View source for Christleton

{{Short description|Village in Cheshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox UK place
|official_name=            Christleton
|static_image_name=        Christleton Village - geograph.org.uk - 497372.jpg
|static_image_caption=     The pumphouse in the centre of the village
|coordinates=              {{coord|53.185|-2.838|display=inline,title}}
|population=               2,053
|population_ref=           ([[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]])
|civil_parish=             Christleton
|unitary_england=          [[Cheshire West and Chester]]
|lieutenancy_england=      [[Cheshire]]
|region=                   North West England
|country=                  England
|constituency_westminster= [[Chester South and Eddisbury (UK Parliament constituency)| Chester South and Eddisbury]]
|post_town=                CHESTER
|postcode_district=        CH3
|postcode_area=            CH
|dial_code=                01244
|os_grid_reference=        SJ440657
}}
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'''Christleton''' is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] on the outskirts of [[Chester]], in the unitary authority of [[Cheshire West and Chester]] and the ceremonial county of [[Cheshire]], England. The [[Shropshire Union Canal]] (originally [[Chester Canal]]) passes through the village.

The [[2001 United Kingdom census|2001 census]] recorded a population for the entire civil parish of 2,112,<ref>{{NOMIS2001|id=13UB027|title=Christleton Parish|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> reducing to 2,053 in the [[2011 United Kingdom census|2011 census]].<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=E04011067|title=Christleton Parish|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref>

Christleton was named "one of the best places to live" in [[Cheshire]] and the [[North West England|North West]] by [[The Sunday Times]] in 2022 and again in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Palmer |first=Tim |date=2022-04-08 |title=Why Christleton, Cheshire, is one of the best places to live in 2022 |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-places-to-live/scotland-uk/article/why-christleton-cheshire-best-place-to-live-uk-9cdlpcxls |access-date=2023-11-16 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Dowle |first=Jayne |date=2024-03-15 |title=Why Christleton, Cheshire, is one of the best places to live in 2024 |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/christleton-cheshire-england-best-place-to-live-uk-2024-j560l6vvp |access-date=2024-04-10 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>

==History==
The likely meaning of the name Christleton is "Christians' farm or settlement", derived from the [[Old English]] ''cristen'' (a Christian) - ''tūn'' (a settlement, enclosure or farmstead).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Cheshire/Christleton |title=Key to English Place-Names: Christleton|publisher=University of Nottingham|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref>

Its history can be traced with certainty to the [[Domesday Book]], which contains an entry for ''Christetone'',<ref name=domesdayonline>{{cite web|url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/cheshire1.html#christleton |title=Cheshire A-K: Christleton|publisher=Domesday Book Online|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref><ref name=christleton3domesday>{{cite web|url=https://www.christleton.org.uk/christleton3/2017/history/domesday/ |title=The History File: Christleton in the Domesday Book|first=David|last=Cummings|publisher=Christleton Local History Group|website=christleton.org.uk|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> though there is evidence of earlier occupation. 
By 1086, the land was under the ownership of Robert FitzHugh (son of [[Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester|Hugh Lupus]]) and comprised 23 households: twelve villagers, five smallholders, two female slaves (maidservants), two "reeves" (officials) and two "radmen" (riders or roadmen).<ref name=christleton3domesday/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://opendomesday.org/place/SJ4365/christleton/ |title=Christleton|first=Anna|last=Powell-Smith|publisher=Open Domesday/University of Hull|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref>

During the [[English Civil War]] it was a [[Cavalier|Royalist]] outpost.<ref name=domesdayonline/>

==Governance==
Christleton is part of the [[Chester South and Eddisbury (UK Parliament constituency)| Chester South and Eddisbury]] parliamentary constituency.<ref>{{cite web|title=Location of Chester South and Eddisbury |url= https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/3979/location |website=parliament.uk |date=July 2024|access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>
The unitary authority of [[Cheshire West and Chester]] replaced [[Chester City Council]] and [[Cheshire County Council]] on 1 April 2009. The village is within the [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]] of Christleton and Huntington.

Christleton is represented locally by its own [[Parish councils in England|parish council]].

==Landmarks==
[[Christleton Old Hall]] dates from the early 17th century and is a former country house and [[Clergy house|rectory]]. It was built for a member of the Egerton family of [[Tatton Park]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.christleton.org.uk/christleton3/2017/history/oldhall/ |title=The History File: The Old Hall|first=David|last=Cummings|publisher=Christleton Local History Group|website=christleton.org.uk|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> 
In 1952 it was designated a Grade&nbsp;II* [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed building]].<ref>{{NHLE|num=1130666|desc=The Old Hall, Christleton|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref>

[[Christleton Hall]] was built circa 1750. It is another former country house that has also been used as a boarding school and a college campus. Part of the building has Grade&nbsp;II listed status.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1187229|desc=Christleton Hall|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref>

==Religion==
[[File:St James' Church, Christleton.jpg|250px|right|thumb|[[St James' Church, Christleton|St James' Church]]]]
The [[Anglican]] church is dedicated to [[St James' Church, Christleton|St James]] and the current building was designed by [[William Butterfield]] and was consecrated in 1877. The church's continuous list of clergy dates back to 1215. The village also has a [[Methodist Church of Great Britain|Methodist]] church.

==Education==
Secondary education is provided by [[Christleton High School]], a large [[Academy (English school)|academy school]] that also caters for other suburban areas of Chester.<ref>{{cite web|title=Christleton High School |url= https://www.christletonhigh.co.uk/ |access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref> Christleton also has a primary school.

A branch of [[University of Law|The College of Law]] was based in Christleton Hall until 2021.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/university-law-sells-christleton-campus-16200666|author=David Holmes|title=University of Law sells Christleton campus to mystery buyer|date=30 April 2019|website=Cheshire Live|access-date=19 June 2025}}</ref>

==Community==
{{Unsourced|section|date=November 2021}}
The village's amenities include a sports centre and swimming pool, a newsagent shop, parish hall and local [[pub]]s the Ring O Bells, the Cheshire Cat and The Plough. There is also a large pond situated by the village widely known as "Christleton Pit", which attracts children from the village and surrounding areas due to the abundance of wildlife.

It has been the [[best kept village]] in Cheshire in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Christleton FC play in [[West Cheshire Amateur Football League|West Cheshire League]].

==Notable people==
* Lt. Colonel [[John Dolphin]] CBE, born in Christleton in {{birth date|1905|10|01|df=y}}.
*[[Billy Matthews (footballer, born 1883)|Billy Matthews]] (1882–1921), former Wales international [[Association football|footballer]], lived latterly in Christleton and is buried in the churchyard under a [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|CWGC]] headstone as ''Shoeing Smith William Mathews, [[Royal Field Artillery]]''.<ref name="CWGC">{{CWGC|id=2746923|accessdate=2 March 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Cheshire}}
*[[Listed buildings in Christleton]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Christleton}}
*[https://christleton-pc.gov.uk/ Christleton Parish Council]

{{Cheshire, Cheshire West and Chester}}
{{Cheshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Villages in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Cheshire]]