The Edmondsons of Briercliffe with ExtwistleReturn to Edmondsons of Briercliffe with Extwistle openning page Extwistle - Briercliffe with ExtwistleIt has been written of Extwistle - or Briercliffe with Extwistle to give its full title - "it is one of the bleakest parts of Lancashire ... the riches of its yeomen must have consisted in the fewness of their warts, for the productiveness of the soil is not great". Situated some three miles to the east of Burnley, the upland country rises from 1000 feet in the east, to some 1500 feet above Thursden Moor in the west. Being composed mainly of sandstone the land does not lend itself to agriculture, but generally speaking, results in vast areas of moorland with wild forbidding scenery. The old farm houses built of the local stone tend to merge into the landscape, in fact, many of the Edmondsons family who lived there in past centuries were stone masons and builders, as well as farmers and cordwainers. The name Briercliffe first appeared in the records as early as 1193, when the spelling was shown as "Brerecleve" meaning "hill where the briars grow" and there is one school of thought which attributes the name of the small area of Roggerham, to Roger de Priton (a cousin of William the Conqueror), who was granted the land following the battle of Hastings. Before the Norman Conquest, Briercliffe was, most probably, part of the vast wooded area which covered practically all of North East Lancashire and it was to this area with its flowing streams, that primitive man first came. It is not possible to say exactly when Briercliffe became a settlement area, although there are several ancient burial grounds within its boundaries, there is no record of a permanent settlement to be found. Extwistle had the status of manor from 1193, probably a sub manor of Ightenhill which was in the possession of the King from an early date, most of the land seems to have been held from the land of the manor of Ightenhill by copyhold agreement, and until the 18th century, the Parker family held the manorial rights. By 1788 the Parker family had become linked by marriage to the Townleys of Royle and Burnley who held large estates locally. In 1788 when Thomas Townley Parker married Susannah, the sole heiress of Peter Brooke Esq. of Astley Hall, Chorley, and of Charnock of Charnock, both the Astley and the Charnock estates came into the control of the Parker family. The Parker family moved away from Extwistle Hall, but continued to exercise their rights through agents, who were appointed to administer their interests in the Burnley area. They took up residence at Astley Hall, Chorley, and later moved to Cuerden Hall, Cuerden, and it was with this branch of the family that the Edmondsons were involved as far as land tenancies and copyhold agreements were concerned. There were very few homesteads in the early years as most of the land was classed as common land and it wasn't until 1605 and again in 1621 that large areas of common land were brought into cultivation. A number of new farms were built at this time, Hoghton House being one, built around 1640 by the Hoghton family. The population in those early days was minimal, but it is known that by 1620, there were some 54 families resident in Briercliffe with Extwistle. The poll tax figures for 1660 show a further increase to some 61 families, the proven first known generation of Edmondsons being in the Burnley area by that time. Return to Edmondsons of Briercliffe with Extwistle openning page |