Newbold Astbury

Coordinates: 53°08′10″N 2°12′43″W / 53.136°N 2.212°W / 53.136; -2.212

Astbury

Astbury Village

Newbold Astbury (often just Astbury) is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in the north-west of England. It is situated to the south of Congleton on the A34 road to Scholar Green; the A34 forms one side of the triangular village green. The civil parish holds a combined parish council meeting with the adjacent civil parish of Moreton-cum-Alcumlow, which is consequently called Newbold Astbury-cum-Moreton Parish Council.^[1].

Despite being much smaller, Astbury is an older settlement than Congleton and the parish originally included Congleton; in those days the land surrounding Astbury was swampy so the inhabitants moved uphill to where Congleton is today and Astbury became isolated. The church of St Mary's remained the parish church for Congleton for many years; it sits at the apex of the village green and is in the Early English and Perpendicular styles, built between the 13th and 15th centuries.^[2] The church was built of millstone grit and the detached spire of the mid-14th century looks to be earlier. Inside the proportions and the furniture are both distinguished. The fine woodwork includes 15th century stalls, screen, and magnificent roofs. Sir Gilbert Scott was responsible for a modest restoration in 1862.^[3] Close to it is Astbury St Mary's Church of England Primary School. The Cheshire section of the village of Mow Cop is part of Newbold Astbury and Scholar Green.

Notes

1. ^ Borough of Congleton Parish Clerks Details. Borough of Congleton Official Website. Retrieval Date: 23 August 2007.
2. ^ Astbury Church Official Web Page. Retrieval Date: 23 August 2007.
3. ^ Betjeman, J., ed. (1968) Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches: the North. London: Collins; p. 100

See also

• St Mary's Church, Astbury

External links

Media related to Newbold Astbury at Wikimedia Commons