HALTON, a chapelry (formerly a market-town) in
the parish of RUNCORN, hundred of BUCKLOW, county
palatine of CHESTER, 3 miles (N. N. E.) from Frodsham,
containing 1066 inhabitants. The living is a
perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of
Chester, endowed with £600 private benefaction, and
£600 royal bounty, and in the patronage of Sir. R;
Brooke, Bart. The church is dedicated to St. Mary.
The Mersey and Irwell canal, and the Duke of Bridgewater's
canal, pass through the parish. Halton was given
by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, to his cousin Nigel,
with the constablery of Chester, the earl at the same
time making him his marshal: these great offices of.
constable of Chester and earl marshal were attached to
the barony, and enjoyed by his successors the barons of
Halton, who, amongst other privileges granted them by
the earls, were authorised to have a castle and a prison
at Halton, to hold a weekly market and two annual
fairs, a court for the cognizance of various offences,
and for all pleas and actions within the barony, except
such as belonged to the earl's sword, and to have
a master-serjeant and eight under Serjeants within
their fee. The castle was built soon after the Norman
Conquest, on the brow of a hill commanding a very
extensive prospect over a great part of Cheshire, and
across the Mersey into Lancashire. Among its various
distinguished possessors may be mentioned John
of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, with whom it was a favourite
residence. It was garrisoned for the king in
the early part of 1643, and for the parliament in
1644. There are few remains of its ancient buildings:
the habitable part of it, which appears to have been
chiefly rebuilt since the civil war, has been fitted up as
an inn: there is a room in which the courts for the
honour are held. A charity school is endowed with
about £20 per annum, arising from various benefactions.
An almshouse for six poor persons was founded,
in 1767, by Pusey Brooke, Esq., and endowed with
£54. 12. per annum.