England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Grappenhall St Wilfrid

The Parish

The parish of Grappenhall lies in the extreme north of Cheshire, indeed it forms part of the border with neighbouring Lancashire. Grappenhall is located about 3 miles south of the Lancashire industrial town of Warrington, indeed within recent times it has become a suburb for that large town. Grappenhall is located on the A50 road which connects Warrington and Knutsford and sits largely between the Bridgwater Canal & the Manchester Ship Canal albeit the parish border (and county border) are demarcated by the River Mersey. The branch rail line between Altrincham and Warrington also passed through the village but is closed and converted to a path & cycle way. Grappenhall parish also includes the licensed chapelry of Latchford which has its own page within this project. Prior to the industrial revolution Grappenhall would have earned its living largely from farming, a mixed farming regime of mostly arable with some pastoral farming. With industrial development Grappenhall acquired more employment through manufacture and also tanning. Modern day Warrington has spread across the Mersey and now Grappenhall is almost contiguous with its larger neighbour. The River Mersey drains the parish westwards to reach the Irish Sea through the joint ports of Liverpool & Birkenhead. Grappenhall is sited at around 25 metres above sea level and land is largely at similar altitudes for some distance as the broad Mersey floodplain. By Cheshire standards Grappenhall parish (including Latchford) was rather small almost comparable with a southern parish, it covered just over 1,500 acres and by the end of this transcript period supported a population of almost 3,000 parishioners. In Domesday times Grappenhall was a very small place, held by Edward of Grappenhall it offered a pair of ploughs as well as small woodland.

The Church

St Wilfrid's church sits at the heart of Grappenhall sited on the north side of Church Lane which runs westwards from the A50 and almost on the banks of the Bridgwater Canal. Some traces remain of both Norman and 14th century features but the church was almost totally rebuilt between 1525 & 1539 and the western tower, nave & aisles are of this period. The church was also extensively remodeled in Victorian times with the clerestory & transept being key features added at this time. Church Lane is rather narrow until you reach the church & the Parr Arms inn which sits alongside, the church car park being opposite. A low local sandstone wall surrounds the churchyard & entry is by a pair of metal gates by the Parr Arms. The church is crammed towards the western end of the churchyard with the western tower almost against the wall of the inn, more extensive view are available from the north but are impacted by the sun angle, best views for photography are from Church Lane itself.