KNUTSFORD  , a

market town in the Knutsford parliamentary division of Cheshire, England; on the London & North Western and Great Central railways, 24 M . E.N.E. of Chester, on the Chesire Lines and London & North-Western railway . Pop. of urban district (Igor), 5172 . It is pleasantly situated on an elevated ridge, with the fine domains of Tatton Park and Tabley respectively north and west of it . The meres in these domains are especially picturesque . Knutsford is noted in modern times as the scene of Mrs Gaskell's novel Cranford . Among several ancient houses the most interesting are a cottage with the date 1411 carved on its woodwork, and the Rose and Crown tavern, dated 1641 . A number of curious old customs linger in the town, such as the practice of working designs in coloured sand, when a wedding takes place, before the bride's house . In what is probably the oldest Unitarian graveyard in the kingdom Mrs Gaskell lies buried; and in a churchyard a mile from the town stood the ancient church, which, though partially rebuilt in the time of Henry VIII.,fell into ruin in 1741 . The church of St John, built in 1744, and enlarged in 1879, was supplemented, in 188o, by St Cross Church, in Perpendicular style . The town has a grammar school, founded before the reign of Henry VIII., but reorganized in 1885 . Lord Egerton built the Egerton schools in 1893 .

The

industries comprise cotton, worsted and leather manufactures; but Knutsford is mainly a residential town, as many Manchester merchants have settled here, attracted by the fine climate and surroundings . Knutsford was the birthplace of Sir Henry Holland, Physician Extraordinary to Queen Victoria (1788-1873); and his son, the second Sir Henry, who was secretary of state for the colonies (1887-1892), was raised to the peerage in 1888 with the title of Baron Knutsford . The name Knutsford (Cunetesford, Knotesford) is said to signify Cnut's ford, but there is no evidence of a settlement here previous to Domesday . In ro86 Erthebrand held Knutsford immediately of William FitzNigel, baron of Halton, who was himself a mesne lord of Hugh Lupus earl of Chester . In 1292 William de Tabley, lord of both Over and Nether Knutsford, granted free burgage to his burgesses in both Knutsfords . This charter is the only one which gives Knutsford a claim to the title of borough . It provided that the burgesses might elect a bailiff from amongst themselves every year . The office however carried little real power with it, and soon lapsed . In the same year as the charter to Knutsford the king granted to William de Tabley a market every Saturday at Nether Knutsford, and a three days' fair at the Feast of St Peter and St Paul . When this charter was con-firmed by Edward III. another market (Friday) and another three days' fair (Feast of St Simon and St Jude) were added . The Friday market was certainly dropped by 1592, if it was ever held . May-day revels are still kept up here and attract large crowds from the neighbourhood .

A

silk mill was erected here in 1770, and there was also an attempt to foster the cotton trade, but the lack of means of communication made the undertaking impossible . See Henry Green, History of Knutsford (1859) .