Photographic

Carr Farm, Butley, Cheshire

Carr Farm (Carr House) has featured in the Priestnall dynasty from the late 18^th century until the early 20^th century.
Census records certainly show that large Priestnall families lived there from 1841 until the early 1900's, in fact recent occupants have memories of the last of this line, Mary Elizabeth Priestnall - bo1871 - d1937, who moved to nearby Rose Cottage prior to her final move to Stockport.

New Road, Butley, Cheshire

New Road, Butley is the part of the main road into Prestbury village from the north. The casual visitor can be forgiven for thinking that they are actually in Prestbury now that the small Hamlet of Butley is swallowed up by its larger neighbour. In fact to the north of this road, out of site on the photograph is Prestbury railway station, while the village of Prestbury is to the south.

The two photographs below indicate the extent of the Hamlet of Butley, which is little more than a row of old weavers cottages with the token of village life, an Inn, sandwiched between them.

One of the other main streets of this Hamlet is Pell (Pearl) Street, which runs at the rear of the cottages.

The only unnoticable division between Butley and Prestbury is the local river bridge, from which these photographs were taken.

Further information on this area is available at www.prestburycheshire.com

This view of the weavers cottages shows quite clearly the upper workrooms, so designed to gain the maximum natural light.

Pell Street, Butley, Cheshire

Pell Street runs at the rear of, and parallel to New Road in the hamlet of Butley within the township of Prestbury, Cheshire. The street was originally named Pearl Street and for reasons unknown at present changed its name to Pell Street in the late 1800's, although in the UK postal directories, it is now currently known as Pearl Street. The photograph below shows the street is very narrow, and the westerly side is home to the rear of all the buildings along New Road, the easterly side containing a number of quaint weavers cottages of varying ages, with well kept gardens and very little signs of 20^th century excesses. Further information on this area is available at www.prestburycheshire.com

At one end of the row of cottages there is a very fine example of a 17^th century cottage (below left), with an engraved stone (below right) mounted just under the eaves in between the two first floor windows. The stone bears the details of the owner / builder of that time, showing the date of 1686. The text reads 'Rodger Brooks and Ellen his wife erected this house in the 24 years of his life: Ano Dom 1686'

The only modern effigy's that spoil the cottage are the external lamps above the doors, and that bane of the 21^st century, the security alarm, which I know could have been far more discreetly installed. The rear of the cottages now overlook the main public car park for Prestbury village, the cottages themselves showing modern extensions of varying years, which can fool the casual passer by into dismissing the cottages as average structures not worthy of a second glance. Although a relatively late 19^th century outlook at the rear, the cottages again appear to have well kept lengthy gardens, with the residents obviously having a degree of pride in their heritage.

The Village Centre, Prestbury, Cheshire

Prestbury has featured strongly in the genealogical history of the Priestnall family, especially the neighbouring hamlet of Butley, now swamped by Prestbury. The village is now a commuter town for many of the residents who work within the Macclesfield, Stockport and Manchester areas.

Prestbury has been classed as a highly affluent village for a number of years, and one only has to look at the style of some of the enormous modern properties surrounding the village to see that wealth abounds.

The division between Prestbury and Butley is the River Bollin, although one would be excused for not knowing that you were travelling between two distinct areas.

A web site well worth a visit is www.prestburycheshire.com which has many usefull and historical links.

The village centre is mainly unchanged from earlier enturies, with the exception of the excesses of the 21^st century devoted to the automobile and the number of shops, public houses and restaurants now devoted to visitors.

Most of the properties architecturaly depict a way of life far removed from the hustle and bustle of modern times.

A closer inspection shows the building methods of old along with the stone slab roofs and hand made bricks used in the building process, the majority of the buildings having a varied new lease of life.

A centre piece of the village high street is probably the best known building in the village, the 'Priest's House', which now houses the National Westminster Bank.

The house has a first floor balcony in the centre of the building, which it is said was where the men of cloth would preach to the assembled villagers during Cromwell's era.

The balcony was high enough to prevent the preacher from catching any contagious diseases from his flock during times of plague.

Farm, Warburton, Cheshire

This photograph has recently been aquired, and is of a farm in Warburton, Cheshire at the turn of the century, believed to have been in the ownership of members of the Priestner families, who are known to have farmed this area for many years from the late 1700's, and in fact a number of Priestners are still involved in the land around this area today.

My thanks go to Kathy Lewis for supplying the Photograph and permission to publish. It is hoped in the future to accurately identify the location of the farm. In the meantime if anybody does know the location, I would be gratefull for information.

Cheshire Farm

Newbold Verdon, Leicestershire

Newbold Verdon, Leicestershire has featured many times in the census transcripts as a hot spot for the Leicestershire Priestnalls and I am indebted to Helen Chaudrey for the photographs below which give an overview of this pretty Leicestershire village.