My Ancestors Came From Lancashire What Was It Like When They Lived There In In The C17?

Lancashire in the C17 was very different to the Lancashire we see today.

Much of the countryside was moorland and large tracts of land were unenclosed; in the winter much of the low-lying land was subject to flooding. Enclosed farms were undrained and open to flooding.

In 1700 the population of Livrpool was only about 5,700 souls with limited shipping.
Hearth Tax returns indicate that Lancashire was a poor county, the proportion of hearths being much less than in many other counties, including Cheshire.

Towns were small. Internal trade was still limited whilst external trade was mainly concerned with Ireland, the Isle of Mann, and southern Europe.

The late Professor Thorold Rogers studied the Ship Money Valuation of 1636 and concluded that Lancashire was the poorest of all the English counties along with Cumberland.
An assesment of 1641 for the raising of funds to suppress the Irish rebellion placed 35th place in order of county wealth.