Beeston
Beeston maps (2 available)
Map of Cheshire
Beautifully hand-drawn and coloured, dating from around 1840
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Beeston books (10 available)
- 1 photos on Beeston appear in 1 Frith books - View photos of Beeston
- Read extracts and see photos from these books on Beeston and Cheshire
Beeston memories
Read and share memories of Beeston and Cheshire inspired by Frith photos
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Cheshire memories
Good old days
Friends from Barbridge and Bunbury were good in those days. Used to go dancing in the area, I think the buildings are still up. Ken Kirkham who has since died. David Davies after a while went in the army and has now moved away, but can't mention any more for now. But they were great times.
By Barbara Jones
A memory of Bunbury contributed by First Name Last Name
Country view.
I used to cycle from Barbridge to Bunbury quite a lot in the 1950s when we needed to see Dr Arthur, but the view of the countryside was beautiful.
By Barbara Jones
A memory of Bunbury contributed by First Name Last Name
My G,G, Grandfather was born in this Manor House
My G,G,Grandfather was born in this house on the 2nd of July 1864, his name was Joseph Burgess and his parents' names were Joseph and Lydia Burgess nee Brooke. Joseph Burgess emigrated to Australia at the age of 22 years, he came across on the French ship called the Gilcruix on the 13th of Oct 1886. His passage cost 14 pounds and he was in steerage. He married Rebekah Hawker from Altona, Victoria, Australia. They had four daughters and lived in Brighton, Melbourne, Victoria.
A memory of Tarporley contributed by Joanne Scott
Barbridge
I can remember visiting my grandparents at Barbridge as a small child. In the early 60's my grandparents name was Poole and they lived in the end house nearest to the pub. Grandad worked for British Waterways and the garden went straight up to the canal. The people next door were called Bunn and I think Mr Bunn worked with my grandad - Mr Bunn had a daughter called Sandra. My grandad had an accident at work when I was 3 and unfortunately did not survive. I can remember running up the road to the shop as a small child and remember the house that my grandparents lived in very well. My grandma lived at the house with my aunt until ...read more here
A memory of Barbridge contributed by carole marsh
Extracts From Beeston & Cheshire books
Built high on a sandstone crag commanding Tarporley Gap, Beeston was one of a series of fortresses built by Rannulf de Blundeville, sixth Earl of Chester and Lincoln; the others were Chartley in Staffordshire and Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire. Rannulf died before Beeston was finished, with the result that the domestic buildings were never erected. In 1241 Henry used the castle to house Welsh prisoners, and in 1303 it was upgraded as part of a series of second-line defences against Welsh attacks. During the English Civil War it withstood a year-long siege, surrendering on 16 November 1645. Beeston also has the deepest well - 366 feet - of any fortress in England.
An extract from from"English Castles".
With so many workers
arriving here in the 1800s
from Ireland there was a
strong Roman Catholic
presence and this
enormous church was
built in the 1870s to serve
that congregation. For
the first 23 years it was
also a collegiate church
for Jesuits with, at one time, 32 priests, 22 scholastics and 17 lay brothers.
An extract from from"Widnes and Runcorn Photographic Memories".
There have
been several
Ditchfield Halls
near here. In the
1500s and 1600s the
Dychfield family
that lived here
were strong Roman
Catholics and
refused to attend
the Protestant
services at their local
parish church at
Farnworth. Instead
they built their own
chapel but they were
still fined for not
attending the official
church services! The
last Ditchfield Hall
was demolished in
the 1960s.
An extract from from"Widnes and Runcorn Photographic Memories".
It would have been near here that the ferry landed. The first ferry was established in 1178 by the baron who owned Halton
Castle on the southern side of the estuary. His estates included lands on the northern side and, apparently, the ferry was set
up primarily so his tenants could cross the river more easily in order to pay him their taxes.
An extract from from"Widnes and Runcorn Photographic Memories".
St Mary’s Church
was consecrated in
1910 and has room
for a congregation of
over 750 people. The
church has a most
unusual feature - built
into the wall around
the churchyard,
overlooking the road,
there is a pulpit from
where, perhaps, the
vicar could harangue
those people taking
their ease here in the
gardens on a Sunday afternoon.
An extract from from"Widnes and Runcorn Photographic Memories".