National Archives
Below are just a small fraction of the documents relating to Congleton that are held by The National Archive.
Consistory Court Papers
Creator(s):
Church of England, Cheshire Diocese, Consistory Court
FILE - 1576 - [no ref. or date]
44. CONGLETON Dispute in Congleton chapel; refusal of witnesses to take the oath also Alderman Rode for leading a mare into a pew in the chapel - depositions.
FILE - 1586 - [no ref. or date]
7. ASTBURY William Rodes wife Emma c Cicely Green saying she was a whore who whored with Cicely Green's husband in Congleton-libel.
FILE - 1592 - [no ref. or date]
37. NANTWICH Margaret Dodd c Ralph Craket and Roger Acock saying she played the whore with John Smith of Congleton - libel.
FILE - 1627 - [no ref. or date]
10. CONGLETON John Prestbury & Joanna Halliday c Elizabeth Leake saying Joanna was Prestburys whore - libel, repair.
11. CONGLETON Robert & Maria Buckley c Susanna Wood saying that Maria was a drunken queane - libel. Too fragile to use.
73. CONGLETON Susannah Wood c Maria Buckley for saying she kept a bawdy house (see 11).
FILE - 1613 - [no ref. or date]
42. CONGLETON Ralph Pointon c Elizabeth Pointon alias Moreton his wife for adultery with John Davenport - libel
FILE - 1597 - [no ref. or date]
60. CONGLETON Margaret Oake c Ann Creswall calling her arrant whore, strong whore, burnt arse whore and my husband whore - libel, costs.
FILE - 1638 - [no ref. or date]
53. CONGLETON Elena Drakeford c John Whittaker calling her "an old whore" - libel.
FILE - 1573 - [no ref. or date]
23. CONGLETON Ann Lathom wife of Alderman Alexander Lathom c Elizabeth Rowson wife of John Rowson calling her an arrant and filthy whore - libel, depositions, sentence.
FILE - 1625 - [no ref. or date]
34. CONGLETON Ellen Davenport c John & Elizabeth Roade saying she was a piper's whore - libel.
35. CONGLETON Margaret Hanford c Eleonora Johnson for calling her a whore - depositions (see also No. 2).
62. CONGLETON Elizabeth Fox c Richard & Cecily Heathcoat saying she committed adultery - libel.
FILE - 1666 - [no ref. or date]
28. CONGLETON Margaret Henshall c John Henshall for wife beating and cruelty - libel, responsions.
FILE - 1621 - [no ref. or date]
15. CONGLETON John Carles c Elizabeth Carles his wife for bearing a child in adultery - depositions.
FILE - 1661 - [no ref. or date]
22. CONGLETON John Waring c Thomas Parse for calling him a thief and a leather stealer - libel, attestations.
FILE - 1626 - [no ref. or date]
59. CONGLETON Elizabeth Fox c Roger Fox saying she committed adultery with three men - libel.
FILE - 1664 - [no ref. or date]
43. CONGLETON John Henshall c Margaret Henshall in quarrel over her dowry and disobedient to her husband - depositions, bill of costs, promise to obey.
FILE - 1667 - [no ref. or date]
40. CONGLETON Margaret Henshall c John Henshall allegation that she tried to break into his house (1665 no.28).
FILE - 1612 - [no ref. or date]
47. CONGLETON Wm Drakeford mayor c Wm Moreton for disturbing him in his pew - responsions.
FILE - 1618 - [no ref. or date]
34. ASTBURY Elizabeth Morton widow of John Morton c Edward Drakeford mayor of Congleton & others concerning her title to a seat in the church - libel.
From the above records it seems that Congleton was the forerunner of the Wild West!
We allegedly had wife beaters.
Thieves and robbers.
Women who were "ordered" to obey their husbands.
Adulterers, two arrant whores, a strong whore, a burnt arse whore, a husband whore, a filthy whore, a pipers whore, a whore who whored and one old whore too.
And last but not least we had Alderman "Wild Bill" Rode who decided it would be a good idea to take his horse to chapel and sit it in a pew. "Yeehaw"
Inquisition of next heir (copy of Court Roll in Manor of Congleton)
Creator(s):
Congleton Manor, Cheshire
date: 1395-1396
Contents:
All lands and tenements in Congulton of William Harding'. Hugh de Morton gives to the Duke of Lancaster, Lord of Halton, 2s. for inquisition which finds that John son of William Filleson is next heir of said premises, which belonged to William Harding, his grandfather in right of ex parte his mother Agnes, and has power to alienate said premises by deed exhibited in court.
Dated at the second Court held at Congulton, Tuesday in 2nd week of Lent, 19 Ric. II.
Seal on tongue of Matthew de Sale, than clerk of the court; brown wax, device with legend poor impression.