HISTORY OF LEIGHTON-CUM-MINSHULL VERNON

The Parish was formed in 1840 from the parishes of Middlewich and Nantwich, in the Eddisbury division of the County. The Church of St. Peter at Minshull Vernon was erected about 1854, when the old Church at Leighton was damaged by fire and demolished.The cost of building St. Peter's Church was £1700 and was paid for by James France Esq. and Edward Lloyd Esq. It is an edifice of stone in the Early English style, and consisted of Chancel, nave, organ transept (added in 1902) and a Turret containing one bell. There are three crocketed sedilia* and a carved stone front. The stained East window was placed in 1879 and is in memory of Lewis Lloyd. A new organ purchased by subscription at a cost of £200 was placed in 1889. An ancient altar cross, hammered in embossed brass was the gift of Edward Henry Loyd Esq. (Newfield Hall), Col. C.H. France-Hayhurst of Bostock Hall and their wives. The Registers date from 1849.The new Vestry was opened and dedicated by the Bishop of Stockport in July 1966.

Electricity has been a fairly late addition and until 1959 there were no mains electricity in this area of the Parish. The electrical installation in the Church was presented in memory of the late Mr Albert Brown by his widow, Mrs Nellie Brown in October 1959 and a service of Dedication and Switching on of the Electric Lights was held on 6th December 1959.The organ has been pumped manually until 1959, and in October 1959 an organ blower was installed in memory of the late John Robinson Moreton, who had been a lifelong member of St. Peter's. Outside lighting was also installed later from the Porch down the Church Pathway to the main road, in memory of the late Mr and Mrs. D. Ford of Eardswick Hall.A stained glass window was installed on the North side of the chancel in 1974. This window came from a Church in Cheadle, Cheshire and was given in memory of the late Peter Malcolm Riley.The Communion Rails and Gates were modified in 1974 too, again in memory of Mr Malcolm Riley, and a Service of Dedication in respect of the window and communion rails was held on 7th September 1975. The Vicarage, now a private dwelling called "The Folly", is built in the Elizabethan style. Parish Clerk at this time was James Booth, and the Sexton Thomas Dodd, both of Leighton. Caretakers were Sarah and Samuel Crawford. (1993)

St. Peters Church is 147 years old. (1996).During 1996, work was commencing to underpin the west wall at a cost of some £30,000.

The illustration on the inside cover is by the late H. A. Broad who died in 1992 and is buried in the churchyard.

MINSHULL VERNON SCHOOL

Now converted into a private dwelling, was at one time a flourishing school and was built in 1840, enlarged and modernised in 1904 at a cost of £510. The additions included a Central Hall which served as a children's dining hall and cookery lecture hall for 113 children. Average attendance was 64. Mr. Christopher Plumb was Headmaster and also Organist of Minshull Vernon Church.LEIGHTON (or LEIGHTON CHAPEL as more frequently termed) This was a township near the Weaver, in the parish of Nantwich and contained only a few scattered farmhouses, two of which were originally the halls of the Eardswick and the Del Brooke families.A Primitive Methodist Chapel stood next to the Walker's house (Parkers Rd.) (originally the Booth's small farm and sweet shop).The Chapel was built in 1841, but is now in ruins.The Principal Landowner was Col. C.H. France-Hayhurst of Bostock Hall, and he distributed Beef to the aged poor at Christmas.The soil around here is principally clay, also the sub-soil. Nearly all the land was pasture and cheese was made about here.*Sedilia: Seats for clergy. One for Priest, Deacon and Subdeaconin the Chancel.(The above information is reproduced here, with the consent of the Vicar and Church Warden, from a leaflet printed by the church c1970.) .......Minshull Vernon.............The church, a neat edifice, in the early English style, erected in 1849, consists of nave and chancel. The original building has been taken down, and the site with the burial ground is now used as a cemetery.............

Slater's 1890.

MINSHULL VERNON.

The map accompanying this work has been drawn up by myself without consultation of the burial registers at St. Peter's Church, Minshull Vernon. The older part of the graveyard appears rather haphazard and I hope that I have made a correct interpretation of the plots. The rows are shown by letters A - S, although only the newer part of the graveyard actually has any indication of rows (A - P).The site was split up into three plots (for my own convenience in transcribing and drawing a plan). These have been named Block A, Block B (both of which cover the older part of the graveyard), and Block C, (which covers the newer part).In this work I have included the plan reference, e.g. Block A, Row A, No.s 1 to 14. Plots which have a gravestone or vase etc. have been given a separate additional consecutive number, i.e. those in Block A, Row A, are numbered 17 to 22. The inscriptions numbered 1 to 16 are those which appear within the church.Again, I would emphasise that any plot numbers or references shown here, do not necessarily bare any relationship to those which might appear in any burial register. They are intended only for this work.

Peter Chadwick 1990. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Block C, which is still in use, has been re-numbered where possible to closely match those used in the Burial Register for this edition.