DELAMERE, a parish in the first division of the
hundred- of EDDISBURY, county palatine of CHESTER,
comprising the townships of Delamere, Eddisbury, and
Oakmere, and containing 424 inhabitants, of which
number, 26S are in the township of Delamere, 5 miles
(W.) from Northwich. The living is a rectory not
in charge, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Chester,
and in the patronage of the Crown. The church was
consecrated in 1817 This parish, which includes the
ancient and royal forest of Delamere, was almost wholly
common land> and extra-parochial, before 1812, when
it was enclosed and erected into a parish by act of
parliament, certain allotments having been reserved
to the crown, and others. On this occasion it first
gave the title of Baron Delamere, of Vale Royal, to
Thomas Cholmondeley, Esq., the proprietor of the anancient
possessions of the Cisterqian monks of Vale
Royal, whose sumptuous abbey, completed in 1330 by
Edward I., cost £32,000; it was dedicated to our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, St. Nicholas, and St.
Nichasius, and in the 26th of Henry VIII. had a revenue
of £540. 6. 2. The sessions forthe division are
annually held, on the 22nd of March, also monthly
meetings of the county magistrates, at a new inn, called
the Abbey Arms, in the centre of the forest. At the
time of the meeting in March there are races, termed
the Tanfield hunt, at which two cups are given to be
run for by the county, and one by the trainers. Delamere
Forest, which once contained a great number of
red and fallow deer, exhibits a pleasing variety of
well-wooded hills, rich vallies for pasturage, meres
affording plenty of fish and aquatic fowl,  and mosses
producing an abundance of turf and peat for fuel. Upon
the highest hill stood the Saxon fortress of Finborrow,
and near it a city, both of which are said to have
been founded by Ethelfleda, daughter of Alfred the Great;
the latter, called Eadesbury (the happy town), gave name
to the hundred, but the ancient residence of the chief
forester is all that now remains; this house is termed the
Chamber in the Forest, and at convenient distances
around it are neat lodges for the keepers of the several
walks. About half of the forest has been planted,
and still belongs to the crown, the remainder having
been either sold, or allotted to different individuals.