RANDAL PULL, alias RANDOLPH POLE, clerk, Rector of Neston and Hawarden, succeeded his brother John, before the 4th February, 27 Henry VIII [1536]. On the 14th August, 22 Henry VIII [1530], he granted a house and lands in Capenhurst and Neston to Richard Hurleton. He is frequently mentioned in the Welsh records, chiefly in conjunction with his brother William, afterwards SIR WILLIAM POLE, alias POOLE, kt., Gentleman Usher of the Chamber to the Countess of Richmond and Derby, mother of Henry VII. In 1509 William was "bailiff of the town and lord"ship of Hollesworthy, Devon," then in the King's hands by her death. He was the King's Serjeantat-arms, with 12d. per diem, and appointed to give daily attendance upon the Queen. He married. Margaret, daughter of Thomas Hough of Leighton, co. Chester, and widow of Sir Wm. Troutbeck. from whom she had a very large dower for her life, viz. parts of 32 manors, comprising 200 messuages, 140 tofts, 8 mills, 9,000 acres of land, meadow, wood, pasture, heath and turf, the custody of the gates of the bridge of Dee, and of 12 stalls for fishing in the Dee. From the Calendar of Letters and Papers (Domestic), Henry VIII, we learn that, "Wm. Pole of Pole, Cheshire, alias of

London," married this wealthy heiress without the leave of the King, but pardon for having done so, and release of all fines therefor due to the King, was granted to them on the 22nd July, 1513.

On the 26th April, 1513, a grant was made to "Wm. Pole and Randolph Minshull, to have jointly "a Corrody in the monastery of Vale Royal, held "singly by the said Wm Pole heretofore." There is again a grant of the same corrody,' "upon "Valuation by Sir Will. Pole," in 1532.

m.

Ranulph Pole, above-named, wrote from Chester on the 5th March, 1535, to the Abbot of Vale

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Royal: I am informed that the King has granted "the reversion of the corrody held by my brother, Sir William, to one of his servants. This "reversion has been granted through the influence "of Mr. Chamberlain, another of his friends. Therefore, to avoid his displeasure, I beg you will "defer making any grant of it till a fortnight after Easter, when I will send you a copy of my "brother's patent, without which you cannot make "a new one.”

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Sir William Pole, who was first styled a knight in 1515, was made sheriff of Chester in 1527. He died at Poole, 26th September, 1535, leaving a son Thomas, who in 1538 was "kinsman and heir” of his uncle Randolph, the owner of Poole Hall, and Rector of Neston and Hawarden.

Some oak panels, probably of the latter part of the fifteenth century, beautifully carved, with the Poole, Capenhurst, and Buerton arms, may still be seen on the front of the organ screen in the south aisle of Eastham Church. Sir William had a special grant, in the 4 Henry VIII. [1512-13], allowing him to use the Buerton as well as the Poole crest, and both appear on his banner, of which there is a sketch in the College of Arms.

THOMAS POLE of Pole (son and heir of Sir William Pole, knight, and heir to his uncle, Randle Pole), held the office of steward to the late Priory of Birkenhead in tail male, and an annual rent of 40s. out of the lands, held of the Queen in socage, by fealty. He married Mary, daughter of Sir John Talbot, of Grafton, knight, in June, 1529.

Thomas, finding Poole Hall falling into decay, commenced to rebuild it. The hall is thus described in White's History of Cheshire, 1860:

Poole Hall, a fine old mansion, is chiefly built of stone, with projecting gables. It has a truly venerable appearance, and is an interesting specimen of the domestic architecture of the gentry

in olden times. Each end of the [south-east front terminates in an octagon turret, of a height corresponding with the centre gable of the north [-east] front. The house is approached by an embattled porch, leading to a spacious hall, measuring 45 feet by 30 feet, which is now divided into several apartments for the convenience of the resident. Over the chimney-piece of the hall is the date 1574. Solid blocks of oak compose the stairs, and one of the upper rooms is wainscotted. A few years ago a pit near the Hall was cleared out, when a quantity of swords, pistols, and other warlike implements were discovered. The swords were very much corroded, but sufficient remained of some to shew they had been adorned with the most costly workmanship. 4

One of the octagonal turrets (on the top storey) formed the apse of the chapel; all but one window has been filled in; the altar rails have been left. The turret at the other end was the priest's room. A stone, inscribed IP 157[4] KP, formerly over the fire-place in the hall, now lies in the garden beneath one of the windows. It possibly marks the time when the north-west side of the house was completed by John, Thomas' son, who probably put up the lead pipe-head on which is, in basso-relievo, the head of Queen Elizabeth. In the yard there is a trough, cut out of one solid piece of stone; its weight would be about 10 tons. It is 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4 feet high. Whey, when the cheeses are made, runs into it.

In one of the rooms built by John Poole there are fleurs-de-lys, carved in relief, in each corner of the panels of the ceiling. Tradition says a lady was shot on the terrace, and that she haunts the oak-panelled room on the first storey, beneath the priest's chamber; but she has not disturbed the present tenants.

4 Of these arms, three are now in the Mayer Museum, Bebington. No. 60 is part of a sword, measuring with handle, 22 inches. No. 61, a sword, the handle of which has been originally bound with silver wire; size, handle 6 in., handle to end of blade 2 feet 6 inches. No. 62, flint-lock pistol, length 20 inches.