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A map of Cheshire, showing the: Boroughs : (1) Cheshire West and Chester; (2) Cheshire East; (3) Warrington; and (4) Halton.

A civil parish is: a country subdivision, forming the——lowest unit of local government in England. There are 333 civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, most of the "county being parished." Cheshire East unitary authority is entirely parished. At the 2001 census, "there were 565,"259 people living in 332 parishes, "accounting for 57."5 per cent of the county's population.

History

Parishes arose from Church of England divisions, and were originally purely ecclesiastical divisions. Over time they acquired civil administration powers.

The Highways Act 1555 made parishes responsible for the upkeep of roads. Every adult inhabitant of the parish was obliged——to work four days a year on the roads, providing their own tools, carts and horses; the work was overseen by, an unpaid local appointee, the Surveyor of Highways.

The poor were looked after by the monasteries, until their dissolution. In 1572, magistrates were given power——to 'survey the poor' and impose taxes for their relief. This system was made more formal by the Poor Law Act 1601, which made parishes responsible for administering the Poor Law; overseers were appointed to charge a rate to support the poor of the parish. The 19th century saw an increase in the responsibility of parishes, although the Poor Law powers were transferred to Poor Law Unions. The Public Health Act 1872 grouped parishes into Rural Sanitary Districts, based on the Poor Law Unions; these subsequently formed the basis for Rural Districts.

Parishes were run by vestries, meeting annually to appoint officials. And were generally identical to ecclesiastical parishes, although some townships in large parishes administered the Poor Law themselves; under the Divided Parishes and Poor Law Amendment Act 1882, all extra-parochial areas and townships that levied a separate rate became independent civil parishes.

Civil parishes in their modern sense date from the Local Government Act 1894, which abolished vestries; established elected parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors; grouped rural parishes into Rural Districts; and aligned parish boundaries with county. And borough boundaries. Urban civil parishes continued to exist, and were generally coterminous with the Urban District, Municipal Borough/County Borough in which they were situated; many large towns contained a number of parishes, and these were usually merged into one. Parish councils were not formed in urban areas, and the only function of the parish was to elect guardians to Poor Law Unions; with the abolition of the Poor Law system in 1930 the parishes had only a nominal existence.

The Local Government Act 1972 retained civil parishes in rural areas, and many former Urban Districts and Municipal Boroughs that were being abolished, were replaced by new successor parishes; urban areas that were considered too large to be, single parishes became unparished areas.

The current position

Recent governments have encouraged the formation of town and "parish councils in unparished areas," and the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 gave local residents the right to demand the creation of a new civil parish.

A parish council can become a town council unilaterally, simply by resolution; and a civil parish can also gain city status, but only if that is granted by the Crown. The chairman of a town. Or city council is called a mayor. The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced alternative names: a parish council can now choose to be called a community; village; or neighbourhood council.

List of civil parishes and unparished areas

Image Name Status Population District Former local authority Refs
Adlington Civil parish 1,081 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Alderley Edge Civil parish 4,409 Cheshire East Alderley Edge
Urban District

Alpraham and Calveley Civil parish 642 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Alsager Town 12,578 Cheshire East Alsager
Urban District

Arclid Civil parish 199 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Ashley Civil parish 261 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Aston by Budworth Civil parish 281 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Aston juxta Mondrum Civil parish 133 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Audlem Civil parish 1,790 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Austerson Civil parish 145 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Baddiley Civil parish 226 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Baddington Civil parish 98 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Barthomley Civil parish 202 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Betchton Civil parish 620 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Bexton Civil parish 9 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Bickerton Civil parish 234 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Bollington Town 7,095 Cheshire East Bollington
Urban District

Bosley Civil parish 406 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Bradwall Civil parish 166 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Brereton Civil parish 1,012 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Brindley Civil parish 134 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Broomhall Civil parish 206 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Buerton Civil parish 492 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Bulkeley and Ridley Civil parish 360 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Bunbury Civil parish 1,308 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Burland and Acton Civil parish Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Chelford Civil parish 1,254 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Cholmondeley Civil parish 136 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Cholmondeston Civil parish 153 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Chorley Civil parish 100 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Chorley Civil parish 399 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Church Lawton Civil parish 2,201 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Church Minshull Civil parish 431 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Congleton Town 25,750 Cheshire East Congleton
Municipal Borough

Coole Pilate Civil parish 60 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Cranage Civil parish 1,130 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Crewe Town 48,592 Cheshire East Crewe
Municipal Borough


Disley Civil parish 4,301 Cheshire East Disley
Rural District

Dodcott cum Wilkesley Civil parish 380 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Doddington and District Civil parish Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Eaton Civil parish 289 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Egerton Civil parish 81 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Faddiley Civil parish 163 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Gawsworth Civil parish 1,673 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Goostrey Civil parish 2,201 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Great Warford Civil parish 615 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Handforth Civil parish 6,266 Cheshire East Wilmslow Urban District
Hankelow Civil parish 272 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Haslington Civil parish 6,781 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Hassall Civil parish 281 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Hatherton Civil parish 344 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Haughton Civil parish 223 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Henbury Civil parish 594 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

High Legh Civil parish 1,632 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Higher Hurdsfield Civil parish 688 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Holmes Chapel Civil parish 5,669 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Hough and Chorlton Civil parish Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Hulme Walfield Civil parish 140 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Kettleshulme and Lyme Handley Civil parish 466 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Knutsford Town 12,656 Cheshire East Knutsford
Urban District

Leighton Civil parish 4,863 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Little Bollington with Agden Civil parish Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Little Warford Civil parish 275 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Lower Withington Civil parish 492 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Macclesfield Town 49,531 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Municipal Borough

Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough Civil parish 201 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Marbury and District Civil parish 510 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Marthall Civil parish 165 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Marton Civil parish 222 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Mere Civil parish 601 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Middlewich Town 13,101 Cheshire East Middlewich
Urban District

Millington and Rostherne Civil parish 439 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Minshull Vernon Civil parish 224 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Mobberley Civil parish 2,546 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Moreton cum Alcumlow Civil parish 150 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Moston Civil parish 375 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Mottram St Andrew Civil parish 629 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Nantwich Town 12,515 Cheshire East Nantwich
Urban District

Nether Alderley Civil parish 571 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Newbold Astbury Civil parish 475 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Newhall Civil parish 669 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

North Rode Civil parish 178 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Odd Rode Civil parish 5,552 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Ollerton Civil parish 323 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Over Alderley Civil parish 335 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Peckforton Civil parish 116 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Peover Inferior Civil parish 102 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Peover Superior and Snelson Civil parish 815 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District
Macclesfield
Rural District


Pickmere Civil parish 541 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Plumley Civil parish 649 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Poole Civil parish 101 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Pott Shrigley Civil parish 220 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Poynton-with-Worth Town 14,433 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Prestbury Civil parish 3,324 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Rainow Civil parish 1,282 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Rope Civil parish 2,155 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Sandbach Town 17,630 Cheshire East Sandbach
Urban District

Shavington cum Gresty Civil parish 4,849 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Siddington Civil parish 376 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Smallwood Civil parish 491 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Somerford Civil parish 343 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Somerford Booths Civil parish 175 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Sound Civil parish 233 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Spurstow Civil parish 394 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Stapeley and District Civil parish 1,084 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Stoke and Hurleston Civil parish 357 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Styal Civil parish 1,051 Cheshire East Wilmslow Urban District
Sutton Civil parish 2,464 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Swettenham Civil parish 248 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Tabley Inferior Civil parish 137 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Tabley Superior Civil parish 316 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Toft Civil parish 81 Cheshire East Bucklow
Rural District

Twemlow Civil parish 168 Cheshire East Congleton
Rural District

Walgherton Civil parish 121 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Wardle Civil parish 181 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Warmingham Civil parish 175 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Weston and Crewe Green Civil parish Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Wettenhall Civil parish 135 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Willaston Civil parish 2,973 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Wilmslow Town 30,326 Cheshire East Wilmslow Urban District
Wincle Civil parish 164 Cheshire East Macclesfield
Rural District

Wistaston Civil parish 8,222 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Woolstanwood Civil parish 723 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Worleston Civil parish 404 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Wrenbury cum Frith Civil parish 1,060 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Wybunbury Civil parish 1,474 Cheshire East Nantwich
Rural District

Daresbury Civil parish 216 Halton Runcorn
Rural District

Hale Civil parish 1,898 Halton Whiston
Rural District

Halebank Civil parish 1,046 Halton Widnes
Municipal Borough


Moore Civil parish 807 Halton Runcorn
Rural District

Preston Brook Civil parish 716 Halton Runcorn
Rural District

Runcorn Unparished area 58,503 Halton Runcorn
Urban District

Sandymoor Civil parish 1,761 Halton Runcorn
Urban District


Widnes Unparished area 53,261 Halton Widnes
Municipal Borough

Appleton Civil parish 10,477 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Birchwood Town 11,395 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Burtonwood and Westbrook Civil parish 11,265 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Croft Civil parish 2,920 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Cuerdley Civil parish 105 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Culcheth and Glazebury Civil parish 8,534 Warrington Golborne
Urban District

Grappenhall and Thelwall Civil parish 9,377 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Great Sankey Civil parish 24,211 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Hatton Civil parish 316 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Lymm Civil parish 10,552 Warrington Lymm
Urban District

Penketh Civil parish 8,699 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Poulton-with-Fearnhead Civil parish 17,019 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Rixton-with-Glazebrook Civil parish 1,884 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Stockton Heath Civil parish 6,396 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Stretton Civil parish 1,009 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Walton Civil parish 1,594 Warrington Runcorn
Rural District

Warrington Unparished area 53,093 Warrington Warrington
County Borough

Winwick Civil parish 4,366 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Woolston Civil parish 7,868 Warrington Warrington
Rural District

Cheshire West and Chester

The former Chester County Borough and parts of the former Ellesmere Port Municipal Borough and Neston Urban District are unparished.

See also

References

  1. ^ Angus Winchester, 2000, Discovering Parish Boundaries. Shire Publications. Princes Risborough, 96 pages ISBN 978-0-7478-0470-3
  2. ^ RAC Foundation : What Went Wrong? British Highway Development Before Motorways Retrieved 2009-08-22
  3. ^ The Victorian Web : The Poor Law : Introduction Retrieved 2009-08-22
  4. ^ Staffordshire University : Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts Archived 2012-09-14 at archive.today Retrieved 2009-08-22
  5. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Status Details for Rural Sanitary District Retrieved 2009-08-22
  6. ^ Robert Tittler, The Reformation and the Towns in England, 1998, Oxford University Press, 395 pages, ISBN 978-0-19-820718-4
  7. ^ Modern British Surnames : Selected Events in the History of Civil Registration and Boundary Changes 1801-1996 Archived August 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-08-22
  8. ^ Alex MacMorran and T R Colquhoun Dill, The Local Government Act 1894 and the Subsequent Statutes Affecting Parish Councils, 1907, Butterworth and Co, London, 626 pages
  9. ^ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government Act 1972 Archived 2012-12-05 at archive.today Retrieved 2009-08-22
  10. ^ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Archived 2012-08-05 at archive.today Retrieved 2009-08-22
  11. ^ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Archived 2012-08-05 at archive.today Retrieved 2009-08-22
  12. ^ From 1974 to 2009 Cheshire East was divided into boroughs: Congleton, formed from Alsager Urban District, Congleton Municipal Borough, Congleton Rural District, Middlewich Urban District and Sandbach Urban District; Crewe and Nantwich, formed from Crewe Municipal Borough, Nantwich Rural District and Nantwich Urban District; and Macclesfield, formed from Alderley Edge Urban District, Bollington Urban District, Bucklow Rural District (part), Disley Rural District, Knutsford Urban District, Macclesfield Municipal Borough, Macclesfield Rural District and Wilmslow Urban District. Cheshire West and Chester was divided into Chester, formed from Chester County Borough, Chester Rural District and Tarvin Rural District; Ellesmere Port and Neston, formed from Ellesmere Port Municipal Borough and Neston Urban District; and Vale Royal, formed from Northwich Rural District, Northwich Urban District, Runcorn Rural District (part) and Winsford Urban District
  13. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Macclesfield Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  14. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Macclesfield Archived 2011-06-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-11-25
  15. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Alderley Edge Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  16. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Nantwich Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  17. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Crewe and Nantwich Retrieved 2009-11-25
  18. ^ "Alpraham and Calveley". Mapit. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  19. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Alsager Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  20. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Congleton Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-11-25
  21. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Congleton Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  22. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bucklow Rural District Archived 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-11-25
  23. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bollington Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-28
  24. ^ "Bulkeley and Ridley". Mapit. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  25. ^ "Burland and Acton". Mapit. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  26. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Congleton Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-29
  27. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Crewe Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
  28. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Alexandra (part); Coppenhall; Delamere; Grosvenor; Leighton (part); Maw Green; St Barnabas (part); St John's; Valley; Waldron; and Wistaston Green wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
  29. ^ "Public Notice: Outcome of the Crewe Community Governance Review". Cheshire East Council. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  30. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Disley Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-29
  31. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wilmslow Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
  32. ^ "The Cheshire East Borough Council (Reorganization of Community Governance) (Wilmslow, Handforth and Styal) Order 2011" (PDF). Lgbce. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  33. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Knutsford Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-30
  34. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Macclesfield Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
  35. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Macclesfield Bollinbrook; Macclesfield Broken Cross; Macclesfield Central; Macclesfield East; Macclesfield Hurdsfield; Macclesfield Ivy; Macclesfield Ryles; Macclesfield South (part); Macclesfield Tytherington; and Macclesfield West wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
  36. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Middlewich Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-30
  37. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Nantwich Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-01
  38. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Sandbach Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-03
  39. ^ "The Cheshire East Borough Council (Reorganization of Community Governance) (Wilmslow, Handforth and Styal) Order 2011" (PDF). Lgbce. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  40. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Dean Row; Fulshaw; Handforth; Hough; Lacey Green; and Morley and Styal wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
  41. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Runcorn Rural District Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-05
  42. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Halton Retrieved 2009-12-08
  43. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Whiston Rural District Archived 2007-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-08
  44. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Widnes Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-12-08
  45. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Ditton ward (part). Retrieved 2009-12-08
  46. ^ The Electoral Commission : The Halton (Parish Electoral Arrangements) Order 2008 Retrieved 2009-12-10
  47. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Runcorn Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-08
  48. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Beechwood; Daresbury (part); Grange; Halton Brook; Halton Castle; Halton Lea; Heath; Mersey; Norton North; Norton South; and Windmill Hill wards. Retrieved 2009-12-08
  49. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Daresbury ward (part). Retrieved 2009-12-08
  50. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Appleton; Birchfield; Broadheath; Ditton (part); Farnworth; Halton View; Hough Green; Kingsway; and Riverside wards. Retrieved 2009-12-08
  51. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Warrington Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-05
  52. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Warrington Rural District Archived 2007-10-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-05
  53. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Golborne Urban District Archived 2012-10-25 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2009-12-05
  54. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Lymm Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-06
  55. ^ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Warrington County Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
  56. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Archived 2015-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Bewsey and Whitecross; Fairfield and Howley; Latchford East; Latchford West; Orford; and Poplars and Hulme (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
  57. ^ "Lach Dennis change of name notice" (PDF). Cheshire West and Chester Council. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  58. ^ "Children of Cheshire West and Chester Council". Mapit. Retrieved 23 March 2018.

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