Hurleston was a civil parish until May 2023 and now forms part of the civil parish of Stoke and Hurleston,[1] within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north west of Nantwich. The area is predominantly rural with scattered farms and buildings and no settlements. Nearby villages include Barbridge, Burland, Radmore Green, Rease Heath and Stoke Bank.
According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 64.[2] At the 2011 Census the population remained less than 100. Details are included in the civil parish of Stoke.
Governance
Hurleston was administered by Stoke and Hurleston Parish Council jointly with the adjacent civil parish of Stoke.[3] From May 2023 the two parishes became a single civil parish. From 1974 the civil parish fell within Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council, which was succeeded on 1 April 2009 by the unitary authority of Cheshire East.[4] Hurleston falls in the parliamentary constituency of Eddisbury,[5] which has been represented by Edward Timpson since 2019,[6] after being represented by Stephen O'Brien (1999–2015) and Antoinette Sandbach (2015–19).
Hurleston was formerly a township in the parish of Acton,[7] from 1866 Hurleston was a civil parish in its own right,[8] on 1 April 2023 the parish was abolished and merged with Stoke to form "Stoke and Hurleston".[9]
Geography and transport
The civil parish includes several small deciduous and mixed woodlands including Bachehouse Covert, and also the mere of Bachehouse Pool and most of Hurleston Reservoir.[10]
The Shropshire Union Canal splits into two branches at Hurleston Junction and both branches run through the parish. The main line runs north–south, while the Llangollen branch at first runs westwards, descending 34 feet via the four Hurleston Locks, and then turns southwards.[10] The A51 runs north–south through the parish, crossing the Llangollen branch of the canal at Hurleston Bridge. The A534 forms part of the southern boundary of the civil parish.[10]
