Cospatrick / Gospatrick / Gospatric FitzSwain de Samlesbury

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Samlesbury/StLeonardtheLess.shtml It is believed that this church was founded by Cospatrick de Samlesbury.

Church History

It was founded in 1096. In Saxon times the area was held by Edward the Confessor but by the late 12th century Cospatric de Samlesbury was the manorial lord, holding it in thegnage to the de Laceys.

Cospatric is believed to have built St. Leonard's-the-Less as a chapel-of-ease for his family and dependents. The site was close to the ferry, a short distance from his home and, presumably, at the original centre of the population. It was first mentioned in a document of 1192 and in 1196 the graveyard was irregularly concecrated by two travelling bishops.

Eventually Cospatric's great-grandaughters, Cecily and Elizabeth de Samlesbury inherited half the manor each and the parish was divided. Their husbands, John Dewyas and Robert de Holland respectively, became lords of the manor - two lords and in time, two manor houses. Lower Hall, which lay within the Ribble's Horse-shoe Bend, was included in the Holland's share, whilst Gilbert de Southworth built the Higher Hall in the eastern moiety, when he married Alicia Dewyas c1325. The latter remained with the Southworths for about 350 years, but the Holland's portion was given to the Stanleys in 1485.

By 1558 the chapel was in a ruinous state and Edward Stanley, the 3rd Earl of Derby successfully appealed to all his loving friends for financial assistance with the re-edifying of it.

Another major restoration was carried out in 1899, when Thomas Miller Crook of Stanley Grange bore the cost of a new roof, tower and installation of a clock and eight bells. He also added the porches.

The church contains a Norman tub font, medieval bell and Sir Thomas Southworth's funerary armour (1546), besides a church chest, 2-decker pulpit and a complete set of box pews dating from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The grave of a reputed witch lies near the yew tree. According to tradition, long iron spikes were driven through the horizontal gravestone, when all other means of keeping the uneasy occupant down had failed. It was supposed to have fractured when she realised that her husband was planning to re-marry. However, the spikes may just have been a deterrent to body snatchers. They held until 1971, when the grave was vandalised and the lower part stolen.

SAMLESBURY was held in the latter half of the 12th century by Gospatric son of Swain in thegnage by the yearly service of 12s. It is by no means improbable that he was a younger son of Swain son of Leofwin, lord of part of Hindley about the middle of the 12th century. In addition to his manor of Samlesbury he held half the manor of Alston in Amounderness, and in Salford Hundred half the manors of Harwood (fn. 4) and Sharples, estates which his son Roger held in 1212 after Gospatric's death. (fn. 5) Roger, having married Margaret daughter and heir of Walter son of Osbert (de Clifton) without the consent of the chief lord, Theobald Walter, was summoned in 1194 to answer for this default. (fn. 6) In 1224 his neighbour Edward de Brockholes demanded half the vill of Samlesbury from him, but after Roger's death accepted 10 marks from Roger's successor in 1227 to resign his claim. (fn. 7)

The recorded history of Samlesbury chapel goes back to the middle of the 12th century, when it was a chapel of ease to Low or Walton-le-Dale. Gospatrick, lord of the manor, by chance entertained two Irish bishops for a few days, and induced them to consecrate a burial-place by the chapel, the rector of Blackburn assenting. The Bishop of Lichfield on hearing of it was indignant at this invasion of his right, and condemned the consecration as null; but on having the local difficulties represented to him he gave way and allowed burial there. (fn. 83) The chapel was with the rectory of Blackburn granted to Stanlaw Abbey, (fn. 84) and the monks took care to have the facts put on record. Various references are made to the chapel from time to time, (fn. 85) and it was no doubt served regularly down to the Reformation. (fn. 86) A curate and two chapel-wardens are named in 1552, when the king seized the church ornaments. (fn. 87) The building probably fell into decay about that time, for in 1558 the Earl of Derby wrote offering help in its restoration. (fn. 88