Delamere

"DELAMERE, a parish in the first division of the hundred of EDDISBURY, county palatine of CHESTER, comprising the townships of Delamere, Eddisbury, and Oakmere, and containing 424 inhabitants, of which number, 26S are in the township of Delamere, 5¾ miles (W.) from Northwich. The living is a rectory not in charge, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, and in the patronage of the Crown. The church was consecrated in 1817. This parish, which includes the ancient and royal forest of Delamere, was almost wholly common land, and extra-parochial, before 1812, when it was enclosed and erected into a parish by act of parliament, certain allotments having been reserved to the crown, and others. On this occasion it first gave the title of Baron Delamere, of Vale Royal, to Thomas Cholmondeley, Esq., the proprietor of the ancient possessions of the Cistercian monks of Vale Royal, whose sumptuous abbey, completed in 1330 by Edward I., cost £32,000; it was dedicated to our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas, and St. Nichasius, and in the 26th of Henry VIII. had a revenue of £540. 6. 2. The sessions for the division are annually held, on the 22nd of March, also monthly meetings of the county magistrates, at a new inn, called the Abbey Arms, in the centre of the forest. At the time of the meeting in March there are races, termed the Tanfield hunt, at which two cups are given to be run for by the county, and one by the trainers. Delamere Forest, which once contained a great number of red and fallow deer, exhibits a pleasing variety of well-wooded hills, rich vallies for pasturage, meres affording plenty of fish and aquatic fowl, and mosses producing an abundance of turf and peat for fuel. Upon the highest hill stood the Saxon fortress of Finborrow, and near it a city, both of which are said to have been founded by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great; the latter, called Eadesbury (the happy town), gave name to the hundred, but the ancient residence of the chief forester is all that now remains; this house is termed the Chamber in the Forest, and at convenient distances around it are neat lodges for the keepers of the several walks. About half of the forest has been planted, and still belongs to the crown, the remainder having been either sold, or allotted to different individuals." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]