Brankelow Cottage

Combermere Abbey is a former monastery, later a country house, near Burleydam, between Nantwich, Cheshire and Whitchurch in Shropshire, England, located within Cheshire and near the border with Shropshire. Initially Savigniac and later Cistercian, the abbey was founded in the 1130s by Hugh Malbank, Baron of Nantwich, and was also associated with Ranulf de Gernons, Earl of Chester. The abbey initially flourished, but by 1275 was sufficiently deeply in debt to be removed from the abbot's management. From that date until its dissolution in 1538, it was frequently in royal custody, and acquired a reputation for poor discipline and violent disputes with both lay people and other abbeys. It was the third largest monastic establishment in Cheshire, based on net income in 1535. After the dissolution it was acquired by Sir George Cotton, who demolished the church and most of the buildings, and converted part of the abbey into a country house. The house was remodelled in 1563 by Sir George's son, Richard Cotton, altered in 1795 by Sir Robert Cotton, and Gothicised in 1814–21 by Stapleton Cotton, Viscount Combermere. It remained in the Cotton family until 1919, and is still in private ownership. The abbey is listed at grade I, with its North Wing now operating as a bed and breakfast. Its park includes the large lake of Comber Mere, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. A total of around 400 hectares (990 acres) of the park are listed at grade II; several structures are also listed, including a game larder at grade II*.

Broughall is a village in Shropshire, England, situated about 1.5 miles east of Whitchurch, also the site of the nearest railway station. The village is arranged largely along the A525 road, and is surrounded by green fields.

Marbury is a small village located at SJ560457 in the civil parish of Marbury and District, formerly Marbury cum Quoisley, within the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is administered jointly with the adjacent civil parishes of Norbury and Wirswall. The village lies around 3 miles (5 km) north east of Whitchurch in Shropshire and 7 miles (11 km) south west of Nantwich in Cheshire. Nearby villages include Malpas, No Man's Heath, Norbury, Wirswall and Wrenbury. The civil parish bordered Shropshire and covers 2,168 acres (877 ha); it also contains the small settlements of Hollins Lane, Marley Green and Quoisley, as well as parts of Hollyhurst and Willeymoor. The total population was just under 250 in 2001, and – combined with Wirswall – 352 in 2011.The area is agricultural with undulating terrain, 75–120 metres in elevation. Dairy farming is the main industry. A small area in the east of the civil parish was part of the Combermere estate. The Llangollen Canal runs along the northern boundary. There are five meres which are important wildlife habitats. Marbury Big Mere is a fishing lake and the Quoisley Meres are a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Wetland of International Importance; they originate in glacial kettle holes. The civil parish is believed to have been inhabited since the Anglo-Saxon period. In the Civil War, the parish was plundered by both sides during 1642–44, after Thomas Marbury declared for Parliament. It contains many historic buildings, the earliest being the 15th-century St Michael's Church. "Marbury Merry Days", a traditional country fair, is held in May.

St Michael's Church, also known as St Michael and All Angels, stands on a small rise overlooking Big Mere in the village of Marbury, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Malpas. Its benefice is combined with those of St Chad, Tushingham, and St Mary, Whitewell.

Wrenbury-cum-Frith is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Weaver, around 8.5 miles south-west of Crewe. The civil parish of Wrenbury cum Frith also covers the small settlements of Gaunton's Bank, Pinsley Green, Porter's Hill, Smeaton Wood, Wrenbury Heath and Wrenburywood. It has a total population of around 1,100, being measured at the 2011 Census as 1,181.

St Margaret's Church overlooks the village green of Wrenbury, Cheshire, England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Nantwich. Its benefice is combined with those of St Michael's, Baddiley and St Mary's and St Michael's, Burleydam.

Burleydam is a small English village in the civil parish of Dodcott cum Wilkesley in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, near the border with Shropshire. It is on the A525. The nearest town is Whitchurch in Shropshire, around 8 km (5 miles) to the west; nearby small settlements include Barnett Brook, Grindley Green and Royal's Green in Dodcott cum Wilkesley; Dodd's Green and Newhall in Newhall civil parish; and Old Woodhouses and New Woodhouses in Shropshire.The land was granted to Combermere Abbey, a Cistercian monastery, at its foundation in 1133. The village lies at the south-east edge of Combermere Park, around 750 m to the south east of the main (Stone Lodge) entrance. It benefited from the patronage of the Cotton family, later the Viscounts Combermere, who gained the abbey and its estates after its dissolution.

Wrenbury railway station serves the village of Wrenbury in Cheshire, England and is on the Welsh Marches Line 9 miles (14 km) south west of Crewe. It is an unstaffed, request-stop station with two platforms.

Norbury is a hamlet and former civil parish, now in the parish of Marbury and District, in the Cheshire East district, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It included the small settlements of Gauntons Bank, Hurst Green, Swanwick Green, Norbury Common and Holtridge, with a total population of 194 people in 2011. The hamlet of Norbury lies around 5 miles (8 km) north of Whitchurch, Shropshire. Nearby villages include No Man's Heath, Marbury and Wrenbury.

St Mary's and St Michael's Church is in the village of Burleydam in the civil parish of Dodcott cum Wilkesley, Cheshire, England. The church is some 1.5 miles (2 km) to the southeast of Combermere Abbey. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Nantwich. Its benefice is combined with those of St Michael, Baddiley, and St Margaret, Wrenbury.

Newhall is a village (at SJ609454) and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The village lies 3½ miles to the west of Audlem and 5 miles to the south west of Nantwich. The parish also includes the village of Aston (at SJ610468), and the small settlements of Aston Heath, Barnett Brook, Brown's Bank, Dodd's Green, Grandford, Grindley Green, Hollingreen, Kingswood Green, Maiden Estate, Salesbrook, Sheppenhall and part of Sandford. Nearby villages include Audlem and Wrenbury. According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 669, increasing to 776 at the 2011 Census.

Dodd's Green (also Dod's Green, Dodds Green and Doddsgreen) is a small settlement within the civil parish of Newhall in the Cheshire East division of the ceremonial county of Cheshire. It includes Dodds Green Farm and a cluster of nearby residential buildings as well as the former church of Doddsgreen Methodist Church; all are located on Dodd's Green Lane, which connects the A530 with the A525 (Whitchurch Road).Some historical Ordnance Survey maps (such as the 1945 New Popular Edition) mark the settlement's centre at Grindley Green in the adjacent civil parish of Dodcott cum Wilkesley; others (such as the 1833 First Series) place it in the modern position. Nearby settlements include Newhall and Salesbrook. The Wesleyan Methodist Church dates from 1835; it was combined with St Andrew's Methodist Church, Aston in 1985.