Pulford
Pulford is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Poulton and Pulford, in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is on the B5445 road, to the south west of Chester and on the border with Wales. It is believed that the name of the village is derived from the Welsh words Pwll "marsh" and Ffordd "crossing". According to the 2001 Census, the population of the entire parish was 395, increasing to 580 at the 2011 Census. The civil parish was abolished in 2015 to form Poulton and Pulford.
Pulford Castle, which no longer stands, was a small Norman motte-and-bailey defensive structure. Today, only the mound of the castle remains, just behind the church of S Mary, on the outskirts of the village. The castle was built at a strategic location, protecting a road at a river crossing. Although no firm date of construction is recorded, it is believed to have been built around 1100. The castle is mentioned as having a garrison stationed at it, during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr in 1403.
Pulford Parish Church is named after St. Mary. It was rebuilt in 1884, to a design by the architect John Douglas, the benefactor being Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster. Mention of a church on the site can be traced back the 12th century and the first rector is mentioned in ancient records as one Hugo. The church's spire is 120 feet high. In the 1980s a fire completely destroyed the roof of the church tower, which was later restored.
The village is home to a large hotel, the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel. Grosvenor is the family name of the Duke of Westminster whose seat is at nearby Eaton Hall.
