anthorn, and, though he had a cold
(for which white wine whey was offered him, which he called
'varra good stuff'), walked as far as Salford, and there
quartered them; two of his Highlanders, in the meantime, were
dancing reels in the kitchen, and in the morning gave each of
the maids sixpence at parting."

The name Healey Dene denotes a valley or dale, _convallis_,
enclosed on both sides with steep hills; _dene_ being a Saxon
word, signifying a narrow valley, with woods and streams of
water convenient for the feeding of cattle. Here the river
Spodden, which now keeps many fulling-mills and engines at
work, formerly turned one solitary corn-mill only. It was built
in the narrow dingle below the hall, for the supply of the
hamlet. The feudal owners of most mansions usually erected
corn-mills (where practicable) within their own demesnes. After
the family had removed to the more mild and temperate climate
of Mavesyn-Ridware, in Staffordshire, about the year 1636,
Healey Mill was converted into a fulling-mill, so that one of
the principal features in our story no longer exists.

About two miles north from Rochdale lies the hamlet of Healey, a high
tract of land, as its Saxon derivation seems to imply, hea{~LATIN SMALL LETTER EZH WITH CURL~}e, _high_,
and lea{~LATIN SMALL LETTER EZH WITH CURL~} _a pasture_, signifying the "_high pasture_."

Our Saxon ancestors chiefly occupied their lands for grazing
purposes; hence the many terminations in ley, or lea{~LATIN SMALL LETTER EZH WITH CURL~}. Pasturage is
still called a "ley" for cattle in these parts.

In this remote hamlet dwelt a family, probably of Saxon origin, whose
name, De Heley, from their place of residence, had, in all likelihood,
been assumed soon after the Norman conquest. Their descendants, of the
same name, continued to reside here until the reign of Edward III.,
holding their lands as abbey lands, under the abbot of Stanlaw, soon
after the year 1172, in the reign of Henry II., and subsequently under
the abbot of Whalley, from the year 1296.[1] In 1483, John Chadwyke, or
(_Ceddevyc_, from the common appellation _Cedde_, and _vyc_, a mansion
or vill, signifying Cedde's fort, peel, or fortified mansion) married
Alice, eldest daughter and co-heir of Adam Okeden of Heley; and in her
right settled at the mansion of Heley (or Healey) Hall, then a huge
unsightly structure of w