Chadkirk, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Chadkirk St Chad is an ecclesiastical parish in Cheshire and was created in 1745 from part of Romiley chapelry in Stockprt St Mary Ancient parish.

The chapel originated in the 16th Century, although the site may date back even further - to the arrival of St Chad in the 7th Century. The name 'Chadkirk' means the 'Church of Chad' and may be the 'Cedde' mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086.

There is a legend which says that a hart (deer) disturbed St. Chad while he was alone in his cell by the spring and, after drinking and departing, it was followed by Wulfhade son of King Wulfhere of Mercia in hot pursuit. Wulfhade asked St. Chad if he had seen the hart and Chad replied that it had been sent that way by God to lead Wulfhade to him to hear the Christian message. Wulfhade replied that he would be more likely to convert from Paganism if Chad's prayers could bring the hart back.

Chad duly prayed and the hart ran out of the forest and stood before Wulfhade who fell at Chad's feet, converted and asked for baptism. Later Wulfhade brought his brother Rufine to Chad for baptism but their father the King had renounced Christianity at this time and slew them both in anger. In remorse King Wulfhere himself later sought out Chad who he found in his cell which was filled with heavenly light. Seeing the King there St. Chad rose hurriedly taking off his vestments and hanging them carelessly on a sunbeam which miraculously held them up (a miracle also attributed to the Celtic St. Bridget). Seeing the King's remorse St. Chad told him to destroy the heathen shrines and build monasteries which the King apparently did.

The well and spring exist to this day. Most of what we know about St. Chad has been written by Bede in his 'A History Of The English Church And People' written in Northumbria in 731 AD and, despite being of Roman persuasion, Bede had a very high regard for St. Chad.

Chad was born in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria to Ceawlin and educated from about the age of twelve with his three brothers, Cedd, Cynebil and Caelin, at the monastery of Lindisfarne under St. Aidan. All four eventually graduated as priests in the Celtic Church, St. Chad in Ireland in 653 AD at the age of thirty. It was St. Chad who helped convert King Penda of Mercia after Penda had killed his Christian rival King Oswald at Winwick near Warrington.

St. Chad became famous for his diplomatic nature and always travelled on foot, giving a horse given to him by King Oswin of Northumbria to a beggar - until Archbishop Theodore insisted on him riding a horse. He also acted as interpreter between Celtic and Roman Saxon church leaders at the 'Council Of Whitby' convened by King Oswy of Northumbria in 664 AD to decide which form of Christianity would continue as the basis for the church. Here Roman Christianity, championed by St. Wilfrid, won the day.

Church Records
Parish registers for the chapelry of Chadkirk, 1747-1910 Chadkirk, also known as Romiley, is a chapelry in Stockport parish. Cheshire Record Office call number: P90/1/1-2, 2/1-2, 3337/1, 3/1.

An index for Cheshire parish registers is available online in Record Search

Bishop's transcripts for Chadkirk, 1790-1913 St. Chad's Church is a chapelry known as Chadkirk. The civil chapelry is called Romiley not Chadkirk.Cheshire Record Office: EDB 47

An index for Cheshire, Church of England, Bishop’s transcripts is available online in Record Search

Poor Law Unions

 * Stockport

Registration Districts
Stockport (1837–1937).