Richard Langton, the next rector, who succeeded Nicholas Towneley in 1532, was the second son of Sir Thomas Langton, knight,[1] of Walton in le Dale, the patron of the church. Had he outlived his father he would have become the head of the family and Baron of Newton, for his elder brother Edward Langton died before his father without surviving issue. But Sir Thomas Langton outlived all his sons, and at his death, in 1569, he was succeeded by the son of his younger son Leonard.
Richard Langton, parson of Wigan, died in 1534-5. He was the last of this family who held the rectory of Wigan, of which no less than nine had held it since the advowson first came into the hands of the Langtons, in the reign of King Edward III.[2]
On the 24th of March, 1534-5, Sir Richard Kyghley, clerk, was instituted to the church of Wigan, vacant by the death of Richard Langton, the last rector, on the presentation of "egregii viri domini Thome Langton, militis." He made oath that he would pay to the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield the annual pension of £20, due to them at the feasts of the Annunciation of St. Mary the Virgin and St, Michael the Archangel, according to ancient custom.[3]
Soon afterwards, namely, by indenture of 8th April, 26 Hen. VIII. (1535), he granted and let to John Ketchyn, of Byshop Hatfeld, in the county of Hertford, gentleman, his church and parsonage of Wigan aforesaid, with all manner of lands, tenements, rents, houses, meadowes, leases, tithes, oblations, emoluments, and all other profits and commodities belonging to the
