Taxal Parish, Cheshire. Bordering Chapel-en-le-Frith Parish & St Peters Fairfield.

Goyts Moss /Clough 

There have been a few accounts of Marchington's living in the Taxal parish. Being the neighbouring parish, which lies just within the county of Cheshire.

In the Bishops Transcripts of Chapel parish church, there is an entry as follows: 3 Feb 1660 Robert  MARCHINGTON the sonne of John  MARCHINGTON also his wife of Goyts was baptised.

From this its clear that John was residing at Goyts. Goyts Moss was the only area I've come across using that place name. As such John Marchington could have held this farm being Goyts moss farm as early as 1660 and could have been in the portfolio of lands he or his father held.

In 1809  Joseph Marchington left a Will which stated his residence as Goyts Mofs. Being, 'Goyts Moss'.  This being the area and  not necessarily the property in the area called Goyts Moss Farm. Although the farm was in the holding of the family along with other properties in the area being Marchington farm and Moss House farm and possibly Moss Hall farm. All dwellings being on the same road within yards of each other.  Picture of the properties

Joseph loan money to a Thomas & Mathew Pickford who lived locally to help them start a transport venture as detailed in Joseph's Will. 
There were  financial problems with the Pickfords in the early 1800s. The 1804 Manchester directory has Thomas & James Pickford, carriers near Oxford Road Manchester. In 1808 the entry is Thomas and Matthew, James and Matthew Pickford, carriers by land and water, Oxford Street. Manchester. In May 1808 Thomas Pickford of Poynton and Matthew Pickford borrowed eight thousand pounds from Thomas and James Pickford of London, their cousins, and two other persons. Presumably one of these could be Joseph Marchington. Thomas and Matthew were the sons of James & Martha Pickford.

The sum  in the form of bonds paid interest yearly as stated in Josephs Will, however there is no reference to the amount. 
In a book called Farley's General View of the Agriculture & Minerals of Derbyshire compiled between 1811 and 1817, states that a Joseph Marchington has apparatus for 'scowering pavers' at Goyt's Clough. A reference to a quarrying tool. Joseph was quarrying stone at Goyst Clough, the quarry (Pictures 1 2)    is still present to this day set in the Goyt Valley Park.
Joseph left his estate to his young children  Samuel & Martha who were under 21 years of age at the time of their fathers death. Josephs brother in law being Edward Vernon of Dove Holes &  a James Jodrell of Macclesfield Forest were the executives of his last will which was proved on the 5th July 1810.

There are 3 farms associated with Marchington's in this area. One being Marchington Farm and according to the 1841 tithe Map Elizabeth Marchington is residing there. However in the 1841 census she is stated as living in the dwelling just a few yards down being  Moss House farm.  Some confusion and it may be that Elizabeth rented out one of the dwellings and may have moved back between the two? Moss House or Marchington Farm may have been built by the Marchington according to family handed down information as the old farm being Goyts Moss farm was dilapidated at the time. All 3 dwellings were demolished in favour of the reservoir being built. Goyts Moss farm is now the site occupied by the Peak Park Ranger building. c1910 a family called Swindells were living in Moss House farm c1910 and they were connected with the Marchington's through the marriage of Elizabeth Marchington, nee Swindell.  Also there is a Moss Hall Farm  too along the road in the bottom of the valley.

 
Picture of the 3 building along the old Macclesfield road to Buxton, you can still use this road and the turning off for it is named Derbyshire Bridge near to the Cat & Fiddle pub. If you look at the drawings of Moss house and compare it with the Macclesfield road picture you can make out the building profiles and they match .

In the 1841 census for Marchington farm there is a Elizabeth Marchington age 70 being stated as a farmer living with her children / grandchildren. This is obviously Joseph's widow. There is a tithe map showing Elizabeth's holding relating to Marchington house.

Samuel is not mentioned in the 1841 census, I believe that he is away on business being a Stone merchant.  His wife Elizabeth and their children are living with Samuel's mother Elizabeth (Swindells) Marchington in Moss house farm.

What's very interesting about the census extract is that all the Grandchildren are stated as being born 'not of this county' that being Cheshire, which is strange in that the family was in residence at Goyts Moss through all the births and clearly the Census has Goyts Moss in the Taxal Parish. Also all the Christening & burials took place at St Peters Church, Fairfield , Buxton. Obviously the family were very deeply connected to St Peters or it was more convenient to travel to Fairfield and as such stated their children as being 'not born of this county'. Another quirk is that the natural boarder between Cheshire & Derbyshire being the river Goyt starts from this point and Goyts Moss  farm is a few yards over the boarder in Derbyshire.

After the death of Joseph, Elizabeth his widow sold Goyt Moss Meadows in 1821 according to a sales catalogue. There is also a Castage Farm in the holding of a Humphrey Marchington.  featured in the sales catalogue of 1821.

In the Tithe map of 1843 the following is noted:

There is no mention of any Marchington's living in the Taxal Parish in the 1871 or 1881 census. 

It probable that Samuel was working in & around the Birmingham area and later moved his family there. This is born out by the fact that a Will of a Samuel was made in Birmingham in 1863 as follows:

Samuel Marchington. Proved 22 May 1863. Late of St Vincent St, Birmingham. Stone merchant. Who died 2 April 1863. At St Vincent St, Proved at Birmingham by James Jeffries of Crich in Derby, contractor one of the executors. Effects under £2000

Also his children were living around the Birmingham area in the 1881 census.

Possibly young Thomas Marchington died & was buried on the 16 Aug 1843  plot 25. St peters Fairfield, Buxton.

Mr & Mrs Swindells with niece Annie Swindells who late worked at Errwood Hall. Pictured outside Moss Hall farm. I have not come across a family connection for this family of Swindells to Joseph's wife Elizabeth 'nee' Swindells that's if there is one.

Taxal Notes:
There is an account of a Mr Marchinton who was present on 16 Dec 1615 at Yeardsley Hall, Furness Vale concerning  a dispute between the Jodrell's of Yeardsley and the Legh's of Lyme.     Mr Marchington was possibly a legal representative, as he was required to draw up some documents in the case and I assume its a john Marchington who was a court official or barrister this endorsees the social status of the Marchington family at this time as being a leading family of the area. This John could be the same john that held Goyts Moss farm as featured above.

Later on we find a few family members working for others in the 1841 census in the Taxal parish.

1841 census HO.107/186/10 The whole of the Township of Fernilee

Page 4 Place: Whitehall
Grace Marchington   age 15   farm servant    born of this county.

Page 11 Place: Horwich End
Ann Marchington  age 20 Farm servant   born of the county.

There are no mentions of Marchington's living in the Taxal parish in the 1871 or 1881 census.

 1881 census  Kingsbury Road, Aston, Warwick RG11 3047 \ 54 Page 14
William Marchington                   Head              ? 4?          Buxton, Derby                     Road Contractor     
Emma Marchington                     Wife                47        Rayleigh, Essex                                                   

Taxal, Cheshire parish registers