A borough, and from 1884 a civil parish (SJ 4066), comprising the parishes of Chester: St Bridget; St John the Baptist (part); St Martin; St Mary on the Hill (part); St
Michael; St Olave; St Oswald (part) and St Peter, together with the extra-parochial places of Cathedral Precincts, Little St John and Spital Boughton. Extended in 1936 to include
parts of Blacon cum Crabwall, Great Boughton, Hoole, Marlston cum
Lache and Newton by Chester civil parishes, and again in 1954 to include a further part of Hoole.
Includes the districts of Balmoral Park, Boughton, Buddicom, Curzon Park, Five Ashes, Handbridge, Heron Bridge, Overleigh, Queen's Park and Westminster Park.
Chester Castle was a separate extra-parochial area and civil parish within the city centre which remained separate from the city and borough
of Chester.
The population of the borough of Chester was 15052 in 1801, 27766 in 1851, 38309 in 1901 and 48237 in 1951.
CHURCHES AND CHAPELS
Chester Cathedral (C of E). Dedicated to St. Werburgh. Registers of Baptisms 1688-1958, Marriages 1688-1754 & 1869-1998 and Burials 1688-1896 have been
deposited at the Cheshire Record Office..
Chester, Holy Trinity (C of E), Watergate Street. An ancient parish church, also serving part of the township of Blacon cum Crabwall. Replaced
1960 by Holy Trinity-without-the Walls in Norris Road, Blacon Registers of Baptisms 1656-1925, Marriages 1654-1939 and Burials 1656-1854 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. Bridget (C of E). An ancient parish serving part of the city centre, closed in 1973.. Registers of Baptisms 1649-1972, Marriages 1649-1972 and Burials
1649-1896 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. John the Baptist (C of E), Vicars Lane. An ancient parish church, originally serving part of the city centre and a small part of Hoole. Registers of Baptisms 1559-1940, Marriages 1559-1956 and Burials 1559-1915 have been deposited at the Cheshire
Record Office.
Chester, St. Martin (C of E), St. Martins Ash. An ancient parish church serving part of the city centre; a chapel to St Bridget from 1842, and closed in 1963. Registers
of Baptisms 1671-1963, Marriages 1681-1842 and Burials 1681-1842 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office, where Bishop's
Transcripts start from 1600.
Chester, St. Mary on the Hill (C of E). An ancient parish church, originally serving the townships of Claverton, Little Mollington, Marlston cum Lache, Moston (near Chester), Upton by Chester and part of the city of Chester. The original church was closed in 1887 and replaced by St. Mary without the Walls in Overleigh
Road. Registers of Baptisms 1628-1984, Marriages 1630-1975 and Burials 1628-1854 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record
Office.
Chester, St. Michael (C of E), Bridge Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city centre; closed in 1973. Registers of Baptisms 1581-1971,
Marriages 1581-1972 and Burials 1581-1848 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. Olave (C of E), Lower Bridge Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city centre; closed in 1861. Registers of Baptisms 1611-1861,
Marriages 1611-1861 and Burials 1611-1849 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office, where Bishop's Transcripts start from
1599.
Chester, St. Peter (C of E), Watergate Street/Northgate Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city of Chester. Registers of Baptisms 1588-1956,
Marriages 1559-1970 and Burials 1559-1849 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, Little St. John (C of E), Upper Northgate Street. Built 1717 as a chapel of ease to St. John the Baptist. Registers of Baptisms 1928-48 have been deposited at
the Cheshire Record Office (no marriages or burials here).
Chester, Christ Church (C of E), St. Anne Street. A separate parish from 1843, also serving the township of Hoole. Registers of Baptisms
1838-1955, Marriages 1871-1972 and Burials 1839-1854 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. Paul (C of E), Boughton Lane. Founded 1838 as a chapel to St John the Baptist, becoming a parish church in 1846 covering parts of the city centre
and Great Boughton. In 1879 the parish was extended to include Spital Boughton. Registers of Baptisms 1838-1985 and Marriages 1874-1990 have been
deposited at the Cheshire Record Office (no burials here).
Chester, St. Barnabas (C of E), Sibell Street. Built 1877 as a chapel of ease to St. John the Baptist. Registers of Baptisms 1877-1983 have been deposited at the
Cheshire Record Office (no marriages or burials here).
Chester, St. Werburgh (Roman Catholic), Grosvenor Park Road. Built 1875, replacing Queens Street Chapel (built c.1800). Registers of baptisms
1794-1956, marriages 1827-1973 and burials 1861-1923 are at the CRO. Indexes to baptisms 1790-1956 are at the CRO.
Chester, St. Francis of Asissi (Roman Catholic), Grosvenor Street. Founded 1858 in Watergate Row, the present church was built 1875. Registers of baptisms 1849-1943,
marriages 1865-1921 and burials 1860-1913 are at the CRO.
There are also numerous other non-conformist churches and chapels.
Chester Cathedral (C of E). Dedicated to St. Werburgh. Registers of Baptisms 1688-1958, Marriages 1688-1754 & 1869-1998 and Burials 1688-1896 have been
deposited at the Cheshire Record Office..
Chester, St. John the Baptist (C of E), Vicars Lane. An ancient parish church, originally serving part of the city centre and a small part of Hoole. Registers of Baptisms 1559-1940, Marriages 1559-1956 and Burials 1559-1915 have been deposited at the Cheshire
Record Office.
Chester, St. Mary on the Hill (C of E). An ancient parish church, originally serving the townships of Claverton, Little Mollington, Marlston cum Lache, Moston (near Chester), Upton by Chester and part of the city of Chester. The original church was closed in 1887 and replaced by St. Mary without the Walls in Overleigh
Road. Registers of Baptisms 1628-1984, Marriages 1630-1975 and Burials 1628-1854 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record
Office.
Chester, St. Michael (C of E), Bridge Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city centre; closed in 1973. Registers of Baptisms 1581-1971,
Marriages 1581-1972 and Burials 1581-1848 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. Olave (C of E), Lower Bridge Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city centre; closed in 1861. Registers of Baptisms 1611-1861,
Marriages 1611-1861 and Burials 1611-1849 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office, where Bishop's Transcripts start from
1599.
Chester, St. Peter (C of E), Watergate Street/Northgate Street. An ancient parish church serving part of the city of Chester. Registers of Baptisms 1588-1956,
Marriages 1559-1970 and Burials 1559-1849 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.
Chester, St. Paul (C of E), Boughton Lane. Founded 1838 as a chapel to St John the Baptist, becoming a parish church in 1846 covering parts of the city centre
and Great Boughton. In 1879 the parish was extended to include Spital Boughton. Registers of Baptisms 1838-1985 and Marriages 1874-1990 have been
deposited at the Cheshire Record Office (no burials here).
Chester, St. Werburgh (Roman Catholic), Grosvenor Park Road. Built 1875, replacing Queens Street Chapel (built c.1800). Registers of baptisms
1794-1956, marriages 1827-1973 and burials 1861-1923 are at the CRO. Indexes to baptisms 1790-1956 are at the CRO.