Kingsley is first listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Chingeslie in the Roelau Hundred. The village is listed as having been held from Earl Hugh d'Avranches by a Saxon named Dunning. It has land for two ploughs, and home to five serfs, one villein, and three bordars. It also mentioned one and a half fisheries, four hays for roe deer, and a hawk's eyrie. The earl brought the woodland of one league long and one league wide into his forest.[4] The forest mentioned was the ancient forest of Mara and Mondrem which was greatly reduced in size subsequently and is now known as Delamere Forest.
In 1260, the village was listed as Kingisleg. The name of the village ultimately derives from "king's lea" – the meadow of the king.[5]
The village was for a long time known for its independence, as shown in its early Quaker meeting house, as well as its siding with the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.
Governance
[edit]Map of civil parish of Kingsley within the former borough of Vale Royal
Anelectoral ward in the same name exists. This stretches from Sutton in the north to Norley in the south. The total population of this ward taken at the 2011 Census was 4,222.[9]
The current Methodist chapel, Hurst Methodist Chapel, was built in 1871. Between 1864 and 1967 there was a second Methodist chapel, Brookside Methodist Chapel.
The nearest railway station is 3 miles away at Acton Bridge on the West Coast mainline for trains to Liverpool and Birmingham and links, via Runcorn and Crewe to intercity services. Delamere railway station is 3.1 miles away with services to Northwich, Manchester and Chester. Alternatively, there is Frodsham railway station which is 3.2 miles away for services to Manchester, Chester and North Wales. By 2018 there will be services once again to Liverpool from Frodsham.
Kingsley is home to a number of community services including a community centre, The Kingsley Village Institute,[11] Kingsley Cricket Club, Kingsley Youth Group (formerly KU17's),[12] Scouts (Beavers, Cubs & Scouts)[13] and Guide groups[14] and The Kingsley Players, an amateur dramatic society.[15]
As well as a website[16] there is a village Facebook group for advertising and discussing local events[17]
The village prints and distributes its own newsletter, The Kingsley News,[18] which is published every month (except August).
The Cricket Club has two senior teams playing in the Meller Braggins Cheshire Cricket League, a Sunday XI, and a midweek team (The Kingsley Knights) playing in the Chester and District Midweek Cricket League. The club has a junior division with U18, U15, U13, U11 and U9 squads playing fixtures throughout the summer.[19]
Dunn, F. I. (1987). The ancient parishes, townships and chapelries of Cheshire. Chester: Cheshire Record Office and Cheshire Diocesan Record Office. ISBN0-906758-14-9.
Gibson, W.; Waterworth, A.W. (1975). Kingsley: The story of a Cheshire village. Kingsley, Cheshire, United Kingdom: K.C.A. Books. ISBN978-0-9504536-0-6.
Scholes, R. Towns and villages of Britain: Cheshire. Wilmslow, Cheshire: Sigma Leisure. ISBN1-85058-637-3.
Youngs, F. A. (1991). Guide to the local administrative units of England. (Volume 1: Northern England). London: Royal Historical Society. ISBN0-86193-127-0.
Media related to Kingsley, Cheshire at Wikimedia Commons
