it is now vested. The estates thus disposed of were in extent upwards of four hundred acres statute measure.

Reddish Hall was situated on the east side of the township, and was taken down about the year 1780. It was an ancient timbered house of singularly interesting character, and was a very perfect example of the style of domestic architecture prevailing in this part of the kingdom during the fourteenth and two succeeding centuries. The building, originally surrounded by a moat, is said to have been quadrangular in form, enclosing a court-yard, the entrance to which was by a covered archway from the front. With the exception of the basement, which was of solid masonry, the building was constructed entirely of timber and plaster, the details being rather elaborately ornamented. The spaces formed by the intersection of the massive oaken timbers were arranged in diaperlike patterns, and the small intervening compartments filled in with quatrefoils. The principal front, that given in the accompanying illustration, approached in plan somewhat the form of the letter E, having a projecting bay at each end and in the centre, the latter forming the porch, and constituting the main entrance to the hall. These several bays were gabled, and protected by ornamental barge-boards, each surmounted at the apex by a hipknob. The building was of two stories, and retained the usual peculiarity of the style, having the upper story projecting somewhat beyond the lower. In the interior, the great hall as also several of the other apartments were wainscoted, the upper panels being charged with armorial bearings of the Reddish family. In one apartment the carving was left incomplete, and there was a tradition that the artist was condemned to die, but respited by the king until his work was finished, and that to avoid the penalty he never completed his contract, an improbable supposition, which doubtless had no better foundation than the existence of certain shields left blank, whercon to record the future alliances of the family. Attached to the hall, and approached by a door to the left under the entrance gateway, was the domestic chapel appropriated to the use of the family and their retainers. The apartment over the gateway was known as the priest's chamber.

(From Harl. MS. 1987, fol. 50; from a copy of the Visitation of 1567 in the Chetham Library; from

The township of Reddish derives additional celebrity as having been at a very early period the seat of the Hulme family, ancestors of William Hulme the munificent founder of the Exhibitions at Brazenose College, Oxford, which bear his name.

By an undated deed, Robert, son of William de Hulme conveys to Richard del Hull "capellanus" certain messuages in Rediche. This conveyance appears to have been made in order to a settlement of estates incident to the marriage of his son, since in an accompanying deed, also without date, there is a re-conveyance on the part of Richard de Hull of the same estates to Robert, son of William de Hulme and Margaret his wife. In another deed, undated, William de Hulme, described as of Reddish, conveys to John, his brother, certain lands and tenements in Reddish, Denton and Heaton Norris. As to the time when these conveyances were made we can but conjecture; the absence of dates seems to point to a period not later than the year 1290.

Laurence, third son of Robert Hulme, described as of "Hulme juxta Stockport," was living in the 9 Henry V. (1421). He was succeeded by his son Geoffrey, who married Cecily, daughter of William Hulton of Farnworth Esq. In the 8 Elizabeth (1565) Robert Hulme, great-grandson of the above-named Geoffrey, entered a suit at Lancaster against Thomas Hulme, touching an alleged unlawful detention of title-deeds of messuages and lands pledged for security of money lent; the premises in dispute being situated in Reddish, Heaton Norris and Denton. Eight years later he was defendant before the same court in an action with George Hulme, probably a relative, whose name does not however appear in the family pedigree. The property then litigated was a messuage and lands called Tynklers and other lands in Maghull, Reddish, Hulme and Heaton. He died in the 27 Elizabeth (1584) leaving issue by his wife Anne, daughter of Robert Holt of Ashworth Esq., a son Ralph, of whom it is stated that he purchased certain lands with a capital messuage in Hulme in the county of Lancaster.

Ralph Hulme married Thomasine, daughter and heiress of John

Marler of Manchester, and on the 1st of May 1602 Letters of Administration of her father's estate were granted to her husband and herself. Dissensions afterwards sprung up between them, and in 1614, as appears from certain proceedings in the Consistory Court at Chester, they were living apart. She survived her husband about four years, dying in 1627. Her will is dated

December 25, 1627. She mentions therein her

eldest son William,

her daughter Janc, and her younger son John. To the latter she bequeaths all her property. She complains of the unnatural behaviour of her elder son and her daughter, and of the unkind treatment she had received from her husband. Ralph Hulme died in 1623.

William Hulme, the eldest son of this unhappy marriage, succeeded to the estates on the death of his father. His wife was Christian, daughter of Richard Banaster of Oakenbottom in the county of Lancaster. He makes his will December 20, 1637.— In the name of God amen. The twenteth daye of December in the yeare of the raigne of our Sov'aigne Lord Charles by the grace of God of England, Scotland, ffraunce and Ireland, Kinge, Defendor of the faith. I William Hulme of Hulme in Redich in the p'ish of Manchester and countie of Lancaster, gentleman, being of whole mynde and p'fect memorie, laude and praise be geven to God therefore, doe make, publish and declare my present testament conteincing herein my last will in manner and forme following:That is to saye, ffirst and principally I commit and commend my soule into the hands of Allmightie God my Maker and Preserver, hopinge in the merits of Jesus Christ His Sonne to be one of the number of His eilect; and my bodie to be buried in my owne Chappell adioyneing to Jesus Chappell win the p'ish Churche of Manchester, or where yt shall please God to dispose yt. And as concerneing my worldly estate touchinge my landes, tenementes, goodes, debtes, cattelles and chatelles, yt is my mynd and will they shall be disposed of as hereafter followeth and first yt is my mynd and will that all the lands belongeing to Hulme and in Manchester or cls wheare shall stand and be setled with the

p'feets theireof according to the forme, effecte and true meaning of one Deed indented and made betweene me and certeine ffcoffees in trust relacōn theireunto had yt shall and maye more fullie appeare. And allsoc it ys my mynd and will that my funerall expences, debts and legacies shall be taken and payed out of all my whole goods, debts, cattells and chattells whatsoever. And first I give and bequeath unto Maister Hulton now minister att Ringley Chappell twentie shillings of lawefull money of England. Allsoe I give and bequeath unto the Chappell of Ringley the sume of ffyve pounds of good and lawefull money of England to be imployed for the better yearely maineteineing of a minister theire. Item I give and bequeath unto Anne Barlowe my nursse tenn shillings. Item I give and bequeath unto Abraham ffletcher, sonne of Thomas ffletcher of Stonicliffe, twentie shillings to be used onely for the benefyte of the said Abraham till he doe accomplish the age of twentie and one yeares. Item I doe give and bequeath unto Raphe fletcher who now dwells wth me the sume of sixe pounds of lawefull money of England, to bynde him prentice to some gainefull occupacōn. Item I doc give unto the same Raphe my stuffe coate, my greene dublet and breeches. Item I give unto my brother John Hulme my blacke cloake and my watch. Item yt is my mynd and will and my desire is that my ffeoffees would p'mit and suffer Ellen Hulme to have some convenient place to dwell in rente free till her two sounes be able to keepe themselves. Item it is further my mynde and will that after my debts paied, theise legacies beforenamed and my funeralls expences truly deducted, that all the rest and remainder of all my said goods, debts, cattells and chattells, I refer them in trust to John Hulme my brother to be used by him or by his appointment to and for the use and behoofe of William Hulme my sonne, accompting theireof to the said William Hulme when he the said William shall accomplish the age of twentie and one yeares, or in case of his death, then to the issue of the said William Hulme my sonne. And that this my last Will and Testament maye well and truly be p'formed accordinge to true intent and meaneing of me