The bridge must have been the scene of many a fierce fight when the marauding Welsh sought to cross to Farndon; sometimes also between the factions of the two towns, for though such near neighbours, the men of Farndon and Holt were frequently at loggerheads. In the Civil War, however, the bridge came into great prominence. Sir William Brereton forced his passage over it into Wales in November 1643 on his way to Hawarden. A few years ago letters from him bearing on the point were published in the Reports of the Historical Manuscript Commission. They show how the Royalists had made a tower and a drawbridge, and put strong gates on the bridge between Holt and Farndon; and these were so strong “that they and wee conceived it verrie difficulte, if not altogether ympossible, to make way for our passage over the bridge.” However, Sir William, having by a feint drawn off some of the Royalists, made a fierce attack on the bridge, cut the ropes of the drawbridge, forced open the gates, and gained possession of the bridge. Many of the Royalist troops retreated to Holt Castle, which was strongly fortified, but Sir William pushed on and captured Wrexham, and eventually, as stated in another paper in this volume, occupied Hawarden Castle. Two years later the Royalist cavalry, coming from Wales under the command of Sir Marmaduke Langdale, came over the bridge before the disastrous battle on Rowton Moor, and some few of those who escaped made use of the same way for their retreat. And during this anxious time, or at any rate a portion of it, the church at Farndon was turned into a garrison for soldiers, and naturally suffered in consequence. It was burnt by the Parliamentarians in 1645, and traces of this may still be seen, as also the marks of the shot and bullets which were discharged at it.
The church probably occupies the site of an earlier Saxon wooden building. Like the church of Holt, it is dedicated to St. Chad, who is the patron saint of a great many churches in the boundaries of the old kingdom of Mercia. It stands on an eminence, and is 86 feet above the sea-level, whilst the bridge is 12½ miles distant from the weir at Chester. The nave and pillars are late Norman of the close of the twelfth century. Originally the nave had a sloping roof, the lines of which may be seen above the tower arch. The clerestory windows were added at the rebuilding of the church after the fire. The tower, which can be seen from a considerable distance, is said to be of the thirteenth century, and the aisle windows are of the date of Charles II. Formerly there was good stained glass of an heraldic character relating to the families of Leche of Carden and Bostock of Churton, but this has entirely disappeared. A great treasure, however, is to be seen in the Barnston Chapel, on the south side, where there is a small stained-glass window of a character almost absolutely unique. It contains coloured figures of the four loyal Royalist families who fought for King Charles I. The first top light has gone, but on the plain glass is the inscription: “This window being ruinated was repaired by Dean Cholmondeley.” In the second light we have Sir William Mainwaring; in the third, Sir Thomas (or Sir Roger) Grosvenor; and in the fourth, Captain William Barnston. In the centre is a representation of Sir Francis Gamul (bearing the badge of baronetcy) of Chester, with whom King Charles witnessed the defeat of his army on Rowton Moor. In the lowest light is a picture of Mr. Barrington of Chester, who is carrying an ensign most gracefully. The glass is most interesting, and the details of the various panels are very full, the coats of arms of the various officers being given, and thus leading to their identification. The great gun or arquebus should be noted, with its support or carrier looking like a pitchfork. Large pikes and helmets like those depicted are preserved at Crewe Hill, the residence of Mr. Harry Barnston. The glass has been carefully protected, under the advice of Messrs. Powell, and Mr. Barnston has written a description, which is placed underneath. The window may probably be dated soon after the Restoration. The Barnston family have resided in the parish since 1370.
Another feature of the church is the ancient stone effigy of a knight in armour. The probable date of this is 1346. On his shield is written in Lombardic letters: “Hic jacet Patricius de Barton. Orate pro eo.” Barton, it may be remarked, is one of the townships of Farndon. He is semi-plated with chain armour and surcoat. The arms or distinctions on the shield are: “Argent, a bend cotised.” At his feet are two animals, a dog and a scaly animal, various interpretations being given of them, but none so far satisfactory.[51] The face of the knight was probably disfigured when the church was used as barracks. There were two other stone effigies in the church, but they were broken up about 1780 to mend the paths! One is said to have been a monument to Madocus, a prince in Wales, already alluded to.
[51] Lysons describes them thus: “On one of the shields a lion rampant, and on another a wolf passant regardant (the coat of Daresbury).”
The overseers’ and wardens’ books give many interesting particulars bearing upon the state of affairs at the time of the Civil War. Many of these were published in The Cheshire Sheaf in 1884. The following will give some indication of their character: “1644. To the Constable for the Treaned (trained) Souldier for tow months’ pay for the loar (lower?) house, xviiijd.” “1644, 20 Jan. Payd to Crestlendon (Christleton) to the garrison there, xd.” “1644, 21 ffebruary. Richard Oakes took three measures of malt to ffarndon sege, and the 7th of this month a lofe of bread 14 lb.” The experience of these anxious days no doubt led the parochial authorities to the conclusion that permanent arrangements should be made for the protection of the place and district. After the raising of the siege of Chester we find this entry: “1646, 28 May. Payd to Thos. Moltra, constable, 2 mises, one for the building of a munt (mount) in the view of the Castle of the Holt for to keep them better in, the other, &c.” This building of a mount is most interesting. There is still a place called “The Mount Field” on the Farndon side of the river, nearly opposite Holt Castle. Upon this spot in 1646 cannon were placed, and cannon-balls have been found in the field. Many other entries from these carefully preserved records and from the registers might be given, but these must suffice to show the importance of Farndon, which must from the earliest times have been a commanding position, and thus have filled no mean place in the annals of the history of the county and the country at large.
It will not be out of place to mention here that Farndon is one of the parishes which keep up a Rush-bearing Sunday. Of course this does not imply, as in olden days, the strewing of the church with fresh rushes, which was done for the comfort of the worshippers. At stated times, and generally at the time of the patronal feast of a church, the old rushes were cleared away and new ones carried in, and this was done with due solemnity, and the occasion made into a parochial festival. Now at Farndon, Shocklach, and some other places, the graves are decked with rushes and flowers, and thus the memory of departed friends is cherished, whilst it is a time for reunion of families, and distant members revisit their homes.
We can give no account, not even traditional, of the prowess of Patrick de Barton and the other knights whose effigies have been mentioned. They probably would have been worth recording if this had been possible. But Farndon can, at any rate, boast of some distinguished natives. The Barnston Chapel in the church cannot but remind us of some, and specially Wm. Barnston, portrayed in the window there. He died 6th March 1664, and on the tablet to his memory he is thus described: “He was a person of great worth and integrity, ventured his life and fortune with King Charles the First; was sent prisoner from Oxford to London, where he continued till he paid his composition for his estate.” In later years a member of the same family, Roger Barnston, distinguished himself in the Crimea and in the Indian Mutiny, dying of his wounds at Cawnpore; and his deeds are commemorated by a tall stone obelisk by the side of the road in the parish. But Farndon has produced one distinguished man of peace at least besides these strenuous soldiers. John Speed, generally known as the historian, was born here in 1552. He was a tailor by trade, and migrated first to Wrexham and then to London. Here, “under the favour of the Company of Merchant Taylors, he was rescued from his menial employment.” He must, of course, have shown some aptitude for study to have attracted this notice. His opportunities at Farndon cannot have been great, as the school there was only founded in the year of his death. In passing we may note that this place produced another antiquary in the person of Dr. Williamson, who was born at Chilton, a township of this parish, and whose manuscript history of the Cheshire manors (Villare Cestriense) has been of much use to subsequent writers. Speed apparently rose to high office in the company, which had just shown its warm interest in education by establishing in 1561 the Merchant Taylors’ School, which has proved such a valuable institution. Queen Elizabeth had two favourite antiquarians—one was Sir John Camden and the other John Speed. The former of these is no doubt the more famous of the two, and his researches have been of great benefit to subsequent historians, whilst his name is perpetuated in the title of one of the History Professorships at Oxford. But Speed did very good work and has left behind him a great deal that is valuable in his stupendous volumes, The History of Great Britain. Hulbert, in his Cheshire Antiquities (1828), states that “he has often been denominated the Elucidator of the Biography and History of Great Britain.” Had he had the advantages of a liberal education he would probably have been as eminent a scholar as his patrons, Sir Fulke Greville and Sir Robert Cotton. By the generous assistance of the former of these he was enabled to withdraw from the drudgery of business, and to devote himself to his favourite pursuit, the study of history. How Speed became known to him we do not know, but that great patron of learning (afterwards Lord Brooke, who was assassinated in 1628) had the discernment to discover and the generosity to encourage talent and genius, however humble in rank or obscure in birth. John Speed must have become acquainted with the literary men of his time, as Bacon, Shakespeare, Raleigh, Spenser, and others, and from his association with them must have learnt a great deal and have acquired that taste which stood him in good stead in the gathering of information. When his origin and early years are taken into account, he stands out as a wonderful example of the acquisition of knowledge under difficulties, and so of patience and perseverance in endeavouring to overcome them. He must have been gifted with great natural talents, and he certainly made a good use of them. He was a notable map-maker, and that at a time when such art must have been rare and hard to acquire. Many old books of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries contain maps drawn by him, and these generally were embellished with certain artistic accessories, and were not confined to mere outlines and names. Thus “the ground plan of Chester” has also a view of Chester from the south-west side, the arms of the seven Earls and eight Barons of Chester, and the arms of the city, as also a reduced “mapp of Cheshire.” Similarly the map of “the Countye Palatine of Chester” has also a plan “of that most ancient citye,” the arms of the Earls, and of Speed and his assistant. In the body of the map are trees, hills, windmills, and churches, whilst ships and fishes (of a wonderful order) are to be seen in the estuary. An angel is depicted with one hand on a globe on a table, and the other holding a shield on which are Speed’s coat of arms, and underneath the inscription: “Performed by John Speed assisted by William Smyth. And are to be solde by Roger Rea the Elder and younger at the Golden Crosse in Cornhill against the Exchange.” It will be gathered from this that in the production of his works Speed must have taken the greatest pains, and that he was not content with merely following the ordinary lines. The following quotation from the 37th chapter of his book, dealing with the County Palatine of Chester, may be interesting as showing the style in which he wrote: “If the affection to my natural producer blind not the judgement of this my Survey; for aire and soil it equalls the best, and farre exceeds her neighbours the next Counties: for although the Climate be cold, and toucheth the degree of Latitude 54, yet the warmth from the Irish Seas melteth the Snow, and dissolveth the Ice sooner there than in those parts that are farther off; and so wholesome for life that the inhabitants generally attain to many years. The soil is fat, fruitfull, and rich, yielding abundantly both profit and pleasures of man. The Champion grounds make glad the hearts of their Tillers; the Medows imbroidered with divers sweet-smelling flowers; and the Pastures make the Kine’s udders to strout to the Paile, from whom and wherein the best Cheese of all Europe is made.” No apology can be necessary for giving this opinion of his native county in Memorials of Old Cheshire, as it shows the estimation in which he held it three hundred years ago. Speed did not forget his old home and the church where he was baptized, for he presented a silver chalice to the church. Unfortunately this has disappeared, and one of the chalices now in use bears the inscription: “This Cup was given in exchange for one given to Farndon Church by John Speed.” The assassination of his patron, Lord Brooke, in September 1628, and the death about the same time of his wife, with whom he had spent fifty-seven years of his life, made a great impression upon Speed, and he died 28th July 1629, and was buried in St. Giles’ Church, Cripplegate, where a monument was erected to his memory, on which was inscribed: “Civis Londinensis mercatorum scissorum fratris servi fidelissimi regiarum majestatum Elizabethæ, Jacobi, and Caroli nunc superstitis.” His portrait is in the National Portrait Gallery. He published his Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain in 1606, accompanied with the first set of maps ever published in England. His History of Great Britain appeared in 1644 after his death, and beneath the plate of his portrait is a long Latin inscription, of which a portion is given above. In this he is described as a “Geographer of our lands, a faithful historian of the antiquity of Britain, and a most elegant delineator of sacred genealogy.” This last is an allusion to an elaborate work of his entitled, The Cloud of Witnesses; or, The Genealogies of Scripture confirming the truth of the Sacred History, &c.
Farndon and the county of Cheshire may well be proud of her son, who (to use Mr. Hulbert’s words) “by his character, talents, industry, and perseverance gained friends among the most distinguished individuals in the kingdom for learning and transcendent abilities; and who was a man of genuine enlightened piety, and made his talents and his studies subservient to the cause of virtue and true religion.”
