Ribchester & Dutton (Lancashire)

Overview Summary for :

The Crombleholmes of Ribchester and Dutton :

Some of the earliest records located relating to the Crombleholme Family occur in the Ribchester area where several had clerical livings as chaplains and priests in Ribchester which was adminstered by Whalley Abbey. The Crombleholme of Dutton family were probably living in the area just north of Ribchester and the clerics were probably members of this family.

The family had gained wealth and by the mid C16th were able to acquire and speculate in monastic lands purchased from the Crown (Henry VIII) as a result of the dissolution of the monastries. A substantial house, Huntingdon Hall was built in the early C17th. However, this Dutton based family fell on harder times and they had left the area by the 1670's with the surviving members moving to Holborn in London. However other branches of the family had previously established themselves in nearby Goosnargh and Long Preston.  

There is a timeline and tree chart at the bottom of this page that hopefully clarify the generations and relationships.

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The early Clerics of Ribchester from C14th

These are some of the earliest records located to date and feature Crombleholme clerics in the Ribchester area and at the Whalley & Cockersand Abbeys. It is very likely that they came from the Crombleholme family living in the local area in Stydd near Ribchester, Dutton and perhaps Loudmytham to the north of Dutton. The last of these clerics was the Rector of Ribchester, Robert Crombleholme [Cro0011] who resigned due to his age in 1527.

The 1530 Law Suit against the Abbot of Whalley

This research relates to the first recorded Richard Crombleholme [Cro0013] - "gentleman of Stydd" who was made an administrator of Robert Crombleholme [Cro0011] and in 1530, took the Abbey of Whalley to court over the failure to pay Robert Crombleholme's pension.

Richard Crombleholme [Cro0013] - (c1490-1576) Purchase of monastic lands from Henry VIII

This also features the above Richard Crombleholme [Cro0013] "gentleman of Stydd" who purchased monastic lands in 1543 - 1545 after the dissolution of the monastries by Henry VIII. At appears that, unlike many purchasing these lands, he was doing so on a speculative basis as he sold some of them off again within a few days. It is presumed that this was the source of much of the wealth of the family although he must have had adequate sums available to embark on this spending spree. 

William Crombleholme [Cro0060] (c1540-1618) - imprisioned in the Tower of London in 1584.

This relates the life of  William Crombleholme [Cro0060] who was the grandson of Richard Crombleholme [Cro0013] "gentleman of Stydd". He was, with some members of his mother's family the Hothersalls, arrested as a Roman Catholic and was imprisioned in the Tower of London. These were very dangerous times to be Roman Catholic and especially if you had connections to priests. Many priests were executed and many lived on their wits alone. William managed to endure being kept in the "pit" for some time in the Tower of London. He returned to Lancashire and appears to have lived in Euxton for the rest of his life.

The Dutton Family

This is general account of the Dutton based family starting before Richard Crombleholme (c1490-1576) [Cro0013] and running through to when the family left Dutton. There are links to the other sections on this page that give greater detail on particular members of the family.

Huntingdon Hall, Dutton

This research relates to the Huntingdon Hall itself and the Crombleholmes of Dutton family who lived from about 1618 to 1670. It was built or substantially enlarged by Richard Crombleholme [Cro0064] (1580-c1640) in 1618. The family had probably owned the land for some time and there was probably a small house on the site originally. This section also details the rather protracted transactions when the family were finally forced to sale the property in the 1660's. The house, which is List Grade II, is thankfully, in very good condition today.

Matthew Crombleholme, Apothecary of Leeds

This features Matthew Crombleholme [Cro0071] (1620-1659)  who was a son of Richard Crombleholme [Cro0064] and who moved across to Leeds to become an apothecary. His daughter Sarah Crombleholme [Cro0073] (1658-1735) married Thomas Cresap and their son (Col) Thomas Cresap (1694-1787) moved to North America as a young man and had a long and eventful career there.

Crombleholmes of Holborn, London 

After Huntingdon Hall (the family home of the Crombleholmes of Dutton family) had been sold and Richard Crombleholme [Cro0068] had died in 1664, his widow Katherine Crombleholme (nee Tomilson) [Cro0069] moved to Holborn in London to live close her younger son and daughter who had moved there some time before. She died relatively poor and supported by her son. Further descendants of this branch have not been located as yet.

Below : Timeline showing the outline of the Dutton family's descent (open in new tab / screen)