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The Village

Church Minshull is a village and lies in the River Weaver Valley in the borough of Crewe and Nantwich.

It is located some 5 miles from Crewe, situated on the B5074 between Nantwich (south, 6 miles) and Winsford (north, 4 miles).

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book as 'Maneshale'. The modern village centre is a designated Conservation Area which contains many beautiful Tudor houses.

The population at the 2001 census was 429, living in 204 residences of which sixty are on Home Farm Park and twenty on Village Farm. The parish is made up of 2285 acres.

It was recorded in November 1824 that many trades and crafts were carried out in the village: blacksmith, wheelwright, joiners, cordwainer, gamekeeper, bricklayer, weaver, tailor, carrier, victualler, laundry woman and many domestic servants.

There was also a shopkeeper, butcher, two school mistresses and a school master, farmers and farm workers, paupers and spinsters.

The village had its own school from 1785 built in the churchyard. In 1858 a new school was built, a gift from Henry Brooke in memory of Mr C.B. Davies.

The land on which the school stood formed part of the Church Minshull Estate and had been in the Brooke family for several generations.

The school closed after 124 years on the 22 July 1982 and the pupils transferred to Worleston School.

St Bartholomew's Church was built in 1702–1704.

The Village Hall was built in 1963.

Home Farm Park was started by Bob and Dorothy Challinor, in about 1958. The site was sold several times and greatly extended over the years to its present size of 65 homes.

The shop and petrol station were sold off separately some time ago and ceased trading in the 1990s.

In 1989, Village Farm, home of the Parton family, was sold to a developer and the old buildings and farm house were converted to eight houses and twelve new houses built on the site; these were finally occupied in 1999.

This was the first major housing project in the village.

This website was instigated by Church Minshull Women's' Institute as part of the National W.I's "Community Challenge Project", funded by the "Awards for All" lottery grant.

A CD and printed booklet with useful information about Church Minshull was also produced as part of the initiative. Click here to view the Acrobat Version.
  Latest Guestbook comments

 

1 • Richard Bolshaw • 9:33am 05-18-2010
I understand the my Great Grandfather and his children lived within the village and that the Bolshaw name was common around this immediate area.
Samuel Harrison Bolshaw, my Great Grandfather, one of his sons, Tom Bolshaw is my Grandfather and his son Ian Bolshaw is my father. Any further information as to the history of the Bolshaw in and around this area would be gratefully received.

Kind Regards

Richard
 
2 • Janet • 9:47am 04-22-2010
Hi Church Minshull - I am emailing from sunny Perth, Western Australia and am researching my ancestors from the Kettle family.

In 1841, a young 20 year old Joseph Kettle was an Agricultural Labourer at Old Hulgrove Farm, Minshull Vernon, then married Mary Cooper in St Bartholomew’s Church, Church Minshull in 1845.

They lived in Wades Green, Church Minshull, all their lives. In 1851 Joseph was working as a Labourer on a Canal, but later returned to farming. They had eight children including my Great Grandfather William Kettle born in 1858.

When Joseph died in 1865, his eldest girls were old enough to be married or in service, but his widow Mary would have been left with four children under eleven including William age seven. What would have happened to them in those times?!! I lose them until 1880 when William marries Eliza Kirkham in St Peter’s Church, Leighton-cum-Minshull Vernon.

William Kettle was a Railway Platelayer all his life. He and Eliza and their seven children gradually moved up the railway line and ended up living in Sutton Weaver.

I would love to hear from anyone with any information on the Kettles, or Canal building in your area in the 1850s, or Railway building in your area the 1880s and 1890s.

Kind regards

Janet
 
3 • Mike Pearce • 1:50pm 03-23-2010
Some of the happiest days of my life were spent with my Grandfather & my great aunts at "the Cottage" (almost opposite the village hall). I would spend every holiday I could with them. The delights of helping out on Partons Farm have never left me, and I was greatly privelieged to be able to see a fast disappearing world. Miss Brereton with her ruff collar and cameo brouch weighing out boiled sweets on the brass scales - like something out of Dickens, the last of the plough horses on Partons farm (can't remember the name of the old chap who drove them). One particular hot summer I remember the church organ being refurbished, and spent hours watching the the repair man laying out 100s of intricate parts on the flat tombstones - I was utterly intrigued. The memories are too plentiful to list here. I don't know the current resident of the Cottage (if thats still its name) but if they wish me to see if I can find any old pictures or information then by all means drop me an e-mail.
Happy memories!!
217.155.41.233
 
4 • Mrs T • 7:07pm 02-27-2010
Hi, we are thinking of moving to the village and was wondering if anyone could comment on what its like to live there? Also will the pub definately re-open?
 
5 • muriel boeyen • 2:20pm 02-27-2010
hello all, i am a minshull,my grandparents lived in cheshire before moving to ancoats manchester their names were James and Martha Minshull.cheers/
 
6 • ADAM G LANE • 3:56am 01-29-2010
i am direct decendent of mary minshull john milltons wife i live in america my name is ADAM G LANE i am 27 would someone please give me some info about my ancestors
 
7 • David Bentley • 12:19am 12-26-2009
Hello to all in the village,

Can any one help me in tracing all those that went to the village school when i was there.
It was Tim wilkinson that told me about the site so here i am.
I hope that all had a great time over christmas i was thinking of the time's we all went carol singing around the village bring's back good thought's of when i was younger lol now i am 43 with 4 kids.
YOU CAN LOOK ME UP ON FACEBOOK AS WELL.

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