Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/284

 -               CURATES AND VICARS OF THORNTON. -+-+- Date of    |                      |        Cause of vacancy. Institution. |                          | -+-+-  1835       | David H. Leighton         | 1837      | Edward Thurtell. | Resignation of D. H. Leighton. 1841      | St. Vincent Beechey, M.A. |      "      "  E. Thurtell. 1846      | Robert W. Russell. |     "      "  St. V. Beechey. 1853      | Isaac Durant, M.A.        |      "      "  W. Russell. 1869      | Samuel Clark. |     "      "  I. Durrant. 1870      | Thomas Meadows, M.A.      |      "      "  S. Clark. -+-+-

Within the building there is a small gallery at the west end, and the private pews are arranged in two rows, one being placed along each side of the body of the church, whilst the central portion is filled with open benches, or forms, free to all worshippers. A marble tablet "To the memory of Jacob Morris, a faithful warden for 20 years, who died Oct., 1871," is fixed against the south wall, and over the mantel-piece in the vestry is a white-lettered black board stating that—"This Church was erected in the year 1835, containing 323 sittings; and, in consequence of a grant from the Incorporated Society for promoting the enlargement, building, and repairing of churches and chapels, 193 of that number are hereby declared to be free and unappropriated for ever.—David Hilcock Leighton, minister; James Smith and Richard Wright, church-*wardens." On the font is the following inscription:—"Presented to Thornton Church by Elizabeth Nutter, of Rough Hall, Accrington, July 13th, 1874."

Mr. James Baines, of Poulton, by will dated 6th of January, 1717, devised to Peter Woodhouse, of Thornton, and six others, and their heirs, the school-house lately erected by him on Thornton Marsh, and the land whereon it stood, to be used for ever as a free school for the children of the township; in addition he bequeathed to the same trustees several closes in Carleton, called the Far Hall Field, the Middle Hall Field, and the Vicar's Hey, amounting to about twenty-one acres, to the intent, that the annual revenue therefrom, less 10s. to be expended each year in a dinner for the trustees, should be devoted to the payment of a suitable master. In 1806, Richard Gaskell, the sole surviving trustee, conveyed by indenture to John Silcock, John Hull,