Ashton Hayes, Cheshire Genealogy

Guide to Ashton Hayes, Cheshire ancestry, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Chapelry History
ASHTON, a township and chapelry in the parish of Tarvin. The township lies near Delamere forest, 3¼ miles southeast of Dunham-Hill railway station, and 7 northeast of Chester. The chapelry is called Ashton-Hayes, and was constituted in 1849. There are two Methodist chapels here.

Non-Conformist Churches
From an early period, Methodist churches were organised in circuits, each of which was based upon a headquarters church and served by a number of preachers, who visited the churches in rotation. This organisation is reflected in the records, some of which relate specifically to the circuits and others to the numerous circuit churches, many of which have now closed. Circuit records include minute books; schedule books; account books; roll books of class members; circuit plans and circuit reports.

Records of churches include baptism and marriage registers; minute books; account books; roll books; correspondence; and printed material. In addition to the records referred to below, there are unlisted records relating to various circuits and churches comprising 24 bundles, 18 other items, c.1815-1983 (CR 55; CR 459) Circuits St. John Street (CR 55/1-42; CR 55/2/1-10) This circuit was established c.1765, with headquarters at the Octagon Chapel until 1812, when the Wesleyans moved to St. John Street.

It amalgamated with Hunter Street Circuit in 1959. 49 volumes., 1 bundle, 2 other items. 1788-1963 George Street (CR 55/130; CR 55/2/11-13; CR 78/1-38; CR 94/1-29) This Primitive Methodist circuit was established in 1825, with headquarters in Steam Mill Street.

The circuit headquarters moved to George Street in 1863 and in 1963, it amalgamated with Grosvenor Park Circuit and Tarvin Road Circuit. 61 volumes., 10 bundles 1834-1970 Hunter Street (CR 55/133-141; CR 226/13-18, 20, 22, 24-32, 34) This Primitive Methodist circuit was established in 1874, with headquarters in Commonhall Street. The circuit headquarters moved to Hunter Street in 1899 and in 1959, it amalgamated with St. John Street Circuit. 27 volumes. 1874-1959 Tarvin Road (CR 55/156-165; CR 94/38)

This Primitive Methodist circuit was established in 1889, with headquarters in Tarvin Road. It amalgamated with Grosvenor Park Circuit and Hunter Street Circuit in 1963. 9 volumes., 2 bundles. 1890-1963 Grosvenor Park (CR 55/171-173; CR 2/14-18) This circuit was established in 1959, when St. John Street Circuit amalgamated with Hunter Street Circuit. In 1963, it amalgamated with George Street Circuit to form the present Chester Circuit. 5 volumes., 2 bundles, 1 other item 1953-63 Chester (CR 55/2/19-25)

Tarvin, Trinity Methodist Chapel (Wesleyan). Built in 1849, rebuilt in 1983. Registers 1894–1924 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Trinity Methodist Chapel, Tarvin: Sunday school attendance record 1963-69 (EMS 305)

Cheshire BMD index includes marrriages Tarvin, Trinity Methodist Church 1930 Cheshire West AP17 1930-1950 Tarvin, Zion Methodist Chapel (Primitive). Built in 1875, closed in 1983. Registers 1876–1928 and 1948–1983 are at the Cheshire Record Office. Church records for the Zion Primitive Methodist Chapel, Tarvin, 1876-1928

Cheshire Non-conformist records are available online in Record Search Microfilm of original records in the Cheshire Record Office, Chester, England.Cheshire Record Office call no.: EMS 291/1.

Cheshire BMD index includes marriages Tarvin, Zion Methodist Church 1948 Cheshire West AP26 1948-1958

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from 1 July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. Here are two excellent Internet sites with birth, marriage and death indexes available:


 * FreeBMD
 * Cheshire BMD

Registration Districts

 * Great Boughton (1837-1869)
 * Chester (1870-1937)
 * West Chester (1937)

Poor Law Unions

 * Great Boughton

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Cheshire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

See also England Cheshire Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Websites
Ashton Hayes on GENUKI