Monument record 290/0 - Bunbury Village

<1> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .III p.305 (Book). SCH3228.

First documentary reference to Boleberie is in 1086 (Domesday book, see 2). The name is interpreted as meaning Buna's stronghold, from the Old English personal name Buna and burh.

<2> Morgan P (ed), 1978, Domesday Book - Cheshire, 2, 25 (Book). SCH1061.

Bunbury: Dedol held it; he was a free man. One hide paying tax. Land for two ploughs. In lordship one. A priest with two villagers have one plough. Woodland one league long and one acre wide. The value was 4s; now 13s.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, p.246 (Book). SCH3556.

One of an important, and perhaps early, group of place-names bearing the bury place-name element and associated with significant ecclesiastical centres, such as the sites of the mother churches of large ancient parishes (Astbury, Bromborough, Bunbury, Wybunbury and Prestbury). They were all probably early administrative and ecclesiastical centres with parallels elsewhere in the north-west midlands.

<4> Cheshire County Council, 2002, Cheshire Historic Towns Survey: Crewe & Nantwich Borough Part 1: Archaeological Assessments, Bunbury (Report). SCH6691.

Bunbury is divided into two distinct areas, Higher Bunbury to the north which is focussed around the church of St Boniface, and Lower Bunbury to the south-west. The two are separated by the River Gowy which flows west-east through the town. In the Middle Ages Lower Bunbury appears to have been the focus of a small market and settlement, while Higher Bunbury seems to have acted as an ecclesiastical centre. It was here that Sir Hugh Calveley established a College in 1386 and Sir Ralph Egerton built a new Chantry Chapel in 1527.

<5> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.715-6 (Book). SCH1389.

A narrative of Bunbury’s manorial and ecclesiastical histories.