PULFORD  AND  POULTON  LOCAL HISTORY – AN  INTRODUCTION.

by Derek  Venables

Last up-dated December 2008

Pulford and Poulton are rural communities with a combined population of some four hundred people.  There is a continued agricultural emphasis although the number of working farms has been considerably reduced in recent years (eleven farms in 1972, eight farms in 2002, but down to three farms in 2008).  Pulford village is situated on the Cheshire border with Wales , some five miles south west of Chester in the county of Cheshire .  The adjacent township of Poulton lies one mile to the east of Pulford and borders the south side of the Duke of Westminster’s Eaton Estate.

The names of Pulford and Poulton probably have their bi-linguistic derivation in Celtic Welsh and later Anglicised change.  The word ‘Pul’ (Welsh pwll) refers to the water or wetland pools of Pulford Brook flood area whilst ‘ford’ (Welsh ffordd) indicates a way or crossing over the wet area.  Poulton suggests a settlement near water.

Early historical references to Pulford and Poulton are found in The Domesday Book (1086) where Saxon habitations are acknowledged prior to Norman imposition.  At that time Poulton was the more important of the two townships having a more structured and prosperous record.  The nearby River Dee gave easy access to Chester and a previous Roman connection is a possibility.  Certainly, the Poulton area provided a designated site for settlement by Cistercian monks from about 1158.  The remains of an ancient chapel have provided interesting archaeological discoveries but the site of a larger Cistercian Abbey remains elusive.

 In subsequent times, Pulford increased in importance as a significant crossing place for trade between Chester and Wrexham.  Near the crossing place or ford over Pulford Brook is the site of Pulford Castle .  Originally, this was a Norman ‘motte and bailey’ defensive position against Welsh incursion during the time of Marcher lord control.  The last time the castle was seriously used was in or about 1403 against Owain Glyndwr who failed in his attempt to unite Wales .  Today, only a ruined mound remains surrounded on three sides by the vestige of the once ramparted ditch.

 The Parish Church of St. Mary, Pulford, in its present form, was rebuilt in the 1884 restoration as a result of the generosity of the first Duke of Westminster, to a design by Chester architect John Douglas.  However, the church has its origins in the twelfth century when, according to ancient record, the first Rector of Pulford (Hugo) was appointed.  Although the first building was probably wood, a more substantial stone building was possibly erected as early as the sixteenth century.   Various repairs to the traditional sandstone and square tower were only cosmetic and merely postponed a complete restoration.  The 1884 enhanced design now incorporates a glorious spire (120 feet high) and an improved bell chamber that eventually housed eight bells.

 Also of considerable interest to local historians is the present  Grosvenor Pulford Hotel, now an extensive modern hotel which one hundred years ago was a working farm and adjoining ale house.  Before 1874, there existed an inn and Post Office receiving house, possibly on the same site or nearby which was known as The Talbot Inn and kept by the Leigh family from 1787.  Earlier records are also available which indicate the possibility of two alehouses in Pulford during the early years of the eighteenth century.

 Today, Pulford remains a village community although it has lost its village junior school (closed July 1982) and its village shop and Post Office (1999).  The centre of village social life is based on the Village Room which began as a Men’s Institute and Reading Room at the end of the nineteenth century, but which now provides an ever popular meeting place for local societies, indoor sports and social gatherings.

 Our recently formed Local History Group seeks to involve the community in research.  We look for help from all those who have lived in Pulford/Poulton or who have relevant records, papers or photographs which may assist further study and help build our archive. 

Chester Architect – John Douglas  (1830 – 1911).  His influence in Pulford and Poulton in particular    by Derek Venables.

The first Duke of Westminster provided the patronage for John Douglas to develop his architectural design within the North West region of England and Wales and particularly within the Eaton Grosvenor Estate during 1870 -1900 which at that time included Pulford and Poulton.

As an architect John Douglas was recognised by the contemporary professional journal ‘The British Architect’ (1898): ‘there has been no practice in the art of architecture in this country more consistent in its general excellence of aim and attainment than that carried out for many years by John Douglas of Chester.’

In particular, in Pulford and Poulton, he was responsible for the complete rebuilding of Pulford Parish Church of St. Mary (1881 – 84), some large houses, the remodelling of several farm houses and out buildings, Pulford Grosvenor Arms, Pulford village school and the Schoolmaster’s House, and many of the distinctive cottages which enhance the two villages.

Pulford Church is built in traditional Cheshire sandstone with some ashlar stone coursing in lighter yellow both on the exterior and within the nave. The whole building is simply but elegantly proportioned having a northwest tower and spire which in height reflects the length of the nave, chancel and sanctuary. The typical John Douglas design is main aisle to the nave and cruciform transept to include a north chapel and south vestry under a red tile roof. The elegant wood shingled octagonal spire has Germanic influences with corner turrets and pinnacles and is broken on four sides by dormer covering for louvre ventilation. The general style is neo-Gothic with restrained Decorative elements. The east and west windows have inter-lacing mullions supporting a geometric rose design which incorporate the stained-glass Biblical reference windows. The nave windows are again elegantly designed with slim mullions under straight heads with delicate square lead work in the panes. The design structure within the church has a magnificent simplicity and lightness having no obstruction to sight lines and provides a superb acoustic support for musicians and choirs.

The larger houses in Pulford (‘Green Paddocks, formerly ‘The Limes’ (1872) and ‘The Elms’(1871) reveal from every elevation many of the architectural characteristics of John Douglas. ‘Green Paddocks’ ( has intricate chimney stack brickwork although the chimneys are not ‘barley-sugar’ twist. The roof is in typical red tile with a characteristic hyp inclusion with west facing Germanic turret. Above the main door there is a pargeted gable including a decorative ‘Westminster’ monogram. The walls are architectural pressed brick incorporating decorative string courses and panels. The windows particularly also contain fine finished brick work in the round headings, mullions, and sills – each brick unit being perfectly crafted to fit the required position either on the round, the bevel, or the mullion base.

 Farm houses and out buildings, Pulford village school (1879 additions), and several cottages usually reveal essential Douglas characteristics. Chimneys are often ‘barley-sugar’ twisted set on high stacks, roofs are often red tiled with half-timbered gable work sometimes as at ‘Brookside’ having Dutch gable with protective coping stone. At the ‘Black & White Cottages’ Poulton, (1885 –86), Douglas incorporates the traditional Elizabethan style of full-timbering typical of farm houses along the English/Welsh border in Cheshire, Shropshire and Herefordshire. Brickwork in farmhouses often includes intricate colour mixes and lozenge design in blue- brick contrasts. String courses delineating upper and lower storey division are frequently displayed. Main doors are often impressively crafted with superb iron work and studding whilst windows provide a generous entry for light without compromising security.

                      John Douglas designs and their influence are found in over twenty houses in Pulford and Poulton improving to this day the architectural richness of both our villages. His classical architecture is timeless and should always inspire admiration.

Grassland Birds in and around Pulford & Poulton: Change and Decline

A study of Local History may usefully include a consideration of Natural History and any historical changes upon local habitats. In this particular instance it is hoped to consider some of the influences on changing habitats that appear to have affected bird life in farmland areas of Pulford and Poulton.

In the early years of the twentieth century Pulford and Poulton was a typical Cheshire dairy farming parish continuing the tradition of hay making for winter cattle fodder supplemented with some wheat/oats/ and some root crops. Cattle cake nuggets as an artificial supplement produced off the farm gradually appeared as a useful addition in later years. These farming methods allowed for a wide variety of grassland bird species appearing as migrants or resident breeding birds. Seed food was plentiful in farm stack yards and around stock buildings where the emphasis was on free range poultry, small croft enclosures and open access. T.S. Williams carried out a close study of bird life at Belgrave Moat Farm in and around 1928 and recorded a large number of nesting species. During these inter war years there was, in Pulford and Poulton, frequent reference to Corncrake (last recorded 1965), Lapwing, Curlew, Quail, Turtle Dove, Snipe, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Tree sparrow, Reed bunting and Skylark.

Farming methods were forced to change during World War 2 as the Government encouraged increased mechanisation, land ‘improvement’ to include previously unsuitable acreage, chemical fertilisers and pesticides, increased crop yields, and more intensive systems of stock management. Following poor summers hay making was replaced with silage, and early cutting in May (the nesting season) became the norm.  The use of additional nitrates to stimulate grass growth and selective herbicides to control invasive weeds (an important seed food source for birds) produced a rye grass mono-culture conspired to discourage successful breeding in Spring and to deny food sources for wintering flocks of birds. Flail cutting of hedges can produce a neat and tidy boundary but usually with a height restriction that prevents hip, haw, nut and berry developing and which denies suitable nesting sites for several species which are now considered to be rare or entirely lost such as turtle dove, yellowhammer and linnet.

In recent years pressure on dairy farmers has increased generally with the BSE crisis, foot-and- mouth disease, low price returns on milk, increased computer demand for paper work returns, and individual stock identification from birth tag through milk life yield to cull requirement date. Farms are being sold at an increasing rate as farmers retire and dairy farming is seen as having no future unless directed towards large intensive systems under computer control.

 Where subsidy and grant aid allow there may be some opportunity for useful change towards greater diversification of land use which could provide a greater range of nesting habitat and a richer variety of food source for birds. Farmers can not be expected to make any changes without public and government support which recognises the value of the countryside as an important resource under stewardship for present and future generations.

This brief coverage is restricted to a consideration of some changes affecting bird life in Pulford and Poulton and requires continued research and farmer support.                                                          

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