Civil parishes in Cheshire
A civil parish is a country subdivision, forming the lowest unit of local government in England. There are 332 civil parishes in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, most of the county being parished. At the 2001 census, there were 565,259 people living in the 332 parishes, accounting for 57.5 per cent of the county's population.
Contents
History
Parishes arose from Church of England divisions, and were originally purely ecclesiastical divisions. Over time they acquired civil administration powers.[1]
The Highways Act 1555 made parishes responsible for the upkeep of roads. Every adult inhabitant of the parish was obliged to work four days a year on the roads, providing their own tools, carts and horses; the work was overseen by an unpaid local appointee, the Surveyor of Highways.[2]
The poor were looked after by the monasteries, until their dissolution. In 1572, magistrates were given power to 'survey the poor' and impose taxes for their relief. This system was made more formal by the Poor Law Act 1601, which made parishes responsible for administering the Poor Law; overseers were appointed to charge a rate to support the poor of the parish.[3] The 19th century saw an increase in the responsibility of parishes, although the Poor Law powers were transferred to Poor Law Unions.[4] The Public Health Act 1872 grouped parishes into Rural Sanitary Districts, based on the Poor Law Unions; these subsequently formed the basis for Rural Districts.[5]
Parishes were run by vestries, meeting annually to appoint officials, and were generally identical to ecclesiastical parishes,[6] although some townships in large parishes administered the Poor Law themselves; under the Divided Parishes and Poor Law Amendment Act 1882, all extra-parochial areas and townships that levied a separate rate became independent civil parishes.[7]
Civil parishes in their modern sense date from the Local Government Act 1894, which abolished vestries; established elected parish councils in all rural parishes with more than 300 electors; grouped rural parishes into Rural Districts; and aligned parish boundaries with county and borough boundaries.[7] Urban civil parishes continued to exist, and were generally coterminous with the Urban District, Municipal Borough or County Borough in which they were situated; many large towns contained a number of parishes, and these were usually merged into one. Parish councils were not formed in urban areas, and the only function of the parish was to elect guardians to Poor Law Unions; with the abolition of the Poor Law system in 1930 the parishes had only a nominal existence.[8]
The Local Government Act 1972 retained civil parishes in rural areas, and many former Urban Districts and Municipal Boroughs that were being abolished, were replaced by new successor parishes; urban areas that were considered too large to be single parishes became unparished areas.[9]
The current position
Recent governments have encouraged the formation of town and parish councils in unparished areas, and the Local Government and Rating Act 1997 gave local residents the right to demand the creation of a new civil parish.[10]
A parish council can become a town council unilaterally, simply by resolution;[9] and a civil parish can also gain city status, but only if that is granted by the Crown.[9] The chairman of a town or city council is called a mayor.[9] The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced alternative names: a parish council can now choose to be called a community; village; or neighbourhood council.[11]
List of civil parishes and unparished areas
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See also
References
- ↑ Angus Winchester, 2000, Discovering Parish Boundaries. Shire Publications. Princes Risborough, 96 pages ISBN 978-0-7478-0470-3
- ↑ RAC Foundation : What Went Wrong? British Highway Development Before Motorways Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ The Victorian Web : The Poor Law : Introduction Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ Staffordshire University : Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Status Details for Rural Sanitary District Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ Robert Tittler, The Reformation and the Towns in England, 1998, Oxford University Press, 395 pages, ISBN 978-0-19-820718-4
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Modern British Surnames : Selected Events in the History of Civil Registration and Boundary Changes 1801-1996 Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ Alex MacMorran and T R Colquhoun Dill, The Local Government Act 1894 and the Subsequent Statutes Affecting Parish Councils, 1907, Butterworth and Co, London, 626 pages
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government Act 1972 Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Rating Act 1997 Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ Office of Public Sector Information : Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Retrieved 2009-08-22
- ↑ From 1974 to 2009 Cheshire East was divided into boroughs: Congleton, formed from Alsager Urban District, Congleton Municipal Borough, Congleton Rural District, Middlewich Urban District and Sandbach Urban District; Crewe and Nantwich, formed from Crewe Municipal Borough, Nantwich Rural District and Nantwich Urban District; and Macclesfield, formed from Alderley Edge Urban District, Bollington Urban District, Bucklow Rural District (part), Disley Rural District, Knutsford Urban District, Macclesfield Municipal Borough, Macclesfield Rural District and Wilmslow Urban District. Cheshire West and Chester was divided into Chester, formed from Chester County Borough, Chester Rural District and Tarvin Rural District; Ellesmere Port and Neston, formed from Ellesmere Port Municipal Borough and Neston Urban District; and Vale Royal, formed from Northwich Rural District, Northwich Urban District, Runcorn Rural District (part) and Winsford Urban District
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11 13.12 13.13 13.14 13.15 13.16 13.17 13.18 13.19 13.20 13.21 13.22 13.23 13.24 13.25 13.26 13.27 13.28 13.29 13.30 13.31 13.32 13.33 13.34 13.35 13.36 13.37 13.38 13.39 13.40 13.41 13.42 13.43 13.44 13.45 13.46 13.47 13.48 13.49 13.50 13.51 13.52 13.53 13.54 13.55 13.56 13.57 13.58 13.59 13.60 13.61 13.62 13.63 13.64 13.65 13.66 13.67 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Nantwich Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 14.31 14.32 14.33 14.34 14.35 14.36 14.37 14.38 14.39 14.40 14.41 14.42 14.43 14.44 14.45 14.46 14.47 14.48 14.49 14.50 14.51 14.52 14.53 14.54 14.55 14.56 14.57 14.58 14.59 14.60 14.61 14.62 14.63 14.64 14.65 14.66 14.67 14.68 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Crewe and Nantwich Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 15.18 15.19 15.20 15.21 15.22 15.23 15.24 15.25 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Macclesfield Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 16.12 16.13 16.14 16.15 16.16 16.17 16.18 16.19 16.20 16.21 16.22 16.23 16.24 16.25 16.26 16.27 16.28 16.29 16.30 16.31 16.32 16.33 16.34 16.35 16.36 16.37 16.38 16.39 16.40 16.41 16.42 16.43 16.44 16.45 16.46 16.47 16.48 16.49 16.50 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Macclesfield Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 17.18 17.19 17.20 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bucklow Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Alderley Edge Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Alsager Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 20.19 20.20 20.21 20.22 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Congleton Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 21.00 21.01 21.02 21.03 21.04 21.05 21.06 21.07 21.08 21.09 21.10 21.11 21.12 21.13 21.14 21.15 21.16 21.17 21.18 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Congleton Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Bollington Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-28
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Congleton Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-29
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Crewe Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Alexandra (part); Coppenhall; Delamere; Grosvenor; Leighton (part); Maw Green; St Barnabas (part); St John's; Valley; Waldron; and Wistaston Green wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Disley Rural District Retrieved 2009-11-29
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Knutsford Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-30
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Macclesfield Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Macclesfield Bollinbrook; Macclesfield Broken Cross; Macclesfield Central; Macclesfield East; Macclesfield Hurdsfield; Macclesfield Ivy; Macclesfield Ryles; Macclesfield South (part); Macclesfield Tytherington; and Macclesfield West wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Middlewich Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-30
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Nantwich Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-01
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Sandbach Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-03
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Wilmslow Urban District Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Dean Row; Fulshaw; Handforth; Hough; Lacey Green; and Morley and Styal wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ 36.00 36.01 36.02 36.03 36.04 36.05 36.06 36.07 36.08 36.09 36.10 36.11 36.12 36.13 36.14 36.15 36.16 36.17 36.18 36.19 36.20 36.21 36.22 36.23 36.24 36.25 36.26 36.27 36.28 36.29 36.30 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Northwich Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 37.00 37.01 37.02 37.03 37.04 37.05 37.06 37.07 37.08 37.09 37.10 37.11 37.12 37.13 37.14 37.15 37.16 37.17 37.18 37.19 37.20 37.21 37.22 37.23 37.24 37.25 37.26 37.27 37.28 37.29 37.30 37.31 37.32 37.33 37.34 37.35 37.36 37.37 37.38 37.39 37.40 37.41 37.42 37.43 37.44 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Vale Royal Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 38.00 38.01 38.02 38.03 38.04 38.05 38.06 38.07 38.08 38.09 38.10 38.11 38.12 38.13 38.14 38.15 38.16 38.17 38.18 38.19 38.20 38.21 38.22 38.23 38.24 38.25 38.26 38.27 38.28 38.29 38.30 38.31 38.32 38.33 38.34 38.35 38.36 38.37 38.38 38.39 38.40 38.41 38.42 38.43 38.44 38.45 38.46 38.47 38.48 38.49 38.50 38.51 38.52 38.53 38.54 38.55 38.56 38.57 38.58 38.59 38.60 38.61 38.62 38.63 38.64 38.65 38.66 38.67 38.68 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Tarvin Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 39.000 39.001 39.002 39.003 39.004 39.005 39.006 39.007 39.008 39.009 39.010 39.011 39.012 39.013 39.014 39.015 39.016 39.017 39.018 39.019 39.020 39.021 39.022 39.023 39.024 39.025 39.026 39.027 39.028 39.029 39.030 39.031 39.032 39.033 39.034 39.035 39.036 39.037 39.038 39.039 39.040 39.041 39.042 39.043 39.044 39.045 39.046 39.047 39.048 39.049 39.050 39.051 39.052 39.053 39.054 39.055 39.056 39.057 39.058 39.059 39.060 39.061 39.062 39.063 39.064 39.065 39.066 39.067 39.068 39.069 39.070 39.071 39.072 39.073 39.074 39.075 39.076 39.077 39.078 39.079 39.080 39.081 39.082 39.083 39.084 39.085 39.086 39.087 39.088 39.089 39.090 39.091 39.092 39.093 39.094 39.095 39.096 39.097 39.098 39.099 39.100 39.101 39.102 39.103 39.104 39.105 39.106 39.107 39.108 39.109 39.110 39.111 39.112 39.113 39.114 39.115 39.116 39.117 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Chester Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 40.00 40.01 40.02 40.03 40.04 40.05 40.06 40.07 40.08 40.09 40.10 40.11 40.12 40.13 40.14 40.15 40.16 40.17 40.18 40.19 40.20 40.21 40.22 40.23 40.24 40.25 40.26 40.27 40.28 40.29 40.30 40.31 40.32 40.33 40.34 40.35 40.36 40.37 40.38 40.39 40.40 40.41 40.42 40.43 40.44 40.45 40.46 40.47 40.48 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Chester Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 41.00 41.01 41.02 41.03 41.04 41.05 41.06 41.07 41.08 41.09 41.10 41.11 41.12 41.13 41.14 41.15 41.16 41.17 41.18 41.19 41.20 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Runcorn Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-05
- ↑ Office of the Deputy Prime Minister : Bulletin of Changes to Local Authority Areas and Names in England : Orders Made Between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2005 : District Council Notices of the Change of Name of a Parish Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Neston Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Burton and Ness (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Chester County Borough Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Blacon Hall; Blacon Lodge; Boughton; Boughton Heath (part); City and St Anne's (part); College; Curzon and Westminster; Handbridge and St Mary's; Hoole All Saints; Hoole Groves; Lache Park; Newton Brook; Newton St Michaels; Upton Grange (part); and Vicars Cross (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Ellesmere Port Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Central; Grange; Groves; Ledsham; Pooltown; Rivacre; Rossmore; Strawberry Fields; Stanlow and Wolverham (part); Sutton; Sutton Green and Manor; Westminster; Whitby; and Willaston and Thornton (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Ellesmere Port and Neston Retrieved 2009-12-19
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Burton and Ness (part); Little Neston; Neston; Parkgate; and Riverside wards. Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ Department for Communities and Local Government : Bulletin of Changes to Local Authority Electoral Arrangements, Areas and Names in England : Orders Made Between 1 April 2007 and 31 March 2008 : The Ellesmere Port and Neston (Parish) Order 2007 Retrieved 2009-12-23
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Northwich Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-26
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Willaston and Thornton (part) ward. Retrieved 2009-12-09
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Winsford Urban District Retrieved 2010-01-02
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Halton Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Whiston Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ 57.0 57.1 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Widnes Municipal Borough Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Ditton ward (part). Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 The Electoral Commission : The Halton (Parish Electoral Arrangements) Order 2008 Retrieved 2009-12-10
- ↑ 60.0 60.1 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Runcorn Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Beechwood; Daresbury (part); Grange; Halton Brook; Halton Castle; Halton Lea; Heath; Mersey; Norton North; Norton South; and Windmill Hill wards. Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Daresbury ward (part). Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Appleton; Birchfield; Broadheath; Ditton (part); Farnworth; Halton View; Hough Green; Kingsway; and Riverside wards. Retrieved 2009-12-08
- ↑ 64.00 64.01 64.02 64.03 64.04 64.05 64.06 64.07 64.08 64.09 64.10 64.11 64.12 64.13 64.14 64.15 64.16 64.17 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Warrington Retrieved 2009-12-05
- ↑ 65.0 65.1 65.2 65.3 65.4 65.5 65.6 65.7 65.8 65.9 A Vision of Britain Through Time : Warrington Rural District Retrieved 2009-12-05
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Golborne Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-05
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Lymm Urban District Retrieved 2009-12-06
- ↑ A Vision of Britain Through Time : Warrington County Borough Retrieved 2009-11-25
- ↑ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Table KS01 : Usual Resident Population Bewsey and Whitecross; Fairfield and Howley; Latchford East; Latchford West; Orford; and Poplars and Hulme (part) wards. Retrieved 2009-11-25
External links
- Office for National Statistics : Geographical Area Listings
- Cheshire East Council : Clerks of Town Councils, Parish Councils and Parish Meetings
- Cheshire West and Chester Council : Contact Details for Local Council Clerks
- Halton Borough Council : Parish Councils
- Warrington Borough Council : Parish and Town Councils
| Unitary authorities | |
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| Major settlements | |
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