Townships: Silverdale

SILVERDALE

Selredal, 1246; Syluerdale, 1292.

The hilly ground of Lindeth gradually falls away to the north, and then there is another rise to Castlebarrow, some 300 ft. above sea level, the northern limit of Silverdale. This dale, going up from the Cove on the coast of Morecambe Bay to the eastern side of the township, joins a more extensive tract of level country extending from Leighton Moss on the south to Silverdale Moss on the northern boundary. On this side of the township are Challen Hall and Hawes Water. (fn. 1) Near Challen Hall is a large boulder poised on another rock. On the eastern boundary the land again reaches 200 ft. above sea level. The area measures 1,168 acres (fn. 2); in 1901 the population was 582.

From the Cove a road goes east through the dale; then, dividing, goes north-east towards Beetham and south towards Carnforth. A branch of the latter turns west along the Lindeth boundary, ascending the hill, and then goes north to join the firstnamed road. From the Cove there is also a road to Arnside. The roadsides are variegated by ferns and many species of wild plants; there are numerous plantations, and the whole district is very picturesque.

Limestone underlies the surface soil everywhere except in the Moss, which is clayey. Oats, barley, turnips, &c., are grown. There are lime works and quarries, and hematite ore is found.

The township has a parish council.

Hawes Tarn is said to have been the haunt of a huge water serpent, which used to coil itself round a neighbouring rock waiting to seize some unwary sheep. At last it was killed, a pack of wool being found in one of its hollow teeth.

Manor

SILVERDALE was originally, it would seem, part of Yealand, (fn. 3) but was called a manor in the 16th century. By the gift of Henry de Redmayne and grant of the Prioress of Farewell in Staffordshire one moiety, with appurtenances, fishery, saltcotes and iron mines, was granted to Cartmel Priory. (fn. 4) After the Dissolution this remained with the Crown until 1605, when it was sold to Edward Lord Zouche and others. (fn. 5) The other moiety appears to have been acquired by the Crofts (fn. 6) and to have passed, like Tewitfield, to the Washington family. (fn. 7) Robert Washington in 1483 held lands, &c, in Silverdale—no manor being mentioned—of the king as duke by knight's service and the payment of 2½d. a year for castle ward. (fn. 8) Afterwards the estate, or part of it, was held by Thomas Kitson and Elizabeth his wife, who in 1569 sold a moiety of the manor and various lands there to Thomas Bradley. (fn. 9) He died in 1586 holding sixteen messuages, half a windmill, &c, in Silverdale of the queen as of her duchy by the twentieth part of a knight's fee. His heir was a son William, aged thirteen. (fn. 10) William Bradley died in 1605 holding similarly; his heir was his son William, aged fifteen. (fn. 11) He held it in 1615, (fn. 12) but in 1635 William Atkinson and Alice his wife sold it to William Wright. (fn. 13) No manor is known at present, though Sir Maurice BromleyWilson, bart., of Dallam Tower, is sometimes called lord of the manor.

In a dispute in 1595 Robert Kenney alleged that in the manor of Silverdale were customary tenants holding of the lord according to the ancient and laudable custom of tenant right, and he claimed a tenement accordingly under the will of a grandfather. John Bisbrowne, the occupier, alleged that by the custom of the manor anyone convicted of felony forfeited his tenement absolutely; that Kenney had burglariously broken into a mansion-house at Silverdale and taken a brass pot; and that in 1582 he was convicted of the same, whereupon Thomas Bradley, a justice of the peace and then lord of the manor, had given the forfeited tenement to Bisbrowne. (fn. 14)

Richard Bellingham and Anne his wife in 1508 had an estate in Silverdale. (fn. 15) Lancelot Lawrence of Yealand Redmayne died in 1534 holding lands, &c., in Silverdale by services unknown. (fn. 16) The estate appears to have gone to the Middletons. (fn. 17) In 1678 Lady Anne Middleton and Elizabeth West, both widows, of Silverdale were indicted of recusancy. (fn. 18)

There was a family surnamed Noble in Silverdale. (fn. 19) In 1664 Thomas Hadwen owned an estate called Redbridge, which in 1704 was sold to James Atkinson the schoolmaster. William Atkinson in 1772 conveyed it to James Hoggart of Challen Hall, and he left it in 1783 to his son George, Challen Hall going to another son James. Hill House estate, formerly owned by an Inman family, was in 1851 sold to John Hughes of Manchester.

Church

Before the Reformation there was a chapel at Silverdale described as a chantry. (fn. 20) It does not seem to have had any endowment, and probably ceased to be used regularly after the Reformation. (fn. 21) During the Commonwealth period the ' poor inhabitants (were) forced to hire a poor minister for 20 nobles per annum,' (fn. 22) but a stipend of £40 was afterwards assigned to the minister, Samuel Harrison, (fn. 23) out of the rectory of Warton, belonging to the suppressed chapter of Worcester. (fn. 24) This grant would cease at the Restoration, but in 1680 the chapel was built on the old foundations, (fn. 25) and soon afterwards a schoolmastercurate seems to have been appointed. (fn. 26) The district was described as 'bigoted to Quakerism.' (fn. 27) A stipend of £3 3s. 4d. was given by the vicar and others for reading prayers every Sunday afternoon, and soon afterwards the Dean and chapter of Worcester, on increasing the vicar's stipend, required £5 to be given to maintain some kind of service at Silverdale 'to keep out dissenters from entering upon the said chapel.' (fn. 28) The vicar seems to have grudged this payment to a curate, and preached there himself once a month. (fn. 29) In 1738 Silverdale was 'supplied by a curate; sermon and prayer there once a month.' (fn. 30) Later an endowment was secured, and from 1756 there seem to have been regular ministrations. (fn. 31) The chapel was rebuilt in 1 829. (fn. 32) A separate district was assigned to it in 1871. (fn. 33) The present church of St. John was built in 1886, the old one being used as a mortuary chapel. The net annual value is £297. (fn. 34) The vicars are nominated by the vicars of Warton.

The following have been curates and vicars (fn. 35) :—

A Wesleyan Methodist chapel was opened in 1859.