Pilkington

The Rector of Standish, Roger Standish in 1477 was the last surviving trustee of the estates of Alexander Pilkington of the Pilkington family of Lancashire who had died in 1474 and held the families land in Rivington and Mellor in trust, the original beneficiary being his son Ralph who also died the same year. The trust had been created in 1460 with trustees named as Thurstan Pilkington Chaplain and his brother Thomas, with Ralph his son appointed as his attorney to deliver seisen.^[2] He released the estates to the beneficiary being Robert Pilkington, Alexanders grandson on him attaining the age of majority. Roberts ownership of lands in Mellor was challenged legally and physically by his uncle, William De Aynesworth and his son who carried out raids on properties on the estate and harassed the tenants and took numerous costly legal actions and even abducted Robert and took him prisoner, at which time they tried to poison him.^[3]

Robert Pilkington settled at Rivington where he made immediate improvements to Rivington Hall.^[4][5] recorded in a deed of 1477 between him and Adam Holden to create a cross chamber and two great windows at the hall. The first hall was built of wood and plaster.^[6]

The chantry at the altar of St Nicholas at the Church of St Wilfrid, Standish was founded 1478 and records of a memorial once located there recorded that Robert Pilkington had been custodian and chaplain of the chantry giving it a yearly income of six marks.^[7] The chantry ended in consequence of the Abolition of Chantries Act 1547.

Roberts eldest son and heir Richard was born in 1488, he married Alice Asshawe daughter of Lawrence Asshawe of Hall on the Hill, Heath Charnock in 1504, he inherited his father's estates on his death in 1508.^[8] Nationally the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries led to significant changes in his time, enclosures also taking place.

Richard and Alice had a large family, their two eldest sons were George born 1516^[9] and their second son was James Pilkington, the first Protestant Bishop of Durham, born in the old hall in 1518, a tale has passed down through generations that James two sons, Joshua and Isaac were kidnapped at the hall near the old saw pits in Hall Wood, both died young.^[10] Richard improved the local chapel, Rivington Church and in 1536 donated 3 acres of land for use of the priest, he died in 1551 and his wife in 1565 and are interred under the floor of the church, a copy of their memorial 'The Pilkington Painting' is on display there.^[8]

George the eldest son married Anne daughter of Geoffrey Sharkerly of Chester in 1544, as a wedding gift Richard his father gave the couple New Hall and lands belonging to it, a year after his father's death on inheriting the hall in 1552 he passed New Hall to his mother Alice for her lifetime. Georges eldest son Robert was born in 1560.^[11]

George was appointed by letters patent in 1566 as one of the first governors of ' The Free School of Queen Elizabeth in Rivington', he donated land in 1587, the school was founded by his brother the Bishop of Durham, James. George died in 1597, the hall then passed to his son Robert who had married the same year.^[11]

The problem of the land enclosure had resulted in sixteen cases before the courts during the lifetime of George, more cases continued during the time of ownership by Robert. Robert inherited the hall on the death of his father George in 1597. Robert had been Feodary of Lancashire and farmer of the Queen's mills at Earl Shilton, Leicester from 1592 until his death. He had a legal practice in London where he stayed until 1596, he had served as MP for Clitheroe in 1589, he moved to Gray's Inn 1585.

After the death of Robert his estate was left with debts and to pay them the hall was sold to relatives Robert Lever and Thomas Breres in 1611, the Breres became resident at the hall, whilst New Hall and its land was retained.

Andrews / Crompton

In 1729 John Andrews bought the Breres' share of the estate. Robert Andrews rebuilt the hall in 1774. After Andrews' death the property passed to his sister Hannah Maria Andrews who had married Robert Fletcher of Liverpool. Their daughter, Lucy married Woodhouse Crompton in 1834.^[12] The Tithe Tax in 1850 gives detail of the extent of Rivington Hall in the mid Victorian era, being 32 acres.^[13][14]

20th Century to present

The Cromptons remained at the hall by agreement until 1910 made when they sold the estate to William Lever in 1900, Leverhulme sold the Hall, Hall Barn and land to Liverpool Corporation in 1902.

Rivington Hall and Hall Barn were used as bases for troops and the Ministry of Food in World War II, the Hall had been left derelict until the intervention of William Salmon, who reinvested the profits from his business there to pay for the work of restoring the Barn Tea Rooms and the hall which by 1953 was considered for demolition. Salmon Catering has held a lease for the property since. The hall is a today a private residence.^[15]

The Hall is under land registry title number LAN62356, the freehold is held by United Utilities and a lease is held by Salmon Catering, the Hall and adjacent barn tea room is not subject to the Liverpool Corporation Act 1902.^[15][16]