History Rivington

1 history

1.1 toponymy
1.2 history
1.3 manor
1.4 industry
1.5 reservoirs

history
toponymy

the name rivington made of 3 elements. first riv old english hrēof meaning rough or rugged, second ing place name forming suffix seems have crept in on years. last old english tūn meaning farmstead, estate or settlement. indicate farmstead or settlement @ rough or rugged place. suggestion place @ rowan trees.

rivington recorded in many ways in earlier centuries, rowinton, rawinton, , revington used in 1202; ruhwinton in 1212, riuiton in 1226, rowynton , rouynton in 1278, roynton in 1332, rouyngton in 1400, revyngton although rare, , rovington , ryvington 16th century.

early history

it possible settlements have existed in area around rivington since bronze age. arrowheads, flint knife, scrapers , remains of cremations excavated bronze age cairn @ noon hill in 1958 , 1963–64. possible name coblowe on eastern bank of lower rivington reservoir derives old english hlaw, hill, denoted ancient barrow or burial place. evidence existence of settlement here in anglo-saxon times found in rivington , coblowe names.

manor

rivington hall

in 1212 alexander de pilkington held 6 oxgangs of land, of land in manor of rivington in thanage , in 1290 village became home junior branch of pilkington family. robert pilkington extended original rivington hall in 15th century. rivington hall barn variously dated saxon times 16th century. robert s son, richard, rebuilt chapel , son james, bishop of durham 1560–75, founded rivington grammar school.

after death of george pilkington (1516–97), estate passed son, robert, in decline. robert died in 1605. in 1611, pilkingtons sold rivington hall estate robert lever , thomas breres.

a quarter of manor owned lathoms , eighth shaws. in 18th century shaws sold share lord willoughby of parham. on death of hugh willoughby 15th baron in 1765 shaws , roscoes inherited estates.

in 1729 john andrews of little lever bought breres share of manor , responsible building pike tower in 1733. descendant, robert andrews, partially rebuilt rivington hall in red brick in georgian style in 1774. after andrew s death property passed sister hannah maria andrews, had married robert fletcher of liverpool. daughter, lucy, married woodhouse crompton in 1834 , descendants remained resident @ hall until 1910. in 1900 cromptons sold interest in manor , estate of 2,169 acres (8.78 km) william hesketh lever. rivington hall estate acquired compulsory purchase liverpool corporation in 1902 part of reservoir scheme. william lever created 364-acre (1.47 km) lever park north of reservoir. donated park town of bolton , after death park owned liverpool corporation. land owned united utilities.

industry

a water mill , mill hill mentioned in grant in 1544. water power in general use in rivington , many houses including hall had water-mills. 1 @ hall once used churn butter. foundations of have been mill opposite mill hill cottages on rivington lane, mill ponds, , smithy shown on 1848 first edition ordnance survey map. names such mill hill , mill dam wood provide evidence of former mill.

until 19th century rivington rural village built around village green. inhabitants employed in agriculture on scattered local farms, hand loom weaving in own homes, working in local quarries or small coal mines on winter hill coal mining on small scale. nicholas fish, brooker , company had coal pit on wilders moor mentioned on 1869 , 1880 mines lists. in 1896 rivington moor colliery employed 2 workers mining coal mountain coal seam own or local use.

at tiger s clough, in river douglas valley, close boundary horwich, knoll bleachworks , calico-printing works operating before 1800. demolished liverpool corporation part of reservoir scheme in 1860s.

reservoirs

upper rivington reservoir winter hill , rivington pike

rivington dramatically changed construction of anglezarke, upper rivington, lower rivington , yarrow reservoirs built provide liverpool safe, clean water supply. 9 properties in valley demolished before construction work began. rivington pike scheme, still in use today, undertaken thomas hawksley between 1850 , 1857. scheme construct 5 reservoirs , water treatment works @ south end of lower rivington 17-mile (27 km) pipeline storage reservoirs @ prescot. water 2 higher level reservoirs, rake brook , lower roddlesworth, carried south in goit, man-made channel connecting them lower reservoirs. scheme expanded in 1856, include high bullough reservoir, built in 1850 j. f. bateman supply water chorley. scheme further expanded construction of upper roddlesworth reservoir in 1867–75 thomas duncan , joseph jackson. rivington watershed comprises 10,000 acres. yarrow reservoir, on work began in 1867, designed thomas duncan, liverpool borough engineer.

in 1900 liverpool corporation attempted acquire entire area safeguard water supply, , proposed demolishing entire village. act of parliament known liverpool corporation act 1902 protected buildings others left vulnerable. act allowed corporation acquire compulsory purchase properties in west of village, including black-a-moors head public house (known locally black lad ) , new hall, demolished between 1902 , 1905. result small settlement has remained largely unchanged since then.