Heaton House

The area of Heaton was originally called Faghfield or Fallowfield, which indicates the agricultural nature of the land use. Fallow is the technique of leaving land un sown with seed for a period of time, allowing the soil to recover and for diseases/pests to fall away.

The Heaton family name first appears in the 13th century, and the land became known as Heaton upon Faghfield, the Heatons then sold their lands to the Prestwich and Holland families.

[Ref : British-History.ac.uk]

By 1212 The land of Heaton had been divided into two manors: "GREAT HEATON, as 4 oxgangs of land, was then held by Adam de Prestwich, and of him by Adam de Heaton, by a rent of 10s. The other moiety, LITTLE HEATON, also 4 oxgangs, was held by William de Radcliffe, and of him by Gilbert de Notton, of Barton" [ Ref]

Great Heaton was later also known as Over Heaton, or Heaton Reddish when it passed to the family of that name, it was 866 acres in area, It stretched from Rooden Lane on it's Western edge, and Lands End at it's eastern edge, and belonged to the Lords of the Manor, and so passed to the Langley, Reddish, Coke, and then the Drinkwater families

The other part of the Heaton estate retained the name Heaton Fallowfield for a time, and was later known as Little Heaton. By 13th century deeds, Alexander son of Adam de Heaton had granted part of his land to Christiana daughter of Alan de Harwood; "the bounds touched Sandyford, Teribrook, the ancient mill-site, Ithek, Mereshawbrook, and the great road"; and Thomas the son of Alexander de Heaton gave and Thomas the son of Alexander de Heaton gave to Robert de Nettleham the same piece of land, described as lying in the vill of Heaton upon Fallowfield. Little Heaton covered 531 acres and was sold to Thurstan Holland of Denton in 1368, and through them passed to the Egertons of Heaton Hall...but we haven't got to them yet!).

[The "ancient mill site" mentioned in Little Heaton could have been Heaton Mills]

In 1368 Thurstan son of John de Prestwich (of Hulme) granted to Thurstan de Holland all his land in Heaton Faughfield (Little Heaton). The two Heatons had been split by all this dealing, with each having disjointed parcels of land. The resulting disjointed sections of each Township are shown in the below map.

Despite all the parcelling up of the Heaton estate though, between the mid 14th century and the beginning of the 20th century just two families owned the Heaton estate.

The Hollands, seated in Denton, traced their family back over 9 generations to when King Edward II (1308-1327) made Sir Robert de Holland into Lord Holland and summoned him to Parliament. They held land in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire as well as Lancashire. The Hollands held the land of Heaton through generations, and another branch of the Hollands had also held the Manor of Prestwich (by force) for 14 years (1374-1389). Another branch of the Holland family lived at Clifton Hall, Pendlebury, and at Rhodes, in the township of Pilkington.

On the morning of the Feast of Ascension (the 40th Day after Easter Sunday) in 1374, the villainous Robert de Holland "with many others assembled with him, armed in breast plates and with swords, and bows and arrows, by force took possession of the said lordship of the duke, in defiance of the Sheriff, and to the contempt of the Lord Duke" (see the legend of The Babes in the Wood here Agecroft Hall)

Richard Holland (1520-1618), was the 1st son of Edward Holland of Denton Hall and Jane Carrington of Carrington Hall, and was described as a "well beloved servant and councillor" to the 4th Earl of Derby. He was also Sheriff of Lancashire (1572-3, 1581-2, 1595-6) and a Justice of the Peace. In 1592 he was listed by the Council as one of those ‘meet for his fidelity and soundness in religion’ to be employed against trouble makers.

Richard Holland of Denton (and Heaton) was mentioned in a deed with Sir Robert Langley of Agecroft Hall (Lord of the Manor of Prestwich)in 1520.

In the Agreement (Agecroft Deed 100) "the Hollands and their tenants of Heaton Hall (also the Hollands), the ground called Rooden, and tenements near Heaton Gate lying on the north and south side of Terrebrook, were to enjoy common of pasture on the wastes in Prestwich, and to drive their cattle to the high moor of Prestwich to common there. Robert Langley was to take down the gate he had erected in Rooden Lane end".

Before 1549, Richard had first married the daughter of Otys Reddish, of Reddish Hall, and then in 1575 he married Margaret, the daughter of Sir Robert Langley of Agecroft Hall. Margaret's first husband had been John Reddish, also of Reddish Hall, who had died in 1569, and she was also Richard's step sister.

This marriage in 1575, resulted in Prestwich Manor residing with the Hollands of Heaton Old Hall up until 1616, and was the only time at which the Lord of the Manor of Prestwich lived at Heaton Hall. When Margaret died, the manor passed to her son of her first marriage, Alexander Reddish, and Great Heaton began to be refereed to as Heaton Reddish. Margaret's burial is recorded at St Mary's:

25 Sep 1616 Margreta Holland vxor Richi Holland
de Heaton Armigeri
funera solemniza 8 Oct 1616

It is presumed Margaret was buried under the South Aisle ( the former site of the Langley Chapel ) at St Mary's. She was also probably the last Lord of the Manor to be buried at the Parish Church. Her son Alexander, kept the estate in trust for his daughter Sarah, despite a legal challenge from Edmund Prestwich of Hulme. Sarah married Clement Coke and their son, Edward Coke was ultimately knighted and inherited the Manor of Prestwich (along with Reddish, Pendlebury, and Crumpsall).

Back to Richard and Margaret Holland, they had five daughters but no sons, and when Richard died in 1619, the Heaton estate was taken by force by his half brother, Edward Holland (b:~1560) who took up residence in Heaton.

One of their five daughters, Margaret, married William Brereton and gave birth to a son, William. William Jnr. was orphaned at age 6, and was made the ward of his grandfather, Richard Denton. William inherited Handforth Hall and 3,000 acres of land from his parents, he married Susanna Booth, a daughter of Sir George Booth of Dunham Massey Hall. William was a Major General and commanded the Parliamentarian forces in Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lancashire during the Civil War, and was later made Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet. We'll see the Booth's again soon...

Edward Holland had three sons Richard (M.P. b:1595), Henry (b:~1597) and William (b:~1600), and in 1623, had leased lands in Blackley from John Nuttall for 299 years.

In 1627, a baptism recorded at St Mary's for Willmus Holland, "filius" (son) of Thomae Holland, listed the family abode as "Old Hall", indicating how the Holland family divided their time between their houses in both Heaton and Denton, but also that there may have been a "new hall" in Heaton by this date. It is thought that Richard and Margaret built the new Heaton House about 1610 on the site of the present day Heaton Hall.

Edward Holland died at Heaton in 1631, and the estate passed to his eldest son, Richard, and by 1635 it had passed to his son William Holland, who was residing at Heaton.

Here, we take a little tangent...

The above gravestone is the oldest gravestone in St Mary's Churchyard. Thomas was listed as a "coquus" (cook) at his daughter's baptism of 1625, and his residence was recorded as Heaton, upon his death in 1665.

It's tempting to think that Thomas was the cook to the Hollands of Heaton House, this could also help explain how the grave has survived through the centuries, when many plots have been reused as later dates, and also how it has such a prominent position in the churchyard, close to the church. There is also a grave to the family of a gardener to Thomas Grey Egerton, 1st Earl Wilton, similarly positioned close to the East end of the churchyard which dates from 1756 (see below)...but we haven't got to them yet!

The four children listed are Richard (aged 15) John (aged 9) Mary (aged 7) and Martha (aged 5)."WHO WERE BURIED BE TWIXT THE FIRST AND TWELFTH OF DECEMBER AO DMI 1641"

There is also an interesting mention of Richard Collier (a webster/weaver from Heaton) who married Alizia Hollande in August that same year,1641, giving birth to a son,also named Richard in October 1641, Richard senior may have been a brother of the Thomas mentioned on this grave,or he may have been a father at age 15/16. Some years are +/-1 as they double dated in the early 1600's , but still pretty young to get hitched, but who knows ? Could Alizia Hollande be a daughter of the Hollands of Heaton & Denton?

But, returning back to the Holland brothers.... Eldest brother Richard (b:1595), had been a deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire, and was influential in Manchester coming down on the side of Parliament during the civil war of 1642. He became a parliamentarian officer, alongside Sir Thomas Stanley, Mr Booth and Mr Egerton (we still haven't got to them yet!), and commanded a regiment of foot in the town during the siege by the Kings Forces, who were commanded by Lord Strange. Richard went on to be member for Lancashire in Cromwell's second parliament of 1654-56, and died in 1661.

Second eldest Henry (b:~1597), secured a marriage which would have seen the estate pass elsewhere, but died on the very day that he'd managed secure the marriage, so William inherited the lot!

Thus, in about 1666, Rev. William Holland (b:1600), over 30 years the minister of Malpas,Cheshire (1654-1680) had found himself heir of the Heaton and Denton estates.

That same year, the Hearth Tax of 1666 records fifty hearths in Heaton liable to the tax; William Holland's house (the new hall of abt. 1610) had thirteen, and Edmund Heywood's six. For comparison, the Rectory, (Deyne Hall , where William's aunt Ann lived with Edward Kenyon, the Rector of St Mary's, had 10.)

The main Hearth Tax records from 1666 indicate the relative wealth of each recorded resident. (Rev.James Pilkington lived in Heaton Rhodes)

The property of Edmund Heywood, mentioned in the 1666 tax returns, is thought to have been the Old Heaton Hall, originally the home of the Heaton family from the 13th century, and at which the Holland family resided prior to moving to the present location of Heaton House in the early 17th century (see ref from 1627 above). This Old Heaton Hall, was reached by a driveway beside a property called Old Hall Farm, which stood until the 1960s.

Old Hall farm stood down Nutt Lane,Simister (or up Old Hall Lane from what was the Three Arrows Pub - the three arrows came from the crest of the Egerton Family...still haven't got to them yet). Nutt Lane turns into Old Hall Lane at the cottages of Parkwood (formerley known as Crow Alley), and the maps show the Old Hall - stood to the East of the farm, all now sadly under the M60.

Old Hall Lane (1922)- Old Hall is bottom right, Parkwood Cottages (previously Crow Alley) is at the top left

The Heywood family are recorded in the registers of St Mary's church, and there is a cluster of three family grave slabs in a prime position close to the porch on the South side of the Church. The most notable grave stone dated October 1680, of Thomas Heywood and describes him as "honest Thomas Heywood of Heaton, shoemaker". The same stone, sadly fractured numerous times over the 350 years since it was laid, also records his brother Edmund who died in January 1680, and is thought to be the Edmund from the 1666 hearth tax.

The second stone (1733) records the family of Anthony Heywood of Heaton Fallowfield (Little Heaton). A third stone (1742) records John Heywood of Cambeshaw, which stood at the far end of Simister Lane - in the detached section of Great Heaton.

The Heywood families of Cambeshaw, both Great & Little Heaton and Rhodes were listed as Yeoman during the early 18th century. Upto the 17th century Yeomen typically held over 100 acres of land, and also took roles of local constables or churchwardens.

Yeoman owned their land, and could keep the profit from it, thus employing servants and staff to look after them or farm their land. They could spend their money and free time on education or other interests, but still turn their hand to labour if required. They were what we would call today, a middle class.

But now back to the Hollands...During his later years William Holland resided on his Lancashire estates. William died in 1682 aged 70, and is buried inside St Mary's church,on the North side of the aisle (in what was the Holland Chapel,also at one time the Hylton Chantrie - founded by Ellis Hylton in the early 16th century). The Chapel was later renamed the Wilton Chapel...but we haven't quite got to them yet. His son, Edward, inherited the estate but died not long after, in 1683-84. Edward was aged just 20 and died after he "drank to excess in a frolique upon the ice". (Messrs. Bryom,Leigh and Newcom also died in the same incident)

Elizabeth, last of the family line of the Rev. William Holland, married Sir John Egerton, 3rd Baronet Egerton, at St Mary's in 1684 (during the reign of Queen Anne), passing all the estates to her husband as part of the "prenup". (yes! we finally made it to the Egertons!)

The Egerton's were a Cheshire family dating back to the Plantagenets. In Tudor times it claimed among its members a Lord Chancellor who was the ancestor of the Dukes of Bridgewater.

Sir Roland Egerton, had become 1st Baronet Grey Egerton in 1617. He had fought on the Royalist side during the Civil War. He married a sister of Thomas, 15th Baron Grey de Wilton who had served in the fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588,and been governor of Ireland under Queen Elizabeth I. However the Grey de Wilton baronetcy was ceased after the 15th Baron was found guilty of treason in the Bye Plot against King James I, in 1603. The Grey de Wilton Baronetcy was revived in 1784 for Sir Thomas Egerton, 7th Baronet Egerton (see below).

Elizabeth and the 3rd Baronet Egerton had six sons and two daughters. The eldest, Holland Egerton, born at Heaton House, was baptised at St Mary's on Christmas Day 1685-6. Holland inherited the estate of his father in 1729 and became 4th Baronet. However, within a few months he too had died (25th April 1730). He had been pre-deceased by his first four sons ("unnamed", John, Holland & Cave), leaving his 5th son Edward (who became Sir Edward), to inherit the estate in 1743-4,. Edward died unmarried, passing the estate to the younger brother Sir Thomas Egerton, the sixth Baronet.

Heaton House, the home to the Hollands from about 1610 and what makes up the innards of the present day Heaton Hall, had been extended over the years, and the above image shows a building with three gables on the left, joining to a more stylised property (a re-faced older section?) in the centre and a further block to the right, which is believed to have been a single, large room. A bowling green to the fore is depicted with possibly members of the Holland family at play. The three storey house was converted to two stories in 1772.

Sir Thomas Egerton, 6th Baronet, died in 1756 aged 34, in the same house where he had been born in 1721, Heaton House, and he is buried inside St Mary's church. A plaque in his honour was placed on the East Wall of the Wilton Chapel, describing how he had made great improvements to Heaton House after he retired from being an M.P. in 1752. Also in 1756, a gallery was installed above the Wilton chapel. The plaque and the gallery are both no longer present.

The 7th Baronet, Sir Thomas Grey Egerton, served in 3 parliaments and was later made Baron Grey de Wilton (reuniting the family with their previous Baronetcy) & 1st Earl of Wilton in 1801. He commissioned the fashionable architect James Wyatt to design a new home for his young family in 1772. This is the Hall that we know today, and Heaton House was no longer the family's home.

The grave of Thomas Webster (died 1783), gardener to Sir Thomas Grey Egerton (1st Earl).

The 1839 tithe map of Great Heaton shows how the split of land in the 12th/13th centuries had remained into the 19th century, with a pocket of fields in Bowlee separated from the rest of the Township by those of Little Heaton.

Seen on the 1839 tithe map at Rhodes, on the left hand side are the Smithy Lodge entrance to Heaton Park along with the Smithy Bridge over the Irk, where traffic enters the supermarket today, though over a much stronger modern bridge.

To the bottom middle of the map is Lands End, located in Great Heaton, a bleaching mill owned by Otho Dudson of Prestwich.

The tithe map of 1839 shows just the one field (number 111) at heaton Mill on the far side of the Irk, belonging to Great Heaton by that time. It also shows an island of 4 fields (87-90) on the right side of the map, surrounded by the land of Little Heaton on 3 sides, and the township of Middleton to its East (this is in addition to the Great Heaton annex of land at Bowlee). Note also the winding the natural course of the river was before being tamed.