competent mayntenance allowed."[1] It is probable that after the decline of the Commonwealth this chapel fell into the hands of the Catholics, for Thomas Tyldesley, of Fox Hall, a Romanist, in his diary of 1712, 13 and 14, speaks several times of going "to Great Singleton to prayers"; and doubtless it is the one alluded to in the following indenture, bearing the date 29th August, 1749:—"William Shaw, esq., lord of the manor of Shingleton in y^e parish of Kirkham, gave a chapel belonging to him at Shingleton aforesaid, then used as a popish chapel, to be used for y^e future as a chapel of ease to y^e mother church of Kirkham, for y^e benefit of y^e inhabitants of Shingleton and of the adjacent townships; and that the said W^m. Shaw proposed to give £200, to be added to a similar sum from Queen Anne's bounty, for y^e endowment of y^e said chapel, in consideration whereof Samuel, lord bishop of Chester as ordinary, the dean and chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, as patrons, and Chas. Buck as incumbent, by virtue of an act of George I., grant and decree that y^e said William Shaw and his heirs and assigns for ever shall have y^e nomination to and patronage of y^e said chapel, as often as it is vacant."
This chapel was dedicated to St. Anne, and in 1756 it was agreed "by all parties that the chapel of Singleton should be always considered a place of public worship according to the liturgy of the Church of England, and the chapel yard always appropriated to the burying of the dead and the support of the minister"; further, the chapel living was declared a perpetual curacy, separate and independent of the mother church of Kirkham, "save and except" that the curate must assist the vicar of the latter place on Christmas day, Easter day, Whitsunday, Good Friday, and each sabbath when it is customary to administer the sacrament; also the tythes, Easter dues, funeral sermons, and all other parochial rights and duties belonged to the vicarage of Kirkham."[2]
The above is an authentic record of the way in which the chapel of Singleton passed out of the hands of the Romanists into those of the Protestants, but the Rev. W. Thornber, to whom this document was evidently unknown, has given in his History
