Banastre Rebellion
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The Banastre Rebellion of 1315 was closely associated with Standish parish. This was a rising directed against Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, and his favourite Sir Robert Holland, whom the local gentry regarded as an upstart; and the outbreak reflected the friction between the Earl and King Edward.
The chief confederates met at Wingates, in Westhoughton, on the Wednesday before the Feast of St. Wilfrid, 8 October 1315, and took an oath to live and die together. Within a few days they sent a party including William de Charnock to bring before them Adam Radcliffe and his brothers. This party slew Sir Henry de Bury, a murder which caused a great sensation. The King appointed Robert de Lathom and other justices to inquire into the matter; some of those concerned in the crime were hung, and others outlawed.
After a short delay, perhaps due to the commotion caused by this outrage, Sir Adam and his associates gathered in force at Charnock Richard, on Wednesday, 22nd October. Among the adherents whose names are given many Standish parishioners are found e.g. Adam le Taylor of Coppull, and Robert, his brother, John de Adlington, Thomas Proudfot of Charnock, William del Riding of Charnock, Adam, son of Jordan de Charnock. At Charnock they sent for Sir Adam de Walton, and against his will, compelled him him to join them. The next day they set off towards Wigan; and on the way there they met at Standish Church Sir Ralph de Bickerstaffe and John Henry, and Gilbert de Bickerstaffe, who took oath to join them and rode with them to Wigan, where they all spent the night, and commandeered cattle, corn and merchandise. The insurgents sent a party to Clitheroe, and they captured the castle, taking away 40 haketons and 40 lances. The main force, after spending a night at Knowsley, attacked Liverpool castle on Saturday, 25th October without success. Here they displayed the banner of Sir Adam Banastre; and after extorting £10 ransom from certain men of West Derby and a similar sum at Knowsley, "lest they should destroy the vill," they spent another night at the latter place.
On Sunday 26th October, the confederates moved towards Warrington. When near Prescot they showed to the people letters patent bearing the King's seal, and said they had the King's commission to act as they were doing. Sir Henry de Lea, Sir Thomas Banastre and others were sent from Warrington on Monday, the 27th, to attack Halton Castle beyond the Mersey. By putting fire at the gates, they took it and carried off 50 haketons, 100 lances and 100 basinets. On the same day Sir William Bradshaw plundered the house of Sir William Holland at Haydock, carrying off 100 sheep, 60 oxen, and 12 cows; and in returning to Warrington his forces broke into a grange at the house of Sir John de Langton at Newton-in-Makerfield, and seized ten pounds worth of corn. They also entered a grange of Thomas de Hale's at San key, taking away grain and oats.
On the Eve of All Saints, Friday, 31st October, Sir Adam's army proceeded from Warrington to Manchester, despoiling Henry de Trafford of Trafford of certain cattle on the way. On All Saints Day they took from the church at Manchester a banner figured with the King's arms, and showed it to the people to gain adherents, stating that King Edward had just sent it to them. They now returned north, having heard that the sheriff was marching against them. They arrived at Wigan on the 2nd of November, where they stayed the night, after taking goods from Gilbert de Culcheth.
On Tuesday, 4th November, Sir Adam Banastre and his associates arrived at Preston, where with banners flying they overcame a small force, sent to check them, led by Sir Adam de Huddleston, Sir Richard de Waleys, and Sir Walter le Vavasour; the latter was fatally wounded. The confederates captured the town and made levies on the citizens. But later in the same day the sheriff arrived from the north with his friends and the main county force. The sheriff was Sir Edmund de Nevill of Middleton, near Lancaster. He was accompanied by Sir William Dacre, Sir John and Sir Nicholas de Harrington, and about 300 men. They were acting for the Earl of Lancaster. Sir Walter de Strickland also came up on behalf of the Earl, perhaps with a separate force. After less than an hour's battle, the insurgents were entirely defeated between Deepdale and Preston. Robert de Charnock and others were killed. Sir Ralph de Bickerstaffe fled to Croston Church where he died of his wounds.
Sir Thomas Banastre was captured and taken to Lancaster gaol. Sir William Bradshaw fled from the country (extra patriam). After hiding in the woods and moors for a week, Sir Adam Banastre and Sir Henry de Lea were betrayed by a certain Henry de Eufurlong, of Charnock Richard, in whose house they had taken refuge. Another account, perhaps reconcilable with this, states that there was another final struggle in a barn, where Banastre fought with the courage of despair and made a stout resistance. He was not, however, killed in the attack as this chronicler says, but was taken to Leyland Moor and beheaded by Robert, son of Jordan le Pretsone of Manchester. This was at the command of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. Other parishioners were involved. Several members of the Charnock family were adherents of Banastre; and Henry de Duxbury eventually lost his manor of Duxbury through his complicity in the rising. The hard case of Thomas de Langtree, from whom goods were taken to the value of twenty pounds illustrates the illegal fines imposed on Banastre's sympathisers by Walter de Strickland, who, acting on behalf of Earl Thomas and Robert Holland, rode armed into Leylandshire, taking cattle and treasure in that wapentake alone to the value of £5000.[1]
- ↑ The Rev. Thomas Cruddas Porteus, A History of the Parish of Standish, Lancashire (Published by J. Starr & Son Ltd, Wigan, 1927)
