I'd be interested in this thread, I have ancestors in Grindleton , buried in the cemetery  William and Isabel Ward ( nee Dearding), although they were born in the 1700s

 Sue

Here is a list of the witnesses. 

1617 case against Brierley Those named by Marchant (for the prosecution)

Christopher Shute,
T. Brooke [minister at Gargrave from 1632, his patron was Richard Monks a friend of Lister. Brooke fled to Lancashire from the Royalists];
R. Gibson vicar of Marton [patron Christopher Marton];
E. Watkin vicar of Carlton [patron Christ’s Church, Oxford];
J. Foote vicar of Kildwick [absent for much of the time];
W. Harrison vicar of Otley [friend of Thomas Moor of Guiseley and probably of Chris. Shute];
G. Wiber vicar of Long Preston (probably friends with Shute in the adjacent parish);
J. Eastwood curate of Barnoldswick [John Bannister was dominant landholder here];
A. Emmot rector of Bolton by Bowland (he was succeeded by Henry Hoyle ];
F. Peele curate first at Bolton by Bowland then perpetual curate at Barnoldswick;
T. Jobson minister at Waddington,
J. Harrison;
J. Brodley (of Halifax);
T Drake curate then rector of Thornton in Craven [patron William Lister]

Witnesses not named by Marchant
March 18th 1617
William Webster rector of Addingham
Robert Hodson vicar of Ilkley

April 29th 1617
John Banister gent


Thomas Simpson
Poss of Burnsall b 20 apr 1589 son of William, married Francis Russell at Skipton 13th Oct 1608

William Winsor possibly from Giggleswick married Agnes Remmington 16th Dec 1609


William Eglin

Thomas Oddie of Guiseley

John Aspinall of Bury or Waddington

Thomas Baxter (Winwick, lancs?)

Thomas Peele

Reginald Heber
Reginal Wigglesworth
Robert Fawber
William Currer


The following were compelled to come to the next court (June 17th 1617)

John Brierley clerk
Thomas Drake curate of Thornton
Lawrence Spencer
Abraham Titley
William Fowles
Elizabeth Nutter
Richard Mitchell
Henry Stawe
Lawrence Jackson
Thomas Willian
….. Nicholson of Newcastle


John Broxup and Henry Becroft were served with renewal compulsions

Visitation at Gisburn June 1615: Roger Brierley, Richard Tennant, Thomas Armetstead, Nicholas Waddington: presented for refusing to show their licenses for preaching.

Any biographical information about any of these people will be very useful

It is with great interest I've been reading all about the Grindletonians being that I live in Grindleton. I have spent some time trying to actually find the original site of the Grindletonians 'church'.

Would anybody know the name of the church? All I can really pin point is the site of Chapel Garth on Lower Chapel Lane. I know there was another church lower down for about 100 years until St. Ambrose was built around 1805.

I was wondering along the theory that the original church was abandoned because of the stigma of the heresy and hence another 'wooden' building was built at the bottom of Lower Chapel Lane and when this building became run down, the present church of St. Ambrose was built.

Thanks.

This is interesting, I have Brierleys, in various spellings in Briercliffe but have never found out from where they originated.

Mick, we learned last night from Roger Frost that a lot of churches were built on the same site, as though they were trying to cancel the other one out. If that makes sense.

Hi Gloria,

It would appear you are very much correct on the church being built on the same site. It would very much appear that after abit of research that Chapel Garth was the original Chapel of the Grindletonians.

I've read that the building was an old chapel at the time and the building was in disrepair. The site of Chapel Garth is described as an medieval Chapel. So I really can't see it being anywhere else.

Also of immense interest to myself is the Vicar of Gisburn, Henry Hoyle. I was wondering if anybody could shed anymore light on him, It would appear that he did the funeral for Thomas Lister the so called victim of Jennet Preston the Pendle Witch and most probably the priest at her Wedding.

The main reason I'm interested is he could quite possibly be an ancestor of mine.

Thanks.