The Chartulary Register Of The Abbey Of St Werburgh Chester

The Chartulary Register of the Abbey of St Werburgh Chester In 2 Volumes

An Essential Genealogical Compendium for Tracing Your Medieval and Early Modern Roots

Are you struggling to break through the brick walls of pre-parish register research? Do you suspect your ancestors held land in the vast and influential County Palatine of Chester? This meticulously compiled edition of the Chartulary Register of the Abbey of St Werburgh is your master key to the past.

The Abbey of St Werburgh was one of the most powerful religious institutions in medieval England, holding lands and tithes across Cheshire and beyond. Its chartulary is not just a religious record; it is a detailed ledger of people, places, and power. Within its pages, you will find original charters, grants, leases, quitclaims, and court records that name not only the great lords but also the yeomen, tenants, and merchants who formed the backbone of Cheshire life.

This edition, fully transcribed and indexed, transforms this invaluable primary source into an accessible and indispensable tool for the genealogist.

Parish-by-Parish Genealogical Guide
Discover what secrets the Chartulary holds for your ancestral parish. Each entry details the types of records you can expect to find, helping you pinpoint exactly where your family's story may be recorded.

City of Chester Parishes

St. Oswald's Parish, Chester
Genealogical Value: As the church adjacent to the Abbey, its records are deeply intertwined. Find mentions of Abbey officials, prominent burgesses, and property holders within the city walls. Uncover leases for shops and tenements, naming your urban ancestors.
Famous People: The Earls of Chester, who were the city's overlords, are frequently mentioned in charters confirming the Abbey's rights. Ranulph de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester (a key figure in the Magna Carta story) and Edward, the Black Prince (as Earl of Chester) would have been involved in such grants.

St. John the Baptist's Parish, Chester
Genealogical Value: This parish covered a large part of the city. The Chartulary contains numerous references to property boundaries, rents, and the names of citizens living in this parish. Look for your ancestors among the named witnesses to charters, who were often local tradesmen and guild members.
Famous People: Charles Kingsley, the 19th-century novelist and canon of Chester Cathedral (the successor to the Abbey), lived and worked in this parish centuries after these records were made, but his history is tied to its legacy.
Wirral & Dee-Side Parishes

Bromborough Parish
Genealogical Value: A core manor of the Abbey. The Chartulary is exceptionally rich for Bromborough, detailing the transfer of land from one generation to the next. Find names of tenants, sub-tenants, and the families who farmed this fertile land for centuries.
Famous People: This parish is of immense historical significance. It is widely believed to be the site of the 924 AD council where Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians, met with key figures. While the Chartulary is from a later period, it records the legacy of the lands she may have controlled.

Eastham Parish
Genealogical Value: Records here focus on the Abbey's holdings in this strategic Wirral location. Discover names of families managing woodland, fisheries on the Mersey, and agricultural lands. A prime source for tracing ancestors with connections to the river.
Famous People: The powerful Stanley family, later Earls of Derby, held immense influence in the region. While their main seat was at Lathom, their presence and land dealings are recorded throughout Wirral, and they would have been overlords to many families mentioned in the Chartulary.

Neston Parish
Genealogical Value: Similar to Eastham, this parish's records reveal a community of farmers, fishermen, and mariners. The Chartulary names individuals involved in salt pans and coastal trade, offering a rare glimpse into non-agricultural ancestors.
Famous People: George Grosvenor, of the influential family that would become the Dukes of Westminster, held the manor of Neston in the 18th century. The Chartulary provides the medieval foundation for the land ownership that such powerful families later built upon.
Rural Cheshire Parishes

Tarvin Parish
Genealogical Value: A large, rural parish with a complex history of land tenure. The Chartulary contains disputes, land exchanges, and lists of tenants that can help you piece together family movements and relationships over generations.
Famous People: The Brereton family of Brereton Hall were a dominant force in this part of Cheshire for centuries. The Chartulary contains early mentions of the family and their ancestors who held land from the Abbey.

Frodsham Parish
Genealogical Value: Situated on the River Weaver, this parish's records detail a mix of agriculture and early industrial activity. Find names of your ancestors who were weavers, salt workers, or boatmen, as well as the farmers who supplied them.
Famous People: Daniel Defoe, author of Robinson Crusoe, visited Frodsham in the 1720s and wrote about its salt industry and market. The Chartulary provides the medieval names of the families who laid the groundwork for the town he described.

Great Saughall & Mollington Parishes
Genealogical Value: These parishes, close to Chester, were home to many of the Abbey's more immediate tenants and servants. The records here are intimate, naming smallholders and families who may have worked directly for the monastery.
Famous People: While less home to national figures, these parishes were home to generations of Sheriffs of Cheshire and prominent local gentry who served the Earls of Chester. The Chartulary is a primary source for the lineage of these important county families.

Christleton Parish
Genealogical Value: The Abbey had significant grange (farm) lands here. The Chartulary records the names of the monks and lay brothers who managed the estate, as well as the local peasants who worked the fields. Essential for tracing agricultural ancestors.
Famous People: Philip Henry, the 17th-century nonconformist diarist, lived in Christleton later in life. His diaries provide a personal account of life in the parish, building on the foundation of the medieval families named in the Chartulary.

Why This Chartulary is Your Indispensable Research Tool:
Primary Source Evidence: Go beyond secondary accounts and read the documents that named your ancestors.
Pre-1530s Research: The essential resource for tracing family lines before parish registers began.
Family Connections: Witness lists on charters often reveal relationships between families and neighbours.
Social Status: Understand your ancestor's place in society, from a humble tenant to a prosperous landholder.
Fully Indexed: This edition includes a comprehensive index of people and places, making your research fast and efficient.