General Patton in Cheshire

I was interested recently to read the Birthday Quote on AOL and thought that other readers may be interested to know of another connection that General Patton had with another village in Cheshire, where I come from.

This is Over Peover, near Knutsford and during the latter year of the war General Patton was stationed at Peover Hall in preparation for the D Day Landings and also to help to throw the Germans off the scent of what was really being planned for the landings.

When I was young, many of the older people in the village could remember Patton walking his Labrador around the lanes of Peover and he apparently sometimes had a drink in the Whipping Stocks Inn, where even today a small vase of flowers is placed on the table that he used. His local though was the Bells of Peover in Lower Peover where he once had lunch with Eisenhower.

Peover Hall is in a very tranquil and almost isolated position in the middle of Peover Park and next to the hall stands Peover Church -- St. Lawrence's church. This has to be one of the loveliest spots in the country for a church -- down a long estate drive and dating back to the 12th Century.
Patton used to worship here and when he left he presented a flag -- the Stars and Stripes to the parish and this hangs in the church to this day.

My sister Carol was married in the church in 1992 and that June morning, I climbed to the top of the church tower to see the view of Peover Hall and Park.

My Mum and Dad who both loved Audlem, now lie in the churchyard at Over Peover, beneath an overhanging oak tree which was their wish.
Dad also co wrote a book which was published in 2000 'Over Peover -- A Cheshire Parish' and if you can get a copy, this has more photos and more about the story of General Patton and his time in Cheshire.

Nigel Mottershead

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