Tarleton (St. Mary)

TARLETON (St. Mary), a parish, in the union of Ormskirk, hundred of Leyland, N. division of the county of Lancaster, 8½ miles (N. by E.) from Ormskirk; containing 1877 inhabitants. This place either gave its name to, or received its name from, an ancient family who had possessions here in the reign of Richard II.; they were succeeded by the Banastres, and the Hesketh family have been for centuries part lords of Tarleton, their present coparcener being George Anthony Legh Keck, Esq. The parish was formerly a chapelry in the parish of Croston. It comprises 5377 acres, whereof 2673 are arable, 2074 pasture, and 630 common or waste; the land is flat, and tolerably fertile, except to the west, where is a large quantity of bog, under which is found oak, elder, and various other kinds of trees. The river Douglas, which passes on the east, was rendered navigable here in 1727. The joint lords hold a court leet annually in October; and a fair for pedlery, under a charter granted by William III., is held on the 23rd and 24th of April: two other fairs granted by the same monarch have fallen into disuse. The living is a rectory, in the gift of the Rev. R. M. Master: the tithes have been commuted for £760, and there is a glebe of 38 acres, with a house. The church, consecrated in 1719, is a plain brick building cased with plaster; the interior is neat, and on the south and west sides is a gallery. A free school, built in 1650, is endowed with £30 per annum; and a national school, accommodating 200 children, is supported. A day school for both sexes has just been erected at the Holmes, by subscription of the landowners, aided by grants from the National Society and the Committee of Council on Education, on ground given by Mr. Keck; it accommodates 170 children, and it is intended to have it licensed for divine service. Some years ago, a labourer, in digging a copse, turned up a small leaden box without a lid, in which were contained about a hundred silver coins, all struck by the same die, and which probably had been secreted at the period of the Scottish rebellion.