| VICARS OF ST. MICHAEL’S-ON-WYRE. In the Deanery of Amounderness and Archdeaconry of Lancaster. | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of Institution. | Name. | By whom Presented. | Cause of Vacancy. |
| About 1200 | Master Macy | King John | |
| ” 1377 | William de Horneby | Duke of Lancaster(?) | |
| In 1411 | Johannes de Daleby | College of Battlefield | |
| Before 1549 | Michael Thorneborrow | ||
| In 1549 | Thomas Crosse | G. Kirkby and Nich. Lawrenson, gents., patrons on this occasion only, by consent of John Hussey, master, and the Fellows of Battlefield College | Death of M. Thorneborrow |
| In 1628 | Robert Carr | ||
| ” 1629 | Nicholas Bray | King Charles I. | Resignation of R. Carr |
| Before 1650 | William Bray | King Charles I. | |
| About 1653 | Nathaniel Baxter | ||
| Before 1715 | Thomas Robinson | ||
| In 1715 | Richard Crombleholme | Thomas Clitherall | Death of T. Robinson |
| ” 1729 | William Crombleholme | Edward Crombleholme | Death of R. Crombleholme |
| ” 1765 | Robert Oliver | Richard Whitehead | Death of W. Crombleholme |
| ” 1768 | Anthony Swainson, M.A. | Richard Whitehead | Cession of R. Oliver |
| ” 1784 | Charles Buck, M.A. | John Swainson | Death of A. Swainson |
| ” 1789 | Hugh Hornby, M.A. | Joseph Hornby | Resignation of C. Buck |
| ” 1847 | William Hornby, M.A. | Himself | Death of H. Hornby |
The Rev. Hugh de Horneby was the brother of Robert de Horneby, vicar of Kirkham, and it may fairly be inferred that they belonged to the family of Hornbys, whose descendants are now settled at St. Michael’s, Ribby, and Winwick, but lapse of time has obliterated the connecting links. The Rev. Nathaniel Baxter was ejected in 1662, for refusing to take the oath required by the Act of Uniformity. Little only can be ascertained concerning the Crombleholmes, but it is conjectured that they were associated with the branch of that name seated at Goosnargh. The Rev. Richard Crombleholme had two sons—Edward and William, by the latter of whom he was succeeded in the vicarage, whilst to the former seems to have descended the patronage, acquired by purchase. The Rev. William Crombleholme married the daughter of Alexander Butler, of Kirkland, and possibly had no offspring beyond the Elizabeth Crombleholme, to whose memory the mural monument shortly to be noticed, was erected. The Rev. Anthony Swainson was the son of the Rev. Christopher Swainson, B.A., incumbent of Copp, and Elizabeth, his wife; he was a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford. The Rev. Charles Buck was the son of the Rev. Charles Buck, M.A., vicar of Kirkham; he was afterwards curate of Warton and Lund. The Rev. Hugh Hornby was the sixth son of Hugh Hornby, esq., of Kirkham, whose eldest son was Joseph Hornby, esq., D.L., of Ribby Hall. He married Ann, daughter and co-heiress of Joseph Starky, M.D., of Redvales, and had issue, one son, William, now the Venerable Archdeacon Hornby, who succeeded him in the living, and is the present vicar and patron. The Ven. Archdeacon Hornby is an honorary canon of Manchester, and has been twice married, but further information respecting the family will be found in the pedigree of “Hornby of Ribby Hall.”
The present church is a broad low building of rough stone, with a tower of similar character at the west end. Both the tower and church are surmounted and surrounded by a castellated stone parapet and ornamental pinnacles of the same material. The porch and the tower bear the date 1611 and initial letters H:B. upon their exteriors, but it is evident that much of the edifice can boast a considerably greater antiquity than that indicated by the corresponding inscriptions. It is also obvious from the varieties displayed in the architecture of different portions, more especially the windows, that the rebuilding of the church has not been accomplished all at once, but carried on at pretty long intervals, extending back certainly to the time of Henry VIII., and perhaps further. Within, the south side aisle is separated from the nave by a succession of stone arches running from east to west, whilst the north side aisle contains the chapel in which was placed the altar of St. Katherine, and where now is the following inscription:—“This Oratory, known before the Dissolution to have been a Chantry dedicated to Saint Katherine, and competently endowed with lands in the neighbouring townships, was repaired by John ffrance, esq., of Rawcliffe Hall, A.D. 1797, being an appendage to that ancient manor house.” The tower opens directly into the nave without even the semblance of a partition, and on one wall is fixed a brass plate intimating that the large clock, whose huge pendulum vibrates opposite, and whose dials are visible without, was presented, in 1850, to the Ven. Archdeacon Hornby by his parishioners, as a mark of esteem. The mural tables occupying stations within the aisles and nave are erected to the memories of Edward Greenhalgh, of Myerscough Hall, died in 1823, aged 53, and Margaret, his widow, died in 1853, aged 92, also Mary, died in infancy, and Charlotte, died in 1823, aged 29, their daughters; Thomas Westby, of White Hall, died in 1762, aged 47, and Margaret, his widow, died in 1802, aged 82, also their children—Mary, died in infancy, Joseph, in 1769, aged 16, Bridget, in 1786, aged 37, Robert, in 1800, aged 45, Mary, in 1805, aged 45, William, in 1811, aged 60, and John, in 1811, aged 65—Thomas, the only surviving child being the erector of the monument in 1812; Hugh Hornby, M.A., 56 years vicar of the parish, died in 1847, aged 81, and Anne, his widow, died in 1850, aged 81 years, also Joseph Starkey Hornby, born in 1839, died in 1858, and William Hornby, born in 1845, died in 1858—“They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided”; Henry Hornby, late Captain in the East India Service, died in 1794, aged 54, “also near this place were interred the remains of his late father, Thomas Hornby, of St. Michael’s, who died Mar. 8, 1785, aged 76, likewise Elizabeth, wife and mother to the above, who died May 14th, 1798, aged 84”; Elizabeth Crombleholme, daughter of the Rev. William Crombleholme, formerly vicar of the parish, “whose mortal remains were deposited in the graveyard of this church near those of her beloved parents on the 21st of May, 1817—Erected as a tribute of esteem by her affectionate relative Thomas Butler Cole, of Kirkland Hall.” The Baptistry was restored in 1852 by the surviving children of John and Susannah Swainson, of Preston, and contains several tablets affixed to the north wall in memory of numerous members of that family, amongst whom may be mentioned the Revs. Christopher Swainson, B.A., incumbent of Copp, died in 1775; Anthony Swainson, M.A., vicar of St. Michael’s-on-Wyre, died 1784, aged 42; and Christopher Swainson, M.A., prebendary of Hereford, and vicar of Clun, Salop, died in 1854. The burial ground surrounding the church presents nothing of much interest to the antiquarian beyond an old sun-dial, and the Crombleholme grave lying under the shadow of the east wall. The living is a discharged vicarage.
The following extracts from the ancient vestry books will doubtless be interesting to our readers, although not of much importance as parish records:—
“April, 1683: To Ann Raby for washing surplice, 4s.; to John Fisher for work for clock and bells, 8s. 6d.
“Ordered this 21st of June, 1683, that no person or persons for the future be admitted to bury any dead corpse in the church unless he or they, at whose instance such corpse shall be buried, do in hand pay to the sexton of the parish for the same, being 12 pence for the use of the parish, or sufficiently secure the same to him, the corpses of women dying in childbed only excepted, which are hereby intended to be free, as is usual in other parishes.—Thos. Robinson, vicar; Rich. Longworth, Thos. White, gents.; Jas. Raby, Rich. B. Hornby, Rich. Wilding, George Bennet, churchwardens.”
“May 18, 1688: It is ordered that the two former orders made, the one ffor destroying Magpie and Sparrow heads, and the other for allowing the churchwardens to pay ... out of the parish money, be for the future suspended.”
“July 4, 1729: To ring one Bell at 7.0; to ring 2 Bells at 8.0; to ring and chime for Service in summer from half an hour past 10 o’clock, and in winter from Ten till half an hour after.”
“Aug. 25, 1736: It was ordered by ye Vicar and gentlemen of ye parish that another church lay after ye rate of 12d. in £1, besides ye 3 church lays before mentioned, be forthwith collected and gathered for repairing ye church. N.B.: This church lay is collected for laying a new beam and erecting a new pair of principals between ye church and ye chancel at the joint charges of ye parish and Allen Johnson, esq., owner of ye chancel.”