Hide

Backford

hide
Hide

"BACKFORD, a parish comprising the townships of Backford, Chorlton, Lea, and Great Mollington, in the higher division of the hundred of WIRRALL, and the township of Conghall, in the lower division of the hundred of BROXTON, county palatine of CHESTER, and containing 450 inhabitants, of which number, 140 are, in the township of Backford, 4 miles (N.) from Chester. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, rated in the king's books at £5. 0. 5., endowed with £400 private benefaction, an £400 royal bounty, and in the patronage of the Bishop of Chester. The church is dedicated to St. Oswald. The Ellesmere canal passes along the southern side of the parish." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

"CONGHALL, or COUGHALL, a township in that part of the parish of BACKFORD which is in the lower division of the hundred of BROXTON, county palatine of CHESTER, 3½ miles (N. by E.) from Chester, containing 23 inhabitants. The Ellesmere canal passes near this place." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

Hide
  • Backford, also a township in the ancient parishes of Backford and Stoak, Wirral hundred (SJ 3972), became a civil parish in 1866.
  • It includes the hamlets of Backford Cross (part) and Strawberry.
  • The population was 138 in 1801, 155 in 1851, 141 in 1901, 119 in 1951, and 109 in 2001.
Hide
topup

Civil Registration

  • Great Boughton (1837-69)
  • Chester (1870-1937)
  • West Cheshire (1937-74)
  • Chester & Ellesmere Port (1974-98)
  • Cheshire West (1998-2007)
  • Cheshire (2007-09)
  • Cheshire West & Chester (2009+)
topup

Court Records

  • Wirral (1828-71)
  • Chester Castle (1871-1974)
  • Chester (1974-2001)
  • Chester, Ellesmere Port & Neston (2001-12)
  • West Cheshire (2012+)
topup

Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Backford which are provided by:

topup

Gazetteers

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"BACKFORD, a parish in the higher division of the hundred of Wirrall, partly also in the hundred of Broxton, in the county palatine of Chester, 3 miles to the N. of Chester, its post town. It is situated on the Ellesmere canal, and contains the townships of Chorlton, Coughall, Lea, and Mollington. The Chester and Birkenhead railway runs through the parish. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Chester, of the value of £230, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is dedicated to St. Oswald, and has several monuments of the Birkenheads and Morgalla. The value of the parochial charities is £26. Backford Hall, the seat of the Gleggs, is the principal residence."

"CAUGHALL, a township in the parish of Backford, hundred of Broxton, in the county palatine of Chester, 4 miles to the N. of Chester. It is near the Birkenhead railway."

"CHORLTON-BY-BACKFORD, a township in the parish of Backford, in the higher division of the hundred of Wirrall, in the county of Chester, 4 miles N. of Chester, and 11 E. of Mollington railway station."

"COUGHALL, a township in the parish of Backford, in the county of Chester, 3 miles N. of Chester."

"LEA, a township in the parish of Backford, Higher division of the hundred of Wirrall, county Chester, 3½ miles N.W. of Chester, and near the Mollington railway station."

"MOLLINGTON TARRANT, (or Great Mollington), a township in the parish of Backford, higher division of the hundred of Wirrall, county Chester, 2½ miles N.W. of Chester. It is a station on the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction lines of railway. The village, which is irregularly built, is situated on the Mersey canal, and is chiefly agricultural. Mollington Hall, formerly the seat of the Hunts, is a brick mansion surrounded by a wooded park, and watered by a large lake.

topup

Historical Geography

Places associated with Backford ancient parish with separate pages

 

topup

Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ397716 (Lat/Lon: 53.237864, -2.905369), Backford which are provided by:

topup

Politics & Government

  • Chester Rural Sanitary District (1875-94)
  • Chester Rural District (1894-1974)
  • Chester (1974-2009)
  • Cheshire West & Chester (2009+)
topup

Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Great Boughton (1837-71)
  • Chester (1871-1930)
topup

Voting Registers

  • South Cheshire (1832-67)
  • West Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Wirral (1885-1915)
  • Chester (1918-74)