was observed more as a holiday than as a holy day. In the year 1826, when with my parents I first came to reside in this locality, it was no uncommon thing to see young men assembled together on the Sabbath morning at the street corners asd lane ends playing at pitch and toss, or amusing themselves by abetting and witnessing two dogs trying to worry each other. Another party, a little distance off, would be enjoying themselves by watching a cock fight. It was to put a stop to these barbarous customs and to instruct the youth in the right way that Sunday schools were first instituted. These institutions have done, and are still doing, their duty well, and they have helped to raise England from a semi-barbarous state to the most enlightened nation in the world.

Mr Gudgeon was the superintendent of this Lancashire-hill Sunday School (I have been told) about eleven years. During that time he gained for himself the good name and respect of all the members, excepting a few rude boys. One Sunday afternoon Mr Gudgeon was delivering an address to the scholars. Underneath the rostrum from which he was speaking sat two lads, who were amusing them. selves during Mr Gudgeon's address in enlivening their fellows by the free use of pins, which at times produced a shriek of pain. This was a sore annoyance to Mr Gudgeon, who bore it very patiently for some time. At last he abruptly left off speaking, walked down the steps of the pulpit as noiselessly as possible, and caught the lads red-handed in their mischief. He gave their ears a sound boxing, to the delight of the whole teachers and scholars assembled. He afterwarda ascended the pulpit again and resumed his address with perfect coolness, as if nothing had happened.

After the death of Mr Joseph Littlewood, who I have named in a previous paper, Mr Gudgeon became a partner with Mr Littlewood's two sons and a nephew of the late Mr William Higson in working the mill. From being a weaver's tenter he, by his own industry and tact, became to be the principal. John Gudgeon was cut off in the midst of his labours, and in what we might term the pride of life. He died January 27th, 1859, in the 50th year of his age. Mary, his wife, died on April the 18th, 1869, aged 75 years. They both repose in the east side of the Christ Church burial ground. A monument, erected by his fellow-workers at the Mechanics' Institute, marks his last resting place. This monument consists of a low obelisk supporting a broken column, typifying that his life was cut short in the midst of its usefulness. On one side of

the monument is recorded his long connection with the Mechanics' Institution and the fact of his being the secretary of that institution for 18 years. Another side gives the date of his death and that of his wife.

In my remarks in a former paper on Mr Joseph Littlewood, the fellow-worker with Mr Gudgeon, I committed an error which I wish to rectify. I therefore think my best plan will be to re-write, as briefly as I can, my recollections of the once popular family on Lancashire-hill. In the year 1826, when I first entered Mr Higson's mill as a bobbiner, Mr Joseph Littlewood was the manager. Like Mr

I again thought that The secret was that and the overlookers

Gudgeon, he sprang from the lower ranks. I mean by this that he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. At that time (1826) I thought he got his living very easily. I have nothing much to say against him save that on several occasions I felt his boot too near my person. When I was again employed at this mill as a throstle doffer Mr Littlewood was still the manager. he earned his living easily. he was master of his work, knew it and obeyed him. He resided and brought up his family in the premises lately occupied by the Conservative Club on the Old-road. His family consisted of two sons and three daughters. Sarah, the wife of Joseph Littlewood, died on the 11th of August, 1847, aged 51 years. Mr Littlewood died on the 11th of August, 1850, aged 53 years. They are both interred in the Cheadle Churchyard. After his father's death, James Littlewood emigrated to the United States. He gained for himself a good name in his adopted country. He died on May 27th, 1886, at Wakefield, Clay Co., Kansas. Thomas, the other son, held a many years, and is still holding, a certain and responsible situation in the city of Manchester. Mr Henry Heginbotham, surgeon, the well-known historian of this town, married one of Mr Littlewood's daughters, and at her decease again married in the same family. have been told that one daughter, Martha, is still living.

I

I will conclude this paper by inserting a song, which was very popular in Stockport at one time:

THE DOWNFALL AND DECADENCE OF
STOCKPORT.

A LAMENTATION, BY HENRY BERRY.

Ye people of Stockport, attend to my song,
While I rhyme of your town, it will not take me long;
Why you are sinking and becoming poor,
And poverty's knocking at every door.

Chorus.

O this Stopport, once noted Stopport, It's doomed to decadence, and sure to come down. I remember t' time well, when I wer a lad, And living i' th' Hillgate, along with my dad, Hand-Loom Weaving was then doing well, But that's all gone to the devil i' h―ll.

Chorus.

A turn-out took place, 'twere in twenty nine,
And that were the time that yer trade had left tine.
The sorts you were weaving they give you the sack,
Went to Bowton and Preston, but never come back.

Chorus.

There were old Dickey Peeling and Sandy Mac Phee
Would ne'er let the Masters and Workmen agree;
And Cooper and Brocklehurst, Wood, Chadwick, and
Tongue,

Singing we'll have ten per cent. all the day long.

Chorus.

There was Ratcliffe's i' th' Hillgate, a very old firm, An' owd Sammy Barratt's they've nearly pulled down; Gee's, too, in Edgeley, has a great plant,

And Tommy Puddin wer running Spring Bank.

Chorus.

Jackey Burtinshaw was in St. Peter's Square,
An' at Mersey Mills, Smith and Axon were there;
Brown and Powell's they run the next Mill,
And owd Higson's it stood upon Lancashire Hill.

Chorus.

Th' old White Lion Yard stands next in my song, An' Marsland's i' th' Park nearly half-a-mile long ; Garside's and Howard's from Portwood are gone, One had a big nose that they call'd Captain John.

Chorus.

Marslanda in Portwood are gone to their rest,
An' old Joseph Lane, where my Fayther once dressed;
Close by was Jes. Howard's, he wore a white hat,
And went by the name of old blunderer wack.

Chorus.

The Mills that I've mentioned have been standing long,

For others I cannot find room in my song;
Yer houses are empty and tumblin' down,
So what do ye think o' th' state o' yer town.
Chorus.

Before leaving Lancashire-hill, I wish to name a few games which the young folks enjoyed when I first became a resident in that lccality which have almost become extinct. Throstle overlookers were then, as they are now, very anxious to get the

bobbins "doffed" (i.e., taken off the frame) as quickly as possible. To attain this end various plans were adopted. Some overlookers would stand at the frame end with a strap or a rope end in his hand, watching the doffers doff; and the last doffer would get a stroke from the rope end to sharpen him up. Another plan was for the last doffer to stay in the mill, sweep the room floor, and gather up the bobbins, whilst the rest of the doffers went outside the mill to play. Another method was for the last doffer to go through what was called the 66 'Pig market." This was something similar to a sailor being flogged through the fleet. The doffers all stooped down and opened wide their legs. The culprit then had to pass through the aperture made by the legs of the other doffers, and as he passed along the other doffers gave him as many slaps on his posterior with their open hands as they could, hence it was to the culprit's interest for him to pass through the legs quickly.

There was also a game representing a bear bait. We cast lots who should be the bear, then there was a boy chosen to represent the owner of he bear, whom we called the bellert. The dogs were made up by the other boys who were taking part in the game, each being armed with a rope end or a knotted handkerchief. The bear crouched down on his hands and knees, having hold of the end of a string some yards in length, whilst the beller held the other end. The bellert stood away from the bear, the full length of the string, whilst the dogs stood round it, ready to inflict punishment. The owner of the bear then shouted out the follow ing doggerel:

One, two, three,

My bear's free;

If thou touches my bear I'll touch thee.

At the last word the lads strike at the bear with their weapons, and the bellert makes a rush at the lads, trying to tick them. The rules of this gaze were if a lad struck at the bear before the word "three" was spoken he had to be the bear. The bellert generally dodged a bit in reciting s rhyme, to cause that result. It was the bellerti duty to protect his bear. To do so he kept walking round it, trying to catch the dogs as they came t inflict punishment; the first boy that the belier happened to tick had then to take the part of the bear, and had the privilege of choosing his c bellert. This was a very ancient, barbarous, era. and painful game. I have known lads who han

carried marks on their backs a long time after playing at it.

We had in 1826 a very rough game, which was called Scoo page," the derivation of which I imagine has come from "school page." To commence this game someone would bring a worthless hat or cap and volunteer to protect it. The cap was then thrown on the ground, the other boys commenced to kick it, and the owner did his best in trying to regain it. If a luckless lad kicked it, and the owner caught it before it alighted on the ground, then he that kicked it the last had to doff his cap, throw it on the ground, and protect it in a like manner. I have had several caps which have had their peaks kicked off and otherwise damaged by taking part in this foolish game, and when I have gone home I have received severe chastisement at the hands of my mother.

Another game was called "Cocksticks," which was very largely patronised by the youths, both in the workshops and in the streets, on Shrove Tuesday. The confectioners in those days manu fctured a kind of coarse gingerbread, which they baked in large flat tins. It was rolled flat whilst in the tins. It was then stamped with a die, which cut the gingerbread into the form of small hearts, and was then placed in the oven and baked, These small gingerbread hearts were sold at about sixteen for a penny. The way we played the game was this. We placed a brick on its end on the ground (that is, if we could get one). As many as were playing placed a gingerbread on this upright brick. Some lad would bring out of the house his mother's rolling-pin, then we were complete for the game. We went about a dozen yards from the brick, and each in turn had a throw with this rolling-pin at the gingerbreads placed on the brick end. The thrower had all he knocked off; if he had the good luck to knock the brick down, then he had all that was placed on it This was repeated until the stock of gingerbreads got into one or two lads' hands. This was a relic of a barbarous game common in England centuries ago, which would astonish the officials of the Humane Society, also of all rightthinking men who saw it practised. Those taking part in what was the forerunner of "cocksticks" drove a stake or a stick in the ground. A live cock was then fixed on the top, its legs having been fastened to the stake with cords, the game commenced. As in the game of cocksticks, each had a throw at this live bird in turns, and the one who could break its legs that it could not stand, or

kill it, claimed the body, and bore it home as a trophy.

We had a game called "Cockalorum" which I have neither seen nor heard of being played since I left residing in Chestergate in the year 1826. It was performed in the following manner. We cast lots which lad should be the "horse" first. The horse then placed his arms and head against a wall, holding his back in a horizontal position. A lad then bestrid his back, and holding up as many fingers as he chose, recited the following doggerel:

"I cockalorum, tup, tup, tup.

How many fingers do I hold up?"

If the boy taking the part of the horse guessed aright the one on his back had to dismount and take the place of the horse, and the former horse became the rider.

Football was a game heartily enjoyed when I was young, but we had not then got to the same perfection in the game as our youths have arrived at at the present time. Formerly we might hear tell of a youth having had his shins accidentally kicked, but we never heard of the players having had their legs, ribs, and collar bones broken, and of players being rammed in the stomach by a youth's head, and then of the sufferer being led off the field in a dying state, as we can read of in this enlightened age.

We had "Leap frog," and "Foot and a half," both exhilarating games, which our youths greatly patronised. There were a number of other games which we used to enjoy, and which I cannot now enumerate, as I don't want to weary my readers. I will conclude my remarks on our old games with the one which we called "Ducks and drakes." This was a very lively and graceful game, and was played by both sexes. To play this game properly each lad should take hold of the hand of a lass. They then formed themselves in a line, varying in length according to the number taking part. The couple at one end of the line hold up their hands, which formed an arch. Those at the other end of the line then commenced to run gently towards the arch, which they passed under followed by each succeeding couple, until all had passed through. I have taken part in this game on several occasions; our route was generally from Dodge-hill on the Old-road to the place then called "Green's Flash," and back again.

Green's Flash was a triangular plot of ground on

which was a number of antiquated tumble down tenements. It was bordered by three roadways, comprising the Old-road, the New-road, which was made when the Ashton Canal was completed, and a very ancient thoroughfare, now called Beardstreet, to perpetuate the name of the founder of the corn mill which is now owned by Messrs Nelstrop and Co. These old dwellings all fronted what is now called Beard-street. The tenants of these old cottages, sixty years ago, were John Beard, of whose history I know nothing. At the next house resided James and Nancy Hudson, horse hair spinners. Then came Samuel Sutton, baker, who had his bakehouse at the rear of his dwelling. He had also another bakehouse in Hesketh-street, which my mother patronised, there being no oven in the house which we then inhabited. Then came old Mother Mosley, who had a number of unculti. vated sons who were often getting in trouble. The next cottage to hers was tenanted by Joshua Beezley and family, some of whom are still living. This Green's Flash estate, in the early part of the present century, was owned by Mr Bancroft. About the year 1820 he absconded, and was never heard of again. The tenants for many years after lived on the estate rent free until they began to quarrel with each other about certain rights. At this juncture the late rector of Stock port put in a claim, and became the owner of the Green's Flash estate. Stockport.

JOHN GREENHALGH.

CHORLEY HALL.

The following extracts from Earwaker's East Cheshire (i-165) may have an interest for the readers of CHESHIRE NOTES AND QUERIES after the paper read by me on the same subject at the meeting at Alderley of the members of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society:

"Chorley Hall is a very interesting building, now used as a farmhouse. It is surrounded by a moat. The oldest portion of the hall is opposite to the bridge, and is built entirely of stone, two storeys in height, with three gables, the windows for the most part having stone mullions and transomes. The main entrance is immediately opposite the bridge, through an arched doorway which opens into a passage leading right through the building to an exactly similar doorway on the other side, now blocked up. On the right hand side of this passage was the old dining hall, probably open to the roof, but now converted into two rooms by a modern floor; and on the other side of this passage was the communication with the kitchen and other offices by three pointed doorways still remaining.

This is a very important feature in all medieval buildings, and is well exemplified in the still-existing arrangements of the college halls at Oxford and Cambridge. These features would point to the early part of the 15th century, temp Henry V.and VI., as the probable date of the erection of this the oldest portion of the building. It was not improbably built by William de Hondford, the husband of Matilda Legh of Adlington.

"At right angles to this old part of the hall there projects a gabled building, which is evidently of a later date. It is a good specimen of the black and white timber and plaster houses which are such a characteristic feature in Cheshire and Lancashire, and was probably erected towards the beginning or middle of the 16th century. About 1527 Thomas Davenport acquired the Chorley estates, and not improbably determined to add to the previous building built and inhabited by the Honfords, whose heiress he had married. On a series of large square stones as a foundation, massive beams of timber were laid, into which others are fixed at right angles, these being connected one with another by smaller horizontal beams and diagonal tie beams. The squares thus formed were filled in with 'raddlins and daub,' and well covered, on which patterns were picked out in black and white . . . ochre. . . . One of the rooms in this portion of the house is wainscotted,and has a finely-carved oak dining piece, which is probably coeval with the erection of this portion of the hall. It is of dark black oak.

"A few years ago a series of extracts from an old rate book of the township of Chorley, for the years 1744-1784, were read before the Rosicrucian Brotherhood, and subsequently printed. The entries chiefly refer to the rates levied on the occupiers of land and the disbursements of money so collected to the poor, &c., and as such do not call for much remark, It seems probable that at this time Sir James Stanley occupied Chorley Hall, where he occasionally resided till the year 1773. In 1745 there is an entry :

Spent at Macclesfield about ye souldiers

which probably has reference to the military preparations made to resist the march of the young Pretender. It is stated that after leaving Manchester some portion of his troops encamped at Wilmslow and marched through Chorley to Macclesfield on the following day."

I conclude that Mr Earwaker has been led by superficial appearances when he states that the older portion of Chorley Hall is "entirely of stone." It is not so. The gables above the square are framed ; but unfortunately this framework is plastered over, and therefore does not show unless closely examined. And then in one part this timbered work comes down much lower than the eaves of the building. But the

Now we cannot conceive of a building having th outside walls of stone and the inner walls of framework, that is, not if it were all of one age. A little examination by a practical and skilled man will show that this, the older portion of Chorley Hall, as well as the more modern wing, was at first altogether a framed building on a stone plinth. This older stone plinth, even now, in places shows itself at the foot of the less ancient stone wall. The most ancient part of the hall was originally a framed building, and the stone work, ancient as it is, has been only an underwalling of an existing house. The stone mullioned windows have replaced older oaken windows, and the moulded Gothic doorways have replaced oaken doors and frames. The back parts of the building in some places have, at a more recent time, been under-walled with bricks, and the old stone chimney which had doubtless separated stone shafts had been topped by a comparatively modern brick stock; but underneath this and to the ground the old chimney, still exists. and possibly if it were bared of plaster there is the old mantle arch, as suggested by Mr Holme Nicholson, but of this I am not quite sure. Very many of our ancient buildings have a "cork" of an older building inside them, and even this most ancient part of Chorley Hall is an old framed building which has been repaired extensively in former times by stone, 8 material, by the way, being easily got at in the neighbourhood, perhaps at the time more easily than bricks; for bricks wanted coals to burn them, and with no roads these were not to be had at Chorley. Later repairs have been made. with bricks, which were by that time in more common

the invention of a plan whereby he was to acquire for himself and his successors the dominions of Wales.

This gentleman implies that Edward had secured Ruthin and Hawarden Castles, and if it be true that he also held Denbigh, we can well understand how effectually he must have dominated over Flintshire and its borders when he marched from Chester to Flint. Had he gained a safe footing in the county by the prowess of his own immediate followers, or was that footing secured for him by the Anglo-Normans under the Earls of Chester? If that question is answered in the latter sense, then we are face to face with the enquiry, when and how far the Earls of Chester had penetrated into North Wales before Edward undertook his own part of the conquest of the Principality? We know that the Earls had made many aggressions upon North Wales, and it is admitted that they occupied and even held for a time some strong places on the sea coast, but if Sir Llywelyn Turner means they had gained and then held Ruthin Castle, we have to ask for evidences of the fact, and some historic proofs in support of the contention.

Mr Williams, in his "History of Denbigh," says than Henry entered into a treaty with Owen Gwynadd it 1157, under which the English obtained quiet possession of Denbigh Castle, and that he, therefore, appointed Adam de Saltzburg to be captain of the garrison there. This gentleman is supposed to have been the son of a Cheshire gentleman of his name who had descended from Adam de Saltzburg, a younger son of the Royal house of Bavaria, who had gained a settlement in Lancashire in very early days, and Mrs Piozzi states in one of her works that she had seen the proofs of his claim to the descent at Saltzburg. He was evidently, therefore, a trusted supporter of the English Sovereign, and his Welsh descendants continued at Denbigh from 1157 to 1289, when, according to Burke, Sir Henry Salisbury had granted to him by Edward. he First the lands of Llevenir, which had fallen into the King's hands upon the attainder of Prince David.. Assuming that to be so, and that Sir Llywelyn Turner's statement be correct, the English must have gained a very sure footing upon the extreme borders of Flintshire long before Edward possessed himself of Flint.

The Earls of Chester had been powerful, aggressive, and warlike, and if they had succeeded in taking and in holding Caergwrle, Hawarden, and Rhuddlan Castles, and the English held Ruthin and Denbigh Castles also, one-half of Edward's object had been gained for him long anterior to his own march into North Wales. We Cheshire men, therefore, have a direct interest in the true solution of the question raised by Mr Taylor and Sir Llywelyn Turner in their papers, and before we can give up the accepted theory that the Anglo-Normans had occupied Flintshire in force before the final conquest of Wales, we must see the proofs to the contrary.