Bosley is a well built village and scattered township and chapelry in the Macclesfield hundred, five miles from Macclesfield and about the same distance E.N.E. from Congleton. It is a bold undulating district on the verge of the county, and separated from Staffordshire by the River Dane which here bounds the county. At the census in 1851 there were 100 houses and 508 inhabitants of which 305 were males and 263 females. The rateable value was £3,135.6s.

The extensive establishment known as Bosley Works was built and owned by Charles Roe and partners who began copper smelting in Macclesfield in 1758. The works at Bosley are marked as a forge on Burdett's map of 1777 and rolling and hammering of copper was undertaken there. The works was sold in 1801 and again in 1806 when part of the factory were used for cotton spinning. It was converted in two cotton mills and a wood turning establishment and about 1855 it was turned into corn mills. At present (1860) it is occupied by three corn millers and a silk throwster.

The branch railway from Macclesfield to the Potteries was authorised 28th June 1846 and opened for passengers and goods on June 18th 1849 and intersects the township. The station is situated near to Bosley Works. Francis Alison is the stationmaster and six up and down trains call at the station daily. (The last passenger train ran on November 5th 1960 and the last goods train on June 15th 1964.)

After the battle of Flodden the manor was given to Sir Edward Stanley, created Lord Monteagle. It subsequently reverted to the elder branch of the Stanley's. James, Earl of Derby sold it to Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth and from his descendants it has passed, with Gawsworth, to the Earl of Harrington.In 1873 the rental received by the Earl of Harrington from his estates in Cheshire from 8138 acres was £11096. Bosley being 3073 acres.

The church is a small brick edifice with nave and chancel and has a modern appearance, except for the tower which is of stone, low, embattled and surmounted with pinnacles. It belonged to a former edifice which was rebuilt except for the tower. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the Kings Book at £3.10s, now returned at £110, in the patronage of the Vicar of Prestbury, and enjoyed by the Rev. William Sutcliffe.

The parsonage is a handsome residence near the church erected in 1853. The Wesleyans have a Sunday school at Bosley works built in 1832 and this is also used for Divine Service.

The old National School was built in 1839 and has been purchased by the Earl of Harrington for £220 and has been converted into three cottages. (The cottages at Lakeside). A new National School was erected in 1858 anad is a neat brick structure with a residence for the teacher adjacent. The cost of the building was £700 which was raised by subscription, aided by grants from the Privy Council and the National Society. The school will accommodate about 100 with about 50 attending. John Henney is the master. The Bosley Day School was erected by the inhabitants of the township in about 1840 and is now taught by Samuel Stubbs.

Highfield House is a good brick residence pleasantly situated on an eminence overlooking the reservoir. It was erected in 1850 by the Earl of Harrington and the Misses Browster and is occupied by the latter. The Browster family have been residents in the township for upwards of 500 years. The Harrington Arms are over the front door.

The Bosley Reservoir was built by Messrs Tredwell in 1832. A fine sheet of water covering upwards of twenty acres in this township is used as a feeder to the Macclesfield canal.

Charities. Edward Dawson by will 1735 gave to the poor of the township of Bosley £12, the interest to be yearly distributed to the poor upon the friday next before December 25th, for ever. The interest of this charity is received from Mr. Nathan Percival whose father held the bequest in trust.

The Rev. John Thornely, curate of Bosley in 1764, left 16s a year to each of the two townships of Bosley and Pott Shrigley and likewise six English bibles, one each for Bosley, Wincle, Wildboarclough, North Rode and Pott Shrigley in the county of Chester and Rushton Spencer in the county of Stafford. The bible and 16s a year are received by; the overseers for the time being of Bosley.

In the Parliamentary returns of 1818 it is stated "In Bosley 40s per annum have been left for the education of five poor children. A sum of money appears to have been formerly paid by the minister of Bosley for this object, but at present nothing is apparently known of it, and there are no funds from which to pay it.

Roger Holland left a yearly sum of 5s to the poor of Bosley from certain lands. Roger Holland parish clerk of Prestbury who died in 1694 bequeathed the sum of £6 yearly for ever to be raised off his land in Mottram St. Andrew, to be distributed to the several townships in manner and form following. Adlingtron 10s, Bultey 10s, Prestbury 10s, Newton 5s, Mottram St. Andrew 10s, Lyme Handley 5s, Poynton 5s, Worth 5s, Woodford 5s, Pott Shrigley 5s, Bosley 5s, North Rode 5s, Marton 5s, Siddington 5s, Lower Withington 5s, Titherington 5s, Hurdsfield 4s. The respective sums are paid to the several overseers of the various townships on the first day of December.

Holland's, Dawson's, and Thornely's gifts amounting to £1.13s are given away on the sunday before Christmas among poor housekeepers.

The Post Office at John Henneys National School, letters arrive from Congleton at 9am and are despatched at 5pm.

Bosley 1850

Gamekeeper John Bayley
Blacksmith George Barnett
Shopkeeper & Retailer of Beer John Beresford
Cotton Spinner Joseph Beresford
Schoolmaster Samuel Beresford
Victualler (Millstone) George Bourne
Contractor (Mount Pleasant) Joseph Bourne
Baker Sarah Hambleton
Corn Miller John Heapy
Nail Maker Jesse Mitchell
Schoolmaster Samuel Stubbs
Corn Miller Samual Malkin
Victualler (Kings Arms) Elizabeth Higginbotham
Shopkeeper Olive Lockett
Victualler (Harrington Arms) H. Warmington

Farmers

Lower House Ann Bayley
Minden Henry Brindley
Highfield Elizabeth Broster
Brooks James Brown
Elizabeth Bullock
Ryles Jasper Burgess
Primrose Bank Ann Casey
Stoneyfold Richard Cheetham
Dawsons Enoch Clayton
Mill House Joseph Davenport
Turn Horse Matthew Davenport
Sourbutts Abraham Filcock
Nathan William Goodfellow
Great Oak John Hammersley
Swallow Dale Joseph Hammond
Brough Ann Harden
Lower Minden Ann Harden
Bullgate Thomas Lockett
Kiln Hill Nathan Percival
Upton Fold Joseph Shaw
Swans Lake William Shaw
Higher Key Green Abraham Slack
Pye Ash Aaron Thornley
Morris Green Betty & Marie Warrington
Lower Style Thomas Winkle
Lower Key Green Thomas Whyman

Bosley 1860

Stationmaster Francis Alison
Gamekeeper John Bayley
Silk Throwster & Corn Miller John Beresford
(Lower Bosley Mills)
Corn Miller (Dane Mills) Francis Brindley
Corn Merchant Rober Brindley
Highfield House Misses H,R,& O Broster
Assistant Farmer Abraham Bullock
Drysalter John Clark
Blacksmith (Bosley Lower End) Samuel Earlom
Carpenter & Wheelwright Harry Goodwin
Baker Sarah Hambleton
Corn Miller (Old Mill) John Heapy
Schoolmaster John Henney
Mrs. Elizabeth Higginbotham
Gamekeeper (Swans Lake) John Hudson
Victualler (Queens Arms) Thomas Lawton
Nail maker Jesse Mitchell
Wheelwright John Riley
Beerhouse and Shoemaker Ralph Slack
Grocer & Corn Dealer (Church Joseph Stubbs House)
Schoolmaster Samuel Stubbs
Parsonage Rev. William Sutcliffe
Corn Merchant William Thomas
Corn Miller (Lower Bosley Francis Rathbone Thompstone
Works)
Blacksmith Thomas Travis
Victualler (Harrington Arms) Harriett Warrington

Farmers

Higher Minnend Henry Brindley
Highfield House John Broster
Lough House John Bullock
Samuel Bullock
Royles Farm Ann Burgess
Primrose Bank Thomas Casey
Morris Green James Chapman
Stoney Fold Richard Cheetham
Bullgate Enoch Clayton
Thomas Clowes
Mill House Joseph Davenport
Turn Horse Matthew Davenport
Sourbutts Abraham Fillcock
Hug Bridge Nathan & William Goodfellow
Great Oak John Hammersley
Swallow Dale Joseph Hammond
Lower Minnend Ann Hardern
Hollins Thomas Malkin
Kiln Hill Thomas Percival
Broad Oak Joseph Rigby
Upton Fold Joseph Shaw
Upper Key Green Abraham Slack
Youngs Joseph Slack
Brough William Tatton
Pye Ash Ellen Thornley
Morris Green Betty & Maria Warrington
Lower Key Green Thomas Whyman
Lower Style Thomas Winkle
Changes by 1892
Old School House Sergeant Major Frank Ager
Chaff Hall Charles Dale
Vicar Rev. George Edward O'Brien
Lower House Peter Arnold
Young Folly Farm Thomas Bower
Kiln Hill Mrs. Elizabeth Buxton
Mill House George Slack
Ryles Farm Samuel Slack

Bosley 1910

Sexton and Clerk William Cheetham
Postmistress Miss Julia Cheetham
Stationmaster Robert Beattie
Schoolmaster Richard Mather
Wheelwright John Arnold

Blacksmith & Wheelwright John Earlam
Corn Miller Arthur H. Heapy
Victualler (Queens Arms) Thomas Lawton
Asst Overseer & Parish Clerk Richard Mather
Farmer Walter Mayer
Victualler (Harrington Arms) William Tatton
Dairyman (Stone House) Arwyn Thompson
Millers F.R. Thompstone & Sons
Farmer James Trueman
Farmer Thomas Trueman
Lower House Sarah Ellen Arnold
Browns Head Charles Bowyer
Sourbutts Alfred Bullock
Turn Hurst Charles Bullock
Bullgate Frank Clayton
Lower Key Green Thomas Fallows
Ryles Joseph Fletcher
Broad Oak Edgar Goodfellow
Pye Ash Frank Goodfellow
Hug Bridge James Goodfellow
Morris Green Thomas Goodwin
Hollins Levi Malkin
Lower & Upper Minnend Leonard Mason
Swallow Dale Daniel Massey
Upton Fold Ernest Mayer
Stoney Fold John Mottershea

Dawsons Abraham Nadin
Stye Farm Joseph Ryder
Primrose Bank Edward Shaw
Higher Key Green Mary Ann Slack
Stilesmeadow Elizabeth Tatton
Mill House Joseph Wood
Highfield William Woolley

Bosley 1914