The Church of St Michael and All Angels, Hawkshead in the County of -- Lancashire --

Burials at St Michael and All Angels
in the Parish of Hawkshead
Memoranda to the Burials recorded in the Register for the years 1568 - 1704

There are several places in this register where the minister or clerk has written an extremely long account of the story behind the death! They are fascinating, but really too long to include in the register transcript. In one case there are three separate memoranda about the same burial!

These Memoranda are reproduced below.

William Braithwaite buried 28 Apr 1654

Md [Memorandum] that William Braithwaite of Skellwith departed from his owne house in Skellwith on Wednesdaye 05 Apr 1654 and was found drowned in the water att Arthure Benson field foote neare or aboute the Dubb = Ings: and was brought to be Buried att Hauxheade on friday the 29th of April present [1654]

Elizabeth Hodgshon buried 21 March 1657/8

Ellsabeth the Daughter of Willm Hodgshon of ffieldhead a younge Childe under three yeares ould whoe went with her brother from Borwicke ground where they lived till Willm Mackreths house: And as Shee was gooinge home againe by her Selfe shee lost her way and wandered to the Hye greene and their was Stervd to Death; And could not be found though sought by many untill foure dayes after that Shee was lost, the day first menconed beinge the day on which Shee was found and Buried

Unnamed person buried 4 Apr 1664

Md [Memorandum] That their was a man drownd in Thurston-water which was found Casten upp att the water-head neare to the yeate in the high-way who hadd layde soe long in the sayd water untill the haire was comd of his head and his face was sore eaten and disvigered with fishes: hee beinge a stranger and not knowne by any was broughte to Haukeshead Church by a horse in a Carr and buried in his Close in the Church-yard att the north syde of the Steeple the day and yeare firste mentioned and expressed:

Thomas Lancaster buried 8 Apr 1672 (Three memoranda)

Thomas Lancaster, who for poysonning his owne family was adjudgt att the assizes att Lancaster to be carried back to his owne house att Hye-Wrey, where he liv'd, was there hanged before his owne doore till he was dead for that very facte, and then was brought with a horse and carr into the Coulthouse meadows and forthwithe hunge up iron chaynes on a gibbett, which was set up for that very purpose on the South syde, of Sawrey Casey, neare unto the Pool Stang, and there continued until such tymes as he rotted every bone from the other.

[November 24th 1671, to Sir Joseph Williamson, Sir Daniel Fleming said:

"Being lately in Lancashire I received there - as a justice of the peace of that county - an information against one Thomas Lancaster, late of Threlkeld in Cumberland, who, it is very probable, hath committed the most horrid act that hath been heard of in this countrey. He marryed the 30th of January last a wife in Lancashire, who was agreed to be marryed that very day, or soon after, to another; and her father afterwards conveyed all his reall estate to this Lancaster upon his giving security to pay severall sums of money to himselfe, and his other daughters. And though covetousness to pay these and other payments it is very probable that Lancaster hath lately poysoned - with white arsenic - his wife, her father, her three sisters, her aunt, her cosin-german,and a servant boy, besides poyson given to severall of his neighbours who are and have been sick, that people - as it is presumed - might think the rest dead of a violent fevor. I have committed him prisoner unto Lancaster Castle and shall take what more evidence I can meet with against the next assizes, that he may there have a fair triall, and - if he be found guilty - such a punishment as the law shall indict upon such like offenders."

On April 3rd, of the following year, Sir Daniel, writing to Sir George Fletcher, at Hutton, returned to the subject. At the Lent Assizes at Lancaster, he said, - "Thomas Lancaster has been found guilty of poisoning eight persons, and is to be hanged in chains." Three weeks later in a letter to Sir William Wilde, Justice of the Common Pleas, the same gossip recorded that - "Thomas Lancaster has confessed that he poisoned the old woman with arsenic, for a bribe of £24 from the heir to her estate, worth £16 per annum." It is, however, to the church registers of Hawkshead that we must turn for an account of the final proceedings, the entry being under date April 8th, 1672:-

He was found guilty at Lancaster and committed to his own house at Hye-Wrey and was hung from his own door, an early example of gibbeting. He was then taken by horse and cart to Coulthouse meadows and then hung up in iron chains on a gibbet at Sawrey Casey. It was reputed that the `ghostly image` of Lancaster was seen hanging for many years.]

Bernard Swaineson buried 16th Dec 1689

Bernard Swaineson who was Edward Braithwaite Apprentice went with William Stamper a greate while within nighte into William Braithwaite shopp in Haukeshead for to beare him Company a little, and att there meeteinge these three younge youths were all very sober and in good health: and Aboute twelve o'th Clocke o'th nighte; they made a Bett: that if this Bernard Swaineson coulde drinke of nyne noggins of brandy: then William Braithwaite and William Stamper was to pay for them; but if Bernard fayld and Coulde not drinke of nyne noggins of brandy then hee was to pay of his owne Charges for that hee drunke: now this Bernard drunke of those nyne noggins of brandy quickly: and shortly after that fell downe upon the floore: and was straight way carried to his bed where hee layde two and Twenty houres: dureinge which tyme hee coulde never speake: noe nor never did knowe anybody though many Came to see him and soe hee dyed

John Mackereth buried 11 Mar 1692

11 Mar 1692 John Mackereth of Skellwith was drownd in Skellwith dubs and a boate was fetcht from Bownas and putt on the sayd dubs for men to seeke him; and when he was found he was drawne out of the water into Gawine Braithwait lyifee(?)-Knott

James Braithwait buried 16 Sep 1697

16 Sep 1697 James Braithwait late of Crofthead did goe to the water foote for a boate load of lyme stones for William Braithwait of Briers; and as hee was comenge backe Againe was drownd in Windermeere water: and three men that was with him by Gods greate mercy gott all out of the water and savd there lives; the boate which they were in beinge loaden with lyme stones was lost & did sinke into the bottom of the sayd water: and hee was buried the day of the moneth first mentioned