Brereton cum Smethwick, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Brererton com Smethwick St Oswald, Cheshire is an Ancient parish including Smethwick.

Raymond Richards relates that there was a chapel at Brereton from the reign of Richard I (1189-99). Canon Sladden in Beside the Bright Stream relates that Sir William Brereton built a church at Brereton about 1200 to fulfill a promise he made while on the third crusade and dedicated it to St. Oswald of Northumberland.

Brereton was originally in the parish of Astbury and became a parish in its own right in the reign of Henry VIII (1509-47). The original chapel was probably made of wood as some is still visible at the junction of the nave and chancel. The church was rebuilt in the 15th century in the late Perpendicular style. Like many other churches in the area, St. Oswald's was restored in the 19th century by Gilbert Scott. Raymond Richards in his book Old Cheshire Churches, is very critical of Scott's work. In particular he disliked the removal of old oak and its replacement by pitch pine and imported wood, which he thought alien to a mediaeval church. Among the many features of interest inside the church are the 17th century altar rails and 16th century Flemish choir stalls. The font bears the date of 1660. Many decorated mediaeval fonts in Cheshire were destroyed by Puritans in the Civil War period. There is also a parish chest with three locks. On display near the south door is a bell of 1591. The church registers begin in 1538. The list of ministers goes back to Gilbert de Brereton in 1297.

Church Records
Parish registers for Brereton-cum-Smethwick, 1538-1972 Cheshire Record Office reference: P138/1/1-4, P138/2, P138/3/1-3; P138/4, P138/3205/1, P138/6125/1.

An index for Cheshire parish registers is available online in Record Search

Bishop's transcripts of Brereton-cum-Smethwick, 1593-1840 Early text in Latin.Cheshire Record Office reference: EDB 34.

An index for Cheshire, Church of England, Bishop’s Transcripts (Diocese of Chester) is available online in Record Search

Non-Conformist Churches
Brereton, Methodist Chapel (Primitive). Built in 1882, closed c.1923.

Non-Conformist Records
Cheshire Record OfficeReference EMS 86 Brereton cum Smethwick Brereton Methodist Chapel Date 19th century - 20th century Various records1882-1923 URL http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=017-ems86&amp;cid=0

Poor Law Unions

 * Congleton

http://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/ches/congleton_workhouse.htm

Registration Districts

 * Congleton

registration events may be searched online at Cheshire BMD