Editing Knutsford (section)

== History ==
{{see also|History of Cheshire}}
Knutsford was recorded in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 as ''Cunetesford'' ("''Canute's ford''").<ref>{{OpenDomesday|OS=SJ7578 |name=Knutsford |display=Knutsford |access-date=21 October 2017 }}</ref> [[Cnut the Great|King Canute]] (''Knútr'' in [[Old Norse]]) was the king of England (1016–1035) and later king of Denmark, Norway and parts of Sweden as well. Local tradition says that King Canute blessed a wedding that was taking place and [[Ford (crossing)|forded]] the [[River Lily]], which was said to be dangerous then, though other reports say it was the Birkin Brook at or near Booth Mill.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.domesdaybook.co.uk/cheshire1.html |title=The Domesday Book Online&nbsp;– Cheshire A-K |access-date=9 February 2009 |publisher=www.domesdaybook.co.uk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805022555/http://domesdaybook.co.uk/cheshire1.html |archive-date=5 August 2007}}.{{Harvnb|Dodgson|1970|pp=73, 74}}</ref> The [[English Place-Name Society]] gives the name as being derived from the [[Old English]] for ''Knutr's ford'' or possibly ''hillock ford''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/cheshire/Knutsford%20Nether%20and%20Overton |title=Knutsford Nether and Overton |work=Key To English Place Names |publisher=[[English Place Name Society]] |access-date=8 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928223258/http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/cheshire/Knutsford%20Nether%20and%20Overton |archive-date=28 September 2015}}</ref>

In 1292, [[Edward I of England|Edward I]] granted Knutsford a [[market charter]], allowing the town to hold a weekly market and annual fairs.<ref name=Hanshall/>

Knutsford was historically part of the [[ancient parish]] of [[Rostherne]]. A [[chapel of ease]] to serve Knutsford was built in the 14th century on a site to the east of the town near Booths Mere. The chapel was initially dedicated to St Helena and later to St John.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Site of St John's Church and surrounding burial ground, 400m NW of Booths Mere|num=1014378}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Church of St John |url=https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=74794&resourceID=19191 |website=Heritage Gateway |access-date=20 February 2025}}</ref> In 1741, Knutsford was made a separate parish from Rostherne.<ref name=Hanshall>{{cite book |last1=Hanshall |first1=J. H. |title=The History of the County Palatine of Chester |date=1817 |publisher=John Fletcher |location=Chester |page=389 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_History_of_the_County_Palatine_of_Ch/wsYHAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA389&printsec=frontcover |access-date=20 February 2025}}</ref> [[St John the Baptist's Church, Knutsford|St John the Baptist's Church]] was built between 1741 and 1744, on a site in the centre of the town to serve as the new parish church; the old chapel to the east of the town was demolished.<ref>{{NHLE|desc=Church of St John the Baptist|num=1388324|grade=II*}}</ref>

Knutsford [[Prison|gaol]] was built in 1817 and later extended in 1853. It was not just built to house those committed of crimes but also to house those who could not be employed. In 1915, due to the low population and there being an ongoing World War, the gaol was used as a military prison for the detention of soldiers found guilty of committing offences. From 1916, it was used to house conscientious objectors who broke the [[Military Service Act 1916]]. In April 1916, there was an [[Easter Rising]] in Ireland, where rebels hoped to form an independent Ireland free from British rule. At least 600 rebels involved in that rising were transported to Knutsford by train from [[Holyhead]] and imprisoned in Knutsford Gaol. During this period, many prisoners were not properly fed and resorted to eating grass and anything discarded by visitors.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=http://journals.openedition.org/etudesirlandaises/6029 |title=The Knutsford Hotel. Irish Volunteer Prisoners in Knutsford Gaol in 1916 |first=David |last=Shaw |date=18 December 2018 |journal=Études irlandaises |issue=43–2 |pages=9–23 |via=journals.openedition.org |doi=10.4000/etudesirlandaises.6029 |doi-access=free}}</ref> The gaol was demolished in 1934.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/History/LocalHistory |title=History of Knutsford |publisher = Knutsford Town Council |access-date= 3 November 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140731160233/http://www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/History/LocalHistory |archive-date=31 July 2014 }}</ref>

Knutsford was the place in which General [[George S. Patton]], shortly before the [[Invasion of Normandy|Normandy invasion]], delivered a speech perceived to be critical of the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]], and to have "slap(ped) the face of every one of the [[Allies of World War II|United Nations]] except Great Britain", which nearly ended his career.<ref>{{citation |last=Lovelace |first=Alexander G. |chapter=The Image of a General: The Wartime Relationship between General George S. Patton Jr. and the American Media |title=Journalism History |volume= 40 |issue=2 |date = Summer 2014 |pages=108–120}}</ref>

After the [[Second World War]], [[Overspill estate|overspill]] housing estates were created in the town to accommodate families from [[Manchester]]. The Longridge overspill estate was built in Over Ward by [[Manchester City Council]] in the 1960s. At the end of the 20th century, all of the homes on the estate that had not already been sold to their occupants were transferred to Manchester Methodist Housing.

In 2005, Knutsford was named as the most expensive town to buy a house in [[Northern England]], followed by nearby town [[Altrincham]]. There is an extremely large range of house prices in Knutsford, varying from approximately £175,000 to nearly £4,000,000 in late 2017. The average price is above £400,000.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/browse/knutsford/?q=Knutsford%2C%20Cheshire |title = House prices in Knutsford |publisher = Zoopla |access-date = 3 November 2017 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171107013450/https://www.zoopla.co.uk/house-prices/browse/knutsford/?q=Knutsford%2C%20Cheshire |archive-date = 7 November 2017 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>