Astbury, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Astbury St Mary is an Ancient parish in Cheshire and originally included Davenport, Eaton, Holy Trinity, Hulme Walfield, Hulmewalfield, Moreton cum Alcumlow, Somerford Radnor, Mossley, Newbold Astbury, Odd Rode, Radnor, Somerford, Somerford Booths, and Mosley. The first church on the site was in the Saxon era but the present church dates from the 15th century. It is unusual in that its spire is at a distance from the main body of the although although it is attached to it by a porch. Other features include a parvise over the west porch, the fine wooden roof over the nave and chancel, the large amount of medieval fittings and furniture and, in the churchyard, the large number of memorials, which include a canopied tomb. Richards considers this to be one of the most beautiful churches in the county. Clifton-Taylor includes it in his list of 'outstanding' English parish churches. Pevsner calls it "one of the most exciting Cheshire churches".

A Saxon church was on the site at the time of the Domesday Book and it was replaced by a Norman church. It was originally the mother church of Congleton. The Norman church was almost entirely replaced by a building in the Early English style and this was in turn largely replaced in the 15th century. It was restored in 1862 by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

During the civil war while Biddulph Hall was under siege, Sir William Brereton's Roundheads stabled their horses in the church. They damaged the medieval glass windows and removed some of the church furniture, including the organ.

Church Records
Bishop's transcripts for Astbury, 1593-1898 Includes the registers of the Chapelry of Congleton 1803?-1858; includes chapelries of Buglawton, Mossley, Smallwood 1851-1858; includes Odd Rode 1861-1863; includes Hulme Walfield 1859-1877. Cheshire Record Office: EDB 11 Includes records for Congleton, Buglawton, Mossley, Odd Rode, Smallwood and Hulme Walfield, townships and/or chapelries in Astbury parish.

An index for Cheshire, Church of England, Bishop’s transcripts is available online in Record Search

Registers of Baptisms 1572–1953, Marriages 1572–1969 and Burials 1572–1970 Cheshire Record Office Document Reference Mf 183 Astbury Parish Date 1572-1982 Description Registers 1572-1982

Non-Conformist Churches
Wornish Nook, Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan). Built in 1852. Originally a Primitive Methodist Chapel later Wesleyan

Non-Conformist Records
Cheshire Record Office Document Reference EMS 94 Somerford Booths Wornish Nook Methodist Chapel Description Various records1882-91 URL http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=017-ems94&amp;cid=0

Poor Law Unions

 * Congleton

Registration Districts

 * Congleton (1837–1937)
 * Macclesfield (1937–74)
 * Congleton &amp; Crewe (1974–88)
 * South Cheshire (1988–98)
 * Cheshire West (post1998)

registration events may be searched online at Cheshire BMD