Deans of Whalley Lancashire
paul bulkley
arrangement whereby the dean of Whalley held the
rectory as a member of the deanery of Whalley, and in
his own patronage. The deans were married men, and the
lords of the township, and held the church of Rochdale
by hereditary right. This procedure existed for
centuries right through to the Council of Lateran.
The "Status de Blackburnshire" offers much information
of Whalley Church:
"And be it known that the first rector, or dean of
Whalley, of whom mention is made in the registry at
Lichfield, or whose name appears in the chronicles,
was called Spartingus, to whom succeeded Liwulphus the
dean, who was succeeded by Cutwolphus the dean, who
was succeeded by Henry his heir, who was succeeded by
his son Robert the dean, who was succeeded by his son
and heir, Henry the dean.
After him William the dean, then Geoffrey the elder,
the dean, who married the daughter of Roger de Lascy,
Lord of Blagbornshire, and was succeeded by his son
and heir, Geoffrey the dean, who was succeeded by his
son and heir, Roger, the last dean; for the Lateran
forbad heriditary succession in a deanery etc etc"
Geoffrey the dean in the period about 1210-1237 was
the first dean to be given a surname in the Coucher
Book - the name being de Buckel, de Bucklegh, de
Buclegh, de Buckl, de Buckel, de Buckel, de Bukkel, de
Bukl, de Bukkel, de Bukeley.
Descendants thereafter have used the name Bucley,
Buckley amongst others.
The Family heraldic shield is " sable a chevon between
three bull's heads cabossed argent" This shield is
identical to the shield of the Bulkleys in Cheshire.
Does anyone possess any further information in
connection with Geoffrey the eleder and his ancestors?
Also in particular any connection between the
Lancashire Buckleys and the Cheshire Bulkleys of that
period 1100-1200, or the Bukelers/Buclers of Rouen
France.
Thank you.
Paul Bulkley
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