Guilden Sutton

Overview


Guilden Sutton, a village with around 1700 inhabitants, lies three miles to the east of Chester. It has grown substantially over the past century, but remains a rural village, surrounded by fields and totally within the Green Belt. Some have suggested that the village name means:


 * "the southern homestead in the hollow where the marsh marigolds grow"

The Survey of English Placenames states that the name means "The southern farm", from sūð and tūn, with the affix gylden "golden", meaning "splendid, wealthy". It is distinguished from Great Sutton and Little Sutton. The description 'southern' probably arose from Sutton's position at the southern extremity of the Hundred of Wilaveston.

A Brief History
Roman coins have been found behind the Bird in Hand pub. These included a bronze coin of Licinius I (Gaius Valerius Licinianus Licinius Augustus AD307-324). Temporary marching camps (see: http://www.roman-britain.org/places/guilden_sutton.htm) have also been found.

The village is mentioned in Doomsday - "there is land for three ploughs" - and must have been quite badly devastated during the Chester rebellion against the Normans as the income from it fell considerably.

There may be a mediaeval "hollow way" behind the Bird in Hand.

Cromwell's troops apparently couldn't find the village at all (which was good, because they wanted to burn it). Local legend states there is a mysterious hoard of silver said to be still buried under an oak (which one, isn't known!).

John Marius Wilson, in his Gazetteer of England and Wales (c1870) describes it thus:


 * "GUILDEN-SUTTON, a parish in Great Boughton district, Cheshire; 3 miles ENE of Chester. Post town, Chester. Acres, 934. Real property, £2, 049. Pop., 223. Houses, 36. The property is subdivided. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Chester. Value, £50. Patron, Sir J. T. Stanley, Bart. The church is good."

Links

 * The village website;
 * Village History;
 * Photographic Collection;
 * Guilden Sutton on Wikipedia;
 * St John the Baptists;
 * Listed buildings;
 * A written history;