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Halton

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"HALTON, a chapelry (formerly a market-town) in the parish of RUNCORN, hundred of BUCKLOW, county palatine of CHESTER, 3½ miles (N. N. E.) from Frodsham, containing 1066 inhabitants. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester, endowed with £600 private benefaction, and £600 royal bounty, and in the patronage of Sir. R. Brooke, Bart. The church is dedicated to St. Mary. The Mersey and Irwell canal, and the Duke of Bridgewater's canal, pass through the parish. Halton was given by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, to his cousin Nigel, with the constablery of Chester, the earl at the same time making him his marshal: these great offices of. constable of Chester and earl marshal were attached to the barony, and enjoyed by his successors the barons of Halton, who, amongst other privileges granted them by the earls, were authorised to have a castle and a prison at Halton, to hold a weekly market and two annual fairs, a court for the cognizance of various offences, and for all pleas and actions within the barony, except such as belonged to the earl's sword, and to have a master-serjeant and eight under Serjeants within their fee. The castle was built soon after the Norman Conquest, on the brow of a hill commanding a very extensive prospect over a great part of Cheshire, and across the Mersey into Lancashire. Among its various distinguished possessors may be mentioned John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, with whom it was a favourite residence. It was garrisoned for the king in the early part of 1643, and for the parliament in 1644. There are few remains of its ancient buildings: the habitable part of it, which appears to have been chiefly rebuilt since the civil war, has been fitted up as an inn: there is a room in which the courts for the honour are held. A charity school is endowed with about £20 per annum, arising from various benefactions. An almshouse for six poor persons was founded, in 1767, by Pusey Brooke, Esq., and endowed with £54. 12. per annum." [From Samuel Lewis A Topographical Dictionary of England  (1831) ©Mel Lockie]

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  • Halton was a township and chapelry in Runcorn ancient parish, Bucklow hundred (SJ 5381), which became a civil parish in 1866.
  • The civil parish was abolished in 1967 to become part of Runcorn.
  • It included the hamlets of Astmoor, Brook Place, Castlefields, Grange, Halton Brook, Halton Lodge, Palace Fields (part) and Southgate (part).
  • The population was 628 in 1801, 1570 in 1851, 1238 in 1901, and 1490 in 1951.

For the period after 1967, see Runcorn.

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Cemeteries

  • Halton Cemetery. Opened 1885 (1 acre).
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Civil Registration

  • Runcorn (1837-1967)
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Court Records

  • Bucklow (1828-39)
  • Daresbury (1839-67)
  • Runcorn (1867-1967)
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Description & Travel

You can see pictures of Halton which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

  • 1883 March 25 — Gained a detached part of Runcorn (2 acres, pop. 0 in 1891)
  • 1884 March 24 — Lost three detached parts to Runcorn (3 acres, pop. 400 in 1891)
  • 1936 April 1 — Lost part to Runcorn (567 acres, pop. 674 in 1931)
  • 1955 April 1 — Lost part to Runcorn (131 acres, pop. 0 in 1951)
  • 1967 April 1 — Abolished and incorporated into Runcorn (462 hectares, pop. 1467 in 1961)
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SJ537818 (Lat/Lon: 53.331075, -2.696685), Halton which are provided by:

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Politics & Government

  • Runcorn Urban Sanitary District (partly, 1875-84) *
  • Runcorn Rural Sanitary District (partly, 1875-84 ; wholly, 1884-94)
  • Runcorn Rural District (1894-1967)

* The portion of Halton in Runcorn Urban Sanitary District, comprising three detached parts, was added to Runcorn in 1884.

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

  • Runcorn
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Voting Registers

  • North Cheshire (1832-67)
  • Mid Cheshire (1868-85)
  • Northwich (1885-1948)
  • Runcorn (1948-67)