About Burland
Burland is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East Borough and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, about 2½ miles west of Nantwich. The civil parish also includes the small settlements of Burland Lower Green, Burland Upper Green, Hollins Green and Stoneley Green, as well as parts of Gradeley Green and Swanley. The eastern part of the village of Ravensmoor also falls within the civil parish.
According to the 2001 census the civil parish had a total population of 582.
Geography and Transport
Burland village is situated along the main A534 road between Nantwich and Wrexham, which crosses the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union canal that runs north–south through the parish. The canal, once a major service artery for this rural community has areas of designated outstanding beauty. Swanley Bridge is a grade-II listed bridge which dates from around 1793, as well as three further footbridges: Bethills Bridge, Stoneley Green Bridge and Platt’s Bridge. North of Swanley Bridge is Swanley Lock No. 2; this is a grade-II-listed lock dating from 1805 and is constructed in blue-and-red brick with stone copings.
Several small conifer plantations fall within the civil parish, including Admiral’s Plantation and Tally-ho Covert to the north of Ravensmoor, and Long Plantation near Swanley.
Notable Buildings and Developments
Swanley Hall in Burland is an L-shaped red-brick farmhouse originally dating from the early 16th century. Green Farm House in Burland Upper Green is a red-brick farmhouse dating from the 17th century.
The parish also contains several grade II listed black-and-white cottages dating from the 17th century, some of which retain thatched roofs. These included Holly Bank Cottage in Barracks Lane, Rose & End Cottages in Stoneley Green, and Sparrows Roost in Swanley Lane.
Wrexham Road in Burland village is lined by several grade-II-listed buildings dating from around 1870, formerly cottages of the Peckforton Estates. The red-brick cottages feature hexagonal latticed windows, ornate timber gabling and a prominent central chimney stacks. Burland Farm House, also built for the Peckforton Estate, is of a similar date.
The Windmill at the junction of the A534 and Swanley Lane dates from the early 19th century and is well known landmark today. More recently this has been restored as a residential property.
Located in the village is Burland Stores, recently upgraded and now trading as a general store.
Swanley Marina is a more recent development in the Parish. It provides moorings for around 300 canal boats, attracting tourists throughout the season.
Burland Past & Present
Recollections Of Burland Past – contributed by David Wilkinson & Robert Hull