A History of the County of Chester, Volume I: Physique, Prehistory, Roman, Anglo-Saxon, and Domesday

This volume deals with aspects of the very early history of Cheshire. Successive chapters on Physique, Prehistory, the Roman Period, Anglo-Saxon Cheshire, and the Cheshire Domesday (an introduction and a translation of thetext) provide an outline of events up to the late 11th century. The deposition and evolution of the rocks and soils of the county provided the physical framework for human activity and the raw materials for man's exploitation.A notable instance is the beds of salt which have been worked at least from the Roman period and have caused subsidence in modern times; another is the Mid-Cheshire Ridge which has been a feature as much of the history asof the landscape of the county, with the dramatic site of Beeston castle showing evidence of significant occupation in successive ages. From cairns, barrows, and hillforts to arrowheads and beads, the evi-dence of prehistoric activity is comprehensively surveyed. In the Roman period the legionary fortress at Chester dominates the scene, but systematic consideration is also given to the evidence of civil settlement at Chester and elsewhere, of com-munications, and of industry. For the Anglo-Saxon period, archaeological, documentary, and place-name evidence is brought together to show the origins, associations, and organization of early English society in the county. That chapter leads naturally into the discussion of what can be learned from the Cheshire Domesday, which is evaluated within a wider context to which it brings new insights. Gazetteers supplement the discussion of archaeological sites andfinds, and an abundance of line drawings illustrates the text.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-197-22761-9

Price:  £60.00

A History of the County of Chester, Volume II

This volume contains the administrative and parliamentary history of the county, a chapter on its forests, and a table of population. As a County Palatine in the later middle ages Cheshire developed institutions which differed from those of other English counties. No justices of the peace were appointed there until the 16th century, and the palatine courts were abolished only in 1830. The first part of the volume describes Cheshire's government in the middle ages and its gradual assimilation to `normal' counties, the work of the justices of the peace from the 16th to the 19th century, and that of the County Council until local government reorganization in 1974. Cheshire was also unusual in its failure to achieve parliamentary representation until the 16th century. The story of Cheshire's representation, including that of the city of Chester, is carried from that time to the second general election of 1974. It reveals the influence of many of the leading county families, and particularly that of the Grosvenors in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Much of Cheshire lay within the forests of Delamere and Mondrem, Macclesfield, and Wirral, whose administration is described in this volume. A table sets out the population of the county, and of all boroughs, urban and rural districts, ancient parishes with their constituent townships, and civil parishes, at everycensus between 1801 and 1971; the table therefore serves also as a key to the administrative geography and economic expansion of the county in the 19th and 20th centuries.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-197-22749-7

Price:  £60.00

A History of the County of Chester, Volume III

This volume contains the history of ecclesiastical organization in Cheshire, both before and after the Reformation, medi-eval religious houses, Chester cathedral, education before 1903, and the more historically important endowedgrammar schools in the county. In the Middle Ages the organization of the church in Cheshire was based on parishes which in the east of the county were exceptionally large, while those of the west resembled more closely the nor-mal English parish. Between 1075 and 1102 Chester was the seat of a bishop; for the rest of the Middle Ages the county lay in the diocese of Coventry and Lichfield. In 15411 the vast but poorly endowed diocese of Chester was formed, extending into Westmorland and the North Riding of Yorkshire. In the 19th century it was reduced in size until it included little more than the county of Cheshire. The county produced both protestant and Catholic martyrs, and the nonconformist sects were well represented. The largest and most important of the religious houses were St. Werburgh's abbey at Chester, which became the cathedral church of the new diocese in 1541, and Vale Royal, a Cistercianhouse founded by Edward I. Recent archaeological work has revealed much about some of the smaller houses, especially Norton. The city of Chester contained, in addition to St Werburgh's, a nunnery, friaries, and hospitals. Like thediocese, Chester cathedral suffered from an inadequate endowment, but its standing among English cathedrals improved under ener-getic deans in the late 19th and the 20th century. The rapid growth of industrial towns, especiallyin north-east Cheshire, created a pressing need for schools, bur the institution of school boards, the late 19th-century solution favoured by central government, failed to make headway. Grammar schools were endowed in many of thetowns and villages in the 16th cen-tury and later, and the histories of seven-teen of them are described in the volume.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-197-22754-1

Price:  £60.00

A History of the County of Chester, Volume V.i. The City of Chester: General History and Topography

This is the first of two volumes providing an authoritative and detailed treatment of Chester's history, meticulously researched from the original sources. It provides an account of the city from its Roman foundation to the year 2000, arranged by chronological chapters and covering economic, social, political, administrative, military, religious, and cultural history. Special attention is given to topographical development. Six chronological chapters coverthe history of Chester by period: Roman, Early Medieval (400-1230), Later Medieval (1230-1550), Early Modern (1550-1762), Late Georgian and Victorian (1762-1914), and Twentieth-Century (1914-2000). The topographies of Roman and 20th-century Chester form integral parts of the first and last chapters. A separate chapter deals with Topography 900-1914. The illustrations, many of which have rarely been seen before, are arranged as a pictorial essay.CheshireV.ii: Chester covers individual buildings, institutions, and aspects of Chester's history. There is a full index to the whole volume, including subjects. V.i. contains an index only of persons, places, and buildings mentioned in this part.   hardback   ISBN 978-1-904-35600-4

Price:  £90.00

A History of the County of Chester, Volume V.ii. The City of Chester: Culture, Buildings, Institutions

This second volume on Chester presents detailed histories and descriptions of both major and minor aspects of the physical, cultural and social development of the city, much of which remains evident today. The five sections cover: Local Government and Public Services Includes lost municipal buildings such as the Pentice and the Exchange, the elaborate system of law courts, and the city's pioneering medical services. Economic Infrastructure and Institutions Chester's transport links, markets and fairs, mills and fisheries, and craft guilds. Churches and Other Religious Bodies The history, with descriptions of buildings, of every known congregation in the city. MajorBuildings The Cathedral and Close, the castle, the city walls and gates, and the Rows,included in a systematic account of the most notable features of Chester's built environment. Leisure and Culture Histories of the mysteryplays and civic celebrations, Chester Races, sports, music, schools, libraries, museums, newspapers, and open spaces.Other contributors: JULIA BARROW Utilities; JOHN HERSON Canals; AIDAN LAWS Charities; DAVID MILLS Plays, Sports, Customs; MALCOLM SEABORNE Education. Full index to V.i. and V.ii, including subjects. V.i. contains an index only of persons, places, and buildings mentioned in that part.   hardback   ISBN 978-1-904-35603-5

Price:  £90.00

A Place Index to the Visitation Court Books of the Archbishops of York. Chester diocese 1571-1694. Carlisle Diocese 1590-1694

One of a series of Indexes of Maps and Places at the Borthwick Institute for Archives.   pp 87   ISBN 0-903857-76-6

Price:  £5.00

A Stranger in Chester

Published in 1816 this tiny book gives an accurate sketch of Chester's very early history.    

Price:  £9.79

Birkenhead 1843 Mortimer & Harwood Directory

A great little directory for Birkenhead, includes a street directory and alphabetical listing of residents and their trades. Interesting also are the adverts, did your ancestors own a business and advertise here?    

Price:  £9.97

Cheshire - Registers of Upton in Overchurch 1600-1812

A transcript, published in 1900, of the baptism, marriage and burial registers. Invaluable to those with ancestors in the parish.    

Price:  £9.79

Cheshire 1834 Pigot's Directory

Contains descriptions of the larger towns and villages in the county. Fully searchable this is an easy way to find ancestors and to discover more about their lives.    

Price:  £9.79

Cheshire 1850 Bagshaw Directory

A really special early county directory. They don't come much better than this.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1855 Slater's Directory (with map)

A superb and very comprehensive directory of Cheshire. Also included is an exquisite county map.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1860 History, Gazetteer and Directory, Francis White

The White's directories are the most comprehensive of the period, (1016 pages), and include a huge amount of information about the county.    

Price:  £15.11

Cheshire 1865 Post Office Directory

Includes an 1865 map of the county. Directory lists residents with their trades and has the bonus of a street directory for both Birkenhead and Chester.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1873 Return of Owners of Land

Lists every person in the county who owned 1 acre of land or more, with name, place, extent of land and its value.    

Price:  £8.94

Cheshire 1888 Slater's Directory

An enormous directory containing a vast amount of useful information for Cheshire researchers.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1892 Kelly's Directory

An excellent later Kelly's Directory covering the whole of the county of Cheshire.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1896 Kelly's Directory

A very comprehensive directory including, a street directory of Birkenhead and Chester. A highly valuable resource for Cheshire researchers.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1906 Kelly's Directory

Another late and comprehensive directory for Cheshire. Includes a large amount of information about each place in the county and a street directory of Birkenhead and Chester    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire 1910 Kelly's Directory

As with all late directories this is very comprehensive and has lots of information about each of the places. Includes a street directory of Birkenhead and Chester    

Price:  £15.11

Cheshire 1914 Kelly's Directory

A very comprehensive directory of Cheshire. Most useful to family historians will be the indexed lists of residents and their trades.    

Price:  £15.11

Cheshire 1923 Kelly's Directory

A late and very comprehensive directory including street directories for Birkenhead and Chester.Fabulous resources for family historians.    

Price:  £15.11

Cheshire 1934 Kelly's Directory

Superb descriptions of each and every place in the county with directories of the names and addresses of the trades people and private residents.    

Price:  £15.11

Cheshire and Staffordshire 1822 Pigot's Directories

Two rare directories on one CD, Pigot's directories for the main towns and market towns for Cheshire and Staffordshire.    

Price:  £9.79

Cheshire and the Tudor State, 1480-1560

This book asserts the importance of the semi-autonomous political, administrative and judicial system of the palatinate of Chester, and of other similar jurisdictions, in the early Tudor period. Contrary to the impression conveyedin almost all recent writing, the culture of centre and locality justified and glorified the palatinate: taxation, a crucial issue, was still agreed through a local parliament and paid in the traditional manner; and the council of the earl of Chester was potent enough to tap the demand for equitable justice, giving birth to the Chester exchequer. Changes did occur, but despite political imperatives, administrative momentum, and the imperial ideal (presented particularly in the work of Thomas Cromwell) the Chester palatinate as a cultural, social and political institution emerged in the 1560s altered but still formidable.
TIM THORNTON is Senior Lecturer and Head of History at the University of Huddersfield.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-861-93248-1

Price:  £50.00

Cheshire Parish Registers - Marriages (5 Vols)

All 5 volumes of the Phillimore's marriages transcripts, making up the county set.    

Price:  £9.79

Cheshire towns 1880 Morris & Co Directory & Gazetteer

Alphabetical lists of residents with trades. Incredibly easy to locate people using the index and made even easier as the CD is fully searchable.    

Price:  £12.13

Cheshire Visitation Pedigrees

Pedigrees of Cheshire families in 1663.    

Price:  £9.79

Cheshire Visitation Pedigrees 1663

These records form an extremely important source of information for family historians. Also includes descriptions or illustrations of the coats of arms of these people.    

Price:  £9.79

Chester. Trinity Parish Registers

A transcript of the parish baptism, marriage and burial registers. Fully indexed. A huge book of 870 pages.    

Price:  £12.13

Chronicles of Lives and Religion in Cheshire

A fascinating book which documents dozens of Cheshire people as well as religion, especially non-conformists, in the county.    

Price:  £15.11

Directory of Cheshire 1828-9 Pigot's Directory

A very early and rare directory which covers the market towns and principal villages of the county.    

Price:  £9.79

Familiae Minorum Gentium

Published in 1894-6 by The Harleian Society in four large volumes. Completely filled with pedigrees of families, chiefly from Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Lancashire.    

Price:  £21.70

Forty Miles Around Manchester

There is only one word that is suitable to describe this book....... Stunning. If your ancestors lived within forty miles of Manchester you will find this book absolutely fascinating.    

Price:  £15.11

Gawsworth, Cheshire - A Parish History

An old, limited edition book for those with interests in this particular parish. Notes about the history, development of the parish and notes on the registers, etc.    

Price:  £9.79

Hunter's Pedigrees

A Continuation of Familium Minorum Gentium. They contain many extra pedigrees, chiefly of Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Lancashire families, although there are some from other counties.    

Price:  £12.13

Lancashire & Cheshire Hist & Genealogical Notes Vols 1-3

Local and Family History, church notes, abstracts of charters, deeds, wills etc, folk lore, legends, traditions etc    

Price:  £17.87

Lancashire & Cheshire Hist & Genealogical Notes Vols 1-3

Local and Family History, church notes, abstracts of charters, deeds, wills etc, folk lore, legends, traditions etc    

Price:  £17.87

Lancashire and Cheshire Wills and Inventories, from the Ecclesiastical Court, Chester - Chetham Society Vol. XXXIII

These wills and inventories formed part of a collection of eminent Lancashire and Cheshire families held at the Registry of the Chester Ecclesiastical Court     ISBN 1-84630-136-X

Price:  £7.47

Maps - Vol. 4 - Cheshire, Lancashire & Yorkshire

An incredibly useful resource! Really high quality digitised maps that you can zoom in and in to see the finest detail.    

Price:  £9.79

Northern Counties 1855 Combined Slater's Directory

CHESHIRE, CUMBERLAND, LANCASHIRE & WESTMORLAND Includes Cumberland, Lancashire (with Liverpool and Manchester) and Westmoreland, all of the advertisements and beautiful county maps.    

Price:  £16.17

The History of the City of Chester

Carefully preserved since its publication in 1815, this book has the history of Chester from its foundation to the present time collected from public records, private manuscripts and other authentic sources. The book contains a chronological register of important events up to 1815 and lists Chester's town clerks, recorders, Clergy, Members of Parliament and so on. The book addresses many aspects of Chester's history, much of which had never previously been published. A great resource, full of names, for Chester researchers    

Price:  £9.79

The Law Book of the Crowley Ironworks

Selection of 50 from the 94 laws created by Sir Ambrose Crowley and his son John in the early eighteenth century for the governing of their ironworks, probably the largest in Europe in their day. They 'anticipated by many generations the patriachal industrialism of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries'.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-854-44031-3

Price:  £25.00

The Royal Visitation of 1559. Act Book for the Northern Province

Introduction covers Royal Visitations of 1535, 1547 and 1559, with details of visitation procedure for both clergy and laity. Queen Elizabeth required the Visitation of 1559 to check on the damage caused to Protestant reforms under Queen Mary. The Act Book, State Papers 12/10, covers the dioceses of York, Durham, Carlisle and Chester and was originally two volumes. The first is here transcribed in full, the second calendared. Mostly Latin, though the churchwardens' presentments, the text of the recognisances and verbatim reports are in English. Provides detailed information about every aspect of the church in English society at this critical period.   hardback   ISBN 978-0-854-44006-1

Price:  £25.00

The Story of Some English Shires

Wonderful historical accounts of these English counties: Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire.    

Price:  £15.11

The Visitation of Cheshire 1580

Pedigrees of Cheshire families in 1580.    

Price:  £12.13

The Visitation of Cheshire 1613

Pedigrees of Cheshire families in 1613.    

Price:  £12.13

Wirral 1861 Mawdsley's Directory

An incredibly detailed directory including decriptions of the area and population, an historical sketch, lists of places of interest and lists of the civl, ecclesiastical and military arrangements and more.    

Price:  £9.97