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This is the earlier post I mentioned



COUCHER BOOK of KIRKSTALL ABBEY

AS IT RELATES TO ACCRINGTON

(c) W.Holmes F.R.C.P.J.



ALTHAM

Former name Alvetham, also called Elvetham, the habitation of Elvet, a Manor or and Township on the western bank of the river Calder, which was part the lands granted by Henry de Laci, the first, (probably in the reign of Stephen de Bois), to Hugh son of Lofwine, or Leofwine, a Saxon Lord.
This charter, the second point in antiquity which I shall be able to cite in this work, is as follows.
From early records it can be established that a large area of this Country after the invasion by William the Conqueror in 1066, was granted to his cousin Roger de Montgomery. Montgomery's son Roger de Poitevin was granted all the lands between the Ribble & Mersey. He built Lancaster Castle & granted the manor & hundred of Blackburn to Albert de Greslet & Roger de Busli.

By the middle of the llth century a large part of Lancashire was in hands of a previously minor Baron, Robert de Laci, (son of Ilbert) Roberts second son Henry, made an agreement with Hugh son of Leofwine the Saxon, (shown below) the occupier of Atham, Accrington & the surroundinc area, Hugh had three grandsons who took the names de Altham, de Billington & de Pleasington, their names will appear on later documents in the subsequent disputes with the Monks of Kirkstall Abbey.



When Robert de Laci son of Henry & the last male heir died, circa
1193, (he granted Accrington to the Honks of Kirkstall) the lands passed to the descendant of his Aunt Aubrey, his cousin Aubrey, she had married Robert FitzEustace, their son John changed his name to de Laci when he became Constable of Chester. His grandson Henry Earl of Lincoln died in 1311 ad, and his holdings went to Alice his daughter, the Countess of Salisbury & Lincoln, she had married Thomas Earl of Lancaster, nephew of Edward II.

Thomas was executed for treason against his uncle in 1322, Alice then to sign everything over to Edward the II, this was done at Newcastle on 3rd Aug 1324, from that day Lancashire has been Crown Lands, (a record in the Coucher book of Kirkstall shows that Edward II had possesion of these lands in 1322 when the monks of Kirkstall Abbey tried to claim paynent for lands in Accrington).

Their son Thomas was later made Earl of Derby, one of his decendants later changed the family name back to de Laci.

This Is the first document which relates to Accrington

Sciant presentes et futuri quod ego Henricus de Laceia <dedi concessi et hac presenti Carta mea confirmavi Hogoni filio Lofwini et heredibus suis in feodo et hereditate Elvetham, Clayton, et Accrington et dimidiam Bylington, cum donacione monasierii de Elvetham, et in omnibus libertatibus predicte
terra pertimentibus, Tenendum de me et heredibus meis libre et quiete honorifice et plenarie, in bosco, in plano, on pasturis, in campis, in aquis. in piscaria, in molendinis, in venatibus, in omnibus predictis terris, Faciendo nobis et heredibus nostris servicum dimidi militid pro omnibus servicus ad nos pertinentibus. Hujus donacionis et confirmacionis sunt testes.

Richardus filius Gilberti, Adam Eile, Petrus Huett de Bencestria, Hustatius Malvuers, Hugo Day, Stephanus de Mvtton.William Elemosinarius, cum multis aliis.

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