Cuddington, Vale Royal
Encyclopedia
Cuddington is a civil parish and rural village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester
and the ceremonial county of Cheshire
, England
, about six miles west of Northwich
and fourteen miles east of Chester
.
Within the civil parish of Cuddington are two villages: Cuddington and Sandiway
. Sandiway was transferred from Weaverham
civil parish in 1936.
(Theodore) introduced the parochial system within the Parish of Weaverham
. Cuddington's church was first set up as a chapel of ease, to save people having to walk all the way to Weaverham every Sunday. In ancient times the village was famed for its medicinal spring that has since been lost.
Cuddington and Sandiway
have been villages since the Forest of and Mondrem covered an area from Frodsham and the Mersey all the way towards Nantwich. There is a Bronze Age burial ground in Norley another local village and Iron Age hill forts at Eddisbury and Oakmere, the ancient highway of Peytefinsty, linking Weaverham with Tarporley and many other local Roman roads confirm the age of the village.
Prior to 1935 the center Cuddington was on top of the high ground near to what is now Delamere Park but in that year it merged with Bryn (meaning Hill which was between Cuddington and Sandiway
), Sandiway
and parts of Gorstage becoming the ecclesiastical and civil parish, Cuddington and Sandiway
.
The early history of Cuddington and Sandiway
is also closely associated with
Vale Royal Abbey
, at nearby Whitegate, once the largest Cistercian abbey church in Britain. Sandiway's most famous building is the "Round Tower Lodge
" which was built in the early 19th century as the gatehouse to Vale Royal Abbey. The 18foot high tower is said to have a concealed dungeon which was used as a hiding place by King Charles II. At that time it stood on a quiet country lane but the road became increasingly important and the tower is now a unique landmark in the central reservation of the A556. Now a listed building with a castellated top and bricked up gothic windows, it was a residence until the 1920s and had a single story extension to its east wall which has since been removed.
in 1798, to be replaced in 1834, on the same site, by a new establishment, the Cheshire Forest Kennels. Bluecap was a foxhound owned by Mr John Smith-Barry and in 1762 took part in a famous race, at Newmarket, for a 500-guinea wager with Hugo Meynell, the Master of the Quorn Hunt. Bluecap prevailed and became a local hero and a monument to him stands at the Cheshire Kennels.
The wealth of these commuters can be seen in the grand houses that were built in the area. Many of the village's fine houses were designed by John Douglas
who was born in Sandiway
, at Park Cottage. He is regarded as one of the outstanding architects of his generation and was an unrivalled master of church design. St John's Church, Sandiway, is built on the site of which he donated to the village. He was also responsible for much of Victorian Chester including the design of the famous Eastgate Clock
. Other houses in the village include Hefferson Grange, Dalefords Manor, Gorstage Hall, Sandiway Lodge, Overdale, Nunsmere Hall, Sandiway
Manor, Littlefold, Pettypool House and Oakmere Hall
(1867).
is popular with walkers and cyclists. With a station
on the railway linking Chester
with Manchester
situated on the crossing of two main trunk roads, Cuddington is within easy reach of the nearby cities and the UK motorway network.
the craft centre was once a farm and after converting to a craft centre has attracted many visitors to the area with over 25 shops including a candle shop; eclectic art teddy bears traditional toys and games, chess sets, carved and turned wood items and handmade cards to mention but a few. There is an aquatic and Falconry centre and garden centre.
The Wilbraham family lived in the area in Delamere House from 1784-1939. Where this house once stood is now known as Delamere Park
which is now a prominent housing estate.
John Douglas (1830–1911) architect responsible for over 500 or so buildings across Cheshire, north Wales and the North West including many of Chester's black-and-white half-timbered buildings and the world famous Eastgate Clock. He also build the Church in Sandiway
on land he gave to the village.
Olympic silver medalist Shirley Strong
was born in Cuddington and lived in the village throughout her career. Bob Carolgees famous for Tiswas
and spit the dog used to live on Kennel lane in Sandiway
. Gary Barlow
of Take That
fame once resided on the outskirts of Cuddington at Delamere Manor which was originally the home of the Wilbraham family.
Cheshire West and Chester
Cheshire West and Chester is a unitary authority area with borough status, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health...
and the ceremonial county of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about six miles west of Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
and fourteen miles east of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.
Within the civil parish of Cuddington are two villages: Cuddington and Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
. Sandiway was transferred from Weaverham
Weaverham
right|thumb|200px|Map of civil parish of Weaverham within former borough of Vale RoyalWeaverham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. Just off the A49, it is just to the west of Northwich and south of the River...
civil parish in 1936.
Origins
The name Cuddington is Anglo Saxon and derives from The Tun of Cuda which translates to The People of Cuda. Cuddington was designated as a township in the 7th Century AD when the then Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
(Theodore) introduced the parochial system within the Parish of Weaverham
Weaverham
right|thumb|200px|Map of civil parish of Weaverham within former borough of Vale RoyalWeaverham is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. Just off the A49, it is just to the west of Northwich and south of the River...
. Cuddington's church was first set up as a chapel of ease, to save people having to walk all the way to Weaverham every Sunday. In ancient times the village was famed for its medicinal spring that has since been lost.
Cuddington and Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
have been villages since the Forest of and Mondrem covered an area from Frodsham and the Mersey all the way towards Nantwich. There is a Bronze Age burial ground in Norley another local village and Iron Age hill forts at Eddisbury and Oakmere, the ancient highway of Peytefinsty, linking Weaverham with Tarporley and many other local Roman roads confirm the age of the village.
Prior to 1935 the center Cuddington was on top of the high ground near to what is now Delamere Park but in that year it merged with Bryn (meaning Hill which was between Cuddington and Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
), Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
and parts of Gorstage becoming the ecclesiastical and civil parish, Cuddington and Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
.
Vale Royal Abbey
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
is also closely associated with
Vale Royal Abbey
Vale Royal Abbey
Vale Royal Abbey is a medieval abbey, and later country house, located in Whitegate, between Northwich and Winsford in Cheshire, England.The abbey was founded in 1270 by Edward I for monks of the austere Cistercian order...
, at nearby Whitegate, once the largest Cistercian abbey church in Britain. Sandiway's most famous building is the "Round Tower Lodge
Round Tower Lodge
The Round Tower Lodge is situated in the central reservation of the A556 road in Sandiway, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building....
" which was built in the early 19th century as the gatehouse to Vale Royal Abbey. The 18foot high tower is said to have a concealed dungeon which was used as a hiding place by King Charles II. At that time it stood on a quiet country lane but the road became increasingly important and the tower is now a unique landmark in the central reservation of the A556. Now a listed building with a castellated top and bricked up gothic windows, it was a residence until the 1920s and had a single story extension to its east wall which has since been removed.
Blue Cap
Very near the round tower is the Blue Cap Inn which is named after a fox hound. The Cheshire Hounds' kennels were built in SandiwaySandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
in 1798, to be replaced in 1834, on the same site, by a new establishment, the Cheshire Forest Kennels. Bluecap was a foxhound owned by Mr John Smith-Barry and in 1762 took part in a famous race, at Newmarket, for a 500-guinea wager with Hugo Meynell, the Master of the Quorn Hunt. Bluecap prevailed and became a local hero and a monument to him stands at the Cheshire Kennels.
Cuddington Station & the Whitegate Way
The railway transformed the village linking it with Manchester and Chester as well as Winsford with the Whitegate way (now closed and used by walkers, cyclists and as a bridleway). The new railway opened to passengers in 1870 shops and businesses grew up around the station. Wealthy commuters, from Manchester, Chester and Northwich, moved to the village increasing the population and changing its location for the merging in 1935.Grand Houses & John Douglas
John Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
who was born in Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
, at Park Cottage. He is regarded as one of the outstanding architects of his generation and was an unrivalled master of church design. St John's Church, Sandiway, is built on the site of which he donated to the village. He was also responsible for much of Victorian Chester including the design of the famous Eastgate Clock
Eastgate clock
Eastgate and Eastgate Clock in Chester, Cheshire, England, stand on the site of the original entrance to the Roman fortress of Deva Victrix...
. Other houses in the village include Hefferson Grange, Dalefords Manor, Gorstage Hall, Sandiway Lodge, Overdale, Nunsmere Hall, Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
Manor, Littlefold, Pettypool House and Oakmere Hall
Oakmere Hall
Oakmere Hall is a large house to the southwest of the villages of Cuddington and Sandiway, Cheshire, England, near the junction of the A49 and A556 roads. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. It was originally a private house and later became a...
(1867).
Present day
Nowadays Cuddington is a mainly residential village popular for its peaceful rural location and good transport links. The village is surrounded by fields and woodland with many public footpaths (like the whitegate way) and the nearby ancient Delamere ForestDelamere Forest
Delamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a wood in the Cheshire West and Chester area of Cheshire, England, near the town of Frodsham. It includes of mixed deciduous and evergreen woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire...
is popular with walkers and cyclists. With a station
Cuddington railway station
Cuddington railway station serves the village of Cuddington in Cheshire.The Northern Rail timetable for Cuddington can be found . The actual .pdf can be found . There is a basic hourly service each way on weekdays and every two hours on Sundays.-Route:...
on the railway linking Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
with Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
situated on the crossing of two main trunk roads, Cuddington is within easy reach of the nearby cities and the UK motorway network.
Petty Pool
Many of the homes above have now become residential homes for the elderly. Petty Pool and however has become an outdoor activity centre and college run by the petty pool trust.Blakemere Craft Centre
Situated in SandiwaySandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
the craft centre was once a farm and after converting to a craft centre has attracted many visitors to the area with over 25 shops including a candle shop; eclectic art teddy bears traditional toys and games, chess sets, carved and turned wood items and handmade cards to mention but a few. There is an aquatic and Falconry centre and garden centre.
The Wilbraham family lived in the area in Delamere House from 1784-1939. Where this house once stood is now known as Delamere Park
Delamere Park
Delamere Park is an English housing estate with parkland situated in Cuddington, near Northwich, Cheshire.-General history:The Wilbraham family owned the manor of Delamere Park from 1784-1939. In 1784 the extremely wealthy and powerful Wilbrahams moved the family seat from Nantwich to Cuddington...
which is now a prominent housing estate.
John Douglas (1830–1911) architect responsible for over 500 or so buildings across Cheshire, north Wales and the North West including many of Chester's black-and-white half-timbered buildings and the world famous Eastgate Clock. He also build the Church in Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
on land he gave to the village.
Olympic silver medalist Shirley Strong
Shirley Strong
Shirley Elaine Strong is a British athlete who competed mainly in the 100 metres hurdles.She competed for Great Britain in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, U.S. in the 100 metre hurdles where she won the Silver medal....
was born in Cuddington and lived in the village throughout her career. Bob Carolgees famous for Tiswas
Tiswas
Tiswas was a Saturday morning children's British television series which ran from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV Network Limited....
and spit the dog used to live on Kennel lane in Sandiway
Sandiway
Sandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
. Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow
Gary Barlow is an English singer-songwriter, pianist and record producer. He is frontman and lead vocalist of pop group Take That and is currently the head judge on the eighth series of The X Factor. Barlow is one of Britain's most successful songwriters...
of Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
fame once resided on the outskirts of Cuddington at Delamere Manor which was originally the home of the Wilbraham family.
Notable people
- Chris KellyChris Kelly (TV presenter)Chris Kelly Chris Kelly Chris Kelly (born 24 April 1940, Cuddington, Cheshire, is an English TV presenter, producer and writer.-Education:Kelly was educated at Downside School, a Catholic independent school in Stratton-on-the-Fosse in Somerset, followed by the University of...
(born 1940), TV presenter, was born in Cuddington.
External links
- Official website of the village of Cuddington and Sandiway
- Cuddington railway stationCuddington railway stationCuddington railway station serves the village of Cuddington in Cheshire.The Northern Rail timetable for Cuddington can be found . The actual .pdf can be found . There is a basic hourly service each way on weekdays and every two hours on Sundays.-Route:...
- SandiwaySandiwaySandiway is a village in the civil parish of Cuddington, Cheshire, England. It lies to the east of and is contiguous with the village of Cuddington....
- Petty Pool Outdoor Centre
- Blakemere Craft Centre
- The Round Tower SandiwayRound Tower LodgeThe Round Tower Lodge is situated in the central reservation of the A556 road in Sandiway, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building....
- Oakmere HallOakmere HallOakmere Hall is a large house to the southwest of the villages of Cuddington and Sandiway, Cheshire, England, near the junction of the A49 and A556 roads. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building. It was originally a private house and later became a...
- Delamere ForestDelamere ForestDelamere Forest or Delamere Forest Park is a wood in the Cheshire West and Chester area of Cheshire, England, near the town of Frodsham. It includes of mixed deciduous and evergreen woodland, centred at around , making it the largest area of woodland in Cheshire...
- John DouglasJohn Douglas (architect)John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
- St Johns Church Sandiway