Worleston

History

Historically, Worleston civil parish was included within the ancient parish of Acton, and St Mary's Church, Acton was the parish church. The small civil parish of Alvaston was added to Worleston in 1899, and part of the parish was transferred to Nantwich in 1936.

Geography and transport

Nearby villages include Acton, Aston juxta Mondrum, Willaston and Wistaston. The River Weaver forms the eastern boundary of the parish, with a tributary running east–west across the parish, south of Rookery Hall. Other Weaver tributaries form parts of the south-eastern, western and northern parish boundaries. The Reaseheath College at Rease Heath has a lake, and there are numerous small meres and ponds scattered across the farmland.

The A51 runs east–west along the southern boundary of the parish, and the B5074 road runs north–south through it, crossing the tributary of the Weaver at Rookery Bridge. The Crewe–Chester railway line crosses the northern tip of the parish. The civil parish has relatively few public footpaths, with none to the east of the B5074; the longest footpath cuts west from the B5074 to Rease Heath.

Demographics

According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 404, with 96 households. The historical population figures were 269 (1801), 337 (1851), 485 (1901) and 383 (1951); the changes partly reflect boundary alterations (described previously).

Landmarks

:See also Listed buildings in Worleston Rookery Hall, a grade-II-listed mansion dating from 1816, is located off the B5074 near Worleston village; it is now a hotel and restaurant. The Royal Oak public house, on the B5074 in Worleston village, is a timber-framed building dating originally from the 1730s.

The small settlement of Rease Heath (also spelled Reaseheath), adjacent to Nantwich, contains Reaseheath College, as well as the grade-II-listed Rease Heath Old Hall, an L-shaped farmhouse in red brick dating from the late 18th century. A moated site () at Rease Heath is a scheduled ancient monument. The Crewe Alexandra F.C. Academy is adjacent to the college.

Places of worship

The grade-II-listed St Oswald's Church, founded 1873, is in Worleston village (within Aston juxta Mondrum civil parish). A major fire in 1997 damaged the roof, chancel and organ loft; the church has since been restored. St Oswald's has been administered since 1991 as a united benefice, the Cross Country Group of Parish Churches, with St Mary's, Acton, St Bartholomew's, Church Minshull, and St David's, Wettenhall. It falls into the rural deanery of Nantwich and the diocese of Chester.The vicar is the Reverend Anne Lawson. A magazine, Cross Country, is circulated across all four churches.

Worleston Methodist Chapel was founded in 1871 and closed in 1969.

Education

The village is served by the nearby St Oswald's CE Primary School (), originally Worleston National School, on Church Road, Aston juxta Mondrum.

References

Sources

• Latham FA, ed. Acton (The Local History Group; 1995) ()

References

1. (July 2024). "Location of Chester South and Eddisbury".
2. "Civil Parish population 2011". Office for National Statistics.
3. Latham, p. 9
4. [http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/chs/worleston.html Genuki: Worleston] (accessed 15 August 2007)
5. [http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/cheshirecc.interactivemapping.web.internet/Default.aspx?e=365315&n=355240&mpp=5&layers=BOU.PLA.PLO.PAR&hLayer=PAR&hField=OBJECTID&hValue=85 Cheshire County Council: Interactive Mapping: Worleston] (accessed 29 February 2008)
6. [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=792615&c=Worleston&d=16&e=15&g=428281&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 Neighbourhood Statistics: Worleston CP] (accessed 29 February 2008)
7. [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1136513 Images of England: Rookery Hall] (accessed 29 February 2008)
8. Latham, p. 98
9. [https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1138550 Images of England: Reaseheath Old Hall] (accessed 29 February 2008)
10. link. (2007-09-27 (accessed 29 February 2008))
11. [http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/acmww/stoswald/history/stoshist.htm Cross Country Group of Parish Churches: History of St Oswald's Church] (accessed 29 February 2008)
12. Geograph: [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/276010 St. Oswald's Church, Worleston after the fire] & [https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/276012 St. Oswald's Church, Worleston after the fire] (accessed 29 February 2008)
13. "St Oswald".
14. {{usurped
15. Latham, pp. 91–2