Grafton
Parish in the County of Cheshire
Etymology
Grafton was an extra-parochial liberty, a township of Tilston parish since 1841, a distinct hamlet in Tilston parish in 1724. The origin of this extraparochial status is not clear. It may be that Grafton is the place in the manor of Tilston in dispute at DB f.264 (Tait 123) 'Of the land of this manor the bishop of Chester claims half a hide, but the county does not bear him out that it belongs to his bishopric'. If this were so, there would be some reason for the special parochial status, the place being taken as in some degree a peculiar of the diocese. But this would suppose that the constitution of the ecclesiastical parish of Tilston took cognizance of a manorial structure which existed prior to, but was specifically set aside by, the Domesday survey, and it is not known how far such a supposition can be extended.