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St Oswald's Church, Brereton is in Brereton, Cheshire [Map], Churches in Cheshire.
St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. The present church was constructed around 1550.
On 20th January 1561 Lawrence Smith (age 46) and Jane Warburton (age 33) were married at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
In 1618 William Brereton 1st Baron Brereton (age 67) installed a memorial to the Brereton family when their remains were brought from St Mary's Church, Astbury, Cheshire and reinterred in the Chancel of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. The family motto "Opitulante Deo" being "God being my Helper". The inscription: In ancient times when this Church of Brereton was a donative chapel within the parish of Astbury, the ancestors of William Brereton knight, Baron of Malpas, (who erected this monument in 1618 A.D.), had been buried in the Churchyard at Astbury, where ancient monuments of some of them still remain at this date, marked in English with the words "Knightes burialls". But after the said chapel was made a parochial church, the ancestors of the said William Berereton, knight, patron of this Chapel of Brereton, were buried in this chancel, except those who died in countries abroad.
On 1st May 1632 Frances Coleclough (age 74) died. On 16th June 1643 William Smethwich (age 80) died. They were buried at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]
Inscriptions on the monument "Here lieth the body of William Smethwicke of Smethwicke esq. who, mindful of his death, erected this monument for himself and, his wife, pious to God, pious in good workes which William was born Oct. 1, Anno D'ni 1551 and died June 16 Anno Dni' 1643." and
"Here alsoe lieth the body of Frances Smethwicke, daughter of Sir Anthony Coleclough, Knight, married to William Smethwicke aforesaid and lived in wedlocke with him 48 years a devout and hospitall matron, born Anno Dom: 1557, in the Castle of Kildare, in Ireland, Novemb. 6, and died 1st of May, 1632."
Frances Coleclough: On 6th November 1557 she was born to Anthony Coleclough at Kildare Castle. In 1585 William Smethwich and she were married.
William Smethwich: On 1st October 1551 he was born to Thomas Smethwick and Ann Vernon.
1660. Font at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On or before 11th April 1722, the date he was buried at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map], Francis Brereton 5th Baron Brereton (age 59) died unmarried and without issue. Baron Brereton extinct.
Archaeologia Volume 9 Appendix. 22nd May 1788. Owen Salusbury Brereton (age 73), Esq. V. P. exhibited a beautiful coloured drawing of a window in the parish-church of Brereton [Map], one of the oldest in the county-palatine of Chester; but the date of it is not exactly known1. In the lower compartments are four figures representing the four persons who slew Thomas Becket at the high altar in Canterbury cathedral, 1170. They are in complete armour, with drawn swords in their hands, and on pendant scrolls are inscribed their names; William Tracy, Richard Britton, Reginald Fitzurse, and Hugh Morrel. A fifth figure, exactly correiponding with these, in the centre compartments, bears, on the like scroll, these words, Martyrum Thomam. In three compartments of the Upper division of the window are two priests [Note. In the original the word priests is crossed out, and the word "saints" written in the margin.], and between them a figure episcopally habited, most probably intended for Becket himself. Under the five lower figures, after their names are these words tended for two hexameter lines:
Martyrum Thomam fieri fecere beatum
Anno milleno centeno septuageno.
[Note. The above two lines in Gothic script]
Under these the following inscription represented in the opposite page:
"Left this monument in Glase being in the upper window of the North syde the chauncell of Brereton churche shoulde be broken, I Sir Will'm Brereton, knight, to the end hyt may remayne in memorie to the posteritie, have caused the same to be heare purtred, the 25th of Marche, 1608. W. Brereton."
Note 1. See Pl. XXIII.
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Archaeologia Volume 10 Section IV. Some Observations on the Paintings in the Window of Brereton Church [Map]. By the Rev. Samuel Pegge (age 85), in a Letter to Owen Salusbury Brereton (age 74), Esq. Vice President. Read Nov. 26, 1789.
In 1819 Reverend Edward Royds (age 28) was appointed Rector of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] which office he held until his death in 1836. The first of four Rectors of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] from the Royds family. This Edward, his brother Reverend Charles Smith Royds (age 19), Edward's son Reverend Edward Royds, and his son Reverend Alfred Royds.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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1st October 1819. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Monument to Reverend W Fell, Rector of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] from 1807 to 1819.
On 2nd March 1821 Reverend Edward Royds was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On 7th June 1822 twins Clement Royds and Henry Royds of Elm House in Wavertree were baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On 12th March 1824 Thomas Molyneux Royds was born to Reverend Edward Royds (age 33) and Mary Molyneux (age 31). He was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 17th June 1824. He married 30th November 1844 Elizabeth Jane Roberts.
On 25th December 1825 Reverend Francis Coulman Royds was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
In 1836 Reverend Charles Smith Royds (age 36) was appointed Rector of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On 11th April 1836 Reverend Edward Royds (age 45) died. On 14th April 1836 he was buried in the Chancel of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]
In 1845 Reverend Edward Royds (age 24) was appointed Rector of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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On 9th October 1848 Edward Royds was born to Reverend Edward Royds (age 27) and Anne Mary Littledale (age 28). He was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 14th November 1847. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.
On 27th March 1849 Amy Royds was born to Reverend Edward Royds (age 28) and Anne Mary Littledale (age 28). She was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 29th April 1849. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.
On 29th December 1849 John Howard (age 68) died. He was buried at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On 11th April 1850 Reverend Alfred Royds was born to Reverend Edward Royds (age 29) and Anne Mary Littledale (age 29). He was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 10th November 1850. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%. He married 13th August 1885 Eleanor Georgina Dixon.
On 15th February 1852 Mary Emily Royds was born to Reverend Edward Royds (age 31) and Anne Mary Littledale (age 31). She was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 4th April 1852. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%. She married 8th May 1883 Willoughby Brooke.
After 1859. Window in the North Wall of the Chancel of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Three. Left. Jesus raising the son of the widow of Nain. Middle. Jesus raising Lazarus. Right. Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus. The dedication: In memory of Clement Royds, died 27 Apr 1842, Thomas Molyneux Royds, died 13 Jan 1852, Emily Smyth Royds (age 24), died 23 Nov 1859.
Clement Royds: On 8th April 1822 he was born to Reverend Edward Royds and Mary Molyneux. He was a twin with his brother Henry Royds of Elm House in Wavertree. On 7th June 1822 twins Clement Royds and Henry Royds of Elm House in Wavertree were baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
Thomas Molyneux Royds: On 12th March 1824 he was born to Reverend Edward Royds and Mary Molyneux. He was baptised at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 17th June 1824. On 30th November 1844 Thomas Molyneux Royds and Elizabeth Jane Roberts were married at Exeter Farm, Braidwood, New South Wales. On 13th January 1852 Thomas Molyneux Royds died. He was buried in Braidwood Cemetery, New South Wales.
Emily Smyth Royds: On 6th February 1834 she was born to Reverend Edward Royds and Mary Molyneux. Before 23rd November 1859 Reverend Granville Smyth and she were married. On 23rd November 1859 Emily Smyth Royds died.
On 4th December 1859 Mary Molyneux (age 66) died at Elkington Rectory. She was buried in the Chancel of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 8th December 1859 where she has a memorial window in the south transept.
Before 1881. West Window and East Window in the Chancel of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] by William Wailes.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 8th May 1883 Willoughby Brooke (age 34) and Mary Emily Royds (age 31) were married at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
Around 1884. Graves of servants of Brereton Hall, Cheshire [Map] in the churchyard of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
8th July 1885. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Memorial to Ann Elizabeth Lowe, wife Samuel Ingham.
After 6th November 1887. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Grave of Elizabeth Malano. Stone erected by Harriette Howard of Brereton Hall.
On 1st August 1895 Reverend Edward Royds (deceased) was buried in the Churchyard of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
In 1896 Reverend Alfred Royds (age 45) was appointed Rector of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].
On 9th January 1896 Anne Mary Littledale (age 75) died. She was buried at St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on 13th January 1896 where she has a memorial window in the south transept.
Around 1900. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Graves and Memorials to members of the Howard family.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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After 1918. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] Roll of Honour and War Memorial.
After 14th May 1923. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Memorial to Thomas Nock, Schoolmaster and Organist for thirty years.
8th August 1999. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. Memorial to William Brereton 2nd Baron Brereton. Bellringer and Donor of three bells in honour of his marriage to Elizabeth Goring Baroness Brereton. A special event took place at St Oswald's.Church, Brereton on 8th August 1999: the dedication of a plaque to the memory of William, 2nd Lord Brereton, founding member and first Master in 1637 of one of the oldest English change ringing societies, the Ancient Society of College Youths, which still flourishes nationally and internationally from its base in London.
On 1st August 2001, Lammas Day, the Ancient Society of College Youths rang the Bells of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map] on the occasion of the anniversary of the Medieval Fair held on Brereton Green for three hundred years.
On 2nd August 2009. St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map]. A Peal of 5040 Minor in 7 Methods by the Chester S. College Youths.
2018 Rectors of St Oswald's Church, Brereton [Map].