LEIGH, (LITTLE) or LEIGH-JUXTA-BARTINGTON, is a chapelry township and pleasant village, 3 ¼ miles North West by West from Northwich, and 8 miles South from Warrington. The township contains 1,529 Acres, 2 roods, and 10 pecks of land. In 1841 there were 67 houses, and 387 inhabitants. Population, in 1801, 380; in 1831, 381. Rateable value, £3,003, of which the North Staffordshire Canal, which intersects the township for about a mile and three-quarters, is rated at £800.
The village is pleasantly situated on high ground, commanding extensive views of the surrounding country. Lord Leigh is lord of the manor and owner of about four fifths of the township. There are about 30 acres of glebe land in the township.
Little Leigh appears, from the Domesday survey, to have been included in the possessions of the Barons of Halton. About the reign of King John, Simon Fitz-Osborne purchased the manor, which was subsequently granted, with other estates, to Hugh Dutton and his heirs, paying annually two silver marks at the festival of St. Martin. It afterwards descended to the Gerards and the Fleetwoods, and was purchased of the latter by the Leighs, of Stoneley, in Warwickshire, in whom it continued vested until the decease of Edward lord Leigh in 1786, It has since passed with other Stoneley estates, under the will of lord Leigh, to the Leighs of Adlestrop in Gloucestershire, and is now vested in [the representative of] that family, [Lord Leigh of Stoneleigh Abbey].
The Chapel of Ease, a small brick fabric, was rebuilt in 1718. The living is a perpetual curacy, returned in the King's book, at £65. 10s., which has been augmented with £200 benefactions, and £800 Queen Ann's Bounty. Patron: vicar of Great Budworth. Incumbent: Rev. William Whitworth, who resides at the parsonage, built in 1717, and situate on the north side of the Chapel. The chapelry embraces Little Leigh, Bartington, and Dutton. The small tithes are commuted for £10, the rectorial for £120, and £1. 10s. to the impropriator.
The National School is a neat brick building, erected in 1840, a little south from the Chapel, contiguous to which the residence for the teacher, which has been provided by Lord Leigh, who gave, also, the site of the School. About 70 children attend the School, which is supported by subscriptions, charitable bequests, and the pence of the children. The Baptists have a small chapel in the township, under the pastoral care of Mr Thomas Smith.
Charities: The interest of a sum of £60, supposed to have been given by Mr Barker and others, amounting to £3 per annum, is distributed in the sums of £2. 11s. to the poor, and 9s. to the schoolmaster.
Ralph Horton, by Will, in 1728, bequeathed £20, the interest to be paid yearly to the schoolmaster of Little Leigh. The sum of £43 has also been given for a similar purpose. This sum was in the hands of Edward Barker, when the Charity Commissioners published their Report, but owing to some remissness on the part of the parish in claiming it of his executors after his death, no interest was paid for several years. After an investigation of the circumstances, it was proposed to pay over these gifts to the trustees on behalf of the school.
John Dones charged his estate in Hedge Lane, in the township of Weaverham, with the annual payment of 16s. to purchase wine for the sacrament. No payment has been made for some time, but on representation of the case to the owner of the estate, he undertook to pay the money for the future.
