Notes on Cheshire and Lancashire

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 133 Eng MS 106
  • Dates of Creation
      Late 19th Century
  • Physical Description
      volumes 1-5: 325 x 205 mm; volume 6: 312 x 232 mm. 6 volumes: 85 folios; 18 folios; 26 folios; 134 folios; 67 folios; 122 folios; Binding: volumes 1-5 full-bound in vellum over boards; volume 6 half-bound in brown morocco, buckram-covered boards.

Scope and Content

Six volumes containing transcripts and notes concerning the history of Lancashire and Cheshire:

  • Volume I, entitled Copies of Cheshire Inscriptions, contains transcripts of inscriptions on gravestones and monuments in the following churches and chapels in Bowdon parish: St George's Altrincham (pp. 3-124), All Saints Ringway (pp. 125-144), the Presbyterian or Unitarian Chapel in Hale (pp. 145-167), and the Presbyterian or Unitarian Chapel at Shaw's Lane, Altrincham (pp. [169-170]). Most sections are prefaced by a brief history of the church or chapel, and each section concludes with indexes of personal names, place names, professions and trades, and miscellaneous subjects such as rhyming epithets on inscriptions. There are also transcripts of inscriptions on two gravestones at Dunham Town, Bowdon parish (pp. 1-2). Enclosed loose is a booklet containing manuscript extracts from Rochdale parish registers.
  • Volume II, entitled Copies of Inscriptions, contains transcripts of inscriptions in Chester Cathedral; Wilmslow parish church; the parish church of St James, Clerkenwell (one only); the parish churchyard of Tideswell, Derbyshire (one only); the Friends burial ground at Mobberley, Cheshire; the parish churchyard at Mobberley; and the parish churchyard of Dwygyfylchi, Carnarvonshire. Ten sheets of notes are enclosed.
  • Volume III, entitled Civil War in Lancashire and Cheshire, contains transcripts of various Acts and Ordinances made during the Commonwealth period (1643-56): Association of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1643; Sir William Brereton authorized to raise moneys for the reducing of Chester etc., 1644; Maintenance of forces in Lancashire, 1644; Association of the Northern Counties, 1645; Raising moneys for the defence of Lancashire, 1645; Militia of the Northern Counties, 1648; Colonel Ralph Ashton's force in Westmorland, 1648; Courts of the Duchy and County Palatine of Lancaster, 1644-54; Lancashire Sessions of Assize, 1646-54; County Court of Cheshire in 1654; Ordination of ministers in Lancashire, 1644; Maintenance for a preaching minister in Upholland, 1646; Ports of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1653-4; Tax Commissioners for Cheshire and Lancashire, 1656.
  • Volume IV is entitled Antiquarian Items relating to Lancashire and Cheshire: extracted chiefly from publications of the Historical MSS Commission and from a few other books not specially relating to the Counties of Lancaster and Chester, with notes by Geo. Hankinson... 1890-1893.
  • Volume V, entitled Deeds and documents relating to lands in Cheshire, contains notes and transcripts of documents relating to properties in Hale, Dunham Massey, Timperley and Sale within Bowdon parish, including: the will of Thomas Walton of Dunham Massey; notes on Seamon's Moss School, Dunham Massey, founded under the will of Thomas Walton; and a record of the case of George Legh v. George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington and others, re the will of Langham Booth, 1733. There are 24 small enclosures, including a plan of St George's church and graveyard, Altrincham.
  • Volume VI, entitled The Shores of Shore, etc., contains notes on the manor of Manchester (pp. 4-7); Happy Land Wesleyan Chapel, Pendlebury, Lancashire (pp. 8-31); the Shores of Shore [i.e. Shaw], Rochdale parish, Lancashire (pp. 32-99); the Entwistles of Entwistle, Bolton parish, Lancashire (pp. 100-135); Dunham on Trent, Nottinghamshire (pp. 140-156); and Tempsford on Ouse, Bedfordshire (pp. 160-172).
 The titles above are taken from the spine lettering, in the case of Volumes I-III and V-VI, and from the title page, in the case of Volume IV.