Monument record 1241/0/0 - Knutsford (Nether)

Town of Nether Knutsford.Knutsford is derived from the old Danish personal name 'Knut' & 'ford' and is associated by local tradition with King Canute crossing the Birken Brook after a victory.This dates the settlement at least to the early C11 as Canute died in 1035.Location of the ford is uncertian - it may have been near Brook Street, or nearer the site of primary settlement half-a-mile to the east (RN: 1240/0/0).Booth Mill (RN: 1244/1) is a probable location (1). The settlement is recorded in Domesday in 1986 as Cunetsford.William de Tabley granted a charter of privileges to his burgcases of Knutsford in 1292. At about the same time,he obtained a charter for a market and fairs. Subsequently the entire manor passed to the Massey's of Tatton Park and was sold by a later owner to the Egerton family in 1590.The medieval core of the town lies arond King Street,Princess Street and the intersecting lanes and is a good example of a ground plan layout (2).

<1> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, 2/73 (Y) (Book). SCH3228.

<1> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, vol .II p.73 (Book). SCH3228.

<2> Council for British Archaeology, 1980, CBA Group 5 Urban Research Committee Towns and Villages Survey Record Sheet, Cordon M 1980 (Unpublished Report). SCH551.