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Brereton cum Smethwick

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"BRERETON-with-SMETHWICK, a parish in the hundred of NORTHWICH, county palatine of CHESTER, 2¾ miles (N. E. by N.) from Sandbach, containing 624 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £7. 0. 5., and in the patronage of James Royds, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Oswald, is a stately structure in the later style of English architecture, with a roof of carved oak; it was formerly a chapel of ease to the church at Astbury, but was made parochial, and endowed with the tithes of Brereton and Smethwick, in the reign of Henry VIII.; it contains several monuments of the Lords Brereton and the Smethwick family. There is a place of worship for Calvinistic dissenters. Fairs for cattle are held in the second weeks in April and November. The sum of £20 per annum, arising from two farms, was given by Mr. Jupson, for the benefit of the poor." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

"SMETHWICK, a township in the parish of BRERETON, hundred of NORTHWICH, county palatine of CHESTER, 4 miles (N. E. by E.) from Sandbach. The population is returned with the parish." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Brereton cum Smethwick, also a township in Brereton ancient parish, Northwich hundred (SJ 7864),  became a civil parish in 1866
  • The civil parish was abolished in 1936, and incorporated into Brereton.
  • It included the hamlets of Bagmere, Brindley Green, Brownedge, Hazelshawe, Illidge Green, Medhurst Green, Sandlow Green and Smethwick.
  • The population was 556 in 1801, 649 in 1851, 552 in 1901, and 613 in 1951.
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Civil Registration

  • Congleton (1837-1936)
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Court Records

  • Northwich (1828-1907)
  • Sandbach (1907-36)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Brereton cum Smethwick which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"BRERETON-CUM-SMETHWICK, a parish in the hundred of Northwich, in the county palatine of Chester, 2 miles to the N.E. of Sandbach. Its post town is Congleton. It is situated on the river Crock, and is crossed by the London and North-Western railway. The manor was formerly held by the Brereton family. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, of the value of £681, in the patronage of Mrs. E. Royds. The church, an ancient and handsome edifice, is dedicated to St. Oswald. It is in the perpendicular style of architecture, with a carved roof, and contains monuments of the Breretons and Smethwicks. Brereton was a chapelry to the parish of Astbury till the reign of Henry VIII., when it was constituted a separate parish. There are three chapels belonging to the Dissenters. The charitable endowments, consisting of bequests by Mr. Jepson and the Breretons, for the relief of the poor, amount to about £28 per annum. Brereton Hall is an ancient mansion, formerly the seat of the Brereton family, by one of whom, Sir William Brereton, afterwards Lord Brereton of Leighlin, it was erected about 1586. It has been partly taken down. Near the hall is a sheet of water, called Bagmere Pool, with which is connected the romantic tradition that the death of an heir of the Brereton family was foreshadowed by the appearance of trunks of trees floating on its surface."

"SMETHWICK, a township in the parish of Brereton cum Smethwick, hundred of Northwick, county Chester, 4 miles N.E. of Sandbach."

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Historical Geography

Places associated with Brereton ancient parish with separate pages

 

  • 1936 April 1 — Abolished and incorporated into Brereton (4599 acres, pop. 469 in 1931)
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ787644 (Lat/Lon: 53.176046, -2.320389), Brereton cum Smethwick which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Congleton Rural Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Congleton Rural District (1894-1936)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Congleton
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Voting Registers

  • South Cheshire (1832-67)
  • Mid Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Knutsford (1885-1936)