Cheshire · Local History

The History of Axton

A place in Cheshire with a history you can trace through the records: its entry in the 1086 Domesday Book, the archaeological finds and scheduled monuments around it, and the nearest Roman sites and battlefields. Everything below is drawn from the historical record.

In 1086, Axton was held by Marchiud.

The record

What the Domesday Book records for Axton

When William the Conqueror's commissioners surveyed Axton in 1086, they recorded a manor held by Marchiud, who held from Earl Hugh (of Chester). Before the Conquest, in the time of King Edward, it was held by Earl Edwin.

There was land for 1 plough, with 1.3 plough teams at work. The recorded population was 4 heads of household: 3 villagers and 1 smallholder. These are heads of household, so the settlement's true population was several times larger.

The record in full
Held in 1086 by
Marchiud
Held in 1066 by
Earl Edwin
Tenant-in-chief
Earl Hugh (of Chester)
Ploughland
land for 1 plough
Ploughs at work
1.3
Recorded population
3 villagers, 1 smallholder

The Domesday Book was the great survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror in 1085 and completed in 1086, the oldest surviving public record in the country. How the survey worked →

Axton was one of the settlements recorded in Cheshire in the 1086 survey. Cheshire in the Domesday survey →

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Everything a full report reveals about Axton

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Axton's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Domesday
The settlement's entry in the 1086 Domesday Book: who held it, what it was worth, and the people who worked the land.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
LiDAR
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks hidden under fields and woodland, with likely features flagged.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

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Conflict

Battlefields near Axton

Nationally registered historic battlefields within 25 miles of Axton.

Battle of Rowton Heath 1645
Registered battlefield · 1645 · ~24.3 miles
Archaeology

Archaeological finds near Axton

226 recorded finds have been logged within about 5 miles of Axton, reported by members of the public and entered in the national record of archaeological finds. They span these periods:

Post medieval: 88Medieval: 86Roman: 28Iron age: 8Bronze age: 7Neolithic: 1Modern: 1Mesolithic: 1Early medieval: 1
Landscape

The ground beneath Axton

The bedrock beneath Axton is Dinantian Rocks (Undifferentiated) (Mississippian).

Common questions

Questions about Axton

Was Axton in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Axton was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Cheshire.
Who held Axton in 1086?+
In 1086, Axton was held by Marchiud. The tenant-in-chief was Earl Hugh (of Chester).
Who held Axton before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Axton was held by Earl Edwin.
How many people lived in Axton in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 4 people in Axton: 3 villagers and 1 smallholder.
What land did Axton have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Axton as having land for 1 plough.
Where is Axton today?+
Axton is a settlement in the historic county of Cheshire, England.
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Discover Axton's Complete Historical Record

Aubrey's full report for this location includes every Domesday manor, the complete record of medieval lordship, archaeological context, and the story of how this settlement evolved from 1086 to the present day.

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