Bradwall is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, about northwest of Sandbach in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, and about south of Manchester. According to the 2011 census, the population of the entire parish was 182.Official 2011 Census Figures. Neighbourhood Statistics Website. Retrieval Date: 3 February 2013. The area is predominantly agricultural, with no manufacturing or retail outlets.
The village is not mentioned in the 11th-century Domesday survey, but from the 13th century gained notability as the manorial estate of Richard de Bradwall and his successors, including the families of Venables, Berington and Oldfield. From the early 19th century, it became the seat of the Latham family of Bradwall who resided at Bradwall Hall until its demolition in the early 20th century.
Bradwall hosts social events at the Village Hall, horse trial competitions (eventing) at Manor farm, and coarse fishing at Field Farm Fisheries. The Wesleyan Chapel Methodist Church has been the only place of worship since 1882 and closed in September 2013. The manufacturer of Foden Trucks and their award-winning Fodens Motor Works Band, were based in Bradwall until a boundary change in 1936 placed them in the adjacent parish of Sandbach.
History
Place name Bradwall is not mentioned in the Domesday Book, completed in 1086 for William I of England, at which time the area was thought to be uncultivated moorland between Brereton and Warmingham, that formed part of the southern boundary of the Barony of Kinderton, the historic name of Middlewich.
The township derives its name from the Old English word brāde, meaning broad, and wælla meaning spring."Bradwall", Key to English Place Names, Institute for Name-Studies, University of Nottingham. Retrieved 8 May 2012 Variant spellings include (dates in brackets):J. McN. Dodgson and Alexander R. Rumble, The place-names of Cheshire, Volume 2, English Place-Name Society, Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1981, page 226. Brade-,The Twenty-Ninth Annual Report of The Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, Published 1868, page 58 -wal, -wale, -walle, Bradwall (1226),J. Varley (editor), A Middlewich Chartulary, publ. Chetham Society (NS 105, 108), 1941–1944, referenced by Brad(e)well(e) (1281),R. Stewart-Brown (editor), Calendar of County Court, City Court and Eyre Rolls of Chester, 1259–1297, publ. Chetham Society (NS 84), 1925, referenced by Brod(e)wall (1324),Manuscripts of E. E. Barker Esq., NRA 04060, referenced by .The Private Archives Team at the National Archives notes that this "consists of a typed list of 84 pages recording a collection of deeds in the possession of Eric Barker Esq of 6 Millview Terrace, Greenland Road, Worthing, Sussex, compiled in c. 1950 [...] could not be traced in March 1969' [and] the collection appears to have been dispersed.The Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Volume 103, The Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1953, page 22 Beatwall (1326),MSS of the Leicester-Warren Family at Tabley House, NRA 3636 referenced by . Also at Cheshire Archives, reference Broadwall (1415),Calendar of the Chester Recognizance Rolls, in Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records(ARDK), Vol. 36, 1875, Appendix 2; ARDK, Vol.37, 1876, Appendix 2; ARDK, 1878, Vol.39, Appendix 1, referenced by Bardwell (1438), and, Bradwell (1724).Gastrell, Francis, 1662–1725; Raines, Francis Robert, 1805–1878, ed, Notitia Cestriensis, or Historical Notices of the Diocese of Chester, Vol.1, Cheshire, publ. Chetham Society (OS 8), page 255 referenced by The name was also associated with the local hamlet of Hollinsgreen, where it was referred to as Bradwall et Hollins (c. 1662), and Bradwall cum Hollins (1819). Today, the township also lends its name to the hamlet of Bradwall Green.
Archaeological finds There is evidence of Bronze Age and Roman activity in the area. A Late Bronze Age axe head dating to around 1000-801 BC was found near Fields Farm Fisheries in Bradwall."Bronze Socketed/Looped Axe from Fields Farm Fisheries", Cheshire Historic environment record, SMR Number 5009 at map reference SJ76SE Around a thousand Roman coins dating from not earlier than 270 AD were discovered in 1820, on the eastern side of Bradwall, a short distance from the Brindley Moor's Farm and about four miles direct from the Roman station at Kinderton, at a point where a small brook is crossed by the footpath from Brereton to Sandbach.George Ormerod, "Correspondence", in Archaeologia cambrensis, Volume 2, Cambrian Archaeological Association, 1847, page 182"Brindley Moor ", owned by John Latham, occupied by Thomas Arden, at Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, e-mapping Discovered by a mole-catcher, the coins included examples of denarii of Gallienus, Claudius II, Tetricus, Victorinus, and Diocletian.J. P. Earwaker, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., "Roman Remains in the Eastern Part of Cheshire", Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Third Series, Volume V, Sessions 1876–1877, page 86 The remains of part of a Roman road, are also thought to have been discovered near the western side of Bradwall, by Boothlane, towards the west of Sandbach, and near King Street."King Street - Middlewich to Chesterton Section", Cheshire Historic environment record, SMR Number 436/1/13, on map reference SJ76SW. Since the 1936 parish boundary changes, the road's location is now in Elworth on Roman Way in Sandbach Parish."Roman Road", Ordnance Survey 1946 map, compare with "Roman Road" on Google Maps
Manor of Bradwall
The first records that mention Bradwall are from about the 13th century, refers to the Harleian Collection's Harley Manuscripts: 2007, 155 & 233; 2074; 2077; 2079; when the Venables family of Kinderton divided the manorial estate (i.e. the land) of Bradwall into two parts or "moieties". Several families have been associated with either the Manor, or the more recent country seat at Bradwall Hall, including:
Approx. date Family Notable peopleJohn Parsons Earwaker, The History of the Ancient Parish of Sandbach, "Bradwall Township", Co. Chester including the two chapelries of Holmes Chapel and Goostrey from original records. (1890) 13th–14th centuries Bradwall of Bradwall Richard de Bradwall the first of two family who settle in the Manor of Bradwall 14th century Venables of Bradwall Sir William Venables the second of the two family who settle in the Manor of Bradwall 14th–16th centuries Berington of Moresbarrow and Bradwall William de Beryngton. The title remained in the family for about six generations 16th–18th centuries Oldfield of Bradwall Philip Oldfield, a barrister. An effigy of him is in a Chester church (illustration) 18th–19th centuries Ward, and Jervis, of Bradwall Charles Ward of Dublin, who conveyed the seat to his son-in-law: John Jervis, who in turn passed the title to his son John Jervis, a Welsh judge 19th century Latham of Bradwall John Latham (1761–1843) a physician who became President of the Royal College of PhysiciansGeoffrey Davenport, Ian McDonald, Caroline Moss-Gibbons, The Royal College of Physicians and its collections: an illustrated history, Publisher: Royal College of Physicians, 2001, , , 168 pages (page 148) Peter Mere Latham (1789–1875) a physician and "a great medical educator".W. B. Spaulding, Peter Mere Latham (1789–1875): a great medical educator, Canadian Medical Association Journal, 1971 June 19; 104(12): 1109–passim. George William Latham (1827–1886), was an English landowner, barrister and a Liberal politician. 20th century Barlow Baronetcy of Bradwall Hall John Emmott Barlow (1857–1932),John Debrett, Debrett's baronetage, knightage, and companionage, Publisher Dean & Son, limited, 1931.London Gazette, Issue 28040 published on 16 July 1907, page 4858 a businessman and Liberal Member of Parliament,Alfred M. Gollin, The Impact of Air Power on the British People and Their Government, 1909–1914, Publisher: Stanford University Press, 1989, , , 354 pages, page 62 his eldest son: John Denman Barlow (1898–1986),Who's who of British Members of Parliament: 1945–1979 Volume 4, Publisher Harvester Press, 1981, page 17 a Conservative Member of Parliament, his son: Sir John Kemp Barlow, 3rd Bt. (1934–), the current holder of the title since 1986.Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 256.
Seat of Bradwall
The country seat of Bradwall (i.e. its buildings and its estate) is thought to have been originally on the west side of the parish, within a rectangular moat with a large pool,"Bradwall Hall", Site of the Medieval moat, SMR Number 1097, on map reference SJ76SE. with the name Hallfields, near Hollins Wood. Hall Field next to Hollins Wood is also found on 19th-century tithe maps."Hall Field " on "Tithe Maps 1836–51" at Cheshire Archives website. Retrieved 20 May 2012 (Plot name search ) At some later time, the seat moved eastwards to Bradwall Hall.Sir Bernard Burke, A visitation of the seats and arms of the noblemen and gentlemen of Great Britain, Volume 2, Publisher Colburn, 1853, page 127
Bradwall Hall Located nearer the middle of the parish, Bradwall Hall was the seat of the Latham Family. Recorded as early as 1803,Daniel Paterson, A new and accurate description of all the direct and principal cross roads in Great Britain, published 1803, page 304 the Hall is described as "a large white house with no architectural features of interest, is said by Dr. George Ormerod to have been 'a large building of brick, finished with gables, at the end of an avenue of firs and evergreens,' which had been enlarged and modernised from time to time". Following the 19th-century decline of the English country house, Bradwall Hall was demolished on 16 October 1960, blown up by the 214 Field Squadron of the Royal Engineers,"Stately Ruins", The Guardian [archive.guardian.co.uk/ Digital Archive] 17 October 1960, page 11 although one of its cottages and the coach-house remain, and they are now Grade II listed buildings, dated by English Heritage to the 17th century.
Bradwall Reformatory School for Boys
Bradwall Reformatory School was built by George William Latham (1827–1886) on his own property at Bradwall Hall, in 1855, and aimed to reform delinquent boys through the use of an industrial labour apprenticeship.The Irish quarterly review, Volume 5, Publisher W.B. Kelly, 1855. (page li) A report to the House of Commons in 1861 reported that:
"There were 58 boys in the school when I inspected it. [...] I was glad to find that more of the ordinary farming processes were being resorted to; the plough and other common agricultural machines employed, so that the training of the lads as farm servants would be gradually made more complete than the use of spade labour allows of. The books are well kept. The punishments had been much fewer, chiefly fines or loss of privilege. [...] :The cost per head for the year was 18l. 9s. 11d."Reports from Commissioners, Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons, 1862 (page 33)