English literature -- England -- Lancashire; Legends -- England -- Lancashire
"In 1745, at the rebellion, when the Pretender's son and his
Highlanders reached Manchester, having obtained a list of the
loyal subscribers, they began (of course) to enforce the
payment of the money for their own use. An officer of the
belted plaid, of the second division, came to the house of Mr
C., in King Street, whilst the master of it was with his father
at Ridware, and, on being told that he was from home, and his
lady ill in bed, he went up-stairs, and opening the
chamber-door, where she was then lying-in, beckoned her sister
to come to him on the stairs, where he told her (in a mild but
decided tone) that the money before mentioned must be paid
quickly for the use of 'the prince (who lodged at the house in
Market Street, now called the Palace Inn), or the house would
be burnt down.' In this dilemma, the man-midwife calling first,
and afterwards the physician, were both consulted by the
ladies; when the former (a Tory) advised to send the money
after them, whilst the latter (a Whig) thought it better to
keep it till called for; consequently, never being called for
in their hasty retreat, the money was not paid. It may be
proper to add, Captain Lachlan MacLachlan, of the first
division (afterwards one of the proscribed), being quartered in
the same house, behaved with the greatest civility and
politeness. On a party of horse coming to the door for
quarters, he called for a lanthorn, and, though he had a cold
(for which white wine whey was offered him, which he called
'varra good stuff'), walked as far as Salford, and there
quartered them; two of his Highlanders, in the meantime, were
dancing reels in the kitchen, and in the morning gave each of
the maids sixpence at parting."
The name Healey Dene denotes a valley or dale, _convallis_,
enclosed on both sides with steep hills; _dene_ being a Saxon
word, signifying a narrow valley, with woods and streams of
water convenient for the feeding of cattle. Here the river
Spodden, which now keeps many fulling-mills and engines at
work, formerly turned one solitary corn-mill only. It was built
in the narrow dingle below the hall, for the supply of the
hamlet. The feudal owners of most mansions usually erected
corn-mills (where practicable) within their own demesnes. After
the family had removed to the more mild and temperate climate
of Mavesyn-Ridware, in Staffordshire, about the year 1636,
Healey Mill was converted into a fulling-mill, so that one of
the principal features in our story no longer exists.
About two miles north from Rochdale lies the hamlet of Healey, a high
tract of land, as its Saxon derivation seems to imply, heaʓe, _high_,
and leaʓ _a pasture_, signifying the "_high pasture_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account