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Heswall

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"HESWALL, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of WIRRALL, county palatine of CHESTER, comprising the townships of Gayton and Heswall with Oldfield, and containing 386 inhabitants, of which number, 233 are in the joint township of Heswall with Oldfield, 3¾ miles (N. W. by N.) from Great Neston. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £18. 8. 4., and in the patronage of Davies Davenport, Esq. and Mrs. O'Kell, alternately. The church, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Dee, is an ancient structure, and contains several monuments in memory of different members of the Glegg family. There is a small unendowed school." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

"OLDFIELD, a township, joint with Heswall, in the parish of HESWALL, lower division of the hundred of WIRRALL, county palatine of CHESTER, 4¼ miles (N. N. W.) from Parkgate. The population is returned with Heswall." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Heswall cum Oldfield,  a township in Heswall ancient parish, Wirral hundred (SJ 2781), became a civil parish in 1866.
  • Since 1974 it has been an unparished area in the county of Merseyside.
  • It includes the hamlets of Dawstone and Oldfield.
  • The population was 168 in 1801, 513 in 1851, 2167 in 1901, 6773 in 1951, and 29977 in 2001.
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Cemeteries

  • Heswall Cemetery, Irby Road. Opened 1960.
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Civil Registration

  • Wirral (1837-1974)
  • Birkenhead (1974-98)
  • Wirral (1998+)
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Court Records

  • Wirral (1828+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Heswall which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"HESWALL, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of Wirrall, county Chester, 3½ miles from Great Neston, its post town, and 5 W. of the Spital railway station. The village, which is small, is situated on the river Dee, and commands a view of the estuary of that river, and of the Flintshire coast. The parish contains the townships of Heswall-cum-Oldfield and Gayton. The inhabitants are principally employed in agriculture. About half the land is in cultivation, producing good crops of wheat; the remainder is common and waste. Heswall Common rises to the height of 475 feet above the level of the sea. The substratum is red sandstone, which is quarried for building purposes. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, value £294. The church is an ancient structure, with a tower containing three bells. In the interior of the church are several monuments to the Glegg family. The chancel and tower of the church are of greater antiquity than the body of it. Here is a parochial school for both sexes, and a Sunday-school. Arthur Devonport and William Lloyd, Esqs., are lords of the manor and chief landowners."

"GAYTON, a township in the parish of Heswall, lower division of the hundred of Wirrall, county palatine of Chester, 2 miles N.W. of Great Neston, and 8 S.W. of Birkenhead. The Spital station on the Chester and Birkenhead railway is about 4 miles E. of the village. It is situated on the estuary of the river Dee, which is here nearly 4 miles broad. John B. Glegg, Esq., is lord of the manor. There is a ferry over the Dee into Flintshire."

"HESWALL-WITH-OLDFIELD, a township in the parish of Heswall, lower division of the hundred of Wirrall, county Chester, 6 miles S.W. of Birkenhead."

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Historical Geography

Places associated with Heswall cum Oldfield ancient parish with separate pages

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ265813 (Lat/Lon: 53.323615, -3.105311), Heswall which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Wirral Rural Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Wirral Rural District (1894-1933)
  • Wirral Urban District (1933-74)
  • Wirral Metropolitan Borough [Merseyside] (1974+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Wirral
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Voting Registers

  • South Cheshire (1832-67)
  • West Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Wirral (1885-1974)