Wigan Album

Lord Burghley must have made many new and unexpected friends if he went a roving with this map . Anyone heard of the Ashall [house] west?north?of Wiggan.

Probably an abbreviation for AStley HALL

Arley Hall more likely.

Formby chap at the top right you'd have thought he'd have drawn a ukulele

Googled that Formby chap on a really old computer and turns out Jebbadiah Formby Jr was the top one stringed mandolin player of his day

Perhaps this will help to clarify the origin of the name?

This interesting and unusual name is of English origin and is a locational name from a so called 'lost' village, probably once, found in Lancashire, where the name prevails. The derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th Century 'aesc', ash, with either 'heall' hall, or 'halh', nook, recess. The phenomena of the 'lost' village was a result of enforced land clearance that took place in the 13th Century and 14th Century, at the height of the wool industry, to make way for sheep pastures, as well as the more natural causes such as plague and war. It is estimated that there are between seven and ten thousand 'lost' villages that have disappeared from British maps. One John Ashall, the infant son of Ralph and Margaret Ashall was christened on 8th March 1585 at Standish, Lancashire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of George Ashall, which was dated 16th April 1559, Chorley, Lancashire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Good Queen Bess, 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Cheers Ron. My Great Great Grandmother was an Ashall . Her branch of the family were from the Upholland area. Thanks again .