Cholmondeley, Cheshire

Cholmondeley ( ) is a civil parish in Cheshire, England, north east of Malpas and west of Nantwich. It includes the small settlements of Croxton Green () and Dowse Green (), with a total population of a little over a hundred,Neighbourhood Statistics: Cholmondeley CP (accessed 25 May 2008)Genuki: Cholmondeley (accessed 14 August 2007) increasing to 157 at the 2011 Census. Nearby villages include Bickerton to the north east, Bulkeley to the north, No Man's Heath to the south west, and Bickley Moss to the south.

The name means "clearing of Ceolmund", this being an Old English forename made up of the elements ceol, "ship", and mund, "protection".

Cholmondeley Castle is in Cholmondeley and much of the civil parish falls within the Cholmondeley Estate, owned by the Marquess of Cholmondeley. Its parkland includes mixed woodland and plantations, lakes, gardens and farmland.

Geography, transport and economy

The civil parish has a total area of .Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council: Parish Statistics (downloaded from www.cheshireeast.gov.uk 5 April 2010)] The Cholmondeley Estate stretches from the A49 in the east to the Cholmondeley lane to the west and the parish boundary to the south; it is designated an area of special county value. The parkland extends to 251.5 hectares.Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Registered Parks and Gardens & Areas of Special County Value (accessed 26 May 2008) The parish contains part of the large mixed woodland of Moss Wood (centred on ), as well as Long Plantation (), Marl Piece (), Garden Covert (), Nevill's Wood (), Coronation Wood () and several unnamed smaller woods and plantations. There are two large lakes, Chapel Mere () and Deer Park Mere (), as well as several smaller meres. Chapel Mere has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.Natural England: Chapel Mere (accessed 16 April 2010)Natural England: Nature on the Map: Chapel Mere SSSI (accessed 16 April 2010) The high point is 125 metres on Castle Hill in Cholmondeley Park, at . The River Weaver runs through the parish from the north west to the south east.Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Cholmondeley CP (accessed 25 May 2008)

The A49 runs north–south through the parish. Other through routes include an unclassified road running broadly east–west, crossing the A49 at , which connects with the settlements of Bickerton, Chorley and Wrenbury.

The land use is predominantly agricultural, with cattle pasture and some arable land. Cholmondeley Park supports rare-breed cattle, sheep and goats, including longhorn cattle.Castles and Cottages: The View from the Estates. The Sandstone News, issue 3 (June 2005) (downloaded from ; 25 May 2008) The Bankhouse horse-racing stables are in the parish. Cholmondeley Castle gardens are a tourist attraction.

Demography In 2006, the total population of the civil parish was estimated as 130. The 2001 census recorded a population of 136, in 63 households. The population has decreased since 1951; the historical population figures were 292 (1801), 269 (1851), 298 (1901) and 266 (1951).

Cholmondeley Castle and Park

Cholmondeley Castle is a grade-II*-listed castellated mansion house located at , from Malpas and from Nantwich. The sandstone building dates from 1801 to 1804; turrets and towers were added in 1817–19 by Robert Smirke to give the "castle" its present appearance.Images of England: Cholmondeley Castle (accessed 25 May 2008) The surviving parts of the grade-II-listed Old Hall date from 1707; the hall formerly included an Elizabethan building which was demolished in 1801.Images of England: The Old Hall (accessed 26 May 2008)

Parkland

The parkland of the castle was originally laid out in the late 17th century, and is included in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens (grade II).UKPG Database: Cholmondeley Castle (accessed 25 May 2008) The gates at the south-west entrance to the park date from 1722 and are listed at grade II*.Images of England: Gates and screen across the main (S.W.) approach to Cholmondeley Castle (accessed 26 May 2008) The castle gardens contain several grade-II-listed structures; Temple Gardens has a sandstone temple,Images of England: Temple in the Temple Gardens (accessed 26 May 2008) a lead statue of three winged cherubs supporting a flower basket,Images of England: Lead cherub ornament in Temple Gardens (accessed 26 May 2008) a rotunda,Images of England: Rotunda in the Temple Gardens (accessed 26 May 2008) a stone bridge over a lily pond carved with dolphinsImages of England: Bridge over Lily Pond in Temple Gardens (accessed 26 May 2008) and a gated entrance;Images of England: Gated entrance to Temple Gardens (accessed 26 May 2008) the stone bridge across Chapel Mere is also listed.Images of England: Stone bridge east of Somerset Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008)

Chapel

The castle's private chapel, dedicated to St Nicholas, is of a much earlier date and is listed at grade I. The original timber-framed building dates from the late 15th century; it was rebuilt in brick in 1717 by John Vanbrugh and extended during the 19th century.Images of England: The chapel of Saint Nicholas (accessed 25 May 2008) John Betjeman suggests that the attribution to Vanbrugh is incorrect since Thomas Fetherston contracted for the work in 1716. The transepts were added in 1829. The chancel roof is medieval and the furniture of the chancel is of about 1552.Betjeman, J., ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches: the North. London: Collins; p. 101 The north and south gates to the chapel date from 1722 and were formerly fences to the Old Hall; they are listed at grade II.Images of England: The Chapel North Gates (accessed 26 May 2008)Images of England: The Chapel South Gates (accessed 26 May 2008)

Gate lodges The park has five grade-II-listed gate lodges, Beeston Lodge,Images of England: Beeston Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008) Deer Park Lodge,Images of England: Dee Park Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008) Nantwich Lodge,Images of England: Nantwich Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008) Park House LodgeImages of England: Park House Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008) and Somerset Lodge.Images of England: Somerset Lodge (accessed 26 May 2008) Other estate buildings also listed at grade II include Castle Farm House,Images of England: Castle Farm House (accessed 26 May 2008) Park House,Images of England: Park House (accessed 26 May 2008) Scotch Farm,Images of England: Scotch Farm (accessed 26 May 2008) Shingles CottagesImages of England: Shingles Cottages (accessed 26 May 2008) and The Mews.Images of England: The Mews (accessed 26 May 2008)

Other landmarks The Cholmondeley Arms public house, a converted schoolhouse on the A49 at , is included in the Good Pubs Guide.The Good Pub Guide: Cholmondeley Arms, Bickley Moss (accessed 15 August 2007) The Cholmondeley Castle Farm Shop, in the Castle Farm House at , sells produce from the Cholmondeley Estate and incorporates a post office.

The grade-II-listed Field's Farmhouse () dates originally from 1648 and was restored in 1903. A three-bay farmhouse with timber framing and brick infilling, it features jetties and close studding with a middle rail.Images of England: Field's Farmhouse (accessed 25 May 2008) Higginsfield House () was formerly the Cholmondeley Estate's dower house; a five-bay, two-storey, white-painted brick house with a projecting porch, it dates from the early 19th century and is listed at grade II.Images of England: Higginsfield House (accessed 25 May 2008)

Education

Cholmondeley civil parish falls within the catchment areas of Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School in Bickerton and Bishop Heber High School in Malpas.Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School (accessed 25 May 2008)Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Bishop Heber High School (accessed 25 May 2008)

Cholmondeley, Cheshire

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