The origins of Hatherton and Walgherton

Hatherton is listed in the Domesday book in 1086.  The name is first recorded as Hatherton in 1262 and is believed to mean ‘farmstead (ton) where hawthorn grows’.  The Domesday Book describes Hatherton as follows:

"Ulfketel held it; he was a free man.  1 hide paying tax.  Land for 5 ploughs. In lordship 1; 2 ploughman; 2 villagers and 1 smallholder with 1 plough.  Woodland 1½ league long and as wide; 1 enclosure.  Value of these 2 manors before 1066, 40s; now 10s."

Walgherton is also listed in the Domesday book and is believed to derive its name from ‘farmstead or village of a man called Walhhere’.  The Domesday Book describes Walgherton as follows:

"Gunning and Haldane held it as 2 manors; they were free men.  1 hide and 1 virgate paying tax.  Land for 2 ploughs. 1 there, with 1 ploughman; 1 rider and 2 smallholders with 1 plough.  Value before 1066, 9s; now 5s; found waste."

The current Neighbourhood Plan contains a summary of the history of the combined parishes and is a useful starting point for research. 

For more information

We would like to build up a library of local historical information, and would welcome any contributions!

Here are a few snippets gleaned from various websites.

• Murder!
• Cheshire Local History Society
• Wikipedia for Hatherton
• Wikipedia for Walgherton

Old maps

Cheshire East have an excellent website with tithe maps which show a comparison between the present day and the records in the 19th century.  These tithe maps can be accessed at this Cheshire East Archives link below.

• 19th Century from Cheshire East Archives
• 18th Century and earlier from Cheshire Local History Association

Historic map of Hatherton and Walgherton

This map is taken from the 1888-1913 OS Six Inch map of Hatherton and Walgherton. The boundaries are the parish boundaries at that time and do not accurately reflect the current boundaries. Hatherton is bounded on the west by the River Weaver, on the north by the Artle Brook and on the south by Birchall Brook.  Walgherton is bounded on the north and east by Howbeck Brook, Wybunbury Brook and Forge Brook although these are all the same stream as Artle Brook.  The joint boundary is more arbitrary and follows field boundaries.  Interestingly, Wybunbury parish extends across the section of brook of the same name as does a part of Lea parish.

Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.  You can click on the map to see it enlarged although this will overflow the page on a mobile phone.  Bear in mind that this is a historic map and the boundary will have changed slightly in places.