In the past two weeks of Looking Back, we have covered Peover Hall, the Bells of Peover pub and this week, a further look at the pub and the people who frequented it, together with the church and schoolhouse on the other side of the graveyard.

The pub was called The Warren de Tabley Arms until around 1939, when the name was changed to the Bells of Peover.

It was a tribute to the Bell family and George Bell, who spent many years as the licensee.

This name change was just before WWII began, and the pub entertained the troops in the area.

As previously reported, Peover Hall was requisitioned for use in the war. Work was carried out there under the leadership of US General George Patton, who was engaged in planning for the forthcoming D-Day landings on June 6, 1944.

Patton had his United States Third Army at the hall and nearby, who were involved in training for the big day.

Northwich Guardian: General George PattonGeneral George Patton

It was his headquarters, but some of his meetings were with the Supreme Commander of Operation Overlord - the D-Day invasion - General of the Army Dwight D Eisenhower.

On at least one occasion, Generals Patton and Eisenhower met for lunch at The Bells of Peover, where plans for Overlord were confidentially discussed.

After the war, Eisenhower became President of the United States from January 1953 to January 1961.

Sadly, Patton was killed in a car crash in December 1945 whilst travelling in Bavaria. Due to the two generals' meeting at The Bells of Peover, the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes still fly at the front.

Northwich Guardian: General Dwight D EisenhowerGeneral Dwight D Eisenhower

For a country pub, it has also seen the Chancellor of The Exchequer dine there, which would be the MP for Tatton at the time, George Osborne.

At the front of the pub is the graveyard of St Oswald's church and the church itself that we will look at first.

There has been a church on the site since 1269, when it was a chapel of ease to Great Budworth church.

The body of the church is a timber structure in black and white and has remained as such through the years.

Northwich Guardian:

The towers date from 1582, 1610 and 1624. The parish registers date from 1570; the church is Grade I listed and is well worth researching and visiting with a welcoming pint in the pub next door.

Still within the graveyard area is the old school that was built just outside the walls.

It was founded by Richard Cumberbatch, whose name can be seen on the plaque below.Northwich Guardian: The original school plaque in PeoverThe original school plaque in Peover

He founded the school after serving as a curate at St Oswald's church. Richard was born in Latchford to a wealthy family in 1644 and later attended Cambridge in 1665, where he did exceedingly well.

In 1687 he became curate of the church. He supported the Royalists in the Civil War, which went against him.

Northwich Guardian: St Oswald's ChurchSt Oswald's Church

In 1688 he was first suspended for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance to the government and later resigned, becoming a farmer.

His ambition had always been to build a school in the area. With financial help from his wife, in 1709, he purchased a strip of land just outside the graveyard and had the school built, opening the doors for the first time in 1710.

Richard and his wife Margaret became teachers and later appointed the first master of the school, John Mear.

Northwich Guardian: Inside St Oswald'sInside St Oswald's

The school served the community during the following years. In the late 1870s, the school was extended and included a house for the headmaster. In 1944 under the Butler Act, it became a church-aided school.

The original old school building went through several reincarnations, from an apprentice training school until it became a privately owned dwelling house.

It returned to being a school, a private nursery school with the name The Little House, a position it holds today.