cholmondeston appears in the domesday survey of 1086 as "chelmundestone", meaning "coelmund's farm". before the norman conquest, it was held by wulfeva, described as "a free woman", and afterwards by william malbank (or malbedeng), the first baron of wich malbank (nantwich). local historian frank latham suggests that it is possible that there was a substantial pre-conquest village, later deserted. the domesday survey recorded a population of 4. at this time, cholmondeston fell within the forest of mondrem, the southern half of delamere forest. the manor maintained an underforester and also paid "frithmote" tax, which might have entitled it to certain forest privileges or exempted it from the forest courts. the area of the modern civil parish fell within the ancient parish of acton in the nantwich hundred; it was served by st mary's church, acton until 1873.