WARNING: The correct use of any parish data from this project requires initial reading of the GENERAL NOTES as well as of the specific PARISH NOTES.
Mixed register until 1660, then 1670-75, and 1693-1700. From 1700 onwards entries were grouped together for the three events until in 1754 a new marriage register was begun. Baptisms and burials were grouped in the same books up to 1812.
The earliest register has a modern pencil foliation (f.). At the front of the first register is written: “A register book of all the christenings, weddings and burialles within the parishe of Wibunbury from the xviii of November Anno dm 1558, Anno primo Rne Elizabeth ac. As followeth” It runs from 1558 to 20 February 1573/4, and then after a gap on f.14v begins with entries of 28 February 1587/8 and ends on f.49r with entries for 24 March 1622/3. Next come the entries from 1573/4 to 1585. Within these, there are two sets of entries for the year 1578 and other possible confusions with years; these have been input as given in the register. There are changes of hands in the original. At the top of f.56v entries begin dated 30 March 1623.
The following relate to this confused dating between 1573 and 1623.
After February 1573/4 is written:
“Hic deficit registrum vetus ab anno supdicto ad anno 1587. [Different hand:] Turn to the second parchmenting and this defect is there supplied”
At the head of f.49v is written:
“Here is inserted the regester for xi yeares wch was wanting when this booke was written, videlicet ab ann0 1573 ad anno 1585”.
At the end of the insert is written;
“OBSERVE GOOD READER THAT these 7 last leaves conteyning eleven years should be placed before in this booke, immediately after the yeare of our Lord 1573 and being so placed the booke is perfect [change of ink] but for the want of 2 yeares”.
There are others gaps in register volume one. In November 1642, there is a gap from 1st to 27th after which appears “Ceterae carent” (the rest are missing). In 1673 there is a gap in the PR starting with June, and entries re-appear for October. Entries in this database between these dates are taken from the BT.
Date Style: Old Style dates until 1752.
1558-1636 save for 1600, 1603, 1607/8, 1611/15, 1617/18, 1622-24, 1627-29, 1631/33, 1636/9. 1640 illegible. No Bt 1640-1658, 1686, 1716.
Entries for all events after 31 May 1673 until 1 October 1673 are taken from the BT.
Ba 1581/06/08 (Powell) Two sons of John Powell both baptised John, but “the younger of the sayd children” was buried the same day.
Ba 1570/03/10 (Cartwright) Two sons both baptised John, but one was buried the same day.
Ba 1592/08/06 (Hulse) Gap left with no indication of ba or bu
Ba 1600/12/12 (Wicksted) BT only
Ba 1600/12/21 (Ellison) BT only
Ba 1600/12/22 (Delves) BT only
Ba 1600/12/26 (Becket) BY only
Ba 1609/02/26 (Seckerson) BT only Bu in PR; Ba in BT
Ba 1673/06/00 (Pendleton) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Howell) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Parrot) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Lownes) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Venables) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Davies) BT only
Ba 1673/06/00 (Eckles) BT only
Ba 1673/06/27 (Andrews) BT only
Ba 1673/06/29 (Dale) BT only
Ba 1673/07/00 (Shore) BT only
Ba 1673/07/00 (PUE) BT only
Ba 1673/07/00 (Woods) BT only
Ba 1673/07/00 (Hampton) BT only
Ba 1673/08/00 (Wright) BT only
Ba 1673/08/00 (Pendleton) BT only
Ba 1673/08/00 (PresBary) BT only
Ba 1673/08/00 (Soreton) BT only
Ba 1673/09/07 (Lunt) BT only
Ba 1673/09/07 (Campion) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Hay) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Poole) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Birchall) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Legas) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Legas) BT only
Ba 1673/09/00 (Wilkinson) BT only
Ba 1673/10/00 (Horton) BT only
Ba 1673/10/00 (Corke) BT only
Ba 1673/10/00 (Stockdale) BT only
Ba 1673/10/00 (Manning) BT only
Ba 1676/12/21 (Barker) BT only Bu in PR; Ba in BT
Ba 1677/06/03 (Turner) BT only Bu in PR; Ba in BT
Ba 1690/07/08 (Whittakers) Bu in BT
Ba 1754/03/20 (Strongitharm) Armstrong in BT
Ba 1788/04/13 (Cork) BT only
Ba 1788/05/11 (Smith) BT only
Ba 1790/03/07 (Brereton) BT only
Ba 1791/02/24 (Price) BT only
Ba 1798/11/24 (Heath) BT only
Ba 1806/02/23 (Davis) BT only
Ba 1808/03/13 (Sproson) BT only
Ba 1814 02/18 (Baddeley) Note at the bottom of page after 1814/03/08 refers, see oddities above
Ba 1818/07/26 (Lovatt) BT only
Ba 1818/07/26 (Maylim) BT only
Ba 1818/07/26 (Capper) BT only
Ba 1818/07/27 (Sherwin) Bt only
Ba 1818/07/27 (Blackhurst) BT only
Ba 1818/08/02 (Steele) BT only
Ba 1818/08/02 (Profit) BT only
Ba 1818/08/02 (Blagg) BT only
Ma 1662/03/31 (Barnes/Etchles) BT only
Ma 1673/07/00 (Tyler/Knight) BT only
Ma 1673/07/00 (Birchall/Jones) BT only
Ma 1673/07/00 (Sale/Poole) BT only
Ma 1673/08/00 (Booth/Steele) BT only
Bu 1565/03/24 (Colley) may be a baptism
Bu 1566/02/12 (Green) may be a baptism
Bu 1598/10/03 (Poole) PR has residence as Blak. This is probably Blakenhall in Wybunbury Parish, not Blackden in Sandbach/Goostrey.
Bu 1603/04/13 (Kent) may be a baptism. PR unclear but BT lists as burial.
Bu 1603/04/19 (Burgen) surname may be Bingen
Bu 1609/02/26 (Seckerson) BT lists this entry as a baptism
Bu 1647/11/02 (Grimble) ‘Ethnicus’ ????
Bu 1648/10/01 (Mooreton) ‘Ethnicus’ ????
Bu 1650/05/07 (Perry) ‘Ethnicus’ ???
Bu 1663/05/09 (Foster) Ethnicus
Bu 1663/05/08 (Hildiche) Ethnicus ???
Bu 1664/05/09 (Scrivenor) Ethnicus ?? None of these six entries have a forename, and the BT says ‘unbaptised’.
Bu 1648/10/26 (Sharples/Wildigge) may be a baptism
Ba/Bu 1658/05/02 (Woode) Baptism in PR but burial in BT
Bu 1654/02/22 (Wilkinson) could be a baptism
Bu 1654/03/02 (Stubbs) could be a baptism
Bu 1672/08/03 (Radmore) BT only
Bu 1672/08/04 (Eccles) BT only
Bu 1672/08/06 (Parrot) BT only
Bu 1672/08/06 (Illidge) BT only
Bu 1672/08/12 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/12 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/15 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/18 (Burgin) BT only
Bu 1672/08/19 (Brereton) BT only
Bu 1672/08/29 (Radmore) BT only
Bu 1672/08/04 (Eccles) BT only
Bu 1672/08/06 (Parrot) BT only
Bu 1672/08/06 (Illidge) BT only
Bu 1672/08/12 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/12 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/15 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1672/08/18 (Burgin) BT only
Bu 1672/08/19 (Brereton) BT only
Bu 1673/05/30 (Vaughan) BT only
Bu 1673/06/00 (Heath) BT only
Bu 1673/06/00 (Parrat) BT only
Bu 1673/06/00 (Moreton) BT only
Bu 1673/06/22 (Wastes) BT only
Bu 1673/06/26 (Caudwell) BT only
Bu 1673/09/29 (Turner) BT only
Bu 1673/07/00 (Knight) BT only
Bu 1673/07/00 (Pue) BT only
Bu 1673/08/00 (Sergeant) BT only
Bu 1673/08/00 (Delves) BT only
Bu 1673/08/00 (Sparrow) BT only
Bu 1673/08/00 (Collison) BT only
Bu 1673/08/00 (Wolfe) BT only
Bu 1673/09/00 (Shore) BT only
Bu 1673/10/00 (Merry) BT only) BT only
Bu 1682/01/11 (Mason) BT only
Bu 1676/12/21 (Barker) Baptism in BT
Bu 1677/06/23 (Turner) Baptism in BT
Bu 1682/01/11 (Mason) BT only
Bu 1689/05/29 (Hayles) BT only
Ba 1690/07/08 (Whittakers) Burial in BT
Bu 1791/05/25 (Griffis) BT only
Bu 1791/07/25 (Gater) BT only
Bu 1793/12/27 (Brereton) BT only
Bu 1803/03/21 (Richardson) BT only
Bu 1803/03/30 (Thomas) BT only
Bu 1804/01/30 (Hollins) BT only
Bu 1804/12/31 (Lowndes) BT only
Bu 1805/09/19 (Salmon) BT only
Bu 1864/09/08 (Sproson) son of R.S.-this refers to burial of Richard Sproson buried 1864/08/28
1615 Mr Lawrence Wood, preacher
1618/04/15 (burial of) Matthew Wood, Vicar of Wybunbury
1618/9 Robte Meredith Minister
1657 Mr. Samuel Cole, vicar, buried
1696?-1700? Thomas Jenks Vicar
1707-1725 James Bromfield, vicar
1726-1744 Richd Millward vicar; Peter Moore, Curate
1744-1753 Robt Whiston vicar
1754-1757?? Walter Earle vicar
1757-1773 Henry Baldwin (Baldwyn) vicar
1755-1773 Jno Moore Curate
1773-1777 Jno Moore Vicar
1802-1804 Geo Birch Curate
1811-1816 Thomas Braim, curate
1811-1833 John Broadbent (curate of Norton, then clerk)
1811-1817 John Hutchinson
1811- 1838 Delves Broughton (??later Incumbent of St John, Doddington to 1854
1817-1843 Jas Hayes curate
1844-1858 Jas Hayes vicar.
1696 George Steele;
1696 Hum.Milton, George Steele;
1697 Thom Ellison, John Steele;
1700 John Poole, John Stubbs;
1707 Robert Henbury, William Fox;
1708 Tho Poole, Sam Wolfe;
1709 Thomas Wright, Randle Venables;
1710 Fletcher Harding, Thomas Gibbons;
1716 Josiah Brittain, Henry Poole;
1717 John Corker, John Birchall;
1718 Hugh Briscoe, William Henchall;
1719 (August) John Hulme, Danial Woolfe;
1719 Ambrose Sparrow, John Lawton;
1720 Richard Redmore, Jonathan Moss;
1721 Robert Smith, James Lea;
1722 John Wright, Thos Carter (Clayton?);
1723 Richard Illidge, Tho Wright;
1724 John Lawton, Ambrose Sparrow;
1725 James Turner, Benjamin Wright;
1726 Thos Poole, Abraham Butler;
1727 Joseph Britain, Rich Harding;
1728 Saml Dutton, Jno Eccles;
1729 Thos Clark, Thos Steele;
1730 Thos Slade, Joseph Steele;
1731 Thos Knight, Abraham Lea;
1731 Wm Burgess, George Salmon;
1732 Saml Henshall, Jno Johnson;
1733 Joseph Stubbs, John Preston;
1734 Peter Somerfield, Jno Twemlow;
1735 John Turner, Wm Jervis;
1736 Jno Steele, Thos Sillito;
1737 Bernard Cobbe, Jno Poole;
1738 Wm Malbone, Thomas Cookson;
1739 Thos Lockett, Jeremiah Hall;
1740, 1741 Wm Sneyd, James Bayley;
1742 Ambrose Sparrow, Thos Rylance (Roylance?);
1743, Jno Burgess (Burgen?), Thos Corne;
1744 Jno Hall, Saml Astbury;
1745 Geo Mainwaring, William Blagge;
1746 Wm Maughan, Thos Timmis;
1747 Benj Turner, Wm Book;
1748 Thos Steele, Wm Smith;
1749 Isaac Wolf, John Steele;
1750 Zachary Barker, Jno Steele;
1751 Thos Eaton, Richard Bowler;
1752 Zachary Bowler, Jno Astin;
1753 Peter Cox, Richard Timmis;
1754 Ralph Poole, Thos Price;
1755 Feb. Job Lea, George Hassall;
1755 (June) Walter Earle, Jno Lea;
1755 Sept. Wm Clubbe(Cobbe?), Thos Serjeant;
1756 Thos Smith, Richd Sutton;
1757,1758 Wm Evans (Breeze?), Saml Jackson;
1757,1759 Joseph Bromfield, Randle Perrin;
1760 John Taylor, Thomas Whitmore;
1761 Dec. Jno Cowper, Wm Baker;
1762 Jno Morrey, Wm Astbury;
1763, 1764 Wm Meredith, Thos Breeze;
1765 Richd Ollerhead, Thos Timmis;
1766 Jno Bourne, Thos Steele;
1766 Dec. Jno Whitmore, Jno Edwards;
1767 Edward Piggott, Joseph Salmon;
1768 Nath Lomas, Richd Wilson;
1769 John Hall, Wm Cooke;
1770 James Bather, Benjamin Dutton;
(1770 Dec. Burscoe) 1771 Robt Timmis, Robt Latham;
1772, 1773 Ralph Biddulph, Richd Lowe;
1774 Jno Burscoe, Wm Twemlow;
1775 Jno Meredith, Jno Corne;
1776 Jno Wharton, Jno Cooper;
1777 Abraham Lea, Thos Palin;
1802 Ralph Williams, Saml Pace;
1803, 1804 Wm Jervis, Thos Salmon;
1805 Thos Salmon, Geo Piggott;
1806 Geo Piggott, Joseph Sillitoe;
1811 Chas Earnett, Jas Platt;
1812 Jas Platt (Nott?), Thos Wright Parry;
1815 Thomas Harding, William Corn.
Register volume 1
At the end of September 1653 is written:
“After this followeth the new register booke beginning September the 29th 1653”
On f. 86v of the first Register are two versions of what follows, the first very faded, the second is a copy with variants: “Witnesses of agreement made concluded and agreed upon the eighth day of Aprill in the sixteenth yeare of the raigne of our soveraigne lord Charles the Second by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith [ ] anno dom 1669 betweene Edward Manwaring vicar of Wibunbury on the one parte and divers persons whose names are underwritten being inhabitants in Namptwich and houlde lands in the parish of Wibunbury on the other part as followeth viz:
Imprimis it is fully covenanted concluded and agreed upon by and betweene the saide vicar and the saide persons whose names are underwritten as followeth (that is to say) they the saide persons do for themselves severally promise and agree hereafter (zzzz) Tuesday in Easter weeke yearely to pay or cause to be paide to the saide vicar his successors or assignees for tythe for each calfe that shall fall upon any of their lands in the saide parish yearely not exceeding seaven calves one halfepenny
Item it is alsoe agreed that if any of the saide persons shall have seaven calves fall yearely or above under the number of tenne calves then every such person shall pay unto the saide vicar his successors or assigns two shillings, the saide vicar defaulcking unto every such person soe paying one penny halfepenny forth of the saide two shillings. And if any of the saide persons shall have tenne calves or above seaventeene fall yearely upon any of theire saide landes in the saide parrish then such person shall pay unto the saide vicar two shillings without any defaulcation and if any of the saide persons shall have seaventeene calves fall yearely upon any of theire saide landes in the saide parrish then shall such person pay zzz shillings without defaulcking anything.
Item it is alsoe agreed that every person shall pay unto the saide vicar for every loade of kiddes that he shall yearely make zzz on the saide landes twopence, not exceeding seaven loades. The vicar to have every seventh loade in kinde alsoe flax zzzz in kinde, and that they will pay for every coult that yearely shall fall upon any of the saide landes unto the vicar foure pence, and for every lamb two pence.
Item it is also agreed that if any of the saide persons hereafter shall erect or cause to be erected any house or houses within the saide parrish upon any of their saide landes that every zzz such person shall pay his or theire tythes according to the usuall custome of the saide parrish. In witness whereof the saide parties to these presents enterchangeably have zzzz(hereunto set??) theire handes the day and yeare first above written
Hugh Comberbach, Thomas Tench, zzz King, Richarde Wilkes, Christopher Sparrow, Robert Parker, zzzz Wright, Thomas Wright, Richarde Pratchett, Richarde Briscall, zzz Wright, Hugh Tench, Isaacke Hide, Roger Mosse, Jane Simcocke, Richard Carter, John Greenatt, Dudley langley, Richard Stocken, Jane Howes, John Brooke, John Read (senior), George Gleave, Robert Goodall, Edward Tench.”
On f. 87v of the first register is written: “Madam Mary Delves the ladye and weif of sir Thomas Delves knighte and baronett describing to me Morice Gwyn vicar of the parishe, by her often experience, the qualitie of her infirmitie to be such that when she eateth fishe cheese and such like it putteth her to extreame pain, in respect of wh (pains?) I could no lesse in conscience and equitie according to the statute in that behalfe but allow lycence and dispence with the said Lady Delves for necessitie sake to eat of fleshe at or in the tymes prohibited, and this allowance or lycence after eighte days to be recorded in the register booke of the parish of Wibunbury, with the privitie of one of the churche wardens, my allowance and lycence I have confirmed (quantus in me est) with the subscription on my name, the fourth of May 1632
per me Mauricius Gwyn Vicarius IBDM
Thomas Cooper
Received the sixe and twentieth day of February 1632 from the Lady Mary Delves for the poore mans boxe of the pishe of Wibunbury for the use of the poore of the saied parishe the sume of thirteene shillings and foure pence.
Per nos Robartus Maykin
Thomas Hewettus
Guardians IBDM”
At the beginning of the second register (from 1653) is written:
“Theise are to certifie all whom it doth or may concern
that I have confirmed Richard Fletcher of Wibunbury Grocer to be Parish Register of the Parish of Wibunbury aforesaid And have also given him his Oath to Exercise the sayd Office faithfully according to an Act of this p’sent Parliam’tin that case made and provided. Witnes my hand and seale the daye and yeare abovesayd. Tho. Mainwaringe”
On page 163of the second register is written “We the Minister and Churchwardenswhose names are subscribed by the advice and consent of each other doe nominate and appoint the persons hereunder written to be Ringers for the p’ish of Wybunbury This 29th of October 1672. John Brook, Richard Steele, churchwardens
Ringers’ names: Robert Bennett, John Beckett, William Lee, Thomas Wilkinson, William Perrin, Henry Smallwood, John Hampton, Ralph Addams, William Grimble, John Jones”
BA 1814/02/18 “There is a mistake accidentally made in the entry of 18th February 1814. It ought to be Isabella daughter of Josiah and Eliza Baddeley and not Eliza. Altered in the presence of the Churchwardens T. W. Parry and William Corn. February 20th 1814 T. Braim Curate.”
Ba 181501/07 (Burgess) Note at the bottom of page after 1815/01/29 refers: “The entry on January 7th of Thomas son of James and Alice Burgess of Stapeley Gentleman ought to have been made immediately after 237. The error was zzz initially made and this remark made in the presence of Churchwardens Thomas Harding and William Corn on 19th day of January 1815. Thomas Braim Curate
Ba 1815/08/29 Note at the bottom of page after 1815/09/17 refers:
“There is an error accidently made in the entry of 29th August, it ought immediately to have followed that of 27th August. This remark made in the presence of the Churchwardens William Cork and Thomas Harding.
Sept 3rd 1815 T Braim Curate.
Ba 1824/01/08 note refers: “This entry is erroneous John Robinson & Martha Poole were not married until after the birth of their daughter Elizabeth so the infant’s name is Elizabeth Poole And she is really & truly a bastard & when Elizabeth was privately baptised John Robinson & Martha Poole lived at Gresty as witnesseth my Hand John Broadbent Clerk. Corrected this Ninth Day of Jany 1824”.
Ba 1819/12/26 (Duckworth) Note refers: “Baptism No.848 entered page 94 No 751”. (No. 751 is 1819/03/21 Sarah da. of Richard & Elizabeth Duckers.
Bu 1867/04/04 (Corns) Addition in margin ‘baptised July 29 1772. Her father buried Jan 25 1829 aged 101 (baptised July 25 1728)’
The ancient parish of Wybunbury lay in the south-east of Cheshire, bordering Staffordshire and Shropshire. The contiguous ancient parishes in Cheshire were, clockwise from the north-west, Acton (including Nantwich), Wistaston, Coppenhall, Barthomley, and Audlem. Wybunbury comprised part of the township of Willaston, and all of the townships of Basford, Batherton, Blakenhall, Bridgemere, Checkley cum Wrinehall, Chorlton, Doddington, Hatherton, Hough, Hunsterton, Lea, Rope, Shavington cum Gresty, Stapeley, Walgherton, and Weston. In our period to 1871 the new ecclesiastical parishes of Doddington and of Weston were created from Wybunbury in 1841 (see below, Youngs). Pevsner and Hubbard date Doddington church to 1837, while Williams listed the registers as beginning in 1879. Pevsner and Hubbard reported alterative dates of 1838 and 1842 for Weston church. The earliest date in the Record Office list of Weston registers is 1843.
The population of Wybunbury ancient parish can be estimated by the number of households in ecclesiastical ‘censuses’ of 1563 (307) households or families), c.1720 (541), and in 1778 (371 houses), while the sum of the households in the townships of the parish in the hearth tax of 1664 was 526. The population of the ancient parish in 1801 (including the whole of Willaston township) was 3,174 people, and 5,905 in 1871 (including only part of Willaston township).
Colin Phillips compiled these notes, using Jennifer Duncan’s digest of the information collected by transcribers and recorded with each transcription pad. Further information about the make-up of the register volumes came from the original registers in the Cheshire Record Office. The record Office lists provided information on the evolution of the parish.
The population estimates were gathered as follows: 1563 The diocesan population returns for 1563 and 1603, ed. A.D. Dyer and D.M. Palliser (British Academy: records of social and economic history, new series, vol. 31, 2005), p. 81; count of households; 1664 Public Record Office, Exchequer, E. 179/86/145 (on microfilm), hearth tax returns; c. 1720 F. Gastrell, Notitia Cestriensis, ed. F.R. Raines, vol. I (Chetham Society, old series, VIII, 1845); and 1778: Cheshire RO, Diocese of Chester, EDV/7/1 (on microfilm). For 1801 and 1871 see VCH Cheshire, vol. II, p. 240.) Details on the evolution of the parish came from C. Williams, Guide to the Cheshire Record Office ([Chester], 1991), pp. 87-8; Guide to the local administrative units of England, Vol. II Northern England, ed. F.A. Youngs, Jr (1991), pp. 17, 41; and N. Pevsner and E. Hubbard, The buildings of England: Cheshire (Harmondsworth, 1971), pp. 200, 380. The geography of the parish can be followed in the base map in A.D.M. Phillips and C.B. Phillips, A new historical atlas of Cheshire (Chester, 2001).