File:The counties of England, their story and antiquities (1912) (14764523732).jpg

Identifier: countiesofenglan01ditc (find matches)
Title: The counties of England, their story and antiquities
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson), 1854-1930
Subjects: Great Britain -- History England -- Antiquities
Publisher: London : G. Allen
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image:
county. At this period the monastic
institutions formed the centres of religious thought and
feeling. Very few churches were built, but the abbeys
and monasteries did much to relieve the poor, and, in
some degree, to educate their children, whilst to main-
tain the magnificent buildings and establishments they
found work for farm labourers and handicraftsmen of
various kinds. But the days of the monkish rule were
fast coming to a close when, by the dissolution of
religious houses, their cherished possessions passed into
lay hands, which was only a prelude to the destruction
of buildings which had for centuries stood as living
witnesses to the skill and artistic power of the mediaeval
architect and workman. During the century preceding
the dissolution, many chantries were founded in the
churches of Lancashire.
The last abbot of Whalley, John Paslow, was
amongst the Lancashire men who took part in the
" Pilgrimage of Grace." Of the old abbey of Whalley
enough now remains to show what a stately building it
Text Appearing After Image:

CLITHEROE CASTLE IN 1753.

LANCHASHIRE 101
once was. It stood on a site containing nearly thirty-
seven statute acres, and was approached through two
strong gateways, which are still standing.
At this time many of the clergy had to leave the
country, and found shelter in Geneva, Strasburg, and in
various parts of Holland. Some of these returned when
Queen Elizabeth came to the throne, but many died in
exile. The Reformation was not generally accepted in
Lancashire, a large number of the old families remaining
true to the old form of religion, notwithstanding that
many of the local clergy, rather than resign their livings,
nominally accepted the new form; but, at best, they were
for the most part only disguised Papists. The Earl of
Derby, who was one of the persecutors of John Bradford,
now became one of those who did his best to make the
Roman Catholics life a burden to him, as he knew not
who was his friend nor which of his neighbours or of
his household was a spy upon him.
It has often been said that Queen Elizabeth hated a
Puritan only with a little less bitterness than she did a
Roman Catholic, and under these circumstances we are
not surprised to find that no less than 600 recusants
appeared at one of the Lancashire Assizes.


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