Looking back on what life was like in Cheshire during the 1700s

On September 12, 2019, the day's offering was taken from a little booklet published in 1925 called Middlewich Doings in Olden Days.

It was published in aid of the Parish Church Bazaar Fund and looked at interesting snippets that then were ancient history.

The frontispiece states the stories within are:- the Quaint and Curious, Grave and Gay and are drawn from the Overseers' and Constables' Accounts.

So today, I will continue with a few pearls of wisdom and insight into ancient life in 1925.

Firstly, back to 1724, when the reference was made to the Middlewich Bone House.

St Michael's & All Angels Church, Middlewich

This was usual in churches for interring the bones of disturbed graves. At times graveyards became overcrowded with graves, and space had to be made.

In later years at Middlewich church, skulls and bones were found beneath the chancel floor.

In one parish, the wardens bought a scuttle for the grave maker to collect the bones and a man and his boys were paid to collect them and take them to the Bone House.

Since the establishment of a cemetery, the bone house has become unnecessary.

Inside the church

In 1866 Mr James France France gave £1,000 (£126,828.90 today) towards providing a cemetery (at this time, it was common practice to give children the surname of their maternal grandmother as a middle name. Hence James France France. The family name being France-Hayhurst).

Significant changes to what were Catholic churches took place after the Reformation.

In the case of Middlewich, much vandalism occurred. In 1724 mention was made of a long-lost Triangle Stand, but a lot of the beautiful carving was destroyed or plastered over.

The Puritan spirit of hatred towards anything beautiful led to the destruction of many churches’ interior fabric.

After the Reformation, payments were made in another church to cut off the heads of the images and remove the angel's wings.

The church seen from Seabank, Middlewich

In 1809 the Middlewich wardens had the effigy of a monk cut up to form the vestry chimneypiece.

Middlewich had its House of Correction. Whipping of the inmates took place in the Bull Ring on three successive Market Days, usually until they passed out.

The House of Correction or prison stood in Queen Street, then Dog Lane, and was in importance, second only to Chester Castle.

Perhaps in another three years, we can dig out this pamphlet and expose some more interesting little facts.

Queen Street, Middlewich, which used to be home to the House of Correction

Paul Hurley has a successful Facebook group called Mid Cheshire Through Time, and all are welcome.