Neston, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Neston St Mary and St Helen is an ancient parish The presence of a priest at Neston is recorded in the Domesday Book. The earliest written evidence of a church on the site dates from around 1170 when a church was founded by Ralph de Montalt, a baron of the court of the Earl of Chester. It is likely that an earlier church was on the site because when the floor was being relaid during the 19th century, fragments of pre-Conquest crosses were found. These were later shown to be "hiberno Norse" or Viking Age in origin. A further fragment was discovered in the Church's belfry in the 1980s. These fragments are now displayed at the west end of the church. During the 18th century there was disagreement between some of the parishioners and the churchwardens when galleries were erected. The addition of the galleries caused damage to the fabric of the church and in 1871 an inspecting architect reported that the building was unsafe. Consequently in 1874–75 the main body of the church was rebuilt by J. Francis Doyle, reusing some of the Norman material in Early English style.

Church Records
Cheshire, Church of England records are available online in Record Search

Neston, St. Mary &amp; St. Helen (C of E). An ancient parish church, originally serving the townships of Great Neston, Ledsham, Leighton (near Neston), Little Neston, Ness, Raby, Thornton Hough and Willaston (near Neston). Registers of Baptisms 1559–1965, Marriages 1559–1974 and Burials 1559–1918 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office Microfilm copy of original record in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England Cheshire Record Office call nos.: P149/1/1-5; P149/2/1-3; P149/3563/1-2; P149/4450/1-2, 4-7, 11-15, 22; P149/4617/1; P149/3/1-5; P149/4; P149/5/1-3. Baptisms, marriages, burials, 1559-1734. Baptisms, burials, 1734-1762; marriages, 1734-1753. Baptisms, burials, 1763-1812. FHL BRITISH Film 2105092 Items 4 – 8 Baptisms, burials, 1809-July 1932. FHL BRITISH Film 2105093 Baptisms, Apr. 1932-1952. Marriages and banns, 1754-1809. Marriages, 1809-Dec. 1921. FHL BRITISH Film 2105094 Marriages, Dec. 1921-1951. Marriage banns, 1823-1950. Burials, 1813-Nov. 1851. FHL BRITISH Film 2105095 Burials, Aug. 1851-1888. FHL BRITISH Film 2105096 Items 1 – 2 Burials, 1888-1918. FHL BRITISH Film 2262946 Item 2 Bishop's transcripts for Neston, 1581-1874 Microfilm of original records in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England. Records are not arranged in strict chronological order. Some intermittent years are missing. Cheshire Record Office no.: EDB/154 Baptisms, marriages, burials, [3 pages, no dates], 1587, [1593?], 1604-1605, 1607, 1609-1612, 1614-1624, 1626-1627, 1630, 1632, 1634, 1636, 1638-1639, 1641-1642, 1666-1670, 1672-1677, 1679-1685, 1695, 1694, 1700-1718, 1720-1723, 1721-1722. FHL BRITISH Film 1836385 Item 2 Baptisms, marriages, burials, [no date], 1734-1727, (reverse of chronological order), 1723--1727, 1735-1738, 1741-1745, [no date], 1749-1776, 1778, 1777, 1779-1800, 1810-1803 (reverse of chronological order), 1801-1802, 1813-1817. FHL BRITISH Film 1836386 Baptisms, 1817, baptiams, marriages, burials, 1818-1819, marriages, 1820, burials, 1819-1820, baptisms, 1820, baptiams, marriages, burials, 1811-1812, 1821-1828, baptiams, 1829-1830, baptisms, marriages, burials, 1829-1836, baptisms, burials, 1837-1840, 1871, baptiams, 1872-1873, burials, 1872-1873, baptisms, 1872-1874, burials, 1874. FHL BRITISH Film 1836387 Item 1

Parish Transcripts are available online at Cheshire Parish Register project

Non-Conformist Churches
Neston, St. Wenefride (Roman Catholic), Burton Road. Built in 1843. Neston, Zion Methodist Chapel, Little Neston (Primitive). Built in 1872. Neston, Presbyterian Church. Built in 1884. Neston, Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan), Park Street/High Street. Built in 1908. Neston, United Reformed Church (Independent/Congregational). Founded 1857, rebuilt in 1909.

Non-Conformist Records
Cheshire Non-conformist records are available online in Record Search Church records of St. Winefride's Catholic Church, Neston, 1843-1943 Microfilm copy of originals at the Cheshire Record Office in Chester, England. Cheshire Record Office call no.: ERC 5/5072/1-7. Mostly Latin. Baptisms, 1843-1943. Marriages, 1849-1935. Deaths, 1851-1906. FHL BRITISH Film 2197775 Items 1 - 7

Poor Law Unions

 * Wirral

Registration Districts

 * Wirral (1894–1974)
 * Chester and Ellesmere Port (1974–98)
 * Cheshire West (1998+)