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As has been previously noted, Crowtrees is a difficult one when it comes to the assignment of any particular stage of build to any particular person. However, there are a number of records to help in the jigsaw. I have the deed record for the sale of the land upon which Brookdell stands, unfortunately I haven't time to access it at the moment.

From memory: Crowtrees existed as a farm in at least the 17th century, the property descended to the Grimshaws through the Bulcock brothers who originated in Pendle forest and made their money in wool. As we have seen, Thomas Grimshaw married Grace, the Bulcock's niece and took over Crowtrees: Thomas altered the house in 1800 by giving it a new Georgian frontage. He built Higherford Mill in 1824 on Crowtrees land.

Richard William Harper married Grace Grimshaw and they bought the land to build Brookdell from Thomas Grimshaw in 1859 - the house being erected in the early part of the 1860s. The sundial is obviously a relic from another building - as is the case with datestones, these things often decieve!

Richard W Harper was the business partner of Thomas Grimshaw in Higherford Mill (he is described as both a cotton spinner and an overlooker at the mill). In 1867 the partnership was dissolved between Richard William Harper and Thomas Grimshaw, cotton spinners and manufacturers – due to debts by Grimshaw. In 1867 an advertisement in the Leeds mercury ran:-

To Let: Higherford Mill with immediate possession. Four storey premises with attic calculated to hold 10,000 spindles and powerloom waevaing shed capable of holding 240 looms. There are about 4,000 throstle spindles (nearly new) with preparation and 150 looms (mostly nearly new) which may be taken at valuation. The above premises are to be taken together or separately – details may be had of Thomas Grimshaw, the owner.

In 1870 Harper entered into official liquidation and in 1872 he was described in a rental list as owning the freeholds of Brookdell and Beanfield House. In 1876 the London Daily News (June) stated that Richard William Harper, an overlooker of Barrowford, was bankrupt again.

In December 1871 Thomas Grimshaw of Crowtrees married Frances Garde of Garryduff, County Cork.

We see, then, that Brookdell was build in the fold area behind the Crowtrees Farm buildings and that Brookdell and Crowtrees were completely separate buildings.

John Clayton
Barrowford

John. Thanks for your input. I’ve got your book on “Higher Barrowford” and picked up on your web site http://www.barrowford.org/ . Well worth the read. After wondering around looking at the buildings I left with a number of questions running through my head. Like you, I’m always suspicious about date stones.
In this small are there are four of them.
The sundial at 1839.
Crow Trees barn side entrance at.1741.
Over the barn entrance at the rear of Brookdell. at1767.
The gable of 13 Foreside. At 1755
The first three are in exceptionally good condition while the gable date stone is eroded and painted over for clarity. The two “barn” stones are in sheltered positions and have largely been protected from weathering.

The Crow Trees stone also carries some lettering which may be the Bulcock’s initials but since at this point I don’t really know what the Bulcock’s Christian names are so I have left that one open.
In the case of the Brookdell barn 1767 and the Foreside cottages 1755, the barn cuts into the rear of the cottages suggesting the barn was there first with the cottages built round it. This is plausible since building at this time was a much slower process.

At the moment I think that the sundial is genuine and was designed specially for this building. The reason behind this thinking is that the house is declined facing east approx: 45 degrees. Consequently, the gnomon is offset to the left so that the noon shadow falls vertically in common with standard dials. The end result being numerous morning hours but with a limited afternoon time scale. My quick calculations on this layout tend to confirm this reasoning.

All very interesting (to me) but not solving the question of who instructed the dial to be built in the first place.

John. I would be more than happy to discuss this subject with you directly. My e-mail address is available through Mel.

Thanks for the update. Despite the convenience and wonders of technology there is nothing like actually visiting a place in person!

Happy Christmas to all forum readers!

Ruth

Still confused about the ownership of "Crow Trees and Brook Dell". Part of this mystery revolves round the "Bulcock's". Although it is said that "Grace Gibson" who married Thomas Grimshaw was the two brother' "Bulcock's" niece I can't find any evidence of this. Also, on his marriage to Grace, Thomas evidently built a house in Higham which was to become the "Four Alls" with a date above the door of 1792. Why they should move into a lesser property is an open question. However, Thomas and Grace did occupy Crow Trees but there is a suggestion that it was owned by a Christopher Bulcock and was bought by the Grimshaw's on his death round 1855.
Obvious a whole lot of digging needs to be done.

For those people interested in keeping abreast of these convoluted relationships I have written out the pedigree of the Grimshaw's over this period.

Extract from “Whitaker’s History of Whalley”.

Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses (Sabden) afterwards of Higham born 20 May 1738 d 19 Aug 1825 Sold his property at Heyhouses. (Married Twice)

First Wife. Mary Riley of Simonstone died 19 Jan 1775.

Second Wife. Elizabeth dau, and heiress of James Harrison and widow of Nicholas Parker, son of ……Parker of Dunnow near Slaidburn. Bur, 7 Dec 1812.

Children of first wife. (Mary Riley)

(1) Thomas Grimshaw of Higham, afterwards of Crow Trees in Barrowford. Born 9 March 1765 ; died 11 Feb 1842.
Wife. Grace dau of Abraham Gibson of Bridgeroyd in Stansfield.co York, died 1 Sept 1842

(2) Betty, born 15 Dec 1766.
Husband William Hartley of Fence Gate in the Forest of Pendle.

(3) Mary, wife of John Crossley.

Children of second wife (Elizabeth.Harrison / Parker)

(4) Nicholas born 1 May 1779. died unmar 25 Aug 1845
.
(5) John born 9 Oct 1780. died an infant.

(6) Anne wife of Thomas Preston of Little Mearley.

(7) John Grimshaw of Bank House in Higham Booth born 14 July 1784, died 17 June 1856. (Married Twice)
First Wife. Nancy Whitaker first wife mar 2 May 1816, died 13 Sept 1863.
Second Wife. Alice Dugdale, mar 18 Oct 1832.

(1) Thomas Grimshaw.

(1.1) James Grimshaw of Crow Trees, born 6 April 1791. died 3 May 1844.
Wife. Mary Ashworth.
(1.2) Mary
(1.3) Thomas Grimshaw born 7 Jan 1794. died without issue 15 Aug 1824.
Wife. Mary Bracewell.
(1.4) Christopher Grimshaw born 20 March 1801. died without issue 1865.
Wife. Mary only dau and heiress of John Swinglehurst, of Park Hill in Barrowford died 18 July 1841.
(1.5) Nicholas, died unmarried.
(1.6) Grace.
(1.7) Harriet Anne.

(7) John Grimshaw.
To First wife
(7.1) Elizabeth died Feb 1832.
(7.2) Nicholas born 26 March 1819. died 19 Aug 1823.
(7.3) James born 12 April 1822. died 19 Sept 1823.
To Second wife.
(7.4) John Grimshaw. Capt 5th R Lancashire Militia. JP for Westmerland, born 14 Sept 1833.
Wife. Mary Jane, only child of Thomas Hutton of Soulby by Mary, eldest dau, and in her issue coheiress of John Walton of Crackenthorpe mar 10 Dec 1863.
(7.5) Anne, wife of Bernard Harley of White Lee.
(7.6) William Grimshaw, born16 Feb 1836.
Wife, Sarah, only dau, of William Mitchell of Hoar Stones in Pendle Forest.
(7.7) Rachel.
(7.8) Nicholas, born22 Nov 1838.
(7.9) Richard Grimshaw born 8 March 1840.
Wife, Esther Starkie.
(7.10) Thomas, born 21 Sept 1841.
(7.11) James Grimshaw born 20 July 1843.
Wife Alice Keirby.
(7.12) Elizabeth.
(7.13) Christopher born 11 March 1847.
Wife, Mary Ann Theresa Moffatt.


A point of interest. Alice Keirby and James Grimshaw owned the Keirby brewery in Burnley from which the "Keirby Hotel" got its name.

Thanks Plaques

_________________
Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

A little more update on "Crow Trees". Just to re-cap a little from the previous posts {The "Crow Trees" initially owned by the Bulcock's became part of the Grimshaw estate on their uncles death.}
It becomes clear when looking at the buildings there are two distinct houses. An old part with its date stone of 1741, (but not confirmed) and a much grander house attached to the old building. The overall appearance would suggest that the original build was by the Bullcock's while the secondary building was by the Grimshaw's. The two building are now one complete house.
The two attachments show 1, the new building. 2 the old building.
I am grateful to the present owners for making these images available.

Nice property. I like the large window above the door in the new part.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I woukdn't like to clean that window!

I'd love to live somewhere like that.

_________________
Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!