Survey of English Place-Names

Etymology

In addition to the Chapelry of Little Budworth 184infra , Over parish appears to have contained originally the townships of Oulton Lowe, Wettenhall, Darnhall, Over and Marton 165, 166, 168, 170, 182infra . In Over township was the abbey of Vale Royal, with estates in Over parish and Weaverham parish. At the abbey gate was a church for the use of the abbey's tenants in these estates. After the dissolution of the abbey the church was made parochial (Statute 33 Henry VIII, cap. 32, v. Orm2 ii145) and the newly created parish of Whitegate or New-Church consisted of Darnhall township, part of Over township (the demesne lands about the site of the abbey, shown as Whitegate township in 1831 Bry, together with Gavel Green, Salterswall, Brook Ho, Sutton Grange and Knights Grange 172, 173, 171, 179, 172infra ), and most of Marton township (all except a few fields about Marton hamlet and Marton Ho), and part of Weaverham township 202infra (Hefferston Grange, Earnslow Grange, Conewardsley , Weaverhamwood and part of Sandiway 203, 207, 207, 210, 208infra ). The parish of Whitegate was divided into two parts (v. Orm2 ii145, ChetOS viii264), Darnhall (containing only Darnhall township), and Newchurch (the rest). The following arrangement shows Whitegate parish integrated with the parent parish of Over, and avoids the confusion and fragmentation which would result from separating their parts.

Major Settlements

• Oulton Lowe, Oulton Lowe Cottage, Oulton Lowe Covert, Oulton Lowe Fm & Oulton Lowe Green
• Wettenhall, Wettenhall Green & Wettenhall Hall
• Darnhall, Darnhall Abbey, Darnhall Bridge, Darnhall Hall, Darnhall Mill, Darnhall Park & Darnhall Wood
• Over, Over Hall & Over Lodge
• Whitegate, Whitegate Ho
• Marton, Marton Grange, Marton Green, Marton Hall & Marton Ho