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Astbury

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"ASTBURY, a parish, county palatine of CHESTER, comprising the township of Somerford-Booths, in the hundred of MACCLESFIELD, the market-town of Congleton, and the townships of Astbury-Newbold, Buglawton, Davenport, Hulme-Walfield, Moreton with Alcumlow, Oddrode, Radnor, Smallwood, and Summerford, in the hundred of NORTHWICH, county palatine of CHESTER, 1½ mile (S. W.) from Congleton, and containing 10,388 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £68, and in the patronage of Lord Crewe. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a spacious and beautiful structure, in the later style of English architecture: the interior contains several stalls, a rood-loft, and some fine screen-work; the ceilings, which are of oak, are richly carved; the east window is highly finished, and there are some fine specimens of stained glass. The nave is separated from the aisles by lofty pointed arches springing from clustered columns. The tower, which stands at the north-west angle of the church, and is surmounted by an elegant spire, appears to have belonged to a former edifice. In the township of Oddrode, a church, or chapel of ease, has been erected by Mr. Dobbs, of Clapham in Surrey, which for a time was shut up, on account of some dispute respecting the patronage; but the service of the established church is now performed in it, the minister being appointed by the founder. The office of churchwarden devolves on the proprietors of six of the principal halls, and on the mayor of Congleton, who are styled Præpositi, here termed Posts, and who in rotation nominate a deputy. A railway passes through the parish from Mole-Cop to a coal wharf near Congleton; and the Macclesfield canal proceeds at a short distance east of the village. The sum of £50 per annum, the bequest of John Halford, in 1714, is partly distributed among the poor, and partly applied in apprenticing poor children." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

"ASTBURY (NEWBOLD), a township in that part of the parish of ASTBURY which is in the hundred of NORTHWICH, county palatine of CHESTER, 3 miles (S. by E.) from Congleton, containing 569 inhabitants." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Newbold Astbury, also  a township in Astbury ancient parish, Northwich hundred (SJ 8460), became a civil parish in 1866.
  • It includes the hamlets of Brownlow, Ciss Green, Congleton Edge (part), Dubthorne (part), Stye Heath, Wall Hill
  • The population was 575 in 1801, 705 in 1851, 593 in 1901, 564 in 1951, and 475 in 2001.
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Civil Registration

  • Congleton (1837-1937)
  • Macclesfield (1937-74)
  • Congleton & Crewe (1974-88)
  • South Cheshire (1988-98)
  • Cheshire West (1998-2007)
  • Cheshire (2007-09)
  • Cheshire West & Chester (2009+)
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Court Records

  • Northwich (1828-99)
  • Middlewich & Sandbach (1899-1907)
  • Congleton (County) (1907-67)
  • South East Cheshire (1967-74)
  • Congleton (1974-92)
  • South Cheshire (1992+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Astbury which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"ASTBURY, a parish in the hundreds of Northwich and Macclesfield, in the county palatine of Chester, 1 mile from Congleton its post town. It lies near the Macclesfield canal, on the borders of Staffordshire, and comprises the market town of Congleton, and the following townships:- Newbold Astbury, Buglawton, Davenport, Hulme Walfield, Moreton, Odd Rode, Radnor, Smallwood, Somerford Booths, and Somerford. Mow Cop, or Mole Cop Hill, which rises to the height of 1,090 feet, is partly in this parish; and partly within the limits of Staffordshire. Limestone and coal are obtained here, and the silk and cotton manufactures are carried on to a large extent. There are above forty factories, which, with the collieries and lime-works, furnish the chief employment for the population. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, with the perpetual curacy of Hulme Walfield, value £2,240, in the patronage of Lord Crewe. The church, which is a handsome building in the perpendicular style, has a spire and a finely carved roof, executed in 1616 by Richard Lowndes. It contains also a screen, roodloft, stained windows, and several interesting monuments of the Moretons and Bellots. In the churchyard are some very old tombs of the Breretons. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. In addition to the parish church, there are nine district churches and chapels of ease in this extensive parish, named after their districts, Buglawton, Congleton, Congleton St. James's, Congleton St. Stephen's, Eaton, Mossley, Odd Rode, Smallwood, and Somerford chapel. The whole of these, except the last, are perpetual curacies, and will be described under their several headings. There are charitable endowments amounting to £263, of which sum £177 is the produce of Holford's bequest for education, relief of the poor, &c. Little Moreton Hall, situated in the township of Odd Rode, was formerly the seat of the Breretons, since of the Moretons.

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Historical Geography

Places associated with Astbury ancient parish with separate pages

 

  • 1936 April 1 — Lost part to Congleton (18 acres, pop. 25 in 1931)
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ842618 (Lat/Lon: 53.153223, -2.237005), Astbury which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Congleton Rural Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Congleton Rural District (1894-1974)
  • Congleton (1974-2009)
  • Cheshire East (2009+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Congleton
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Voting Registers

  • South Cheshire (1832-67)
  • West Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Macclesfield (1885-1948)
  • Knutsford (1949-74)