Esq.; Midhope, to Godfrey Wentworth Bayard Bosville, of Thorpe Hall, near Beverley, Esq.; Aldwark, to G. Savile Foljambe, of Osberton, Esq.

The following is an account of the marriages, baptisms, and burials at Ecclesfield, as far as can be collected from the register, for periods of ten years, from the commencement in 1558 down to 1860. But since 1834,

when Wadsley was made into a separate district, the entries in the register at the parish church give no criterion of the population, some persons claiming the offices of the church in their own district, whilst others continue to resort to the mother church, besides some few who prefer the services of ministers not connected with the Church of England.

In 1558 were 16 marriages and 60 burials.

The above are from the Ecclesfield register only, and do not include Bradfield, &c.

The parish, though of such extensive area, has been the scene of no recorded battle, nor, indeed, has it any special historical association. Mr. Wilson has, however, preserved

a tradition current in his time-"Y two Armys met on Broomhead Moor, one from ye South the other f y North; one of y Generals had his fortune told by a Soothsayer, y he sha never be conquered 'till he met with a white Boar, who thought that was next to an impossibility and looked on it that he sha not be slain in battle. It happened contrary to his expectation y' y° gen' who came agt him had y° effigie of a White Boar in his Standard, and a Battle being fought, he was burd und' y large Heap of Stones on Broomhead Moor near yo Barr Dike called the Apron full of Stones." Watson, the historian of Halifax, gives the following fuller, though evidently only conjectural account-" Another curiosity worth taking notice of in the neighbourhood of Bradfield is an exceeding large ditch, called the Bordike, which forms the present boundary between Broomhead Moor and Smallfield Common, but could not, from its size, be intended for any such thing, though when it was thought necessary to make a division between these two commons no fitter line could be drawn for that purpose. There is a tradition that some great man was slain here by one who had the figure of a boar for his standard, and that the dike took its name from thence. How far this may be founded on historic truth is impossible to say; it is, however, too uncertain to be relied on. The appellation might only be given it as it was intended to be a bar or stoppage to any military force which might attempt to pass through that part of the country, and extremely well calculated it was to shut up the country between the valleys of the Agden and Yewden which lie at the two ends of it, and being full of wood might be impassable for an army. At one of its extremes are a very great number of small roundish hills called Kenhere [or Kenyer] Hills, which word may possibly come from cyne, royal, and

1 Part of Wilson MSS. in the possession of the Rev. J. T. Jeffcock, M.A., F.S.A. &c. fol. 43.

hepe, an army; as if one of the Saxon kings had occupied this fastness. If these hills are artificial, . . . the dike was attacked at this end, and a dreadful carnage must have ensued if one may judge from the number of these supposed graves. This might have happened between the Saxons and the Danish garrison at Bailey Hill, but was one of those transactions concerning which history seems to be silent. But this is not the only curiosity on this common worthy the attention of an antiquary. There is on one part of it a large carnedde, called by the country people the Apronfull of Stones, a piece of rock called the Hurkeling Stone, which forms the boundary between Broomhead Moor and Agden and which appears to have artificial basons upon it; also a small remain of stones laid circularly at what goes by the name of the Side, where are the remains of a breastwork and a great number of tumuli, some of which being opened afforded calcined bones and a lightish kind of earth, perhaps, if accurately examined, mixed with ashes. Here, doubtless, was a battle different as I judge from that at Kenhere Hills and prior to it; even so long ago as the invasion of this country by the Romans. This conjecture is strengthened by a brass celt being dug up near the tumuli, which was a weapon of war amongst the Britons, and by part of the moor going by the name of the Roman Slack. . . . In the above engagement the British chief seems to have been killed and buried for distinction's sake at a distance from the rest, under the carnedde above mentioned." 1

But with these doubtful exceptions the annals of the parish are mostly concerned with domestic incidents. The churchwardens were occasionally called upon " to set forthe" one or perhaps two soldiers,2 and volunteers enlisted

1 Archæologia, vol. v. p. 91, seq.

2 1585. Itm to the constable towards settinge forthe of a soldyer, xiij' xa.

then as now for the assistance of their sovereign in his wars against his enemies-in those days usually the Scotsbut little that is authentic has been preserved. Tradition speaks of a Hallamshire corps, which acted as body-guard to the great Talbot in the French wars, and perished with him at the disastrous battle of Chatillon in 1453.1 And among the Talbot papers, a century later in date, now in the College of Arms, are several documents relating to the trained soldiers of this district. Amongst others, (referred to but not printed in Lodge's edition of the said papers,) is

A Vewe of the trayned soldiers for Hallamshire taken before the right honorable George Earle of Shrewsburie at Sheffeld Castle the last daye of Januarye 1589.

A person from the same neighbourhood, temp. Ric. II. signs his name John Smalbyhynd."

Somme of men vewed and in readynes, 41. 1

It will be seen from the above list that the parish of Ecclesfield in those days formed a much more important part of Hallamshire, as compared with Sheffield, than it does now. Other instances of this will be met with hereafter. The same papers contain "Orders set down and agreed upon by the Rt. Honble. the Lord Burghley, Lord Treasurer of England, &c. for the better arming and more speedy furnishing of the soldiers, &c." 1589. Amongst other things they were "to make perfect books of all armour, and warlike weapons, and furniture within the shire as well private as common." A list of the parish armour of Ecclesfield a few years later is preserved in the parish books.

Costelyetes [i.e. corslets] with heade peces and all thinges

1 Talbot Papers, G. 545, of which Sir Charles G. Young, Garter, kindly allowed a copy to be taken.

2 Calliver, a kind of gun, or blunderbuss.

3 Bandeliers, little wooden cases covered with leather, each containing a charge of powder for a musket, and fastened to a leathern band or strap worn about the neck.