"Record Society for the Publication of Original Documents relating to Lancashire and Cheshire", Volume: 32.
Pleadings and Depositions in the Duchy Court of Lancaster. Time of Henry VII. and Henry VIII. (1879)
Tuesday 2nd February, 2010
Sir Thomas of Bryn, however, was not willing to leave it there. On 8th March several of his followers again went to the Moss and reopened the ditch. This time they went a little further:
“...they also came to the said manor of Ince, broke plaintiff's closes and drove away 17 kine (several of which were milch kine) and oxen with 1 horse, and unlawfully pynned them at the manor place of the said Sir Thomas called the Bryn, and kept them there three weeks and more, to the great loss of plaintiff and his tenants.”
Thomas of Ince again went to the court and Sir Thomas of Bryn was ordered to return the cows and oxen and to cease his violent actions.
There was little chance of his compliance. On 5th April he led yet another attack on Thomas of Ince's land. This time he and his men brought “mastiff dogs, greyhounds and hounds” and attacked the animals of the Ince tenants. The dogs were said to have “bott the tayles and eres” of the said animals, several of which were driven into the surrounding marshes and ditches.
Sir Thomas did not restrict his threats of violence to the manor of Ince. On the 11th of April he threatened, that if Thomas of Ince or any of his followers were to come to church at Wigan, he would rid the town of them. The unfortunate Thomas and his followers were unable to attend church over the Easter period and for many weeks afterwards.
Over the next few months there were several similar attacks on the animals and closes of Thomas of Ince and his tenants.
Ince Moss is still in existence and still marked on present day maps. It is part of the Wigan Flashes Nature Reserve. Today it is regarded as being environmentally important as it contains six species of sphagnum moss as well as being a breeding area for wading birds, dragonflies and damselflies. This importance is reflected by its designation as a SSSI site (Site of Special Scientific Interest) under the title of “Bryn Marsh and Ince Moss”.
It is interesting to see how the moss was managed in the early sixteenth century and contrast this with modern conservation methods.
Thomas of Ince drew rent by allowing people from neighbouring manors to take turf from the moss. This necessitated the digging of trenches to drain the land in order to make better use of this commodity.
The main aim of modern day managers is to encourage a diversity of wildlife. To achieve this the opposite strategy to that used by Thomas is implemented. Draining trenches are now blocked to restore the moss to its natural marshy condition.
The Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Wigan Council, who jointly manage the Flashes, are proud to announce that the water table at Ince Moss is “already 15cm higher”.
It seems that the only territorial disputes on the moss in the 21st century are fought between rival birds defending their nesting sites and food sources.
© WiganMan