Oldest Part Of Accrington!

kestrelx · 04-01-2005, 16:21

I believe that this is Huncoat as Huncoat is actually mentioned in the Doomsday Book dated 1066 - perhaps they ought ta re-open the stocks up there for local thieves and robbers!?

Acrylic-bob · 04-01-2005, 16:51

It would be hard to say for certain, without clear documentary evidence, but Church appears to have a much older claim. How does the 7th century grab you?

WillowTheWhisp · 04-01-2005, 17:10

Strictly speaking neither Church nor Huncoat can be called the oldest part of Accrington - Hyndburn maybe.

kestrelx · 04-01-2005, 17:17

I heard Huncoat is actually mentioned in this ancient book.The Doomsday book was an inventory initiated by William the Conquerer and is basically a list of all the assets of this country at this time! I think?OK Huncoat isn't Accrington but it's the darndest thing to it! But I havnt read this book and don't know how one goes about it but I think, they told us at school that Huncoat was mentioned in there!? If Church was anything major in the 7th then that would be mentioned in the book as it is a list of everything worth something partly for tax purposes etc.

WillowTheWhisp · 04-01-2005, 17:20

I've got a copy of the Domesday book, it may take some finding as we are having a major sort out of stuff but once I find it I'll have a look.

I remember my Granny telling me that Huncoat was mentioned in it too because her family came from there. They were Liveseys and Cleggs. (Ormerod Clegg)

Sparkologist · 04-01-2005, 17:37

I remember my history teacher at Moorhead, Mr Tony Robinson, telling us that Oswaldtwistle derived it's name from, "The fork of land, between two rivers, belonging to King Oswald". The two rivers were assumed to be White Ash Brook and Tinker Brook. King Oswald was the King of Northumbria. He was born in AD 605, and died AD 642.
This pre-dates the Domesday book by over 400 years.

Acrylic-bob · 04-01-2005, 18:08

I suppose if any part of the borough can claim the coconut (for want of a better word) on this then I suppose it has to be the area above Snipe Rake, which played host to our neolithic forebears.

WillowTheWhisp · 04-01-2005, 18:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparkologist

I remember my history teacher at Moorhead, Mr Tony Robinson, telling us that Oswaldtwistle derived it's name from, "The fork of land, between two rivers, belonging to King Oswald". The two rivers were assumed to be White Ash Brook and Tinker Brook. King Oswald was the King of Northumbria. He was born in AD 605, and died AD 642.
This pre-dates the Domesday book by over 400 years.

You should let Hyndburnlife into this gem of knowledge Sparky.

Busman747 · 08-01-2005, 00:18

You should let Hyndburnlife into this gem of knowledge Sparky.
___________________________

................IF you can log on....

kestrelx · 11-01-2005, 17:51

So that land between the 2 rivers ( rather brooks ) is sacred ground or was,I suppose there was some kind of camp there? Maybe a fishing pier or some'at!

fireman · 03-02-2005, 19:58

I'm sorry kestrel but i must take exception on your comments about huncoat. Having been brought up in accy my career took me to all parts of Manchester. After my retirement 14years ago I bought a house near Huncoat village. I have never had anything stolen from me or from my property in that 14 years. Oh, except the two occasions whilst shopping in accrington that my car was broken into, oh and the other time when it was damaged with a key or something, Oh and when my old mother in law had her bag snatched, whilst shopping in ACCRINGTON. Their are some very nice people living in Huncoat, I think you are confusing a rather large local estate as being Huncoat when in point of fact it is just as close to Accrington.

Acrylic-bob · 04-02-2005, 07:30

Where written history is absent then we have to rely on what evidence remains to date the places where we live.

Altham. Hapton, Accrington all contain elements of Saxon naming conventions. The "AL" element indicates a place of worship, the "HAM element indicates a home or village. Thus AL - T - HAM can be seen as a village with a temple or church. The "TON" element indicates a farm or village. These date places from the seventh century onwards (600 AD +). In the ninth century (800 AD +) Lancashire was invaded by "Norse" men (Vikings and Danes) and many Saxon settlements were taken over by the invaders as they settled in the area. The "Kirk" element in Church Kirk dates from this period.

Many Viking place names contain personal name elements too. Thus Accrington can be seen as a village belonging to a person named, perhaps, "Accaring" which he nicked off the original Saxon inhabitants.

Where does this place Huncoat? In much the same confused place it seems. The "HUN" element is a Viking personal name, while the "COT" element is Saxon and means a small hut. So Hun had a small hut there at some time in the ninth century.

All these places were in existence by 850 AD because they were included in the Parish of Whalley.

Does this help?

mthead · 04-02-2005, 10:12

I was told at school the name Accrington was "Acc" something to do with acorns."ing""ton"both mean town or settlement.Oswaldtwistle was "twistle"meaning patch of land "Oswld"obviously a name probably original owner.

WillowTheWhisp · 04-02-2005, 12:14

I was also told that "Acc" related to acorns or oak trees and that "Acc ring" meant a ring of oak trees or the implication that the "ton" or town was surrounded by oak trees. Acc ring ton = Oak encircled town.

I was also told that Oswaldtwistle was the land belonging to Oswald and that it literally meant "Oswald's boundary"

Retlaw · 06-03-2005, 21:01

Accrington is NOT named after a ring of acorn trees. THAT is STUPID.

Accra was a Saxon Lord his christian name was Inga and the village was a Tun.
Examining documents in the public record office in London shows Accrington with a variety of spellings, but by 1530 it was Accrington in most documents. I have at least 200 pages of material on the town from early times till 1666.
Retlaw.