Friday 7th March, 2008
Sometime before 1199, William de Ockelshaw granted "the land of Ockelshaw" to the canons of Cockersand Abbey. "The land of Ockelshaw" or "Aculuesahe" as it is written in the original Latin, has given rise to the surname "Occleshaw". Today there are six entries in the Wigan telephone directory under that name.
It was not unusual for land owners to donate some of their holdings to a distant abbey. The grant was said to be in "Frankalmoin" - a system of tenure whereby land was given to a religious institution as a gift of charity. In return for his gift, the canons of the abbey prayed for the health of William's soul, and those of King Henry and William's uncle, Warine Banastre of Abram (Adburgham).
Eilert Eckwall, in his book "Place names of Lancashire", suggests that "Aculuesahe" (Occleshaw) means "the shaw of Acwulf". "Shaw" comes from the Old English word "sceaga" meaning a "thicket". "Acwulf" was a common Old English personal name.
A typescript by E. Occleshaw entitled "An Account of the Family of Occleshaw" (1945) suggests that the first element in the name comes from "accul" meaning "oak", thus giving the meaning of "Aculuesahe" as "a hamlet surrounded by oaks".
But where was "Aculuesahe"?
A later confirmation of the grant given in about 1230-1235 delineates the land like this:
"Confirmation by John de Abram (to the canons of Cockersand) the land of Ockelshaw with the appurtenances which his ancestors had formerly given to the said abbey, within these bounds, beginning where Deep Leach (Depe Lache) runs down from Bageley-head (Balelegeheued), following the said leach into Glazebrook, going up Glazebrook into Ockelshaw-brook going up the said brook to the rushy-leach (Russilache) going up that leach into Bickershaw, and going up the leach into the Slavi-leach, (slauilache), following that leach to within the Bageley-wood Eves, (leEuese de Begelegewde) and so by the ditched ground to the afore said Deep-leach (depe lache)..."
Occleshaw is clearly somewhere in Abram, but only one of the named features is recognisable today.
Can the lost land of Occleshaw be rediscovered?
The Lost Land of Occleshaw, part 2