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Wilmslow

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"WILMSLOW, a parish in the hundred of MACCLESFIELD, county palatine of CHESTER, 7 miles (N.W. by N.) from Macclesfield, comprising the townships of Bollen-Fee, Chorley, Fulshaw, and Pownal-Fee, and containing 3927 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £32. 15., and in the patronage of Thomas Joseph Trafford, Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, is a handsome structure, combining the decorated and later English styles, and containing several old monuments of the Dunham, Trafford, and Newton families; in an adjoining chapel, of modern construction, are several tombs of the family of Leigh, by one of whom it was founded. The small river Bollin, upon which are extensive cotton and silk mills, runs through the parish. There are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan Methodists. Courts leet and baron are held, the former by the Earl of Stamford and Warrington, and the latter at Pownal- Fee by Mr. Trafford. A school, founded by the Rev. Henry Hough, with a small endowment, affords instruction to ten children. A workhouse was established, about 1780, upon Lindon common, and land, now producing upwards of £200 per annum, was assigned for its support. About a quarter of a mile eastward from the church are some remains of an ancient chapel, supposed to have belonged to the old manor-house."[From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

"DEAN-ROW, a hamlet in the parish of WILMSLOW, hundred of MACCLESFIELD, county palatine of CHESTER, 6½ miles (N. N. W.) from Macclesfield. The population is returned with the parish." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Wilmslow, [previously an ancient parish] also a civil parish created in 1894 from parts of Bollinfee, Fulshaw and Pownall Fee.
  • Since 1974 it has been an unparished area.
  • It includes the hamlets of Carrwood, Colshaw, Davenport Green, Dean Row, Finney Green, Fulshaw Park, Harden Park, Hilltop, Hollinlane, Hough, Lacey Green, Lindow (part), Morley, Oversley, The Parsonage, Pownall Green, Shady Grove, Stanneyland and Styal.
  • The population  was 7361 in 1901, 10536 in 1951, and 30326 in 2001.

For the period before 1894 see Bollinfee, Fulshaw and Pownall Fee.

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Cemeteries

  • Wilmslow Cemetery, Manchester Road. Opened 1907 (6.5 acres)
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Civil Registration

  • Altrincham (1894-98)
  • Bucklow (1898-1974) *
  • Macclesfield (1974-98)
  • Cheshire East (1998-2007)
  • Cheshire (2007-09)
  • Cheshire East (2009+)

* The part of the former civil parish of Handforth, which was added to Wilmslow in 1936, remained in Stockport registration district until 1937.

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Court Records

  • Prestbury (1894-1974)
  • Macclesfield (2011+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Wilmslow which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"WILMSLOW, a parish in the hundred of Macclesfield, county Chester, 7 miles N.W. of Macclesfield, and 6 from Stockport. It is a station on the Manchester, Stockport, and Crewe section of the London and North-Western railway. The village is situated in the vale of the river Bollin, here crossed by a railway viaduct of eleven arches. The parish comprises the townships of Bollin Fee, Pownall Fee, Fulshaw, and Chorley. Many of the inhabitants are employed in the cotton and silk mills. The surface is undulating, and the soil fertile, with a considerable proportion of rich pasture. The soil is red and grey marl. The road from Manchester to Birmingham passes through the parish. The manor was anciently held under the Earls of Chester by the Fittors, of Pownall, from whom it passed by marriage to the Venables, of Kinderton, and from them to the Booths, of Dunham Massey; it now belongs to Sir Humphrey de Trafford and John Clarke Prescott, Esq., who are the chief landowners. A court baron is held by the Traffords in Pownall Fee, and another by the Earl of Stamford and Warrington. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, value £1,000. The church, dedicated to St. Bartholomew, contains a carved oak roof and several mortuary chapels, with brasses, effigies, and altar tombs. The Independents, Wesleyans, Calvinistic Methodists, Unitarians, and Society of Friends have chapels. There are National and Sunday schools. Races are held annually in September."

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Historical Geography

Places associated with Wilmslow ancient parish with separate pages

 

  • 1894 September 30 — Created from the parts in Wilmslow Urban District of Bollinfee (pop. 3208 in 1901), Fulshaw (pop. 1403 in 1901) and Pownall Fee (pop. 2750 in 1901)
  • 1936 April 1 — Gained parts of Bollinfee (less than 1 acre, pop. 0 in 1931), Cheadle & Gatley (19 acres, pop. 31 in 1931), Chorley (near Wilmslow) (3 acres, pop. 0 in 1931), Handforth (1080 acres, pop. 938 in 1931) and Styal (1521 acres, pop. 1336 in 1931), and lost part to Alderley Edge (119 acres, pop. 109 in 1931)
  • 1954 April 1 — Lost part to Alderley Edge (3 acres, pop. 20 in 1951)
  • 1981 April 1 — Gained part of Chorley (near Wilmslow), and lost part to Alderley Edge
  • 2011 April 1 — Lost parts to the new parishes of Handforth and Styal
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ844809 (Lat/Lon: 53.32522, -2.235975), Wilmslow which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Wilmslow Urban District (1894-1974)
  • Macclesfield (1974-2009)
  • Cheshire East (2009+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Altrincham (1894-95)
  • Bucklow (1895-1930)
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Voting Registers

  • Knutsford (1894-1974) *

* The part of the former civil parish of Handforth, which was added to Wilmslow in 1936, remained in the Altrincham division until 1945.