There exists in England a place known as "The Parish of Windle", just to the east of Liverpool, in county Lancashire, England.

This small enclave of land is adjacent to and in some areas, a part of the town of St. Helens, a city centered around the foundries of Pilkington Glass.

"Windle (Lancashire) was known as Windhull in 1201, meaning 'windy hill'", a rise of land buffeted by the winds blowing from the west off the North Irish Sea. Other common spellings in relation to this place are: Windhull (1201), Wyndhill (1320), Wyndhyll, Wyndill, Wyndell and Wyndle as late as the 16^th century. (sources: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names by E. Ekwall (Oxford, 1960), and English Place Names by Kenneth Cameron (Methuen University Paperback UP325, 1961))

There has been a suggestion also that the name may be a reference to a weight or measure of corn. This is as documented as a measure of 3 bushels in one of the Earl of Derby's household accounts, 1561*, but I have not been able to learn its exact capacity. This term for a measure of corn is still in use in various parts of Lancashire, but the measure appears to have been variable. A windle of wheat was 210 to 220 lbs., or 3 bushels. At Preston oats were sold by the windle of 313 lbs

* (The Stanley Papers, part 11, Chetham Society, vol. xxxi. pp. 1 and 2, 1853. The editor, the Rev. F. R. Raines, states that the "windle is an old Lancashire measure containing a mett, or two bushels." (Chetham Publication: OS 31 (old series) The Stanley Papers, pt. ii. The Derby household books; comprising an account of the household regulations and expenses of Edward and Henry, third and fourth Earls of Derby; together with a diary containing the names of the guests who visited the latter Earl at his houses in Lancashire, by William ffarington, esquire, the comptroller [1561-90] (ed. F.R. Raines, 1853).)

My opinion is that the variant of "Windy Hill" is more accurate. The use of the name Windle is recorded in court proceedings as early as approximately 1200, and there is no known reference to the use of the term "windle" as a measure amount until the reference by Lord Stanley in 1561, the name Windle had been in use as a place name for over 300 years before Stanley's account. On this basis I feel that the Windy Hill explanation is more accurate.
However, that being said, there can be little doubt that the name become a surname (no matter what it's origins) for residents of the Windle Manor in about 1200 when the Norman practice of attaching location or occupation to a first name (to create a surname) was the common practice. In this case it is clearly the location Windle which became the surname.

This area was once a part of Lancashire County, however with the rearrangement of counties in the 1980’s it became a part of Merseyside County.

Surnames only began to come into use in England after the Norman conquest, and even then, for many years there were no rules and some families did not have fixed surnames until after 1500. Even the great Norman families did not have father to son surnames at the beginning. Thus Roger Montgomery Earl of Shrewsbury might have been succeeded by his eldest son Robert de Belesme, whose own son was William Talvas. Many families who later had different surnames sprang from the same paternal stock. An example is that of the powerful Lathom family of Lancashire, who descend in the male line from a Saxon or Norseman called Dunning. As the family spread, younger sons were given land in different manors

The use of the name "Windle" as a surname came as a result of many events of olde.

The year was 1201, a township existed which was called Windle. It stretched from east to west for over 4 miles and had a total area of 3,150 acres. The portion of it in the southeastern corner was called Hardshaw, 269 acres and here, around St. Helen’s chapel the modern town of this name has sprung up.

North of the township is Windleshaw and to west are Cowley Hill and Denton’s Green. On the south a brook divides Windle from Eccleston and is joined by the Rainford Brook, which runs across Windle.

The highest point is to the west of the Rainford Brook, at 185 feet, is at the northern boundary of St. Helens; but to the east a height of over 260 feet is attained at Moss Bank.

Map of Windle Township
from 1800's

At Center is Windle Hall.

For the most part the country is rather bare and undulating. Windle Hill from the north looks fairly steep, but from the south its height is completely dwarfed. As a rule, the hills of South Lancashire have their steepest incline to the west, but Windle Hill is an exception.

The land is principally divided into cultivated fields, where potatoes and corn are grown. On the east the township possesses more timber trees than westward and there are more pastures. The eastern boundary line runs through Carr Mill Dam, a large sheet of water with strictly preserved plantations around it. In the extreme northwest there is a narrow band of moss land where the surface soil consists of peat and clay.

Windle Hill Today

The industries of the area are primarily collieries and chemical works. Glass foundries are the largest single industry with Pilkington Glass representing one the largest and oldest in the St. Helens area.

The area around Windle was first recognized as a settlement in approximately 100 AD. There was a fort not far away at Newton on the Roman Road from Warrington to Wigan.

In about 570 AD, an Anglican settlement at Billinge was started. Billinge means 'Place where family of BYLLA settled'. Circa 642 AD, the death of King Oswald of Northumbria in battle is recorded to have occurred at Winwick near Newton. In 1086 the Domesday Survey was done, first written record of most local areas.

The land consisting of the "Township of Windle" began as "Manor Windle" and is first recorded in legal documents in approximately 1200.

The Manor Windle was among those granted to Pain de Vilers, the first baron of Warrington and continued to form a part of this estate until its dispersal about 1585.

The customary rating was two ploughlands and in 1346 it was held of the Earl of Lancaster by the service of the third part of a knights fee, £2 rent and the usual suit to county and wapentake courts. Essentially, what this means is, the land was granted by the king to men of distinction for their possession, in some cases simply as a grant, or later as with the earl of Lancaster, for a nominal "rent" and a requirement to "make appearances" as a guest of the king at certain courts – essentially power plays in exchange for the use of the land and it’s accompanying serfs.

Pain de Vilers, the original grantee gave one ploughland in marriage with his daughter Emma to Vivian Gernet. King John, son of Henry II who reined from 1199 to 1216, made the grant. He took over the throne from his brother, Richard the Lionhearted, following the crusades. The Windle Manor inheritance seems to have been divided between daughters and granddaughters before 1212, when Alan the grandson of de Vilers was holding half of Windle; the other half being held by Robert de Vilers.

Robert de Vilers perhaps resigned his rights at a later date, for in 1242 his lordship was in the hands of the Earl of Ferrers. About 1260, Robert de Ferrers granted his right in Windle to William le Boteler of Warrington, thus abolishing the mesne lordship formerly held by Vilers. Robert de Vilers appears to have left an heir of the same name whom some years later attempted to recover the lost rights, claiming suit from Peter de Burnhill and his wife Alice between 1274 and 1278.

At any rate, the son of Pain de Vilers, named Alan de Windle, the father of the Alan who was tenant in 1212 died before Easter 1200 and is the first person to bear the name "Windle" as a surname. The son became known as Alan de Pemberton.

Shortly after the death of the elder Alan (Alan de Windle the first, son of Pain de Vilers), his widow Edusa claimed from the son her power in many lands. They must have been a family of some influence as Edusa’s claim was for property in Skelmersdale, Syfrethley in Dalton, Pemberton and Windle. The younger Alan (Alan de Windle the second) sometimes was also called "Le Styward" and perhaps survived until about 1240, when he was succeeded by a son of the same name.

Alan de Windle III, later called Sir Alan acted as a juror at various inquests from 1242 onwards. In 1252 William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby was pardoned for a false claim against Alan the third and the next year Alan de Windle and Thurstan de Holand joined in resisting an encroachment by the Earl.

Alan de Windle III died between 1256 and 1274 ands was succeeded by his daughter, Avice who was the wife of the above named Peter de Burnhull (also known as Peter de Brindle) as the holders of Manor Windle. Avice was the daughter of Alan de Windle and the heir.

In 1292, they (Avice & Peter) also became heirs to half of the estate of Rainhill (passed to Alan de Windle by Adam de Billinge). Their granddaughter Joan de Brindle married William Gerard and in 1335 to the Gerards of Kingsley.

Several generations passed with the estate in the possession of de Windle heirs. The manor properties have descended regularly to the present Lord Gerard (Sir Thomas Gerard) of Brynn in Ashton.

Windleshaw Chantry, built by Sir Thomas Gerard of Bryn in 1435 to celebrate mass for the souls of his family.

At one time a dispute occurred in the early part of the reign of King Henry VIII (1509 – 1547). The Gerards wished to escape a dependence they had on a related family: the Warringtons. Sir Thomas Boteler however, succeeded in enforcing a claim for the annual castle-guard rent of 12d and a relief of 10 shillings. Publicly, in September of 1516, Sir Thomas Gerard did homage for the manor for the tenth part of a knight’s fee.

In about 1547, the Gerards placed a portion of Windle Manor into that of a park, which became named as Windleshaw. There stands today a beautiful series of church buildings.

In the 1970’s the Windle Manor house was owned by Sir Alastair and Lady Pilkington, the heir to the Pilkington Glass Foundry fortune.

"Windle Hall has been in my husbands family for nearly 150 years, starting as a farm house and growing by changes and additions, to an unwieldy and very large house by beginning of the First War and standing empty for nearly ten years until my husband came there in 1930. At that time it was reduced to its present size and two of the main changes were the demolition of a large billiard room, which made room for the rose garden and the moving of the front door so that the main living rooms now face south and get sun…"

She goes on to say how extensive renovations were completed, with extensive gardens developed. The house and gardens are open to the public now under the care of the National Garden Schemes with between 500 and a 1000 visitors a season. She also states "The number of roses has risen from some 800 to nearly 1,500".

Windle Hall, the garden in particular, is now listed in the English Heritage Register, reference GD2001, as a private garden, c.2ha.

Today Windle Hall is the place of residence of the Lady Mavis Pilkington Rose, a Hybrid, described as a tall upright grower well-clothed with mid-green glossy foliage. The large well-shaped blooms are of golden-yellow, shaded tangerine-pink. Slightly scented.

Unfortunately, Lady Pilkington died in 2000. Members of the Pilkington family still live in the area however.

My first thought after researching and discovering the illustrious origins of the name Windle was that I, Dale Windle was wrought from the gentle origins of French nobility; a descendant of Pairs de Vilers, Alan de Windle, Robert de Vilers, Peter de Burnhull and Lord Gerard of Brynn in Ashton. Or that I was related to the famed "Le Styward". (Styward is described in Thomas Mores book "Utopia", published in 1516. A Styward’s only job was "…to see that nobody sits around doing nothing, but that everyone gets on with his job". Hmmmm – that’s my relative? On the other hand, it’s said that the word "steward" comes from the old English word, "styward," or "keeper of the pig sty." – that’s more like it.)

Alas, to delve into family history, one must start in the present and work backwards. I started my Windle family history search and found doctors, millionaire business man, family turmoil, farmers, farmers, farmers, farmers and farmers, going back as far as the early 1700s.

Logic would lead me to believe that I am most likely related to the serfs who work the Windle Manor property under the direction of "Le Styward", rather than being a direct descendant of the noblemen.

This is not a bad thing however, hard workers, strong of body and pure of mind, that’s the relatives I must be related to…

GULES: Two Bars Argent: In chief three wolves heads couped of the 2^nd Crest. A wolf’s head Argent transfixed through the breast with an arrow or flighted and point of the first motto: SIBI QUIUSQUE DAT (Everyone gives to himself).

Arrow: Readiness (for battle); if depicted with a cross, represents an affliction

The Ancient Past – Pre 1200

As you have seen, the family name originates from the Manor Windle, near St. Helens, just east of Liverpool in the countyLancashire,England.

The bloodlines of the noblemen were different from those of the serfs that worked the land.

As I surmise we are most likely to be related to the serfs, I’ll focus my research on those origins.

The short and quick history of “the people of the land” of early England is that they were Saxon and Celtic with origins from migration from the mainland continent in centuries previous. I will expand on this at a later time, but I have done some research into this.

My Windle Family History

I say “my” as there are many Windle family lines in existence. I suppose, if one takes the original Pain de Vilers and adds the families of 5 to 10 serfs, all of whom would have adopted the “of Windle” surname, then there are many unique blood line origins of the Windle family name. In some way we might all be seen to be related. Even though by true bloodline we may not, certainly our origins in heritage are

I felt the best way to first document, then preserve “my” Windle Family heritage is to start at the beginning as I know it and work forwards to the present day, writing what is known about each family.

1700 to the Present

I have been successful in working back to approximately 1700 – the birth of John Windle, known as John Windle of Clapham.

At some time there was likely a migration from the original manor property where the Windle surname originated. Our family ancestors ended up in the area of North York and settled there to farm. with one that we know of leaving the farm: The family lived in Yorkshire from some time prior to 1700 up to the generation of 5-John Windle-[4], when after his marriage and the birth of several children at some time between 1865 and 1880 the family moved to the Preston, Lancashire area. Why is unknown.

John Windle (this is the grandfather of Stanley Windle)

Born August 3, 1800 at Westhouse, Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire, England. I have GED file for this event and am working on retrieving a photocopy of the church records for this event.

At this time, Westhouse was probably West House, a farm. I have the 1850 map of the property and it does not appear to be more than a single farm with adjacent buildings. (map attached)

Mother was Ellen Atkinson.

He worked as a cordwainer (shoemaker), employing two workers. At this time in history, this occupation had expanded to include making of leather fittings for horses, wagons and the like. In all likelihood this is what Mr. Windle was engaged as rather than the making of shoes and fine boots.

John married Catherine Pickover in 1833 in Thornton In Lonsdale. Catherine was born in 1811 in Clapham, Yorkshire. They had eight children: Henry, Ellen, James, Mary, William, Thomas, Stephen, and Albert.

Attached is a printout of all the records in the descendants of John Windle of Clapham that I have on file to date:

Descendants of John Windle of Clapham

(Born 1700, Clapham, Yorkshire, England)

This furthest back I have been able to get at this point.

This is an export of data from the software package: Legacy Family Tree. It uses the following formatting:

1- Numbering of each generation

John Windle Of Clapham - [14] – Numbering of each person (as entered into the software program)

General notes and any information entered regarding birth, death, marriage, etc. If there is no information shown, then that means I did not have this information – if you have some, send it to me.

[MRIN:7] – Indicates a marriage record in the software program.

1-John Windle of Clapham - [14]was born in 1700 in Clapham, Yorkshire, England

General Notes: Known as "John Windle of Clapham"

John married (name unknown). They had one child: James.

2-James Windle-[13]was born in 1740 in Clapham, Yorkshire and died in 1801, at age 61.

James married Isabel Bradley-[59] [MRIN:11], on 9 Jul 1759 in Clapham, Yorkshire.Isabel was born in 1740 in Clapham, Yorkshire and died in 1800, at age 60.

James next married (name unknown). They had seven children: John, Margret, Betty, William, Ann, Mary, and James.

3-John Windle-[8]was born on 4 Aug 1764 in Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire.

General Notes: Was actually marries 3 times, the third marriage was to: Nancy Dixon, they had 3 children Jane (1813), James (a815) and Sarah (1819)

Christened

8 Apr 1764

Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire, England

John [8] married Jane Richardson-[21] [MRIN:9], on 12 Apr 1789 in Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire.Jane Richardson-[21] died in 1793.

John [8] next married Ellen Atkinson-[9] [MRIN:10], on 9 May 1797 in Thornton In Lonsdale. Ellen was born in 1769 and died in 1812, at age 43. They had four children: Ann, Stephen, Thomas, and John.

4-Ann Windle-[20].

4-Stephen Windle-[22].

4-Thomas Windle-[24].

4-John Windle-[6]was born on 8 Mar 1800 in Westhouse, Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire.

General Notes: BornAugust 3, 1800 at Westhouse, Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire, England.

At this time, Westhouse was probably West House, a farm. I have the 1850 map of the property and it does not appear to be more than a single farm with adjacent buildings.

Mother was Ellen Atkinson.

I have GED file for this event.

John married Catherine Pickover-[10] [MRIN:7], in 1833 in Thornton In Lonsdale. Catherine was born in 1811 in Clapham, Yorkshire. They had eight children: Henry, Ellen, James, Mary, William, Thomas, Stephen, and Albert.

5-Henry Windle-[27]was born on 28 Feb 1837 in Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire and died in 1920 in Poulton Le Fylde, Lancashire, at age 83.

General Notes: Long shot:

Henry Windle, born Thornton in Lonsdale 28th Feb 1837. He was a school teacher and subsequently became head of a school in Grays in Essex (England) before retiring to Poulton le Fylde in Lancashire. He died in 1920.

5-Ellen Windle-[28]was born in 1840.

5-James Windle-[29]was born in 1842.

5-Mary Windle-[30]was born in 1844.

5-William Windle-[31]was born on 19 Apr 1846 in Westhouse, Yorkshire.

William married (name unknown). They had two children: John Gilbert William and Cyril Henry James.

6-John Gilbert William Windle-[62]was born in 1878 in Wennington, Lancaster and died on 29 Sep 1916 in Vimy Ridge, France (WWI), at age 38.

6-Cyril Henry James Windle-[63]was born in 1892 and died on 29 Sep 1916 in Vimy Ridge, France, (WWI), at age 24.

Noted events in his life were:

Occupation ?

5-Thomas Windle-[32]was born in 1848.

5-Stephen Windle-[33]was born in 1851.

5-Albert Windle-[35]was born in 1854.

John next married (name unknown). They had one child: John.

5-John Windle-[4]was born on 15 Nov 1835 in Thornton Hill, Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire and died in Clifton Terrace, Lancashire.

General Notes: Occupation farmer at Tower Farm, Houghton, Lancashire (1881 Census) Married to Sarah .

Children Alfred Henry (1859)..William James (1865) Charlotte Annie (1872)

Occupation Farmer at Thornton in Lonsdale, Lancashire, UK., at the time of Stanley Windle's birth (1893).

Married at Thornton in Lonsdale church in all likelihood. This is the church where Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was wed in 1885.

Died at Clifton Terrace (West of Preston) & Buried at St. AndrewsChurch, Aston- on-Ribble.

This means he moved from Yorkshire (Sheffield area) to Lancashire to the Preston area before his first marriage in 1857.

Noted events in his life were:

Occupation?

John married Sarah Ridding-[25] [MRIN:5], in 1857.Sarah Ridding-[25] died in Tanterton Hall Farm, Cottam. They had six children: Alfred, Catherine, John Thomas, William James, Sarah Ellen, and Charlotte Annie.

6-Alfred Windle-[26]was born in 1858.

Alfred married Deborah-[36] [MRIN:15].

6-Catherine Windle-[37]was born in 1860, was christened on 5 Aug 1860 in Thornton In Lonsdale, and died in 1928, at age 68.

General Notes: Died as a result of a Road accident in June, 1928.

Catherine married William Metcalfe-[38] [MRIN:17], on 2 Dec 1880 in ClaphamChurch.

6-John Thomas Windle-[39]was born in 1862.

6-William James Windle-[40]was born on 12 Apr 1865 in Thornton In Lonsdale, Yorkshire.

General Notes: They lived at Houghton, near Preston in Lancashire, UK, late 1800's

William married Margaret Harrison-[41] [MRIN:18], in 1895.Margaret was born in 1867. They had one child: Thomas.

7-Thomas Windle-[58]was born on 4 Jun 1900.

Thomas married Annie Crankshaw-[57] [MRIN:23].They had one child: Everard James.

8-Everard James Windle-[60]was born on 28 Nov 1933 in Houghton, Lancashire.

Everard married Doreen Webster-[61] [MRIN:24], in 1957.

6-Sarah Ellen Windle-[42]was born in 1867.

6-Charlotte Annie Windle-[43]was born in 1871.

Charlotte married Twonson Reeder-[44] [MRIN:19].

John next married Ann Ellen Jackson-[5] [MRIN:6], in 1880.Ann was born on 29 Sep 1858 and died on 2 Dec 1902 in Greanestown, Aston-On-Ribble, at age 44. They had three children: Clara, Jessie, and Stanley.

6-Clara Windle-[46].

6-Jessie Windle-[47].

6-Stanley Windle-[3]was born on 19 Feb 1893 in Tanterton Hall Farm, Lancashire.

General Notes: Residence of Ellen Windle is listed as: Tanterton Hall Farm, Cottam, Lancashire, UK. in 1893.

Stanley Windle was employed at E. Dewhurst, Mount Street Works, Preston but left their employ to work at the National Telephone Co. in Blackburn. My thinking is that he met Ellen at this time because her home was in Blackburn. He came out to Canada in late 1911 and was at work in Portage La Prairie in 1912. I guess he persuaded Ellen to come out to Canada but she took her time because they were not married until 1916. As you will note in the above dates she was 3 years older than Stanley.

Stanley married Ellen Smith-[7] [MRIN:3], on 21 Oct 1916 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Can.Ellen was born on 5 Sep 1890 in Mill Hill, Blackburn, Lancashire.

Stanley next married (name unknown). They had three children: Howard, Melva, and Stanley.

7-Howard Windle-[48].

7-Melva Windle-[49].

7-Stanley Windle-[1]was born on 1922 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Stanley married Helen McKenzie-[34] [MRIN:1], daughter of Hugh McKenzie-[64] and Florence Baxendale-[65].Helen was born in 1928 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba and died in 1994 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, at age 66. They had four children: Brian Howard, Stanley Dale, Kenna Mae, and Susan Jean.

8-Brian Howard Windle-[50]was born on 1951.

Brian married Victoria Cline-[51] [MRIN:20].

8-Stanley Dale Windle-[23]was born on 1953 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Dale married Susan Fischlin -[56] [MRIN:14], daughter of Georges G. Y. Fischlin-[67] and Shirley Carlson-[76], on 1988 in Yellowknife, NWT, Can. Susan was born on 1959 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They had two children: Jamison and Morgan.