By M. R. Walling

For many years the origin of the name ‘Jenny Brown’s Point’ has been the subject of much speculation. Several writers on local history have suggested that Jenny was a large steam engine, used for copper smelting in the vicinity of the chimney at Jenny Brown’s Point. One theory was that the famous lady was a lodging-house keeper looking after Irish Miners employed in copper mining and smelting. I think that the will of John Walling of 1671 suggests another, and better, identity for the elusive lady.

The rental and survey of Warton with Lindeth of 1609 mentions William Browne and Thomas Browne both holding pasture on Lindeth Marsh. John Wawen [Walling] is also listed in the survey. Warton Parish Registers record the baptism on March 9, 1605, of John, son of John Wawen of the ‘Dikehouse’ in Lindeth. Dikehouse was the name of the dwelling at what is now Jenny Brown’s Point.

The will of John Walling dated August 29, 1671, makes his two daughters, Jann Walling and Jennye Browne, beneficiaries of sums of money to be paid to them by his son William. Jennet, Jennye’s baptismal name, is one of the commonest names in the wills of this period, but ‘Jenny’ occurs only this one time. I think the proven existence of a woman called Jenny Brown who lived in the place now called Jenny Brown’s Point provides the simplest and most reasonable explanation for the place name.

The Inventory of John Walling is of considerable interest. He was the owner of a ‘mere’ (mare) and a gelding worth £3, bease (cattle) worth £10, sheep worth £8.5s, and Torfe (peat) worth 13/4. Amongst his other goods were Netes, Stukes and panyers worth 5s. This indicates fishing, perhaps, for both his own use and income supplement. The total value of goods is £31.15.8. This includes 11s owing to William Stout, perhaps the famous Ironmonger of Lancaster.

John Walling’s son William died at Dikehouse in 1722. The property then passed to a daughter who married a Hutton. William Walling married Elizabeth, a daughter of the Waithman family. William Walling’s son, another John, had by this time established himself at Bradshawgate in Silverdale.

It is from these people that my family descend; they may have been kin to the more affluent Wallings of Slackwood. The Marsh must have been extensively grazed in Jennye Brown’s time, as the area of hard land there is small and would be needed for winter fodder. The tides would also have to be watched closely. Livestock would have to be moved to the higher land in periods of high tides. The grass must have been kept very short by the various livestock. Lindeth Marsh was probably grazed by several others, as well as the Browne and Walling families; perhaps William Waithman also had grazing here. At the east end the Slackwood and Crag Foot holdings would also graze the Marsh.

Jenny Brown must have been a local character to have given her name to this rather isolated place. There is another example in Silverdale of a woman giving her name to a property.

When Thomas Clark, blacksmith and farmer, died in 1717, he left his smithy and farm at Elmslack, in the care of his wife Julia [Jullian, Gillian]. She survived him at the farm by 31 years, and when her son sold the property in the 1740’s, it had become known as Gillian House and the field in front of the house as Gillian Field. Over the years the name suffered certain corruptions, some 19th century records refer to it as Tollian House, for example, but Gillian Field is still called by that name today. Perhaps Jenny Brown was a widow like Jillian Clark, who held the farm on the Marsh for so long that her name came to identify the place.

Published in Mourholme Magazines Issue 10 Winter 1985