Where was Hatton's Yard, Ashton in Makerfield?

[alfindit]

Hi,
Thanks for your time. I hope this request is in the right place.

I'm researching my Sutton ancestors in Ashton in Makerfield. I'm trying to find where Hatton's Yard was, though can't find a large scale street plan of the area. There is such a map, as I have seen a screenshot online showing a close-up of Four Footed Cross at Bryn (Bryn Cross), just north of Ashton, but am unable, through my usual channels - Archiuk and NLS - to find the original. Any ideas? Henry Sutton, present at the 1850 death of Margaret Sutton of Whitledge Green (which seems to be in Bryn), Ashton, says he lives in Hattons Yard.

The 1841 census shows 2 households at Hattons Yard and the enumerator has apparently called at these between Senely Green and Gibbons Lane, which are both to the west of Ashton town centre. In my limited experience, 'yards' have been in centres of population and not in the nearby countryside as this census would seem to place it. Hattons yard is not on other censuses.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give,
Al

[andrewalston]

Following the 1841 walk on the NLS 1840s map, he starts in Seneley Green (which takes over 5 pages), deals with the houses in Strange Lane, then backtracks to Seneley Green. The schoolmistress is a couple of doors before Strange Lane, and I would expect her to be close to the school. School Lane is not listed by name, but seems to have no houses in the 1840s..

Hattons Yard is then listed, then Gibbons Lane. The route then follows the northern side of the district, ending at Leyland Green. I have to assume that the route took in all the buildings in that area.

Tithe Barn Lane and Tithe Barn Hillock, to the south, are in another enumeration district, so that is not the route. 

The only two groups of buildings which might be described as a "yard" is marked as "Crow Trees" on the 1840s map (by the 1890s it is called "Manor House") and Seneley Green Stables.

THEN

I looked at 1851. Henry Sutton, age 45, was at "Hatton's Fold". It has to be the same man. The enumerator's walk then goes from Ashton Cross, along Tithe Barn Lane and then Arch Lane as far as the parish boundary. Presumably backtracking to Tithe Barn Hillock, the man then visits Penny's Lodge, where the gamekeeper lives, before reaching Hatton's Fold. There are four households, then Seneley Green is reached. The front page says "to and including Tithe Barn Lane, Hatton's or Tunstall's Fold, Tithe Barn Hillock, Arch Lane..."

In 1861, Henry Sutton is down as being at "Dunstall's Fold", between Tithe Barn Hillock and Arch Lane. Tellingly, George Greenall is still next-door-but-one.

My guess is that the Fold was pretty close to what is now Tithe Barn Farm.

In 1861, the route goes from Ashton Cross, along Tithe Barn Lane and then Dunstall's Fold. It then follows Arch Lane, then "Penny Hall", where the gamekeeper lives, then "Torpen Howe", which is shown on the map, north east of the end of Arch Lane. The enumerator then follows the track east to Seneley Green. The page at the front of the ED says "Tithe Barn Lane, including Dunstall's fold, Tithe Barn Hillock.."

[alfindit]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply. It's great and very comprehensive. I have searched for this Henry Sutton in the 1851 census on both Ancestry and Findmypast several times and for some reason he has not appeared in the results. His son John seems to be in the workhouse and I had thought something tragic had happened to rest of them, but could find nothing. I'll simply search for Hatton's Fold in 1851 on Findmypast and take a look, or scroll through the Ashton census pages on Ancestry till I find them.

Thanks again,
Al

[alfindit]

Hi, again,
On both Ancestry and Findmypast Sutton has been transcribed as Sulton and so it did not show up in searches for Sutton; it did not show up with the variations box ticked either. I have corrected it on both platforms and so future searches will find it. Yes, as you say, the neighbours are still there and so it is certainly the same chap. When daughter Elizabeth married at Holy Trinity in 1854 she said she lived in Hatton's Yard, so I knew it was there somewhere. I could have done what you did and searched all of Holy Trinity page by page... shame on me but kudos to you and thanks again

Best wishes,
Al