Rochdale (ancient parish)

infobox historic subdivision
Name= Rochdale St. Chad
HQ= Rochdale


Status= Parish
Start= 12th century
End=
Replace=


AreaFirst= convert|58620|acre|km2
AreaLast= convert|40340|acre|km2
AreaFirstYear= 1831
AreaLastYear= 1861
PopulationFirst= 26,577
PopulationLast= 91,754
PopulationFirstYear= 1801
PopulationLastYear= 1861

The Parish of Rochdale, or Rochdale St. Chad was an ancient parish which spanned both the the Salfordshire hundred of Lancashire, and the Agbrigg wapentake of Yorkshire, in northern England. [cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10377213&c_id=10001043 |title=A vision of Rochdale AP/CP |author=A Vision of Britain through Time |accessdate=2007-06-03] It dates from the 12th century, and was originally a dependency of Whalley Abbey. Centred on Rochdale, it was one of the largest parishes of Salfordshire and anciently divided into four divisions - Hundersfield, Spotland, Castleton and Butterworth.

It was recorded in the Domesday Book as "Recedham", and later in 1242 as "Rachedale". [cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=53027&strquery=rochdale |title=The parish of Rochdale |author=Victoria County History |date=1911 |publisher=British History Online |accessdate=2007-06-03] It contained the villages of Todmorden, Milnrow, Littleborough and Whitworth, and within its ecclesiastical jurisdiction was also the Chapelry of Saddleworth.

Townships and chapelries

For many years, Rochdale contained several townships:

*Castleton
*Spotland
*Butterworth
**included the chapelry of Milnrow
*Hundersfield
*Wuerdle and Wardle
*Wardleworth
*Blatchinworth and Calderbrook
*Todmorden
*Walsden

Rochdale also included the chapelry of Saddleworth from the county of Yorkshire.

ee also

*Manchester (ancient parish)
*Prestwich-cum-Oldham

References

'The parish of Rochdale', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5 (1911), pp. 187-201. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=53027&strquery=rochdale. Date accessed: 03 June 2007.