Upton by Chester

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Upton by Chester
Holy Ascension Church, Upton by Chester (2).jpg
Holy Ascension Church, Upton by Chester
Upton by Chester is located in Cheshire
Upton by Chester
Upton by Chester
 Upton by Chester shown within Cheshire
Population 7,956 (2011)
OS grid reference SJ405665
Civil parish Upton by Chester
Unitary authority Cheshire West and Chester
Ceremonial county Cheshire
Region North West
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CHESTER
Postcode district CH2, CH3
Dialling code 01244
Police Cheshire
Fire Cheshire
Ambulance North West
EU Parliament North West England
UK Parliament City of Chester
List of places
UK
England
Cheshire

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Upton by Chester is a civil parish and a large suburb on the outskirts of Chester, in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It includes the villages of Upton and Upton Heath. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 7,800,[1] rising to 7,956 at the 2011 Census[2]

History

Formerly a township in Broxton Hundred, it included the hamlet of Upton Heath. The population was 173 in 1801, 555 in 1851, 1,769 in 1901 and 6,343 in 1951.[3]An illustrated 300 page book on the history of Upton called 'Upton-by-Chester A Peoples History' was published in 2005.[4]

The origin of the settlement's name is a point of contention amongst historians, but a popular theory is that it comes from the Welsh 'up ton' which, translated directly into English means 'up wave'. This is due to large amounts of Welsh migrants who came to the village looking for work in nearby Chester in the 1700s, which was colloquially known as a 'wave' of migration. It is possible that the name Upton has somewhat racist undertones, a slang name for the settlement used out of distaste for the migration of Welsh people into the area, but over time this became the official name for the village. This has its roots in Chester's origins as a Roman fortress, constructed to protect England against the Welsh.[5]

Upton-by-Chester as we know it today started when the railway was built in the mid-1800s. Gentlemen's country houses were built and provided employment other than traditional rural jobs. Initially ribbon development but then housing estates were built as more people moved out of the overcrowded city. Following the post-WW2 building boom there is now little development land left.

A permanent military presence was established in the town with the completion of Dale Barracks in 1939.[6]

File:Old Mill House Upton by Chester - geograph.org.uk - 33809.jpg
Upton Mill

Religion

Upton has four churches; one Baptist, one United Reformed Church, one Catholic (St Columba's), and the Anglican Church of the Holy Ascension.

Landmarks

One building of particular interest is Upton Mill. Built in 1775 this was a full working flour mill with outhouses, yard and orchard. The wind sails were removed in the early 1920s when electricity was installed. The mill became closed in 1953 and remained uninhabited until 1979 when the mill was sold and converted as a private residence. Renovation was completed in 1988.

Another interesting feature is Upton-by-Chester Golf Club which is an established, 18-hole parkland course with mature tree lined fairways and some of nature's water hazards. The course was originally designed as a 9-hole course in 1934. It's changed a lot since those early days when plant pots were used as holes and garden canes as flags. Upton is now one of Cheshire's finest golf courses, with a reputation for being a family friendly club that welcomes new members and visitors alike.

Education

The area has four primary schools - Upton Heath (formerly Upton Manor), Westlea, Acresfield and Mill View - and a secondary school, Upton-by-Chester High School.

Governance

An electoral ward in the name of Upton exists. This ward had a population of 8,905 at the 2011 Census.[7]

Community

The area has a hospital, a Royal British Legion Club, a bowling green, a golf course and a zoo. There is an active village hall, with a wide range of activities for all ages and interests.[8]

Transport

Rail

The nearest railway station is on the Wirral Line at Bache less than a mile from Upton village centre.

Shopping and leisure

There are several shops including Bache, Upton-Heath, Weston Grove, and at least four pubs including the Bache, the Frog, the Game Keeper, The Wheatsheaf Inn and an Indian Restaurant called Plush Spice.

Notable people

Labour Party former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, lived with his parents in Upton after moving from Yorkshire, and married his wife Pauline (nee Tilston) at Church of the Holy Ascension in 1961.[9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ ISBN 0-9548854-0-6
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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