Macclesfield St Michael, Cheshire Genealogy

Situated in the ancient Domesday Hundred of Hamestan, the Domesday Book lists Macclesfield as "Maclesfeld", whilst in 1183 it was referred to as "Makeslesfeld". It is thought that Macclesfield got its name from "Michael's field" - referring to St. Michael, as in St. Michael's church. The English Place-Name Society gives it name as being derived from the Old English for Maccels' open country.

Later, Macclesfield was granted a borough charter by the Lord Edward, the future King Edward I, in 1261. There is evidence that the borough had originally been founded by Ranulf III, Earl of Chester, early in the thirteenth century. The parish church of St Michael was built in 1278, an extension of a chapel built in approximately 1220.

The borough had a weekly market, and two annual fairs: the Barnaby fair, was on St Barnabas day (11 June), the other on the feast of All Saints (1 November)