Cheshire · Local History

The History of Kelston

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, Kelston was held by Robert of Rhuddlan.

The record

What the Domesday Book records for Kelston

When William the Conqueror's commissioners surveyed Kelston in 1086, they recorded a manor held by Robert of Rhuddlan. Before the Conquest, in the time of King Edward, it was held by Earl Edwin.

There was land for 1 plough. The recorded population was 7 heads of household: 7 smallholders. These are heads of household, so the settlement's true population was several times larger. The manor was valued at 15 shillings in 1086.

The record in full
Held in 1086 by
Robert of Rhuddlan
Held in 1066 by
Earl Edwin
Value in 1086
15 shillings
Ploughland
land for 1 plough
Recorded population
7 smallholders

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 →

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

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Kelston

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Kelston'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.
First month just £4.99, then £9.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Kelston report
Or see a real report first
Conflict

Battlefields near Kelston

Nationally registered historic battlefields within 25 miles of Kelston.

Battle of Rowton Heath 1645
Registered battlefield · 1645 · ~24.6 miles
Archaeology

Archaeological finds near Kelston

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

Post medieval: 82Medieval: 62Roman: 25Iron age: 7Bronze age: 7Modern: 1Mesolithic: 1Early medieval: 1
Landscape

The ground beneath Kelston

The bedrock beneath Kelston is Bowland High Group And Craven Group (Undifferentiated) (Bashkirian).

Common questions

Questions about Kelston

Was Kelston in the Domesday Book?+
Yes. Kelston was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as a settlement in the historic county of Cheshire.
Who held Kelston in 1086?+
In 1086, Kelston was held by Robert of Rhuddlan.
Who held Kelston before the Norman Conquest?+
Before the Conquest in 1066, Kelston was held by Earl Edwin.
What was Kelston worth in the Domesday Book?+
In 1086, Kelston was valued at 15 shillings.
How many people lived in Kelston in 1086?+
The 1086 survey recorded 7 people in Kelston: 7 smallholders.
What land did Kelston have in 1086?+
The Domesday Book records Kelston as having land for 1 plough.
Where is Kelston today?+
Kelston is a settlement in the historic county of Cheshire, England.
Aubrey Research

Discover Kelston'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.

Start your Aubrey reportView a sample report
Covers any location in England, Scotland or Wales