Capenhurst
Introduction
Capenhurst is 6 miles north of Chester and 2 miles west of Ellesmere Port. It is a small rural village surrounded by dairy farms, although since the construction of te nearby BNFL factory parts of the village have taken on a different character.
Capenhurst was a township in Shotwick Parish of the Wirral Hundred and included parts of the hamlets of Dunkirk and Two Mills. The population was 147 in 1801, 148 in 1851, 159 in 1901 and 253 in 1951.
Location
Medieval Period
The Domesday Book, compiled after the Conquest in 1086, has two entries for Saughall because one third of it was held by the abbey in Chester and the other two thirds by William Malbanc or Malbedeng, the first Norman baron of the area. The two entries read (in modern translation):
The Church itself held and holds Salhare (Saughall). 1 hide paying tax. Land for 1 plough. It is there in lordship; 2 slaves. 1 villager and 1 smallholder. Value before 1066, 16s; now as much.
William Malbanc holds Salhare (Saughall). Leofing held it; he was a freeman. 6 hides paying tax. Land for 6 ploughs. In lordship 1˝; 1 slave; 7 villagers; 1 rider and 4 smallholders with 3˝ ploughs. A fishery. Value before 1066, 20s; later 22s, now 45s.
In the medieval period the land owner of the manor was Hugh Lupus, who was also the Earl of Chester, and under him William Fitznigel [the Hereditary Constable of Chester] was a tenant of the manor.
Capenhurst Parish Church
The Church is arguably one of the most impressive buildings in the whole village and it is also one of the oldest, it was built over 150 years ago. In 1858 we believe that the church was built and the windows were made by Mr Bryams Richardson’s son-in-law. We also know that back in 1935 1 acre of land was donated by Mr Geoffrey T Richardson for enlargement of the Churchyard. The church is very grand with its coloured stained-glass windows and the church is still used to day for services.
Around the door way of the church there is a carving which reads; “To the God, the Holy, Blessed and Glorious Trinity”. The church is made out of red sand stone bricks and blocks which were believed to have been quarried in nearby Ledsham, and Rev. R Richardson built the church.
The School
Following the Education Act of 1870, Capenhurst village came under Chester rural district in 1872. The school was built in 1893 and saw subsequent enlargement in 1912. It has undergone many changes and developments and has grown over the years. The building comprises four classrooms, which todayare well resourced. The school offers high quality education for all children from 4 to 11 years of age. Children are mainly arranged in mixed age groups and are taught through a broad, balanced and creative curriculum
The Pinfold
The pinfold in Capenhurst has been there since the 10th century. This was an enclosure for stray animals living in the village of Capenhurst to take refuge for the night or to await to be claimed by owners. This could hold about 10-15 stray animals such as shhep and cattle.
The pinfold is still in good condition to this very day, but had to be restored by the parish council with the aid of a grant from Chester County Council after being badly damaged by a car accident in 2002.
BNFL Capenhurst
Power stations
A Gaseous Diffusion Plant and associated facilities were built at Capenhurst in the early
1950s to produce enriched uranium for defence purposes. With defence requirements
having been met, the plant was converted to commercial production for civil programmes
in the 1960s.
By 1982 the development and deployment of alternative centrifuge enrichment
technology had rendered the diffusion process uneconomic and the Gaseous Diffusion
Plant was shutdown.
Decommissioning work carried out between 1982 and 1992 included de-planting and
processing plus some limited demolition of the first five bays of the Gaseous Diffusion
Plant. From 1992 the focus on site was to establish and support Urenco as an independent
commercial centrifuge business supplying uranium enrichment services to nuclear power
utilities worldwide.
This is Europe's first Gaseous Diffusion Plant decommissioning project and a significant
number of milestones and key deliverables have been met. Final completion of the project
will be 2012, however all processing activities will be fully completed by March 2006, with
work after this largely restricted to disposal of fully characterised and processed waste.
Capenhurst Village Timeline
1069 Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester owned the manor. Under him William Fitznigel held the manor as a tenant.
1248-65 Thomas of Capenhurst was abbot of Chester
1293 William de Capenhurst held the manor from Hugh de Bernston
Capenhurst family held the manor for a few many generations
1593 in Eastham church armorail carving for Capenhurst
1640s During the civil war Lord Cholmondley on Royalist side
1701 Lord Cholmondley held 2/3 of manor, Sir James Poole held the hall and 1/3 of estate
1750 Record of a mill on main road (Saughall Mill later known as Gibbet mill)
1790 Richard Richardson purchased the estate (he was Deputy Lt of the County)
1792 New brick mansion built, Old Hall later pulled down
1801 population 147
1811 Rev Richard Richardson was born
1818 Population 154
1858/9 Church built, consecrated
1859 August 5th windows made by Mr Bryans Richardson’s son in law
1889 school belonging to parish attendance -47 (taught in the school house)
Population 159 squire was Major T Richardson (grandson of Richard)
1893 Land given for school
1901 Clock erected to celebrate coronation of Edward VII
1906 Lych Gate added to church
1935 Acre of land donated by Mr Geoffrey T Richardson for enlargement of Churchyard
1944 Sale of estate
1950 Land requisitioned by Govt
Maps
1880s
Harry Roberts and Alex Jewkes Year 9 (2007)
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