The manor of Alt has been mentioned above as part of the holding of the lords of Ashton and it being sometimes stated to be held of the barony of Manchester, but more usually of the king as Duke of Lancaster as of his manor of Salford in old kingdom Northumbria. Alban de Alt occurs about 1200 and gave to the cell of St. Leonard in Kersal a moiety of Paldenlegh in pure alms. Thomas son of William de Alt in 1276 claimed a free tenement in Paldenley against Robert son of Robert de Tounton and Margery de Hache, but failed, because Paldenley was not a town or borough, but only a place in the field of Ashton. In 1292 Richard son of Robert de Turton unsuccessfully claimed one tenement in Alt against Margery daughter of Robert de Alt and Richard son of Robert de Tong and another against Thomas de Ashton. In 1302 Margery wife of Roger de Barlow and Alice her sister, daughters of Richard de Knolls, were heirs to messuages and lands in Ashton. Agnes (apparently the widow of Richard), then wife of Richard de Limepithurst, and Joan widow of Adam de Knolls, had dower. Gilbert son of Adam son of Thomas de Alt.
Originally ASHTON appears to have been rated as three plough-lands, of which two became part of the estates of the lords of Penwortham, and the third, together with the advowson of the church, was attached to the barony of Manchester. It also was granted to the lords of Manchester, and in 1212 Robert Grelley held the two plough-lands and should render 20s. =>
Estate was long held by the Claydens of Clayden in Manchester. Richard son of William del Ridges in 1315 claimed four messuages, two oxgangs of land in Ashton against Richard son of Richard de Clayden .. Thomas de Shepley contributed to the subsidy of 1332. John del Heyrod and Maud his wife in 1335 claimed land in Shepley against Thomas de Shepley and others.
In the reign of Henry II William de Kirkby granted Ashton to one Orm, probably a relative, who thus became the immediate lord, and whose descendants assumed the local surname.A later Orm de Ashton, who is described as the 'son of Roger' in a fine of 1195, was living in 1201. He was succeeded by his son Thomas, and Robert de Ashton occurs in 1254. =>
Thomas de Ashton in 1292 was defendant to claims made by Richard de les Lees of Ashton for a right of way and for common of pasture. At the same time inquiry was made whether or not Adam son of Simon the Serjeant of Ashton had held a messuage and lands, which should descend to his son John, a minor; Thomas de Ashton held them, alleging a grant by Adam, made long before his death; Henry de Ashton recovered a messuage and land against Gervase de Ashton, who claimed as brother and heir of William de Ashton. It was shown that William had made the grant to Henry while under age, but had given a release when twenty-three. A settlement of the manor was made in 1307 when Thomas de Ashton to his son John and Robert and to William, son of Adam Banastre.
Ashton in Preston. Thomas son of Orm de Ashton made to Richard de Byron a grant of a moiety of the land between the Reed Brook and Stony Brook, the Medlock and the bounds of Werneth, at a rent of 12d. a year.. Some early charters are preserved by Dodsworth, loc. cit. Thomas de Ashton gave to Ralph son of William Ruffus of Staley all his land of Souracre, in the Olerene hey, the Helm rode, and the Otford bottom, which lands had formerly been held by Richard Ruffus (Roo); he also granted land within the bounds of Loseley (Luzley), the meres beginning at the Bicestal (Bestal).
Robert de Ashton released to Robert de Byron the services due from Greenhurst and Sunderland, 18d. a yeare from each; Byron. William son of Thomas de Ashton released to Sir Richard de Byron all claim in the land called Greenhurst, as contained in the charter of his brother Robert. It is possible that William and Robert were the sons of the later Thomas de Ashton, but they may have been grandsons of Orm. Robert de Ashton granted to Ralph Ruffus de Staley part of his land within the fee of Ashton lying between the Bicestal and the Water Walsyke; to which charter William son of Olibern de Ashton was a witness; Dods. ut supra. Richard le Roo and Sir Henry de Trafford were defendants in 1351; John de Heghgren, the plaintiff, did not prosecute. Orm granted part of his land in Ashton to Robert son of Simon de Staley the boundaries of Hurst and Greenlache and gave land called Mugehale to Cockersand Abbey. Medlock and Sunderland were named in the bounds relating to Ashton in Preston.
John de Ashton is said to have distinguished himself at the siege of Noyon in 1370, and represented the county in Parliament in 1382, 1388, and 1390. He was apparently father of Sir John de Ashton his successor, prominent in the French wars of Henry V, and Seneschal of Bayeux in 1416. Lancs. Richard de Byron died in 1397, holding ten messuages, 60 acres of land, and 20 acres of meadow in the Woodhouses of the Duke of Lancaster. Woodhouses was by the Byrons sold in 1614 to Edward Clough, and about ten years later was sold to Samuel Jenkinson.
The Lords of the Manor moved to DUNHAM MASSEY HALL around this time of Old Hall's building. There is both a red deer and fallow deer park – up close to animals that have been associated with the estate since 1392. The former portion, Ashton proper, is probably the two plough-lands held by one. According to custom roll of the manor of Ashton for 1422-A tenant was to plough one or two days, according as he had half a plough or a plough; to harrow one day, to cart ten loads of turf from Doneam Moss, 'shear' four days in harvest, and cart corn for one day; at death each paid a 'principal,' i.e., the best beast he had after the due of holy kirk.
Sir John de Ashton had purchased the advowson of the church from Thomas La Warre. Sir John de Ashton and John his son occur in 1391–2; The king in 1401 granted to his dear bachelor John de Ashton the wardship of all the lands of Richard de Byron, deceased, with annuities to Robert, Piers, and Nicholas de Ashton. Sir John's younger son, Roger, was the ancestor of the Ashtons of Middleton, Great Lever, and Downham. He was a partner with Sir Edmund Trafford in the licence to transmute metals, granted in 1446.
Sir John Ashton who died in 1428 had assigned Alt as dower to his wife Margaret at the door of the church on the day he married her. In 1507 a later Sir John had held Alt 'as Hugh de More of Alston and Richard the son of Robert Spymne had held it'. Sir John died in 1428, holding the manor of Ashton of Robert de Ogle (in right of his wife Isabel, granddaughter and heir of Sir Richard Kirkby), and other manors and lands. Thomas, his son and heir, then twenty-five years of age, came to be known as 'the Alchemist and he left a son John, made a knight in 1460. Sir John died in 1484, holding the manor of Ashton, with the advowson of the church, lands in Manchester, Oldham, and Wardle; and the manor of Alt. Sir Thomas, his son and heir, was sixty years of age in 1507, when the inquisition was taken. Sir John Byron died in 1489, holding what appears to be the same estate, but the tenure was said to be of Sir Thomas Ashton in socage by a rent of 12d.
At the Battle of Northampton in July 1460, Lord Grey the commander of the Lancastrian vanguard had, prior to battle, done a deal with the Yorkists and he and his men helped them over the ramparts. King Henry was taken prisoner in the ensuing battle. The capture of Henry VI resulted in a compromise, Henry would rule until his death but be succeeded by Richard. Margaret, Henry’s wife was not happy at this arrangement and lured Richard into battle once more at Wakefield. Richard was defeated, his head cut off and his cause left to be taken up by his son Edward Mortimer. In 1461 Edward defeated Owen Tudor, great-grandfather of Henry VIII at the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross (near Leominster). Owen Tudor was beheaded and his head transported to Hereford where it was placed on the steps of the High Cross at the west end of High Town. 100 candles are said to have been placed around the cross to illuminate this gruesome scene. (A plaque marking the site can still be seen outside Marks and Spencers.) After several more battles Edward marched on London and was proclaimed King Edward IV on the 3rd of March 1461.Wigmore Castle now became a royal demesne. Margaret (Henry VI's wife) was still determined that the throne should stay with the House of Lancaster and four weeks after being proclaimed King, Edward IV was facing the Lancastrian army near Townton in Yorkshire. Edward commanded 15,000 men and the Duke of Somerset had 20,000. The two forces combined created the largest number of men to meet on an English battlefield. The Yorkist archer’s heavily dented the Lancastrian army and they then fought in close combat. The Lancastrians turned and fled but the Yorkists followed and cut them down. Edward was crowned in June 1461 and in 1464 he secretly married the commoner Elizabeth Grafton. In June of the same yeare he signed a treaty with Scotland, depriving the Lancastrians of refuge, thus making Henry VI a fugitive.
At the battle of Northampton Sir John Ashton in 1471, was knight of the shire in 1472; Pink and Beaven, In the following yeare he was returned as holding the manors of Ashton, Alt, and Moston (or, the other Moston) of the lord of Manchester. Sir Thomas was made a knight at Ripon in August 1487 or relating to his marriage with Agnes, one of the daughters and co-heirs of Sir James Harrington- of the Duchy of Lancs, he provided that 7 marks a yeare should be paid for an honest priest to sing and do divine service in Ashton Church for twenty years for the souls of the testator, his wife, parents, son John, brother Nicholas, for a new steeple and 20 marks for a table for the high altar. He made provision for his wife Jane, his bastard brethren Orm, Alexander, and Seth, and other relatives, and mentions lands in Elston, &c., lately purchased of Sir James Harrington, his fatherin-law. He had purchased the wardship of Richard son of William Hoghton, who had married his daughter Alice. His lands in Cheshire he left to the heirs male of Edmund Ashton of Chadderton, brother of his father Sir John Ashton. The manor of Ashton was held of Thomas West, Lord La Warre and the ages of the heirs were: George Booth, 25; Elizabeth Ashton, 42; Alice Hoghton, 22. Sir John complained in 1471 that Ambrose Baguley of Manchester trespassed on a turbary. John was knight of the shire in 1472. Sir Thomas was made knightat Ripon in 1487.
Edmund Ashton (of Chadderton) was farmer of the Mostons' Audenshaw lands in 1480, George Moston giving him an acquittance for one year's rent. In 1514 Margery widow of Thomas Lidyard and sister and heir of George Moston, granted to her son Edward Lidyard lands in Audenshaw and Warwickshire. In 1422 Alston lands (or Ashton lands) were divided among Peter Trafford, the heirs of Adam Mossley, and the heirs of Richard Dene. The Hunts held land of the Hospitallers. Richard Hunt in 1422 accounted a family found under the township of Manchester, belonging to the Audenshaw family.
The descent is given thus in a document which may be dated about 1510, relating to the manor of Manchester, of which Sir John Ashton appears to have been a trustee in 1413. In 1422 it was held by Richard Byron and the heirs of Thomas de Hatfield. The name is often spelt Cinderland. Stephen de Bredbury gave to Robert de Byron all his land in Sunderland, a pair of white gloves to be rendered at St. Martin, and 2s. to the chief lords. William Heaton paid 12s. to the lord of Manchester for the manor of Sunderland.
In 1513 Sir Thomas Ashton made a feoffment of his manors of Ashton and Alt, and his lands and rents there and in Oldham, Hundersfield, and Manchester, for the fulfilment of his will; and died a yeare later, on 21 July 1514, leaving as heirs George Booth, son of his daughter Margaret, who had been the wife of Sir William Booth, and his other daughters Elizabeth Ashton, and Alice wife of Richard Hoghton, all of full age. Elizabeth Ashton died on 31 December 1553, without issue, so that afterwards the manor and lands were held equally by the Booths and Hoghtons. =>
Maurice Ashton had in 1571 made a settlement of messuages in Heyrod, Harley in Lanc. Heyrod was 'afterwards in the possession of John Duckenfield of Duckenfield, esq. and was held by Sir Charles Duckenfield. Ralph Sandiford died at Hull in 1620 holding several messuages with lands in Ashton. The landowners contributing to the subsidy of 1622 were:—Robert Ashton, John Ashton, Randle Hulton, Thomas Newton, William Walker, John Sandford, and Thomas Chetham. The Ashtons of Shepley recorded a pedigree in 1664, tracing their descent from a Geoffrey son of Thomas Ashton, who married the heiress of Shepley / Dugdale.
The freeholders in 1600 were Miles Ashton of Heyrod, Robert Ashton of Shepley, Randle Hulton of Sunderland, and Richard Shalcross of Limehurst. At Alt Hill in the 18th century were seated the Pickfords, ancestors of the Radcliffes of Royton. Miles died in 1612, holding the capital messuage called the Heyrod, with lands, of Sir George Booth, in socage by 6s. 8d. rent. His heir was his grandson John Ashton (son of John). grandson John Ashton (son of John). The Reddishes of Reddish had lands in Audenshaw, held of the heirs of Sir Thomas Ashton in 1616. Nuthurst in Moston estate was called the High Ashes
The estate descended in the Ashton family till 1713, when Samuel Assheton sold it to John Shepley of Stockport, grocer. In 1675 Robert Assheton of Shepley, John his son, and Thomas his grandson, mortgaged the Great Ridings, part of the demesne lands near Shepley bridge.
Hyde derives its name from hide, an Old English land measure or a Domesday survey equivalent to 120 acres, part of the Parish of Stockport. The Ashton family were the earliest cotton pioneers in Hyde. From 1800, their family businesses in coal and cotton in Hyde lasting throughout the so-called "Cotton Famine" of 1861-65.