Christleton, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Christleton St James is an ancient parish in Cheshire including Cotton Abbotts, Rowton, Littleton, and Cotton Edmunds.

The name of the village is recorded in the Domesday Book and it is likely that a church was on the site at this time. In 1093 the patronage of the church was given to the monks of St Werburgh's Abbey, Chester. The church was rebuilt in stone around 1490 and the tower built at this time is still present. The church sustained considerable damage during the Civil War and around 1730 the nave and chancel were repaired. However during a service in 1873 the roof of the nave partly collapsed. Plans for rebuilding the church were prepared by William Butterfield, retaining the 15th century tower, adding gargoyles to each corner and a short spire to the turret. The rebuilding took place between 1875 and 1877 It is the only Cheshire church designed by William Butterfield. Pevsner quotes Goodhart-Rendel who considered that "this is an exceptionally interesting church".

Church Records
Parish registers for Christleton, 1697-1969 Cheshire Record Office call number: P 28/1/1-2, P 28/2/1-3, P 28/3/1-7, P 28/4, P 28/5/1-5.

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

Bishop's transcripts for Christleton, 1600-1859 Early text in Latin. Cheshire Record Office call number: EDB 64

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

Non-Conformist Churches
Christleton, Methodist Chapel. ReBuilt in 1888.

Non-Conformist Records
Cheshire Record Office 1 volume. 1926-30 Christleton (CR 55/90-91; CR 55/2/43-46) within Chester methodist Circuit. The Cheshire Record Office records that the church opened in 1888.

Poor Law Unions

 *  Great Boughton (1837–71)
 * Chester (1871–1930)

Registration Districts

 * Great Boughton (1837–69)
 * Chester (1870–1937)
 * West Cheshire (1937–74)
 * Chester and Ellesmere Port (1974–98)
 * Cheshire West (post 1998)

registration events may be searched online at Cheshire BMD