Tarporley
Tarporley is a village in the county of Cheshire in the north western area of England. The village is located to the western side of the Cheshire Plain and is situated in a scenic and charming landscape. Tarporley is one of the larger villages in Cheshire.
It is thought that people may have settled in and around Tarporley since ancient times although there is no specific evidence of when the village was first formally inhabited. It is, however, close to a prehistoric site. The village (which was then known as Torpelei or Toepelei) was included in the Domesday Book and was given a Royal Charter in the late 1200s. A few years later it was held to be big enough to be classified as a Borough large enough to warrant its own market and mayor.
Much of the industry in Tarporley over the years has been agriculturally based as you might expect from a small rural community. However, despite its relatively small size Tarporley was an important agricultural centre. The market here was important in the local area and was often used as a stopping point for salt merchants transporting salt around the area.
Tarporley was also a prominent staging post in the 18th and 19th centuries for the London to Chester coach road. In the 1860s the village formed its own fire brigade under the instruction of the Earl of Haddington. This is widely considered to be the first voluntary fire brigade of its kind in the country.
Visitors to Tarporley may like to take a look at the Manor House. This building dates back to the 1580s when it was built by Ralph Done who was a member of a prominent local family of the time. The Swan Hotel in the village is also historically interesting. The building here dates back to the 1760s when it was used as a coaching inn but does also have some older areas which were once part of the village’s Market House. The Swan is currently the home to the Cheshire Hunt. History buffs should also take a look at St Helen’s Church which harks back to medieval times.
The village also has a range of shopping options that may appeal to visitors. You can, for example, browse around a range of independent curio, antique, fashion and craft outlets. A visit to nearby Beeston Castle is also recommended. This castle on a hill gives some fantastic views over the local area including a good view of Tarporley itself. The village also hosts the Tarporley Festival once a year in July.
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