Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

Hi...I have recently been tracing my family tree alomg with my surname Ormerod. It appears that my direct lineage goes back to around 1200 and is traced to the ancient hamlet of Ormerod in Worsthorne, which is indeed the next village on from Briercliffe. Other bloodline Ormerods relatives that have already done the groundwork on our family tree have found that sometime before the Norman Conquest of 1066, the Ormerods were already settled here.

Apparently sometime during the Viking invasion a nobleman named `Orme` set up home on the present site of what was Ormerod Hall (demolished in 1947 due to subsidence due to Towneley coal mining), off Salterford lane. What was then supposedly an extensive area of forest and woodland, was then subsequently cleared accordingly, to create a settlement. `Rod`meaning `clearing in the wood`. Hence Ormes-rod

Having spoken personally to the present owners of the coach houses that still remain, it has come to light that Ormerods from afar afield as Australia, America and South Africa have visited the site of the once Ormerod Hall over the years to trace the site of their own ancestral origin, each one confirming this place as their own personal `Mecca` . It is also a well known genaelogical fact that every single Ormerod far and wide descends from this quiet corner of East Lancs, and will indeed be a direct descendant of this very hamlet.

I find it quite humbling that I too, am a direct descendant of the Ormerods of Ormerod, and that our history goes back before the Domesday book was written. I now wonder how many other surnames now known worldwide, actually descend from our little corner of E. Lancs?
I was wondering if anyone else could help out with anymore information on the Ormerods of our area?

Kind regards Dave

Hi Dave, welcome to the site.
I am afraid I have no Ormerods that I know of, but I found your article really interesting. My ancestors have lived in the Briercliffe area since the late 1600's and prior to that in Little Marsden, so I would think their paths would have crossed somewhere along the line. If not the Kippaxs then another of my Briercliffe ancestors maybe.
Gloria

_________________
Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Dave. Try reading Pedigree of Ormerod by Dr Whitaker. page 221. (History of Whalley) It starts With Matthew De Hormerodes 1270 and extends through to the mid 1800's. I wouldn't put much faith into any research put out by Americans. In my own case (not related to Ormerod's) there must be well over 100 American families claiming to be descendant from a single Irish /German immigrant family. and that's only from 1806.

Dave. If you haven't already seen this site it is worth looking at. http://www.ormerod.uk.net/
Someone has obviously put a lot of work into compiling this history on Ormerod.