Frodsham, Cheshire

Description
Frodsham, a small town, a township, a lordship, and a parish in Cheshire. The town stands on an eminence at the foot of the hills forming the northern extremity of Delamere Forest, near the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Mersey, and the Manchester Ship Canal, 4 miles SW of Runcorn, 9 SE of Liverpool, and 10 NE of Chester. It has a station on the L. & N.W. and Birkenhead railways, and a post, money order, and telegraph office under Warrington. It consists chiefly of two long and well-paved streets, intersecting each other at right angles. At the east end is a stone bridge over the Weaver, and at the west end stood Frodsham Castle, supposed to have been of Norman origin, given by Edward I. to David, the brother of Llewelyn, the last sovereign prince of Wales, given afterwards to the Savages, Earl Rivers, and burnt in 1642. A handsome modern house occupies the site of the castle. Fairs are held on the last Tuesday in April and the last Thursday in Oct. There is a town-hall, a bank, and a Conservative club. There is a mission church, and chapels for Wesleyans, Primitive, and Free Methodists. The town is well supplied with water. Beacon Hill, adjacent to it, was formerly surmounted by a beacon, is traversed round the brow by a fine walk, commanding a rich and extensive view. A place called Frodsham Bridge on the Mersey, about a mile from the town, has a bridge over the Mersey, and a post, money order, and telegraph office under Warrington. Area of Frodsham township, 2426 acres; of Frodsham lordship, 2622 acres. There are also 29 acres which are common to both township and lordship. Population of township, 3333; of lordship, 1513. The lordship of Frodsham adjoins the township on the NE, and consists of the hamlets of Bradley, Ketherton, Overton, and Woodhouses. The manor was held by the successive owners of Frodsham Castle, and passed to the Earl of Cholmondeley. Many of the inhabitants are employed in salt works, flour mills, cotton manufacture, amd stone quarries. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Chester; net value, £330 with residence. Patron, Christ Church, Oxford. The church stands on the hill adjacent to the town, is within Overton hamlet, and is partly Norman; it was restored in 1882.