SOWERBY:
Transcribed from
HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE CHURCH AT SOWERBY Part IV
The following extracts are from a book found in Halifax library.
It is an exercise book with the following newspaper cuttings pasted
in and reading the text it sounds to have been written about 1879.
By Graptolite
Sowerby has the honour of being the birthplace of several eminent men,
whose master minds have exerted a great influence not only in the times in
which they lived, but on succeeding generations. Many of these were the
sons of hard working men who belonged to the middle classes. Some of
them were the sons of yeomen, who farmed a little land, and added to their
limited incomes by manufacturing on a small scale, being better known as
"clothiers." They lived in a homely, frugal manner, and did their best for the
education of their children. The most remarkable men that Sowerby has
produced did not belong to the Elizabethan era, but to the more stirring,
turbulent times of James the First, Charles the First and the earlier part of
the seventeenth century. The Rec. A L. W. Bean (to whose kindness and
assistance I am greatly indebted) says, in some Chapters on Sowerby, in
the Sowerby Magazine, 1861, "There has gone forth from the ancient
dwellinghouses of this township many a man, with brains in his head and a
renewed heart within, to care for his fellows and to work in the service of his
God and generation"
The birth place of Henry Tilson, D. D., Bishop of Elphin, has been disputed,
though he was admitted to have been a native of this parish. In the
Sowerby registers the names "Tilson," Tillitson," and "Tillotson," occur
frequently. A correspondent in the Halifax Guardian states he was the son
of a Midgley man, whilst another claims him for Heptonstall. If he were not
born in the township of Sowerby, the family have been closely associated
with it. Originally the Tilsons and the Tillotsons were of one and the same
family. Bishop Tilson had a most eventful career. He entered as a student
in Baliol College, Oxford, in 1593, was made B. A. in 1596, and soon after
got a fellowship in University College, and took his degree in M A. In 1615,
he was made vicar of Rochdale. In a few years he was made chaplain to
Thomas, Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who made him Dean of
Christ Church, Dublin, and in 1639 Bishop of Elphin. The Rebellion soon
broke out and Captain Henry Tilson (the bishop's son) joined Sir Charles
Coot in opposition to the King's interest. The Bishop had his library and
goods pillaged by Boetius Egan, the titular Bishop of Elphin, and he
sustained damages to the extent of £400. For safety he came to England,
and settled at Soothill Hall, near Dewsbury, where he consecrated a room in
which he privately ordained. He had a family of thirteen, and Sir Wm.
Wentworth, out of compassion, employed him to preach at Comberworth.
So that the poor Bishop became a country curate. He died the 31st March
1655, and was buried at Dewsbury church. His monument states that he
was a loving parent, and a remarkable man, by reason of his learning and
piety.
A monument in the Halifax Parish churchyard shows that in 1635, one
Henry Crowther lived at Ball Green, Sowerby, where, probably he
composed the quaint lines that appear around the border of his tomb, as
follow:-
Eighty four years I liv'd; Wouldst thou do so,
Be thou, as I, quiet, chaste, and temp'rate too.
Norland me gave, and Sowerby, took my breath,
Man knows the place of birth, but not of death.
Ball Green is a very ancient place. Watson thought that some of the
foresters of Sowerbyshire must have lived here. The present mansion was
built in 1622, and is now the property of J. Rawson, Esq. of Brockwell.
Henry Crabtree is another Sowerby man, who lived at the beginning of the
17th century, became known as a mathematician and an astronomer. He
was initiated in school learning with Tillotson, at Sowerby. Afterwards he
became curate of Todmorden, and published a Merlinus Rusticus, or
Country Almanac, in which he predicted the fate of the Roman and Turkish
empires. With respect to the latter, Crabtree was not the only one among
the prophets.
Eli Bentley, who was born at Bentley Hollins, is another man who deserves
honourable mention. He was the son of Richard Bentley, of Sowerby Dean.
Entering Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he afterwards became Fellow,
he met with Oliver Heywood, with whom he formed a friendship which
continued throughout their lives. In 1652, Eli Bentley came to Halifax to
assist Mr Booth, the vicar at the Parish Church, and he succeeded Booth on
his death in 1657. On the 22nd of April, the same year, Oliver Heywood's
mother died at his house in Northowram, and her body was interred in the
Holdsworth chapel at the Parish Church, Eli Bentley preaching the funeral
sermon. There was a story current in Halifax in Watson's time, that Dr.
Marsh, the ejected vicar, made his appearance in the Parish Church directly
after the Restoration, on Sunday morning, September 16th, 1660, after an
absence of 18 years, and again took possession of the church. Soon after
Mr Bentley had commenced the service, Dr. Marsh, in surplice and red
tippet, with the Prayer Book under his arm, marched up the aisle, removed
Mr Bentley from the desk, and conducted the service in the ancient manner.
In consequence of the passing of the Five Mile Act, the Rev. Eli Bentley
went to reside at Bingley; but "he found the people (even in the house
where he lodged) so hostile to religion, that he durst not attempt to preach."
He afterwards returned to Halifax, where he was licensed to preach at the
house of Timothy Bentley, his brother. The meeting house built at Quarry
hill, Sowerby, by Joshua Horton, Esq, J. P., was supplied with the services
of Oliver Heywood, Eli Bentley, William Dawson and Timothy Root, who
each received 10s. for conducting a service. The erection of the meeting
house drew forth a strong letter from Dr Hooke, the vicar of Halifax, in which
he asked Mr Horton for his authority. The Duke of Buckingham afterwards
visited Halifax, and Mr Bentley complained to him of Dr. Hooke's treatment
of nonconformists. Eli Bentley died July 30th, 1675, in the 45th year of his
age, and he was interred in the Holdsworth Chapel. In his last illness he
observed; - "God will take a course with these unreasonable men that
require such terms of communion as a man cannot with a safe conscience
subscribe to." The Rev. B Dale says:- "The persons who composed his
meeting appear to have met afterwards at Old Bank top, near Godley lane,
and ultimately erected the chapel at Northgate End (1696)." In 1679, his
widow married the Rev. Edmund Hough, M. A. vicar of Halifax. A
contemporary of Bentley's passed upon him this high commendation, "he
was a man of good parts, a solid, serious preacher, of a very humble
behaviour, and very useful in his place; he lived desired and died
lamented."
Joshua Whitton, M A. another Presbyterian, was born at Sowerby. He was
godfather to Archbishop Tillotson, and became chaplain to Lord Fernando
Fairfax. Afterwards he became rector of Thornhill, from which place he was
ejected. He did not preach after his ejection, being rich, yet he rendered
great service to his poor brethren as a supply.
Joshua Hoyle, one of the most distinguished worthies born in Sowerby, was
a man of great abilities. He received his first academical education at
Magdalen Hall Oxford; but was afterwards made Fellow of Trinity College,
Dublin, where he was elected Divinity Professor to that university. In this
office he expounded the whole Bible through in daily lectures, which
occupied him for nearly fifteen years. Some time before he ended that
work, he began the second exposition of the whole Bible in the Church of
Trinity College, and within ten years ended all the New Testament. He took
a leading part in some controversies with the Jesuits, and he seems to have
gained the respect of Archbishop Usher. The Rebellion in Ireland in 1641
drove him over to England, and he became vicar of Stepney, near London;
but it is said he was too scholastical for his parishioners. He became one of
the Assembly of Divines and gave evidence against Archbishop Laud.
Hoyle died on the 6th December, 1654.
Daniel Greenwood, D. D., was another man born in the township of
Sowerby, who by his natural talents and industry rose to an eminent
position. He was first fellow, and afterwards Principal of Brasenose
College, Oxford. In 1631 he was made Vice Chancellor of that ancient
university. He was ejected from Oxford on the Restoration, and died on the
29th of January, in the house of his nephew, Daniel Greenwood, rector of
Steeple Aston, who was also a native of Sowerby.
Ely Stansfield was the name of a Sowerby musician who lived at the close
of the seventeenth century. He published a book called "Psalmody
Epitomises," of which a second edition was printed in 1731. Amongst
several local tunes he has given us
Warley
Sowerby
Data transcribed from:
A book in the Halifax library.
by Graptolite
Sue Johnson ©2001
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