Hartford, Cheshire

File:The Coachman, Hartford (2).JPG

Hartford was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, when the Manor was held by Gilbert de Venables as part of the Barony of Kinderton. Prior to the reign of Edward III, it was held by a family who assumed the local name, from which it passed to the Horton, Massey, Holcroft, Marbury and Davies families.Kelly's Directory of Cheshire (1939), p. 189

In 1644, during the English Civil War, a battle was fought at Hartford Green when Royalists from Chester encountered the Parliamentary forces from Northwich.{{citation |url=http://www.hartfordcivicsociety.org.uk/p/civil-war.html |title=Hartford Civic Society |publisher=Hartford Civic Society |access-date=24 May 2018}}

St John the Baptist Church was built in 1875, on the site of an earlier church that was consecrated in 1824. The original building was replaced because the village's population grew and the church became too small. The new building was designed by John Douglas.

Hartford was formerly a township divided between two ancient parishes; the greater part belonged to Witton chapelry of Great Budworth ancient parish, and a much smaller part in Weaverham cum Milton ancient parish.{{Harvtxt|Youngs|1991|pp=20,40}} It also formed part of Eddisbury Hundred and was placed in Northwich poor law union in 1836. It was constituted a civil parish in 1866 and, in 1875, was added to the newly formed Northwich rural sanitary district.

Hartford railway station opened in 1837.{{Harvnb|Butt|1995|p=114}} A war memorial to those from the village who fought in World War I was erected in 1921 and stands in the centre of a path in the churchyard of St John's Church.

From 1894 to 1974, the whole of Hartford was part of Northwich rural district and it was served by Vale Royal borough council. In April 2009, the latter ceased to exist and Hartford is now a civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester.

Hartford has a number of listed buildings, including Hartford Hall Hotel, listed at Grade II, which dates from the 16th century, and Vale Royal Railway Viaduct, built in 1837 and also Grade II. Hartfordbeach (or Hartford Beach),{{cite news |title=Northwich by the sea: Where did the name 'Hartford Beach' come from? |url=https://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/15864781.northwich-sea-name-hartford-beach-come/ |access-date=14 September 2024 |work=Northwich Guardian |date=19 January 2018 |language=en}} on the northern edge of the village, has a Grade II* house, The Beeches.{{National Heritage List for England|num=1287228|desc=The Beeches|access-date=22 September 2024}}

St John the Baptist Church holds Evangelical services. Hartford also has a Methodist Church.

Hartford has a number of local shops across two shopping parades, including a newsagents, hairdressers, dry cleaners, a florist, a cafe and a butcher. The village is also home to a number of pubs. It is home to Hartford Tennis Club, Hartford Cricket Club, a bowling club and a golf course with a driving range. A theatre owned by the independent school, The Grange, is located at their senior school off Bradburns Lane.

Hartford is an educational hub, with roughly the same number of students attending the numerous schools in the village as inhabitants.{{cite web |url=http://www.hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk/schools.htm|title=Education in Hartford |publisher=Hartford Parish Council |access-date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528083121/http://hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk/schools.htm |archive-date=28 May 2014}}

It is home to several schools, including St. Nicholas Catholic High School, Hartford Church of England High School, Hartford Primary School (locally known as "The Riddings"), St. Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School and Hartford Manor Community Primary School. There are two schools which cater for children with learning disabilities called Cloughwood Academy and Greenbank. The private Grange School is also located in Hartford.

File:hartford bridge.jpg

Hartford is bisected by the A559, known as Chester Road. The A556 road bypasses the village as part of the Northwich bypass. The bridge that carries the road over the River Weaver is known as Hartford Bridge, or Blue Bridge, and was built in 1938.

The village is served by two railway stations:

• {{rws|Hartford}} is a stop on the West Coast Main Line; London Northwestern Railway operates services between {{rws|Liverpool Lime Street}} and {{rws|Crewe}}{{cite web |url=https://www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/times?station=Hartford%20%28Cheshire%29&crs=HTF |title=Train timetables and schedules {{!}} Hartford (Cheshire) |website=London Northwestern Railway |date=15 December 2024 |access-date=20 February 2025}}

• {{rws|Greenbank}} is on the Mid-Cheshire Line; Northern Trains operates services between {{rws|Chester}}, {{rws|Stockport}} and {{rws|Manchester Piccadilly}}.{{Cite web |title=Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern |work=Northern Railway |date=15 December 2024 |access-date=20 February 2025 |url= https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables}}

• Clarence "Lal" Hilditch, footballer
• Tim Lamb, cricketer
• Adolphus Rooke, politician in colonial Tasmania
• Ann Todd, actress

{{Portal|Cheshire}}

• Listed buildings in Hartford, Cheshire
• Hartford Manor

{{Reflist}}

• {{Butt-Stations}}
• {{Cite book|last=Youngs |first=F. A. |year=1991 |title=Guide to the local administrative units of England. (Volume 1: Northern England) |location=London |publisher=Royal Historical Society |isbn=0-86193-127-0}}

{{Commons category|Hartford, Cheshire}}

• [http://www.stjohnshartford.org/ St. John's Church]
• [http://www.hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk/ Hartford Parish Council]
• [http://www.acny.org.uk/parishmap.php?pcode=9/120 Hartford Parish Boundary]

{{Cheshire, Cheshire West and Chester}}

{{Cheshire}}

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Category:Villages in Cheshire

Category:Civil parishes in Cheshire