The most likely reason for the hamlet of Weaverham having been established in its location is that it lies near a crossing over the river Weaver, just west of Northwich.
The actual growth of the Saxon manor of Weaverham relies much on its ownership by Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and its proximity to Delamere Forest.
The evidence for Weaverham before the 11th century comes from the Domesday Book 1086.
The village was seized from Edwin by Hugh D’Avaranches, the Earl of Chester nicknamed Lupus; he died in 1101.
In the 13th century, King Edward I gave it to Sir Roger de Clifford, who, when returning from Palestine, married Countess Lauretania and handed over Weaverham as a wedding present!
The then-current King subsequently repossessed the village and gave it over to the new monastery of Vale Royal.
Court was held there on what became the site of the old grammar school in Forest Street. The abbott was a ruthless man and had a prison at the rear of the old grammar school.
With the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, Weaverham was then presented to Sir Thomas Holcroft by the king.
Soon after, it was sold to the Merbery Family. It changed hands several times more and was eventually divided into the town and the lordship, the first including Weaverham and Milton, the second being Sandiway and Gorstage.
The village grew around the parish church of St Mary the Virgin mainly since the 16th century, although in total, there have been three churches on this site since Edward I, with many extensions and alterations.
The car park at the front of the church used to house the Ring O’ Bells pub as it was named in the 1800s; it was later called the Church Stile, the Church Gates, before reverting back to the Ring O’ Bells.
In 1924, the license was removed, and a new Ring O’ Bells was built nearby.
The village has many ancient buildings, most of which have been identified and awarded blue plaques detailing their historical interest.
When heading towards the centre from the church, the first of these is the Raintub cottage, dating from around the time of Henry VIII.
Whilst under renovation in the 1980s, a wall painting was discovered beneath layers of plaster.
It depicted branches of a yew tree, probably done both for decoration and to ward off evil spirits. There was also a 'coffin hole' in the half loft ceiling, as it would have been too large to lower coffins down a narrow staircase.
On the High Street, we find the black and white Poplar Cottage, which is an excellent example of domestic Tudor architecture that was built around the 15th century.
Within Poplar Cottage, there is a rare example of a birthing chamber, a small room on the basement. Traditional folklore says that if a new-born is carried upstairs, then it will continue to rise in life and be successful!
In 1638, mention was made of a grammar school founded in Weaverham by William Barker of Sandiway, previously mentioned as the Abbots Court.
This school continued to educate the children of Weaverham and surrounding areas until 1916, when it closed. It is now a private dwelling.
Another building worthy of note is the Hanging Gate pub situated at one time on what was the main road from Whitchurch to Warrington, an ancient building whose origins are lost in the mists of time.
Before 1827, it was called the Weaverham Gate, followed by the Barrymore Arms and then simply the Gate.
Further down the road, it is thought that a Toll Gate existed, so maybe this was reflected in the name of the hostelry.
It was said that when the tollgates were removed, one of them was hung on a bracket outside the pub.
A famous guest was purported to be the 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley who stopped there overnight during his travels between battles.
Weaverham retains its charm, although, during the 1930s onwards, it was heavily populated by the workers of the ICI chemical works who, along with the local council, built many houses constructed of concrete, even including the upper floors to house the influx.
The population is now around 6,500, and lies adjacent to Owley Wood, part of the Mersey Forest.
The wood extends for over 12 acres along the River Weaver Valley and is named after the tawny owls which inhabit the area. There are a number of pleasant country walks in Owley Wood.
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