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Eccleston

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"ECCLESTON, a parish in the lower division of the hundred of BROXTON, county palatine of CHESTER, comprising the townships of Eaton and Eccleston, and containing 358 inhabitants, of which number, 292 are in the township of Eccleston, 2¾ miles (S.) from Chester. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £15. 13. 11½., and in the patronage of Earl Grosvenor, at whose expense the church, dedicated to St. Mary, and the burial-place of the family, was rebuilt in 1808: it is an elegant structure of red stone, with an embattled tower crowned with pinnacles; over the altar is a painting, by Caravaggio, of the Nativity. The village is situated on the river Dee, where is a free school, established by Earl Grosvenor. Eccleston was occupied by Sir William Brereton's army, during the siege of Chester, in 1645. The old Watling-street passes through the parish, and near the church is a tumulus." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Eccleston, also a township in Eccleston ancient parish, Broxton hundred (SJ 4062), became a civil parish in 1866.
  • It included the hamlets of Belgrave and Morris Oak.
  • The population was 199 in 1801, 289 in 1851, 320 in 1901, 272 in 1951, and 184 in 2001.
  • In 2015 the civil parish was abolished and incorporated into Eaton & Eccleston and Dodleston.
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Civil Registration

  • Great Boughton (1837-69)
  • Chester (1870-1937)
  • West Cheshire (1937-74)
  • Chester & Ellesmere Port (1974-98)
  • Cheshire West (1998-2007)
  • Cheshire (2007-09)
  • Cheshire West & Chester (2009+)
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Court Records

  • Broxton (1828-71)
  • Chester Castle (1871-1974)
  • Chester (1974-2001)
  • Chester, Ellesmere Port & Neston (2001-12)
  • West Cheshire (2012+)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Eccleston which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"ECCLESTON, a parish and township in the lower division of the hundred of Broxton, county palatine of Chester, 2 miles S. of Chester, its post town. It is situated on the river Dee, in a pleasant spot under Eccleston Hill. The old Roman highway Watling Street passes through the parish, and the townships of Eaton and Eccleston are included in it. During the siege of Chester in the reign of Charles I., Eccleston was the head-quarters of Sir William Brereton. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Chester, value £403. The church is a handsome stone structure, with lofty towers surmounted by pinnacles, and containing a peal of six bells. It is dedicated to St. Mary, has some fine paintings from Scripture subjects, and contains tombs of the Grosvenor family. The register dates a long way back, but is in a very imperfect state. The charities produce about £14 per annum. There is a free school, supported by the Marquis of Westminster, to whom the parish belongs."

"EATON, a township in the parish of Eccleston, lower division of the hundred of Broxton, county palatine Chester, 4 miles S. of Chester. It is situated on the river Dee. Eaton Hall, the seat of the Marquis of Westminster, is a fine building in the early English style of architecture. It has been recently considerably enlarged, and contains a most valuable collection of paintings and other works of art."

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Historical Geography

Places associated with Eccleston ancient parish with separate pages

 

  • 2015 April 1 — Abolished and incorporated into Eaton & Eccleston and Dodleston.
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ402616 (Lat/Lon: 53.148492, -2.895627), Eccleston which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Chester Rural Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Chester Rural District (1894-1974)
  • Chester (1974-2009)
  • Cheshire West & Chester (2009+)
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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Great Boughton (1837-53)
  • Hawarden (1853-71)
  • Chester (1871-1930)
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Voting Registers

  • South Cheshire (1832-67)
  • West Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Eddisbury (1885-1948)
  • Chester (1918-74)