Perambulation

In the late 1790s the officers of the Court of Coppull Manor did a perambulation of the manor boundaries. This was a walk around the edge of the village, similar to the "beating the bounds" of some local customs.

The account of the perambulation gives useful evidence of who lived where in the village at the time and some details of the local landowners and their tenants together with some topographical information relating to roads, rivers, brooks, etc.

The perambulation of 1797 begins around Birkacre, crossing what is now Wigan Lane to the east of the village, going south along the boundary with Worthington, and ending at Preston Road. The 1798 perambulation starts where this leaves off and journeys around the Chisnall estate, up along Preston Road and north of the village, ending at Birkacre.

1797 Perambulation

We the jury aforesaid having to this day walked over and viewed part of the boundaries of the said manor namely from the engine wear across the River Yarrow belonging to Mr. Chadwick of Burgh to Dark Lane Bridge across the turnpike road in Coppull aforesaid near Fosters font there.

Do present and say that beginning on the said weir the said boundary goeth from the said weir through the lands of Samuel Crook esquire along the river Yarrow to a small brook which divides the same lands from the land belonging to the Lords of the said Manor belonging to Coppull hall and running along the same river from the same land through the land of Sir Frank Standish Baronet to other land of the said Lords of the said Manor and leaving the said river on the south side of Ellerbeck bridge and running from thence through the lands of the lords of the said manor along the west side of the said Ellerbeck Brook with the lands of Sir Frank Standish baronet and of Edward Townley Standish esquire on the east side of the same brook on to the old turnpike road now belonging to Mr. John Vause of Wigan and running from thence along the west side of the same brook across the new turnpike road through other lands of the said John vause to the place where the same brook divides Duxbury and Adlington with the lands of the said Edward Townley Standish on the east side of the same brook and running from the said place through other lands of the said John Vause along the fence which divides the same land from the land of Sir Richard Clayton baronet called the Hollins and running from the said last mentioned land of the said John Vause through other land belonging to the lords of the said manor along the west side of Moss Sluice to other land of the said Sir Richard Clayton along the same sluice with the land called Crooke's of the Rev. Ronald Baldwin on the east side thereof and from the last mentioned land of the said Sir Richard Clayton and to other land of the lords of the said manor along the west side of the said sluice to the Worthington Brook with the lands of Mrs. Scott on the east side of the said sluice and running along the north side of the said brook to the turnpike road between Wigan and Chorley and crossing the same road at Coppull Mill Bridge from thence runs along the north side of the same brook through the lands of the said Edward Townley Standish in possession of Thomas Hoole to other lands of the said Samuel Crooke and along the same side of the said brook through the same lands to the lands of John Taylor and from thence along the same side of the same brook to the lands of William Dicconson esquire in possession of William Spencer and along the same side of the same brook through the same lands to Hic Bibi Well and from thence along the same side of the same brook through the lands of colonel haydock Boardman and James Chisnall and the Rev. Richard Fisher to Dark Lane Bridge aforesaid.

1798 Perambulation

We the jury aforesaid having this day walked over part of the boundaries of the said manor namely from Dark Lane Bridge aforesaid to the plat or bridge over Clinket Brook aforesaid.

Do present and say that beginning at Dark Lane Bridge aforesaid the said boundary goeth to the north side of Worthington Brook aforesaid through the lands of Messrs Clarke and German in possession of John Heaps leasing the lands of Edward Townley Standish Esq on the South side of the same brook in possession of William Moss and runneth on the north side of the same brook through the lands belonging to Chisnall Hall leaving the lands of the said Edward Townley Standish in possessin of the said William Moss on the South side of the same brook and the lands of James Dawber and the Townfield in possession of James Scotson and also the lands of Sir Thomas Hesketh Bart in possession of Richard Matthew on the same side of the said brook and then leaves the same brook and goeth in a along the east side of a hedge and runneth in an oblique direction across a field belonging to James Hammerton Esq to a lough which opens itself into Mill Moor Lane and is there ascertained by the same lough which runs under the last mentioned field and from the mouth of the same lough crosseth the same land and a pit and field lying before Chisnall Hall aforesaid and goeth through the east parlour and the kitchen of the same Hall and is marked by a chisel mark in the front and back side of the same hall and then crosseth the Back fold moat and garden belonging to the same hall and the goeth through other lands belonging to the same hall leaving other lands situate in Wrightington in the said county on the west side belonging to Chisnall Hall aforesaid and of Richard Tyrer to a brook called Chisnall Brook and runneth on the south side of the same brook through other lands belonging to Chisnall Hall aforesaid and Chisnall Hall wood leaving on the south side of the same broo the lands of the said Sir Thomas Hesketh in possession of Joseph Blackledge and Land belonging to and in the possession of James Tunstall and then runs along the west side of the same brook through the said wood and other lands belonging to Chisnall Hall aforesaid leaving the lands of William Dicconsons Esq on the east side of the same brook in possession of Richard Sidall and of Edward Blackledge and then leaves the same brook in runs on the south side of a gutter or runnel which divides the Great Chisnall Wood and other lands belonging to Chisnall Hall aforesaid and the Lands of William Dicconson Esq in possession of the said Edward Blackledge and goeth thro a close belonging to Mrs Harvey of Wigan in possession of Widow Glover on the south side of the fence which divides the same close from other lands belonging to the said William Dicconson in possession of the said Edward Blackledge and then continues on the south side of the fence which divides the lands of James Hammerton Esq in possession of Richard Hart and the lands of the Said William Dicconson Esq in possession of the said Edward Blackledge and of Robert Parkinson, John Moss, Thomas Swift and then along the south side of a fence which divides a close of the said William Dicconson called three nooked meadow in possession of Thomas Swift and other lands of the said William Dicconson in possession also of the said Thomas Swift situate in Welch Whittle and then crosses the land leading to Highfield in Welch Whittle and runs along the south side of a fence which divides a close belonging to the said William Dicconson called the Barn Meadow--------------in possession of the said Thomas Swift and lands in Welch Whittle belonging to the said William Dicconson in possession of the said Thomas Swift and runs along the eastside of Welch Whittle Brook thru the lands of the late Thomas Townley Parker Esq and of William Calderbank leaving lands of the said William Dicconson on the west side of the said brook in possession of the said Thomas Swift and the lands of George Roocroft and continues along the east side of the same brook thru the lands of James Mawdesley in possession of John Seddon and the lands belonging to the Lords of the same Manor in possession of William Calderbank leaving the lands of the said George Roocroft on the west side of the same brook and then along the east side of the same brook athru the lands of Colonel Haydock Boardman in possession of Robert Parkinson with the lands of the said George Roocroft on the west side of the same brook and then continues on the east side of the same brook thru the lands belonging to the Lords of the same manor in possession of William Calderbank the younger with the said George Roocroft’s lands on the west side of the same brook and then crosses the Turnpike Road from Wigan to Preston on Welch Whittle Bridge and runs along the South East side of the same brook thru the lands of William Dicconson Esq in possession of Tho Chaddock leaving the lands of the said William Dicconon in possession of James Lucas on the west and still continuies along the south east side of the same brook thru the lands of Samuel Crooke Esq in possession of James Jolly with the lands of the said William Dicconson in possession of the said John Lucas on the north west  and further continues on the south east side of the same brook through the lands late of the said Thomas Townley Parker in possession of Thomas Harrison with the lands of the said William Dicconson in possession of the said John Lucas on the north west  and then runneth on the south east side of the same brook through the lands of Thomas Cowling and in his possession leaving the lands late of the said Thomas Townley Parker situate in Charnock Richard and in possession of Thomas Harrison on the north west side of the same brook and then runneth on the south east side of Clenkett Brook through the lands of Mr John Hawkshead in possession of John Ryding leaving on the north west side of the same brook the lands of the said Thomas Cowling and Thomas Townley Parker and of the heirs of (blank) Wilson in the several possessions of the said Thomas Cowling and of Thomas Harrison and Richard Worhtington and continues along the southeast side of the same brook through the lands of Daniel Chisnall in possession of Robert Hargreaves with the lands of the said Thomas Townley Parker and of Samuel Crooke Esq in the possession of Richard Latham and John Haydock on the north west side of the same brook and then runs along the south east side of the same brook through the lands of John Threlfall Esq in possession of Robert Charnley leaving the lands of the said John Threlfall situate in Charnock Richard aforesaid and in possession of the said Robert Charnley on the north west side of the same brook.