Bunbury

"BUNBURY, a parish in the first division of the hundred of Eddisbury, but extending also into the higher division of the hundred of Broxton, in the county palatine of Chester, 6 miles to the N.W. of Nantwich, and 32 S.E. of Tarporley, its post town. It is intersected by the Chester and Crewe section of the North-Western railway, and the Chester and Nantwich canal. Beeston and Calveley, in this parish, are railway stations. The parish is of great extent, containing the chapelry of Burwardsley (in Broxton hundred), and the townships of Alpraham, Beeston, Bunbury, Calveley, Haughton, Peckforton, Ridley, Spurstow, Tilstone-Fearnall, Tiverton, and Wardle. It belonged anciently to Hugh Lupus, by whom it was granted to the Bunbury family. A college was founded here by Sir Hugh do Calveley about the year 1386, which had a revenue at the Dissolution of £48. There are no remains of the buildings, but the site is not far from the church. Sir Hugh was a famous soldier of the reigns of Edward III. and Richard II., and distinguished himself especially in the invasions of France under the former monarch. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Chester, worth £117, in the gift of the Master and Wardens of the Haberdashers' Company. The church, formerly collegiate, is dedicated to St. Boniface. It is a handsome edifice, in the perpendicular style, with a tower surmounted by eight pinnacles. It has two elegant side chapels, called the Spurstow and Ridley chapels, the latter of which, built in 1527 by Sir R. Egerton, of Ridley, contains his tomb, adorned with curious sculpture and paintings. The church has also a fine altar-tomb to Sir Hugh Calveley, with his effigies in armour, and several monuments to the Beestons, one of whom, Sir George Beeston, was an admiral in command at the destruction of the Armada. He was then 89 years of age, and died in 1601. The church sustained considerable damage during the Civil War, being set on fire by a party of royalists, in June, 1643. In addition to the parish church there are two district churches at Burwardsley and Tilston, the livings of which are perpetual curacies, value respectively, £50 and £90. The Wesleyans have a chapel in the town, and there are two endowed schools. The charitable endowments consist chiefly of the produce of bequests by Thomas Aldersey, in 1575, for various purposes, and by Thomas Gardener, in 1750, for a school. A noted wake is held on Bunbury Heath, on the Sunday before St. Boniface's Day."

"ALPRAHAM, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of the hundred of Eddisbury, in the county palatine of Chester, 6 miles to the N.W. of Nantwich. The Chester and Crewe railway and the Birmingham canal pass near it. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel here."

"BEESTON, a township in the parish of Bunbury, hundred of Eddisbury, in the county palatine of Cheshire, 3 miles to the S.W. of Tarporley. It is a station on the Chester and Crewe railway, midway between those towns. It is situated in a fertile and beautiful country, at the foot of Beeston Hill, a bold and insulated rock of sandstone, 366 feet in height, precipitous on one side, but gradually sloping on the other, and commanding a wide prospect over the vale of Cheshire. On its summit are the ruins of Beeston Castle, once a fortress of great strength, founded about 1220 by Ranulph de Blundeville. It was garrisoned by the parliamentary forces in the reign of Charles I., and, being taken by the royalists, was besieged, retaken, and dismantled in 1646. The remains, a massive and picturesque pile, overgrown with ivy, consist of part of an entrance archway, between two round towers, part of the walls, several round towers, remains of the chapel, and the moat cut in the sandstone. They extend over four or five acres, and form a striking object in the landscape for many miles round, being visible at Liverpool. There is a large stone quarry in the outer ward of the castle. The Chester canal passes through the township, which is included within the Poor-law Union of Nantwich. There is a mineral spring. Beeston Hall, an old seat, was burnt down by Prince Rupert during the Civil War."

"BURWARDSLEY, a chapelry in the parish of Bunbury, hundred of Broxton, in the county palatine of Chester, 5 miles to the S.W. of Tarporley. Tattenhall is its post town. The Crewe and Chester branch of the London and North-Western railway runs a little northward of this place. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Chester, value £50, in the patronage of trustees. The church, erected about 1736, is dedicated to St. John. There are charitable endowments producing about £40 per annum."

"CALVELEY, a township in the parish of Bunbury, hundred of Eddisbury, in the county palatine of Chester, 13 miles to the S.E. of Chester. It is a station on the Crewe and Chester branch of the London and North-Western railway. The Chester canal passes near the township. Calveley was the seat and the estate of the famous Sir Hugh Calveley, who distinguished himself in the French wars of Edward III. and Richard II. Calveley Hall is now the property of the Davenports of Capesthorne."

"HAUGHTON, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of the hundred of Eddisbury, county Chester, 1½ mile S. of Bunbury, and 5 miles N.W. of Nantwich. It is situated about 2 miles from the London and North-Western railway, and near the Shropshire Union canal. The village is small and wholly agricultural. The Rev. W. B. Garnett is lord of the manor and principal landowner."

"PECKFORTON, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of the hundred of Eddisbury, county Chester, 2 miles S.W. of Bunbury, 6 N.W. of Chester, and 4 S. by W. of Tarporley, its post town. The principal attraction of the neighbourhood is Peckforton Castle, a red sandstone building erected in 1850. It is situated on an eminence commanding a view of the surrounding country. In this township is Horseley Bath, a mineral spring formerly in much esteem. The living is a curacy annexed to the perpetual curacy* of Bunbury, in the diocese of Chester. Divine service is held in the chapel adjoining the castle. A school for both sexes is held in the entrance lodge to the castle. The Primitive Methodists have a place of worship."

"RIDLEY, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of the hundred of Eddisbury, county Chester, 6 miles N.W. of Nantwich, and 3 S.W. of Bunbury. It was the birth-place, in 1540, of Lord Chancellor Egerton, who was created by James I. Viscount Brackley. Ridley Hall is the principal residence. Lord Cottenham is lord of the manor and principal landowner."

"SPURSTOW, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of Eddisbury hundred, county Chester, 2 miles S. of Bunbury, and 6 N.W. of Nantwich. The inhabitants are wholly engaged in agriculture. It was once celebrated for its mineral spring, and was a resort of bathers. A farm now stands on the site of the bath-house. There is a chapel for the Primitive Methodists. The Hall is the principal residence."

"TILSTONE-FEARNALL, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of Eddisbury hundred, county Chester, 2½ miles S.E. of Tarporley, its post town, and 1 mile N. of Bunbury, on the Crewe railway and Birmingham canal. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Chester, value £90. Tho church, dedicated to St. Jade, was built in 1836, at an expense of £1,800, defrayed by J. Tolemache, Esq., who is lord of the manor, and principal landowner. The Hall is the principal residence."

"TIVERTON, a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of Eddisbury hundred, county Chester, 2 miles S. of Tarporley. The Chester canal passes in the vicinity, and a customary corn market is held at Four-lane Ends every Monday."

"WARDLE, (or Wardhull), a township in the parish of Bunbury, first division of Eddisbury hundred, county Chester, 4 miles N. W. of Nantwich, and 6 from Tarporley. The village is situated at the conjunction of the Liverpool and Middlewich canals, near the Chester railway. The land is chiefly devoted to pasture. There are some tile-works.