Our Street Names

The Ancient Malpas Coat of Arms

Our Street Names

Have you ever wondered where our streets got their names from?

The development of Malpas offers opportunities to preserve aspects of local history which may not be common knowledge to some existing local residents, or to incoming residents who move into properties on our new estates.

Between 1970 and 2000 the provision of new streets either took the name of a local feature or of local people that were prominent leaders in the community.
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Streets named after local features

Chapel Rise
This is a small development of five terraced houses located on the junction of Old Hall Street and Springfield Road. It was the former site of the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel which was built in 1860, and closed in 1968. The registers between 1935 and 1968 are held at the Cheshire Record Office.

High Street
Represents the main street in the village.
Reliable documentary records show that before 1850 the High Street was known as Windmill Street and an aerial survey shows crop mark evidence for a post mill in the field on the south corner of Old Hall Street and Mastiff Lane.
This field is named as Windmill Field on maps in the Cholmondeley archives.

More connections between the village and windmills is evident in another Cholmondeley document which shows more than one windmill was erected in the field in Tilston Road, opposite the entrance to Overton Lane in the 17th Century.
This field became known as Windy Milne Banke.

Between 1850 and 1880 the street appears to have been known as both Windmill Street and High Street. The last use of the name of Windmill Street was in the 1881 Census Enumerators' Returns.

Leech Lane
An old access track to a 3 1/2 acre of farm land pasture named on the 1836 Tithe Maps as Leech Hill

Leech Road
Constructed in late 1960's / early 1970's as an access road to the Well Farm Estate heading in the direction of the Leech Hill pasture land.

The area of Leech Hill is now covered by Rylands Close, Depenbech Close, Mercer Close and parts of St Oswald's Close.

Leech Hill was possibly named after a former owner with the surname 'Leech'.

Oak Tree Rise
This is a relatively new street on the 60 dwelling development adjacent to Malpas Recreation Ground. It was named in 2015 after consultation between the Parish Council and the Malpas Ward Councillor.

It was named to reflect the large Oak Tree that is located between the road and the Recreation Ground

OatHills
The c1840 Tithe maps show a number of fields around where the Reservoir is now situated, as recorded under the plot name of Oathill.

Although, the land on which the 12 cottages were built in 1884 by Joseph Lewis to help ease the lack of housing for the poor of the village was named "croft", the road was named as Oathills.

Old Hall Court
A development of 27 dwellings in the converted farm buildings that belonged to the Old Hall just off Old Hall Street.

Springfield Road and Springfield Avenue
Built in the late 1950's as part of the drive to provide for the housing demand following the growth in demand after World War II.

Well Avenue
First named in 1934 when 4 properties were constructed by Malpas Rural District Council. Later extended in 1957 as part of the post war growth.

Well Farm Close
Cul-de-sac situated on the farm land off Leech Road and named after the Well Farm that previously managed the land.

Well Street
An original street name dating back to the time when the town water supply was from a hand pump situated at the Well Meadow.
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Streets named after Local Dignitaries

(Click on the button below to learn more)
Battarbee Bank. .Craddock Court. .Danily Court. .Dimelow Court

Heber Close. .Lanceley Court. .Mercer Close

Rylands Close


Article Produced and published 6th January 2024 by Chris Whitehurst using material researched by David Hayns