High Legh: Difference between revisions

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|static_image_name= Church of St John, High Legh.jpg

|static_image_name= Church of St John, High Legh.jpg

|static_image_caption= [[St John’s Church, High Legh|Church of St John, High Legh]]<br />(”formerly [[chapel|domestic chapel]] to the West Hall”)

|static_image_caption= [[St John’s Church, High Legh]]<br />(”formerly the West Hall”)

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”’High Legh”’ is a village, [[civil parishes in England|civil]] and [[ecclesiastical parish]] in the unitary authority of [[Cheshire East]] and the ceremonial county of [[Cheshire]], England. It is {{convert|6|mi|0|spell=In}} north west of [[Knutsford]], {{convert|7|mi|spell=in}} east of [[Warrington]] and {{convert|12|mi|spell=in}} south west of [[Manchester City Centre]]. The population of the entire civil parish was estimated at 1,705 in 2019.<ref name=”2019PopulationEstimate”>{{Cite web |title=England population mid-year estimate – Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/timeseries/enpop/pop |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>

”’High Legh”’ is a village, [[ |]] and [[ parish]] in the unitary authority of [[Cheshire East]] and the ceremonial county of [[Cheshire]], England.

{{convert|6|mi|0|spell=In}} northwest of [[Knutsford]], {{convert|7|mi|spell=in}} east of [[Warrington]] and {{convert|12|mi|spell=in}} southwest of [[Manchester City Centre]] population of the entire was estimated at 1,705 in 2019.<ref name=”2019PopulationEstimate”>{{Cite web |title=England population mid-year estimate – Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/timeseries/enpop/pop |access-date=2024-03-07 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>

==History==

==History==

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[[File:The Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, High Legh.JPG|thumb|right|The oldest building in the parish of High Legh is [[St Mary’s Chapel, High Legh|St Mary’s Chapel]].]]
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Unusually this village was the [[seat]] of two ancient [[landed gentry|landed gentry families]] for generations, namely: [[Egerton Leigh|Leigh of West Hall]] and [[George Legh|Cornwall-Legh of East Hall]]. Both [[manor house|hall]]s have now been demolished, but both families are still represented today, the head of the “West Hall” family being [[Edward Leigh|Sir Edward Leigh]] <small>[[Member of Parliament|MP]]</small> but no longer associated or living within the [[ecclesiastical parish|parish]] and that of the “East Hall” family being headed by [[Baron Grey of Codnor|Richard, 6th Baron Grey of Codnor]]. A member of a [[cadet branch]] of the [[Egerton Leigh|Leigh of West Hall]] family was created a [[baronet]] in 1773 as [[Sir Egerton Leigh, 1st Baronet|Sir Egerton Leigh]], but this [[hereditary title|title]] is now [[Baronetcy|dormant]]. Other cadet branches were the Leigh-Traffords of nearby [[Oughtrington Hall]] as well as the [[Baron Leigh|Barons Leigh]] of [[Stoneleigh Abbey]] in Warwickshire and the [[Baron Newton|Barons Newton]] of [[Lyme Park]]. The third [[Lord of the manor|lordship of the manor]] was held by the [[Egerton family]] of [[Tatton Park|Tatton]] and all three landed families swapped and consolidated their estates throughout the 18th and 19th centuries until the [[Egerton Leigh]]s sold their High Legh [[Estate (land)|estate]] to the Cornwall-Leghs just before World War I. When [[Maurice Egerton, 4th Baron Egerton|Maurice, 4th and last Lord Egerton of Tatton]], sold off the remaining farms and land in High Legh in the 1930s, so ended a connection dating back to the 13th century.

Unusually High Legh was the ancient [[seat]] of two [[landed gentry|landed gentry families]], ostensibly rivals but who inter-married for generations, namely: [[Egerton Leigh|Leigh of West Hall]] and [[George Legh|Cornwall-Legh of East Hall]].

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Both [[manor house|hall]]s have now been demolished, but both families are still represented today, the head of the “West Hall” family being [[Edward Leigh|Sir Edward Leigh]] |MP no longer associated or living within the [[ecclesiastical parish|parish]] and that of the “East Hall” family being [[Baron Grey of Codnor|Richard, 6th Baron Grey of Codnor]]. A member of a cadet branch of the [[Egerton Leigh|Leigh of West Hall]] family was created a [[baronet]] in 1773 [[Sir Egerton Leigh, 1st Baronet|Sir Egerton Leigh]], but this [[hereditary title|title]] is now [[Baronetcy|dormant]]. Other cadet the Leigh of nearby [[Oughtrington Hall]] as well as the [[Baron Leigh|Barons Leigh]] of [[Stoneleigh Abbey]] in Warwickshire the [[Baron Newton|Barons Newton]] of [[Lyme Park]]. The third [[Lord of the manor|lordship of the manor]] was held by the [[Egerton family]] of [[Tatton Park|Tatton]] and all three landed families swapped and consolidated their throughout the 18th and 19th centuries until the [[Egerton Leigh]]s sold their estate to the Cornwall-Leghs just before World War. When [[Maurice Egerton, 4th Baron Egerton|Maurice 4th last Egerton of Tatton]], sold off farms and land High Legh in the 1930s, so ended connection dating back to the 13th century.
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East Hall was demolished in the early 1970s (as West Hall had been some 20 years previously) and the debris was used as foundations for the first [[Thelwall]] [[viaduct]] bridge of the [[M6 motorway|M6]]. High Legh Hall (the East Hall) resembled nearby [[Tatton Park]] and the West Hall ([[Leigh baronets|Egerton Leigh]] family) was a beautiful [[Tudor architecture|Tudor]] building similar architecturally to [[Little Moreton Hall]].
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East Hall was demolished in the early 1970s (as West Hall had been some 20 years previously) and the used as foundations for the first [[Thelwall]] [[viaduct]] bridge of the [[M6 motorway|M6]]. High Legh Hall (the East Hall) resembled nearby [[Tatton Park]] and the West Hall ([[Leigh baronets|Egerton Leigh]] family) was a beautiful [[Tudor architecture|Tudor]] similar architecturally to [[Little Moreton Hall]].
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In a mainly agricultural area, its proximity to [[Manchester]] and the area now known as ”Gold Trafford” has made it nowadays a desirable residential area.
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, its proximity to [[Manchester]] the known as ”Gold Trafford” a desirable residential area.
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High Legh was recorded in the [[Domesday Survey]] as having two Saxons theins (Ulviet or Wulfgeat, and Dob). The boundary between [[Mere, Cheshire|Mere]] and High Legh is still known as Dobb Lane and is, in fact, the [[medieval]] [[boundary (real estate)|boundary]] between the two parishes. A moated site has been found, alongside the Roman road which connected [[Wilderspool]] and [[Latchford, Cheshire]] to Watling Street (A556) which contained [[Samian ware|Samian]] pottery from [[Cirencester]], a Roman cloak clasp, and a flint knife. High Legh was also a high-status [[Bronze Age]] burial site. High Legh is the location of an early [[Methodist]] chapel in Northwood Lane, with [[John Wesley|Wesleyan]] connections. Northwood Methodist Chapel was founded by the Okell family of High Legh (who married into the Egerton Leigh (”West Hall”) family). In the early 19th century, [[Robert Moffat (missionary)|Robert Moffat]], a young Scottish man, came to work on the [[Estate (land)|West Hall estate]] as a gardener, but in 1814 he joined the [[London Missionary Society]] and moved to Plantation Farm in [[Dukinfield]]. In 1816 he left with his wife for southern Africa where he became a [[missionary]]; his daughter met and fell in love with their student preacher, [[David Livingstone]]. The oldest building in the parish is believed to be [[St Mary’s Chapel, High Legh|St Mary’s Chapel]], formerly the domestic chapel of the Cornwall-Legh family of High Legh Hall (or East Hall), which is sometimes open to the public. However, other older buildings in the parish contain [[wattle and daub]] but no evidence of their dates has yet been established.

The [[Church of England|Anglican]] [[St John’s Church, High Legh|Church of St John]] was formerly the [[chapel|domestic chapel]] of the ”Leighs of West Hall” (Egerton Leigh family).

High Legh was recorded in the [[Domesday Survey]] as having two Saxon thegns (Wulfgeat and Dobb). The boundary between [[Mere, Cheshire|Mere]] and High Legh remains known as Dobb Lane and is, in fact, the [[medieval]] [[boundary (real estate)|boundary]] between the two parishes. A moated site has been found, alongside the Roman road which connected [[Wilderspool]] and [[Latchford, Cheshire]] to Watling Street (A556) containing [[Samian ware|Samian pottery]] from [[Cirencester]], a Roman cloak clasp and a flint knife. High Legh was also a high-status [[Bronze Age]] burial site.

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The park of East Hall, High Legh was laid out by [[Humphrey Repton]] for George John Legh in 1791, and [[John Nash (architect)|John Nash]] was also engaged to create an idyll village, but this was never completed. Repton removed the old [[toll road]] (the original Roman road) and dropped it to its present position (the [[A50 road|A50]]), removing the village and creating a more enclosed entrance to the estate and pleasure gardens.
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High Legh is the location of an early [[Methodist]] chapel in Northwood Lane, with [[John Wesley|Wesleyan]] connections. Northwood Methodist Chapel was founded by the Okell family of High Legh ( married into the West Hall). In the early 19th century, [[Robert Moffat (missionary)|Robert Moffat]], a young , came to work on the [[Estate (land)|West Hall estate]] as a gardener, but in 1814 he joined the [[London Missionary Society]] and moved to Plantation Farm in [[Dukinfield]]. In 1816 he left with his wife for southern Africa where he became a [[missionary]]; his daughter met and fell in love with their student preacher, [[David Livingstone]]. The oldest building in the parish is believed to be [[St Mary’s Chapel, High Legh|St Mary’s Chapel]], formerly the Cornwall-Legh , which is sometimes open to the public. However, other older buildings in contain [[wattle and daub]] but evidence of their yet established.
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Both mansions were used by the government for the training of [[Royal Engineers]] during [[World War II]] after the families moved out; they never returned to their respective [[country house|hall]]s and subsequently sold the internal section of the estate to two building companies, [[Wimpey Homes]], and [[Crossley baronets|Crossley Homes]]. In the 1980s more of the estate pleasure gardens was sold off for housing to [[Ideal Homes (UK housebuilder)|Ideal Homes]]. In the 1990s another estate was built on the former [[Army camp]] buildings, now known as The Belfry. All the street names in these developments have a connection with the history of High Legh through either one of the ancient landed families (Legh & Leigh), prominent people within the [[ecclesiastical parish|parish]] or parts of the former park (Pheasant Walk).

[[St John’s Church, High Legh|High Legh]] [[Church of England parish church]] formerly served as the West Hall [[chapel|domestic chapel]] of the Egerton Leigh family.<ref>[https://www.stjohnshighlegh.org/ www.stjohnshighlegh.org]</ref>

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The East Hall was laid out by [[Humphrey Repton]] for George John Legh in 1791, and [[John Nash (architect)|John Nash]] was also engaged to create an idyll village, but this was never completed. Repton removed the old [[toll road]] (the original Roman road) and dropped it to present position (the [[A50 road|A50]]), removing the village and creating a more enclosed entrance to the estate and pleasure gardens.
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Both were by for training [[Royal Engineers]] during [[World War II]] moved out never returned to their respective [[country house|hall]]s and subsequently sold the to two building companies, [[Wimpey Homes]] and [[Crossley baronets|Crossley Homes]]. In the 1980s more of the estate pleasure gardens sold off for housing to [[Ideal Homes (UK housebuilder)|Ideal Homes]]. In the 1990s another estate was built on the former [[Army camp]] , now known as The Belfry. All the street names in these developments have a connection with High Legh through either one of the ancient landed families ( ), prominent [[]] or former (Pheasant Walk).

===Coats of arms===

===Coats of arms===

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==Transport==

==Transport==

On 10 October 2009, High Legh Railway (a {{convert|7+1/4|in|adj=on}} gauge {{convert|400|yd|adj=on}} railway) was opened by Louise Robbins ([[Headteacher]] of High Legh Primary School). On 26 November 2011, the railway was extended further making the route a little short of {{convert|900|yd}}. The extension was opened by Harold Brooks (in the guise of [[Father Christmas]]) and Frank Sidebottom from the 7{{fraction|1|4}} Inch Gauge Society; High Legh Railway is operated by Vee Limited. The railway is the brainchild of Andrew John Higgins<ref>[http://www.cheshirerailways.co.uk/highlegh High Legh Railway.] Railway Website. Retrieval Date: 10 December 2009.</ref>

On 10 October 2009, High Legh Railway (a {{convert|7+1/4|in|adj=on}} gauge {{convert|400|yd|adj=on}} railway) was opened by Louise Robbins ([[]] of High Legh Primary School). 26 November 2011 the railway was extended further making the route a little short of {{convert|900|yd}}. The extension was opened by Harold Brooks (in the guise of [[Father Christmas]]) and Frank Sidebottom from the 7{{fraction|1|4}}Inch Gauge Society; High Legh Railway is operated by Vee Limited.

==Education==

==Education==

There have been three schools in High Legh. The one within the triangle on the side of the A50 is now High Legh Village Hall, managed by High Legh Community Association.<ref>[http://www.highlegh.org.uk Official Website High Legh Community Association Retrieval Date 7 March 2011].</ref> The latest school (with new extensions 1993–94) was built on Wrenshot Lane in 1976; this land was donated by [[Baron Grey of Codnor|Charles Cornwall-Legh]] (”later” [[Baron Grey of Codnor|Lord Grey of Codnor]]) to [[Cheshire County Council]].

There have been three in High Legh. The one within the triangle on the side of the A50 is now High Legh Village Hall, managed by High Legh Community Association.<ref>[http://www.highlegh.org.uk High Legh Community Association Retrieval Date 7 March 2011].</ref> The latest school (with new extensions 1993–94) was built on Wrenshot Lane in 1976; this land was donated by [[Baron Grey of Codnor|Charles Cornwall-Legh]] (”later” [[Grey | Grey of Codnor]]) [[Cheshire County Council]].

==Sport==

==Sport==

The village now has several sporting facilities including High Legh Cricket Club<ref>[http://www.highleghcricket.co.uk High Legh Cricket Club.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103231243/http://www.highleghcricket.co.uk/ |date=3 January 2006 }} Official Website. Retrieval Date: 17 January 2008.</ref> which plays at [[Arley Hall]] the home of the [[Viscount Ashbrook]], golf at High Legh Park Country Club<ref>[http://www.highleghpark.com High Legh Park Country Club.] Official Website. Retrieval Date: 17 January 2008.</ref> on land formerly part of the West Hall estate, High Legh Bowling Club, opposite the Village Hall<ref>[http://highleghbowls.co.uk High Legh Bowling club] official site</ref> and High Legh Tennis Club.<ref>[http://www.highleghtennisclub.co.uk High Legh Tennis Club.] Official Website. Retrieval Date: 13 March 2013.</ref>

The village has several sporting facilities including High Legh Cricket Club<ref>[http://www.highleghcricket.co.uk High Legh Cricket Club.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103231243/http://www.highleghcricket.co.uk/ |date=3 January 2006 }} Official Website. Retrieval Date: 17 January 2008.</ref> which plays at [[Arley Hall]] the of [[Viscount Ashbrook]], golf at High Legh Park Country Club<ref>[http://www.highleghpark.com High Legh Park Country Club.] Official Website. Retrieval Date: 17 January 2008.</ref> the West Hall estate, High Legh Bowling Club<ref>[http://highleghbowls.co.uk High Legh Bowling ] </ref> and High Legh Tennis Club.<ref>[http://www.highleghtennisclub.co.uk High Legh Tennis Club.] Official Website. Retrieval Date: 13 March 2013.</ref>

In 2008 an annual early season 10K running race was started, called the High Legh Robert Moffat Memorial 10K race. It has developed into a very popular local race. The race is jointly organised by High Legh Community Association<ref>[http://www.highlegh.org.uk High Legh Community Site]</ref> and [[Lymm|Lymm Runners Running Club]]<ref>[http://www.lymmrunners.org.uk Lymm Runners Official Site]</ref>

In 2008 an annual earlyseason 10K was , called the High Legh Robert Moffat Memorial 10K . popular local race jointly by High Legh Community Association<ref>[http://www.highlegh.org.uk High Legh Community ]</ref> and [[Lymm|Lymm Runners Running Club]]<ref>[http://www.lymmrunners.org.uk Lymm Runners Official Site]</ref>

==See also==

==See also==

{{Portal|Cheshire}}

{{Portal|Cheshire}}

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[[File:The Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, High Legh.JPG|thumb|right|The oldest building in the parish of High Legh is [[St Mary’s Chapel, High Legh|St Mary’s Chapel]].]]
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*[[Listed buildings in High Legh]]

*[[Tatton (UK Parliament constituency)]]

*[[Tatton (UK Parliament constituency)]]

*[[Rostherne#Buildings|Rostherne, Cheshire]]

*[[Murders of Jacqueline Ansell-Lamb and Barbara Mayo|Murder of Jacqueline Ansell-Lamb]], unsolved killing that took place in High Legh in 1970

*[[Murders of Jacqueline Ansell-Lamb and Barbara Mayo|Murder of Jacqueline Ansell-Lamb]], unsolved killing High Legh in 1970

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*[[Listed buildings in High Legh]]

==References==

==References==

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{{Commons category|High Legh}}

{{Commons category|High Legh}}

*[http://www.highlegh.org.uk/ High Legh Community website]

*[http://www.highlegh.org.uk/ High Legh Community website]

*”[[Burke’s Landed Gentry]]”

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{{Cheshire, Cheshire East}}

{{Cheshire}}

{{Cheshire}}

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{{Cheshire, Cheshire East}}

{{authority control}}

{{authority control}}

Village in Cheshire, England

Human settlement in England

High Legh is a village, ecclesiastical and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.

Six miles (10 km) north-west of Knutsford, seven miles (11 km) east of Warrington and twelve miles (19 km) south-west of Manchester City Centre, the population of the entire High Legh Civil Parish was estimated at 1,705 in 2019.[2]

The oldest building in the parish of High Legh is St Mary’s Chapel.

Unusually High Legh was the ancient seat of two landed gentry families, ostensibly rivals but who inter-married for generations, namely: Leigh of West Hall and Cornwall-Legh of East Hall.

Both halls have now been demolished, but both families are still represented today, the head of the “West Hall” family being the Rt Hon. Sir Edward Leigh MP, although no longer associated or living within the parish, and that of the “East Hall” family being Richard Cornwall-Legh, 6th Baron Grey of Codnor. A member of a cadet branch of the Leigh of West Hall family was created a baronet in 1773 styled Sir Egerton Leigh, but this title is now dormant. Other West Hall family cadets include the Trafford Leighs of nearby Oughtrington Hall as well as the Barons Leigh of Stoneleigh Abbey in Warwickshire,[3] the Barons Newton of Lyme Park[4] and the Leigh baronets of Altrincham.[5] The third moiety of the lordship of the manor was held by the Egertons of Tatton[6] and all three landed families swapped and consolidated their estates throughout the 18th and 19th centuries until the Egerton Leighs sold their West Hall estate to the Cornwall-Leghs just before the First World War. When Maurice Egerton (the 4th & last Baron Egerton of Tatton), sold off his farms and land around High Legh in the 1930s, so ended the Egerton family connection dating back to the 13th century.

East Hall was demolished in the early 1970s (as West Hall had been some 20 years previously) and the débris used as foundations for the first Thelwall viaduct bridge of the M6. High Legh Hall (the East Hall) resembled nearby Tatton Park and the West Hall (Egerton Leigh family) was a beautiful Tudor manor house, similar architecturally to Little Moreton Hall.

A rural part of Cheshire, its proximity to Manchester has nowadays made the locality known as Gold Trafford a desirable residential area.

High Legh was recorded in the Domesday Survey as having two Saxon thegns (Wulfgeat and Dobb). The boundary between Mere and High Legh remains known as Dobb Lane and is, in fact, the medieval boundary between the two parishes. A moated site has been found, alongside the Roman road which connected Wilderspool and Latchford, Cheshire to Watling Street (A556) containing Samian pottery from Cirencester, a Roman cloak clasp and a flint knife. High Legh was also a high-status Bronze Age burial site.

High Legh is the location of an early Methodist chapel in Northwood Lane, with Wesleyan connections. Northwood Methodist Chapel was founded by the Okell family of High Legh (which married into the Leighs of West Hall). In the early 19th century, Robert Moffat, a young Scotsman, came to work on the West Hall estate as a gardener, but in 1814 he joined the London Missionary Society and moved to Plantation Farm in Dukinfield. In 1816 he left with his wife for southern Africa where he became a missionary; his daughter met and fell in love with their student preacher, Dr David Livingstone. The oldest building in the parish is believed to be St Mary’s Chapel, formerly the East Hall (Cornwall-Legh) domestic chapel, which is sometimes open to the public. However, other older buildings in High Leghh contain wattle and daub but evidence of their foundation date is yet to be established.
High Legh Church of England parish church formerly served as the West Hall domestic chapel of the Egerton Leigh family.[7]

The East Hall park was laid out by Humphrey Repton for George John Legh in 1791, and John Nash was also engaged to create an idyll village, but this was never completed. Repton removed the old toll road (the original Roman road) and dropped it to the present position (the A50), removing the village and creating a more enclosed entrance to the estate and pleasure gardens.[8]

Both the West Hall and East Hall were requisitioned by HMG for training Royal Engineers during World War II; having moved out, the gentry families never returned to their respective halls and subsequently sold the remaining land to two building companies, Wimpey and Crossley Homes. In the 1980s more of the estate pleasure gardens were sold off for housing to Ideal Homes. In the 1990s another housing estate was built on the former Army camp buildings, now known as The Belfry. All the street names in these developments have a historical connection with High Legh through either one of the ancient landed families (Leigh or Legh), prominent parishioners or former parkland (eg. Pheasant Walk).

  • Leigh of West Hall

  • Legh of East Hall

On 10 October 2009, High Legh Railway (a 7+1⁄4-inch (180 mm) gauge 400-yard (370 m) railway) was opened by Miss Louise Robbins (headmistress of High Legh Primary School). The brainchild of Andrew John Higgins,[9] on 26 November 2011 the railway was extended further making the route a little short of 900 yards (820 m). The extension was opened by Harold Brooks (in the guise of Father Christmas) and Frank Sidebottom from the 71⁄4-Inch Gauge Society; High Legh Railway is operated by Vee Limited.

There have been three schools in High Legh. The one within the triangle on the side of the A50 is now High Legh Village Hall, managed by High Legh Community Association.[10] The latest school (with new extensions 1993–94) was built on Wrenshot Lane in 1976; this land was donated by Charles Cornwall-Legh (later 5th Baron Grey of Codnor),[11] Chairman of Cheshire County Council.

The village has several sporting facilities including High Legh Cricket Club[12] which plays at Arley Hall the seat of Viscountess Ashbrook, golf at High Legh Park Country Club[13] with the course laid out on the former West Hall estate, High Legh Bowling Club[14] opposite the Village Hall, and High Legh Tennis Club.[15]
In 2008 an annual early-season 10K run was established, called the High Legh Robert Moffat Memorial 10K Race. A popular local race, it is organised jointly by High Legh Community Association[16] and Lymm Runners Running Club.[17]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to High Legh.

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