston Hall in the 17th century to the east of the village of Croston. Thomas de Trafford was born at Croston Hall and claimed to be a "direct descendant of Edward I".

19 May 1344- Quitclaim: Roger son of Henry of Bispham to Sir Robert, lord of Dalton -- property in Moudislegh, had from William of Hoton and Sir John of Hoton.

Sir John Dalton I:

Sir John Dalton I, son of Sir Robert was born about 1302.

The manor of Preesall^* and Hackensall had passed from the de Hackensall family to the Dalton family at some time between 1346 and 1402 and then from the Dalton family to the Pickering family in 1402. When James Pickering died in 1437, it was his son James who inherited the manor. But when this second James Pickering died in 1479, the manor was left to his four daughters and their husbands.

^*Preesall-With-Hackensall, a township in Lancaster parish, Lancashire; on Lancaster bay and the river Wyr.

More about Hackensall Manor:

John de Hackensall died in 1346 and in 1357 William granted the manor to John son of Robert Dalton. This also seems to have been a marriage settlement; Ismania, the daughter of William de Hackensall, having married John Dalton in that year. As William and Alice did not have surviving male issue, in 1402 it was Joan the daughter of John Dalton and Ismania his wife, along with Joan's husband James Pickering, who together inherited the manor.

1358 John son of Robert de Dalton had custody of lands at Borwick^* belonging to John (son and heir of Ralph de Berwick) who was a minor.

^*Borwick is a village and civil parish in the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England, about 8 miles north of Lancaster, on the Lancaster Canal.

1369- Sir John de Dalton held lands in Whittington^* from the Lords de Coucy for knight's service. The free tenants paid a rent of 43s 4d. The tenants at will paid 40s for 60 acres.

^*Whittington is a small settlement and civil parish in Lancashire, England, forming part of a cluster of sites along the Lune valley, each with evidence of a motte - as with Melling and Arkholme.

Sir John Dalton II:

It is said that Sir John Dalton II was of Knowsley^*. In other words he was probably not born there but may of been an owner of some land there. His grandfather was married to Mary de Latham, whose family once owned the Manor of Knowsley. He inherited all the lands owned by his father.

^*In the Domesday Book of 1086, Knowsley was known as Chenulveslei, becoming Knuvesle in 1199; Knouselegh in 1258; Knouleslee in 1261; Knusele in 1262; and Knouslegh in 1346. The pronunciation varies between 'Nowsley' and 'Nosely'.

The village of Knowsley developed as a direct result of the Lathom/Stanley family better known as the Earls of Derby with their vast estate and residence at Knowsley Hall. The manors of Knowsley, Roby, Huyton and Tarbock were all held by the Lathom family before the year 1200.

Sir Rychard Dalton:

Flower's Visitation pedigree shows that "Sir Rychard Dalton, Knight, son and heyr to Sir John Dalton, who married Kateren, daughter of Sir Thom as Venables Knight, by whom he had several daughters, but no sons, amongst whom was Ales who married Wm. Gryffyth."

Reference is made that Sir Robert received a grant of the "Farm Revenue" of Apthorpe^* in Northamptonshire. It appears that this land at Apthorpe remained in the family until the death of Sir Richard in 1442.

^*Apethorpe is a village and civil parish in East Northamptonshire district of the shire county of Northamptonshire, England. The village is 4 miles north of the Northamptonshire market town of Oundle,

Sir Robert Dalton:

Sir Robert Dalton, son of Sir John II was born in 1886.

1347- In 1472 Robert Dalton of Bispham and his son & heir apparent Richard leased their Halewood lands to Robert Lathom of Allerton for 39 years at a rent of 40s.

1 May 1472- Letter of Attorney: William Lithirlond, rector of Aghton, and William Bradshagh, to Thomas Bradshagh of Lithirlond -- to receive from Robert Dalton, esq. lands in Croston, Maudysley, Byspham, Dalton, and Halewode,

John Dalton:

John Dalton, son of Sir Robert was born about 1445.

The following is a document stored in the Public Records Office, Kew England. Under the title: Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office. Early proceedings, Richard II to Phillip and Mary.

"John Dalton, of Kingston upon Hull, son of Robert Dalton. v. Thomas Cooke and William Morcell, executors of the said Robert.: Detention of deeds relating to messuages and gardens in Beverley^*, York.

^*Beverley is a market town, civil parish and the county town of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, located between the River Hull and the Westwood.

Sir William Dalton:

Sir William Dalton, son of Sir Robert was born about 1305.

The manors of East and West Hauxwell^* and of Barden in Yorkshire belonged after the Conquest to Earl Alan of Richmond and his brother. They descended through various families over the years and early in the seventeenth century were possessed by the Jopsons. From this family they were acquired in 1631 by Sir William Dalton for his son John, who thus became "First of Hauxwell" for our family. John had married Dorothy D'Arcy of Horn by Castle near Bedale and only three miles from Hauxwell.

^*Hauxwell or East Hauxwell is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, England.

Sir Richard Dalton:

Sir Richard Dalton, son of Robert was born about 1445.

2 Dec. 1481- Lease for life: Richard, son and heir of Robert Dalton, esq. to Margaret his mother -- properties in Maudesley in the tenure of Thomas Assheton: a close called the Yate Filde in the tenure of John Haresnape; another parcel of land called the Crabthorne Yorde in the tenure of Henry Wawan -- remainder to John his brother. Witn: James Scaresbrik, esq., Thomas Bradshagh, of Litherland, Thomas Maudesley and others. Given at Maudesley Mon. after St. Katherine Virgin, 21 Ed. IV.

5 Apr. 1483- Lease for 22 years at rent of red rose: Margaret widow of Robert Dalton, esq. and Richard his son and heir, to John Haliwall and Geoffrey Wallhill - a close called the Hillfild in Heskyn, late in tenure of Richard Johnson and Robert Haliwall, lying between the Marehay and the Eghtenacre -- Witn. Master Thomas Maudesley, perpetual vicar of Croston, James Halsall, Robert Standissh. Given at Heskyn.

Sir Roger Dalton:

Sir Roger was born about 1469.

In 1500, Richard's son, Roger, was associated as heir with his father in the grant of various lands in Croston and Mawdesley, but reserving the Manor and demesne lands. The various deeds and documents show that just as Richard had gone further a field, and established himself at Croston during h is father's lifetime, so Roger was doing the same thing, and building up a family inheritance of increasing value. He is described on the pedigree as "of Dalton Hall, Yorks, and after, of Croston."

2 Sep. 1501- Grant: Richard Dalton, Roger his son and heir, William Wall, clerk, and Sir Richard Shirburne, to Seth Wodecoke, clerk, Henry Faryngton, esq., Thomas son heir of William Lathome, and James Anderton -- moiety of manor of Wath^* -- to hold for life of Mary wife of Roger Dalton and daughter of Sir William Faryngton.

^*In 1831 the parish of Wath comprised the township of Wath and the chapelries of Melmerby, Middleton Quernhow and Norton Conyers.

4 Jan. 1519- Deed of Covenants: (i) Thomas Hesketh, esq. (ii) Roger Dalton, esq. and William his son and heir, and (iii) Bartholomew Hesketh -- R.D., W.D., and B .H. sell to T.H. their properties in Longton and Mawdisley late in the tenure of Miles Sompnor and the wife of Richard Sharpuls called Tumlyns, value 23d. yearly; also 8d. rent from the Fysher Erthe in Mawdisley; also at enement late in the tenure of Richard Assheton in Mawdisley value 20/- yearly; also the moiety of Groston Milne value 26/8 yearly; also a tenement late in the tenure of Thomas Dalton, chapman, in Croston, value 9/- yearly -- recovery to be had by John Watkynson and William Tarleton. Etc. Seals.

14 Dec. 1524- Lease for 61 years at a peppercorn rent for 2 years, then 13/4 rent: f or £3 and 26/8: Roger Dalton, esq., William his son and heir and William Walles, gent and James Delater, priest, trustees of Richard father of R.D., to Nicholas Mawdesley and Richard Nelson of M., - close in the manor called Longshawe, late in the tenure of Cristopher Rutter and now of John Bane -- Seals.

William Dalton:

William Dalton, son of Sir Roger was born in 1513.

In 1533 William Dalton "demised to Thomas Hough an acre of the hill and half an acre in the town meadow in Croston".

Robert Dalton I:

Robert Dalton I, son of William Dalton was born about 1529.

In 1574 the Mayor and Corporation of Lancaster granted Robert Dalton of Thurnham a lease of a suitable plot in the waste of the town of Lancaster, commonly called the Green Ayre^*, on which plot he was to build a large house for a water-mill or two mills at the point he considered most suitable. He was allowed to make a mill-stream and dam.

^*Green Ayre is within the city of Lancashire.

Robert Dalton also had possession of an area called the Friarage^* which had belonged to the House of the Friars covering 15 acres.

^*The Friarage is within the city of Lancashire.

On the 24th June 1556, Thomas Lonna or Lowm, a citizen of London. sold the manor of Thurnham^* to Robert for I,500p, having purchased it four years earlier from the Duke of Suffolk for I,080 p. In 1556 and 1557 Robert bargained for lands formerly attached to the Priory of Lancaster. The Priory possessions were described in a document signed by "Gilbert Moreton, deputy of John Kechyn, our supervisor there", and on 22nd March 1557 rated for Robert Dalton for the purchase money of I, 268p. 17s. 4d. The possessions that he purchased included the Aldcliffe^** and Bulk^*** estates. Aldcliffe is just north of Lancaster. Bulk lies on the north side of Lancaster, part of it now in a suburb, and is bounded on the west and north by the river Lune.

^*Thurnham Hall stands on slightly rising ground about a quarter of a mile from the left bank of the River Conder in the eastern part of the township, and is a three-story stone-built house, erected probably by Robert Dalton soon after his purchase of the property.

^**Aldcliffe was an estate within the city of Lancaster.

^*** Bulk, a township in Lancaster parish, Lancashire; adjacent to the Kendal canal and the Carlisle railway, 2 miles NE of Lancaster.

Oliver Roper says "Thus it was that Robert Dalton became possessed of a stretch of country extending from a point on the River Lum, three miles above Lancaster, to one on that river nearly six miles below, intercepted only by the lands of the borough of Lancaster and the demesne of Ashton Hall" On such a large estate "it was only fitting that a substantial residence should be erected, and probably Thurnham Hall owes its foundation to Robert Dalton".

Robert Dalton bought Lune mill from the crown in 1557/8. The mayor and burgesses of Lancaster rented it from him for 6s 8d a year until in 1571 a flood destroyed it.

The priory estate at Caton^* was regarded as a dependency of the manor of Bulk and passed to Robert Dalton of Thurnham [presumably in 1557]

^*Caton, a township, a chapelry, and a sub-district in Lancaster district, Lancashire. The township lies on the river Lune and the Midland railway, 4¼ miles NE of Lancaster.

Robert Dalton I, through his marriage to Anne Kitchen (daughter of John Kitchen of Pilling), acquired the site of Cockersand Abbey^* which adjoined Thurnham Hall.

^*Cockersand Abbey is a former abbey near Cockerham in the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. It was founded before 1184 as the Hospital of St Mary on the marsh belonging to Leicester Abbey. It was re-founded as a Premonstratensian priory and subsequently elevated to an abbey in 1192. It also continued as a hospital.

Robert Dalton I appears to have sold his lands in Bispham to acquire Thurnham Hall and other property near Lancaster. In 1558 he bought Aldcliffe and Bulk from the crown. He died without issue in 1578 and left his estates to his nephew Robert Dalton II, son of his brother Thomas. His nephew was then 2 months old. The Inquisition Post Mortem shows Robert Dalton I as owning:

- the manor of Thurnham with messuages, watermills etc in Thurnham and Glasson.

- the manors of Bulk and Aldcliffe with lands in Bolton, Lancaster, etc;

- a fourth part of the manor of Hackinsall.

- the site of the Black Friars in Lancaster.

- the site of Cockersand Abbey with lands in Ellel^*, Forton^**, Bankhouses^*** and Pilling^**** (The Tongues)

- lands in Croston, etc;

^*Ellel, a township, a chapelry, and a sub-district, in Lancaster district, Lancashire. The township is in Cockerham parish.

^**Forton, a township in Garstang parish, Lancashire; on the Preston canal and the Preston and Lancaster railway, 4 miles N of Garstang.

^***Bank Houses is a hamlet in Lancashire, England on the west coast near Lancaster.

^****Pilling is a village and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is 6.5 miles north-northeast of Poulton-le-Fylde, 9.4 miles south-southwest of Lancaster.

1560- Robert Dalton I gave Aldcliffe Hall and the Ridge in Bulk to his mother Jane, widow of William Dalton. In 1573 he settled Abbot's Carr on his brother Thomas and Anne his wife, with the remainder to two other brothers, Roger and Richard. In 1571 he gave a rent of £2 a year to Robert Walmesley of Lincoln's Inn. Thurnham was sated in the Inquisition to be held in socage, at a rent of 6s8d, from William Curwen, late of Glasson.

1582- Roger Dalton claimed the land which Furness Abbey had held in Forton by virtue of a lease from the queen, but William Corless, the holder, claimed he had it from a former lessee whose term had not run out.

1557- Robert Dalton acquired land in Heysham^* when he bought Aldcliffe and Bulk from the Crown.

^*Heysham is a large coastal village near Lancaster in the county of Lancashire, England overlooking Morecambe Bay.

20 May 1557- Quitclaim: Robert Dalton of Byspeham, esq., to Roger Nelson of Mawdesley, yoman -- a barn and croft called the Barne Yorde, a moiety of the Fol de Stydde, closes called the Carre, Leye, Wood Acre, Woodlane, Lower Ende of the Sandyflatte in the Owlayfielde, a rood in the Sandyflatt, a rood called the Slacke Buttes, a selion called the Woodacre Hadlande, an acre in 4 parts in Oldmawdisley

Roger Dalton:

Roger Dalton, son of William was born about 1531.

In the year after Robert I's death, a grant of lands in Cockersand for 21 years was made to Roger. In 1581 he claimed turbary (the right of a tenant to dig on his overlord's land) in Preesall Moss and a messuage (use of a house, its lands and outbuildings) called Quatholme or Wheatholme, against Robert Carter. In 1582 a house called Friars Moss, near Quernmore Park, part of the Rigmaidens estate, was sold to him. He held burgages (right of rent) (in Lancaster ). In virtue of a lease from Queen Elizabeth I, he claimed the Furness land in Forton. In 1583 he purchased from Adams an estate in Pilling of 40 messuages, 500 acres of salt marsh, etc., which in 1586 was granted to feoffees (tenants) by "Anne Dalton, widow, Barnaby Kitchen, and Hugh Hesketh ," and next year (I1587) the feoffees with Roger Dalton sold the greater part to Robert Bindloss.

1570- In the early part of 1570 Roger Dalton had a lease of some property at Middleton.

1579- Lands at Cockersand were granted to Roger Dalton for 21 years.

1581 - Roger Dalton claimed turbary (the right to cut peat or turf from someone else's land or from common land for fuel) in Preesall Moss and a property there.

1582- The Ringmaiden family's estate in Lancaster was sold to Roger Dalton.

Roger Dalton acquired part of the Cockersand Abbey estate after the dissolution of the monasteries. In 1586 Anne Dalton granted this to feoffees. In 1587 the feoffees and Roger Dalton sold most of it to Robert Brindloss of Borwick. Roger Dalton died in Holbon, which is in the greater area of London and holding the Lower End of Pilling.