Tudor Nantwich

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We often look back fondly to Tudor times as representing the best of 'Olde Englande' but this was rather far from the actual reality. Admittedly the worst excesses of the 'Black Death' of previous centuries were over but outbreaks of plague, sweating sickness and other horrible diseases still occurred, along with ever present hazards of famine and malnutrition.

The Parish Registers record the three major events of people's lives, birthm marriage and death. From these records it is possible to build up a demographic picture of Nantwich. Moreover, the parish clerk sometimes added his own comments about events, a wonderful eye-witness cameo of what life was like at that precise point in history for an ordinary person. The following description of the Fire of Nantwich in December 1583, written by Alen Wrighte 'whoe saw the saide ffire and wrotte this' cannot be better.

The .x. daie of this Moneth Chaunced a moste tereble And vehement fyre begininge at the water lode about vi of the clocke at night in a Kitchen by Bruinge, the winde being very boysterous increased y^e sayd fyre which very vehemently wasted and consumed (in the space of 15 houres) 600 bayes of buildings, and could not be stayed nether by laboure nor pollitye, which I thought good to comend unto the posterety as a favourable punishment of the' almightye in destroyinge the buildins and goods only but sparing the lyves of many people (w^ch considering y^e time space and perell) were in great jopardy yet by gods mercye, but only two persons that pereshed by fyre.

By Tudor times Nantwich was the second town of importance in Cheshire. The Salt Industry still flourished despite imports from France and in 1563 there were 216 salt houses with 1296 leads. It was still primarily a market town in the centre of an increasingly productive farming county. By the end of the century Cheshire Cheese was regarded as the finest in the land. Wills and inventories from the time make fascinating reading and show the value of corn, malt, oats, rye, hay and barley. Animals are carefully listed, too, including cows, bulls, calves, heifers, pigs, steers and also their muck and muck carts. There are cheese presses, salting dishes, tubs, churns and 'skales and waightes'. One of the most interesting entries is the 'one great Signet Rynge' belonging to Richard Wilbraham valued at 50 shillings and which is probably the one in the glass case in the Nantwich Museum.

Tanning was another profitable industry. John Crewe who died ni 1598 was a tanner who married in to gentry. He built 140, Hospital Street, which has heraldic glass in the upper windows. Churche's Mansion, even further out of town and away from dirt and disease, was built for Richard Churche, a prosperous merchant and his wife, Marjorie, in 1577.

Opposite is 'The Rookery', another fine house, but the most interesting house in Hospital Street, is number 16, which could be the oldest surviving house residence in Nantwich.
It's plan is certainly medieval, with a central hall and wings either side and inside are sandstone fireplaces and ancient chimneys.
These large houses with Sweetbriar hall and St. Mary's Church, survived the disastrous fire when most of the town on the east side of the river was burnt out.

The town's four bears were released by John Seckerston, their keeper, for their safety during the fire. Because of this it is recorded the women were too frightened to go to the River Weaver to draw water to quench the flames.

It is remarkable that within two years Nantwich had been rebuilt to the same plan, the owners of houses supplying some of the cost and the remainder met by a national appeal. Queen Elizabeth herself gave £1000 and oak trees from Buerton (not Delamere as is often recorded). Queen Elizabeth I kept a tight grip on her purse strings. Nantwich was indeed a priveliged town to recieve such a donation from the crown.

Perhaps the answer is supplied by the Parish Clerk when he later wrote in 1588:

This yeare passed the Spaniards with a great navye of ships and a great multitude of men intended to have invaded this Realme, against whome our Queene provided a great power bothe by hand, and by sea, the land soldiers camped at a place called Tillberry, but our Englishe navy fought very valliantly with the Spaniards betwext Callais and Dover, when the Spaniard had a great overthrow and many if them slayn and taken prisoners, and finally the rest of their shipps by tempest were dispersed and sunken, so that few or non retorned to bringe R.Phillipe of ther Adventure.

The great threat to England throughout the sixteenth century was Spain, another maritime nation bent on plundering the New World. The invasion was long threatened and could have materialised via Ireland. Nantwich was the last place on the route from London to the then port of Chester from where soldiers sailed to their garrisons in Ireland and this must have convinced people of its national importance. The total raised was £3,224-6s-9d½d and the most expensive building rebuilt was the Crown Inn at a cost of £314-13s-4d. It is recorded also that Thomas Mynshull and his cousin Matthew, who were the constables, had only the previous day removed seventeen cart loads of ammunition from the town. No wonder the people of Tudor times believed in divine providence or retribution.

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