Scammonden Wardens (original) (raw)

ST BARTHOLOMEW’S CHURCH
It is not known what the population was in the Scammonden / Dean Head area at the end of the 16th Century, but records show that the population was adequate enough to establish a preaching cross probably on the site of today's church. Itinerant priests came from Dewsbury to bring their spiritual message to these outlying districts. Until the mid 19th century, the site of the church was known as Cruthill or Cruxhill.

About 1614-1615 it was decided that a church should be built on the site, possibly as a result of the inclement weather. A Latin deed of 1615 translated reads:-

To all the faithful in Christ to whom this present writing is made known.
William Robinson of Deanhead in the manor of Quarmby, and James Robinson his son. Know ye that we the aforsaid, will the intention that a chapel or suitable house of prayer may be erected within the limits of Deanhead, Scammonden and other adjacent places in which chapel prayers and preaching and Divine Service may be solemnised to God according to the rites of the Church of England. Have given granted and by this present writing confirmed to:

Edward Firth of Marsden Double click on cutting to enlarge
John Firth of Firth House
Edmund Dyson
Edward Denton
Anthony Hoile of Broad Lea
Thomas Crossley of Deanhead
Thomas Denton Jnr
George Walker
Richard Bottomley of Reynold
William Denton of Scammonden

The chapel was probably a simple structure of wood and plaster. The only relics remaining are two stones, which were later incorporated into the porch of today's church, which is the third on this site. They were probably headstones over doorways and they read:

EDMUND ROBINSON CAUSE THIS CHAPEL TO BE MADE AND GAVE TOWARDS A PREACHING MINISTER THERE and
TEN POUNDS YERELY FOREVER GOD BE PRAYSED ANO DOMINI

Below the stones you can see I and B and below the bottom stone 1615 T.D. lt was dedicated to St Bartholomew.

It is not known who was the first curate but the second was Rev. Ralp Walkde (Walker or Walkden). He
was there on October 9th 1637 when his son Roger was baptized. He was followed by Rev. Richard Heyhurst whose wife died on August 22nd 1641. On March 3rd 1662 Rev. Wm. Ingham was appointed on the same day that he married Susan Hey. On December 21st he was ordained Deacon. He had two children, William baptized in 1663 and Dorothy in 1668. The next Deacon, Rev, Richard Robinson was ordained by the Bishop of Exeter in 1667. Oliver Heywood mentions him in his diary of 1680 describing him as a "peevish pestilent man against anything that's good".

It must have been a delight for the parishioners to see the back of him and welcome a new deacon, Rev. John Smith who was formerly a lecturer at Bolton Parish Church. Whilst in Bolton he had written a book "The Patriarchal Sabbath" which excited controversy. To get away from the commotion it created, he came over the moors into Yorkshire, where he noticed the little chapel at Scammonden and discovered the living vacant. The result was that he was appointed curate. The stipend was very meagre and he eked out a living by teaching. He was a peace loving man and he died in 1698. The respect in which he was held can be gauged by the fact that nearly 40 years after his death the body of a Mr Dunn of Furnivals Inn was brought to Scammonden by request that he might lie "near the reliques" of his late schoolmaster.