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This article is about the town in England. For the suburb of Brisbane, see Runcorn, Queensland
Runcorn
PopulationExpression error: "61,252[1]" must be numeric
OS grid referenceSJ525815
• London167 miles (269 km) SE
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townRUNCORN
Postcode districtWA7
Dialling code01928
PoliceCheshire
FireCheshire
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Cheshire

Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population in 2004 was 61,252.[1] The town is located on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north across the Mersey is the town of Widnes. Upstream and eight miles (13 km) to the north-east is the town of Warrington, and downstream 16 miles (22.5 km) to the west is the city of Liverpool.

Runcorn railway station is on the West Coast Main Line and it provides frequent services to London (Euston), Liverpool and Birmingham. The A533 road passes through the town from the south and crosses Runcorn Gap over the Silver Jubilee Bridge. This is the lowest bridge crossing of the River Mersey. The Manchester Ship Canal runs between the town and the River Mersey, and the Bridgewater Canal passes through and ends in the town at its junction with the Manchester Ship Canal.

Runcorn was a small isolated village until the coming of the Industrial Revolution and in the late-18th and early-19th centuries it was a health resort.[2] Towards the end of the 18th century, a port began to develop on the banks of the River Mersey.[3] During the 19th century industries developed, in particular the manufacture of soap and alkali, quarrying, shipbuilding, engineering and tanning. In the early 20th century, the prime industries were those of chemicals and tanning.[4] The original village has grown to include the its former outlying villages. Except for the chemical industry, all of the old industries have disappeared, and there has been diversification of industry, in particular because of the close links to the motorway system, the development of warehousing and distribution centres.[5]

A new town was built to the east of the existing town in the 1960s and 1970s and beyond this, further to the east, areas of private housing have been established.[5] This has resulted in a doubling of the population of the town from around 30,000 to its present level. There has been little integration between these communities and at present there are two shopping centres,[6] two bus stations and two libraries.[7] The town has the usual community facilities of a town of its size and, in addition, it has a modern theatre and arts centre.[8]

History

The earliest written reference to the town is in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, where it is Rumcofan, literally “a wide cove or bay”. This derives from the Old English words rúm (“wide” or “broad”) and cofa (“cave” or “cove”). Historical spellings of Runcorn include Rumcoven, Ronchestorn, Runckhorne and Runcorne.[9]

Little is known about the early history of the settlement but isolated findings of objects from the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages have been made and there is evidence of a Roman presence in the area.[10] The earliest recorded event in its history is the building by Ethelfleda of a fortification at Runcorn to protect the northern frontier of her kingdom of Mercia against the Vikings in 915. The fort was built on Castle Rock overlooking the River Mersey at Runcorn Gap.[11]

Following the Norman conquest, William the Conqueror granted the earldom of Chester to Hugh d'Avranches who granted the barony of Halton to Nigel. It is likely that Nigel erected a motte and bailey castle on Halton Hill in the 1070s.[12] In 1115, Nigel's son, William Fitznigel, founded an Augustinian Priory at Runcorn. In 1134 the priory was moved to Norton, about 3.5 miles (5.5 km) away. By the 12th century a ferry was inoperation across Runcorn Gap.[13] In 1536 Norton Priory was dissolved, and the buildings and some of the land were sold to Sir Richard Brooke who converted the habitable part of the abbey into a house.[14] During the Civil War Halton Castle was held for the Royalists by John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers, the Steward of Halton. It fell twice to Parliamentarian Roundheads. Following this, it became a ruin.[15] In 1656, Runcorn was described as being "nothing but a fair parish church, a parsonage and a few scattered tenements".[16] Towards the end of the 18th century and in the early years of the 19th century the town was a health resort.[2]

Soap and alkali works on the Bridgewater canal during the 19th century

During the 18th century water transport had been improved in the area by the construction of river navigations and canals. These gave Runcorn waterway connections with the interior of England and with the sea along the River Mersey, forming the basis for the development of the Port of Runcorn.[17] Industries began to develop within and around the town, in particular quarrying for sandstone, shipbuilding, engineering, the manufacture of soap and chemicals and tanning. Runcorn was becoming an industrialised and highly polluted town. In 1868 the Runcorn Railway Bridge was opened across the Mersey, giving Runcorn direct rail links with Liverpool and the rest of the country.[18] In 1894 the Manchester Ship Canal was opened which allowed ocean-going ships to travel inland as far as Salford, some of them calling at the port of Runcorn.[19] In 1905 the Widnes–Runcorn Transporter Bridge opened, giving a direct link for vehicular traffic for the first time between the two towns.[20]

In the first half of the 20th century the industry of the town continued to be dominated by chemicals and tanning. As the century progressed there was diversification of industry.[21] In 1961 the Transporter Bridge was replaced by Runcorn Road Bridge (since named the Silver Jubilee Bridge) which allowed a more efficient means of road traffic across Runcorn Gap.[22] Major changes came with the designation of Runcorn as a new town in 1964. The tanneries closed down and the chemical industry declined while there has been development of light industry together with warehouses and distribution centres.[5]

Governance

Civic history

At the time of the Domesday survey Runcorn was in the hundred of Tunendune[23] but later, and until the early 19th century, Runcorn was part of the Bucklow hundred.[24] Under the Runcorn Improvement Act 1852, a board of Improvement Commissioners was established to administer the civil government of the town.[25] By the Local Government Act 1894, the administration of the town and the surrounding areas were divided into Runcorn Urban District and Runcorn Rural District. Initially the urban district consisted of only the built-up area of Runcorn itself. By 1937, this area had been extended to include the communities of Weston and Weston Point to the south and by 1971 it had been further extended to the east to incorporate the village of Halton.[26]

In 1964, Runcorn was designated as a new town. In 1974, as part of the Local Government Act 1972, Runcorn Urban District was abolished and its territory amalgamated with Widnes to form the borough of Halton. In 1998 this became a unitary authority within the ceremonial county of Cheshire.[27]

Political representation

Following the Reform Act 1832 Runcorn was placed in the Northern Division of the Cheshire parliamentary constituency and from 1868 in the Mid-Cheshire constituency. From 1885 to 1950 the town was in the constituency of Northwich.[28] By an act of Parliament in 1948, the constituency of Runcorn was created and in 1950 Runcorn's first Member of Parliament, Dennis Vosper, was elected.[29] He continued to represent the constituency until 1964, when he was succeeded by Mark Carlisle.[30] Since 1983 Runcorn has been part of the UK parliamentary constituency of Halton. From that time the Member of Parliament has always been a member of the Labour party. The first MP was Gordon Oakes and since the general election of 1997 the MP has been Derek Twigg.[31]

The local authority is the borough of Halton and the town is divided into ten electoral wards.[32] There is a total of 56 local councillors of whom 33 represent the Labour party, 15 the Liberal Democrat party and 8 the Conservative party.[33] Runcorn is in the European parliamentary constituency of North West England.[34]

Geography

Physical geography

Runcorn is situated on a spur projecting into the River Mersey which flows to the north of the town and then to its west. On the north bank of the river is another spur which forms the West Bank area of Widnes; together these form Runcorn Gap, a narrowing of the River Mersey. Runcorn Gap is crossed by Runcorn Railway Bridge, carrying the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line, and the Silver Jubilee Bridge, carrying the A533 road. To the south of the town is the River Weaver and the Weston Canal which open into the Ship Canal. To the south-east of the town run the M56 motorway, the Chester–Manchester railway line and the main branch of the West Coast Main Line. The town has a system of expressways, roads which divert through traffic from the residential areas of the town.[35] The Central Expressway runs through the centre of the town in a north–south direction. To the west of it lie most of the former settlements which formed the older part of the town, namely Runcorn, Higher Runcorn, Weston, Weston Point and Clifton (formerly Rocksavage), and the new town areas of Halton Brook and Halton Lodge. To the east are the village of Halton, the old settlements of Norton and Stockham, and the new town areas of Castlefields, Palacefields, Windmill Hill, Murdishaw, Brookvale and Hallwood Park.[36]

The density of housing is generally high but there are open green areas, in particular heathland on Runcorn Hill and an extensive Town Park which was created as part of the new town. The older industries, particularly the remaining chemical factories, are concentrated mainly to the south-west of the town bordering the Mersey, while newer industries, including warehousing, are to the north-east and south-east.[5]

Geology

Drainage of the Runcorn area is into the Mersey to the north and into the Weaver to the south. The bedrock of the western and north-eastern parts of the town is comprised of rock from the Sherwood sandstone group; in the other areas the bedrock is from the Mercia mudstone group. In places there are prominent outcrops of sandstone, particularly at Runcorn Hill and Halton Hill. Elsewhere the bedrock is covered by drift. At the north-west periphery of the town the drift consists of recent blown sand, further to the east and bordering the Mersey it is recent alluvium and elsewhere the drift consists of till.[37]

Climate

Being close to the west coast and the Irish Sea, the climate is generally temperate with few extremes of temperature or weather. The mean average temperature in the years 1971 to 2000 was 9.4 to 9.7°C, which is slightly above the average for the United Kingdom[38] as is the average amount of annual sunshine at 1391 to 1470 hours.[39] The average annual rainfall was 741 to 870 mm, which is slightly below the average for the UK.[40] The average number of days in the year when snow is lying on the ground is 0 to 6 which is low for the United Kingdom[41] and the average number of days of air frost is 2 to 39, which is also low.[42]

Demography

Since the borough of Halton became a unitary authority in 1998, which resulted in its having one level of local government, demographic statistics have been collated for the authority as a whole, rather than separately for the towns of Runcorn and Widnes. While the two towns have different histories and come from different historic counties, their demographic features are similar.

The population of Halton in 2004 was 118,915 and it is the most densely populated district in Cheshire at 14.9 persons per hectare.[43] The change in population during the 20th century is shown in the following table.

Year 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001
Population 57,755 57,062 61,039 65,309 71,835 79,026 87,168 96,150 121,861 124,915 118,215
Source: [44]

In 2003 Halton had the largest proportion of the population in Cheshire in the age groups under 5, 5 to 15 and 16 to pension age and, at 16.1% the lowest proportion of people at pension age or older. At 1.2% the proportion of non-white ethnic groups in 2001 equalled the lowest in all local authorities in Cheshire. At 11.5 per 1,000 population, the live birth rate in Halton and Warrington, is the highest in the county. At 121 the standardised mortality ratio and at 21.5% the percentage of persons with limiting long-term illness are considerably the highest in Cheshire.[45]

There has been an increase in the number of households from 47,214 in 1991 to 52,501 in 2006. The average household size has reduced from 2.70 in 1991 to 2.44 in 2001. 89.8% of houses had central heating in 2001 compared with 75.8% in 2001. The type of housing has also changed with an increase from 15.5% to 19.2% in detached houses from 1991 to 2001, an increase over the same years in semi-detached houses from 30.0% to 33.0% and a corresponding decrease in terraced houses from 44.0% to 37.5%.[46] The percentage of dwellings in council tax bands A-B is, at 69% the highest in any Cheshire local authority while the percentages in bands E-F (8%) and G-H (1%) are the lowest.[47]

Economy

Of the former industries of Runcorn, all but the chemical industry have disappeared. This was dominated by ICI but it has been taken over by Ineos. In Runcorn Ineos manufactures chemicals including chlorine, chlorine-containing compounds including vinyl chloride, heavy chemicals including alkalis, and flourine–containing compounds. A separate business within the same company manufactures salt from brine transported by pipeline from the saltfields of central Cheshire.[48] The former ICI offices and laboratories comprise The Heath Business and Technical Park which provides office, laboratory, conference and leisure facilities.[49] To the east of the town diverse industries have been developed including, because of the proximity to the motorway system, warehouses and distribution centres.[5] The town continues to act as a port on the Manchester Ship Canal. There are two adjacent ports, Runcorn Port, which is owned by the Manchester Ship Canal,[50] and The Port of Weston.[51]

There has been a shift in employment from manufacturing to service industries. In 1991 34% worked in the manufacturing sector and 61% were in the service sector. By 2004 17% were in manufacturing jobs and 78% were in service jobs.[46] This trend in the local region is demonstrated in this chart which shows the regional gross value added of Halton and Warrington at current basic prices with figures in millions of British pounds sterling.[52]

Year Regional Gross Value AddedTemplate:Fn AgricultureTemplate:Fn IndustryTemplate:Fn ServicesTemplate:Fn
1995 3,636 14 1,361 2,261
2000 4,768 10 1,433 3,324
2003 5,774 18 1,399 4,356

Template:Fnb includes hunting and forestry

Template:Fnb includes energy and construction

Template:Fnb includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured

Template:Fnb Components may not sum to totals due to rounding

Runcorn High Street

Runcorn has two shopping centres. The original shopping area was in the older part of the town and was based in High Street, Regent Street and Church Street.[53] This continues to exist, but with the coming of the new town, has declined. There is a small supermarket and some specialist shops but a higher than average proportion of charity shops and take-away food outlets. A small market has been rebuilt adjacent to the old town bus station.[54] In the centre of the new town area Halton Lea (formerly called Shopping City) is an enclosed shopping mall with an attached bus station.[55] Adjacent to it is Trident Park containing shopping outlets and a cinema[56] and further away is an ASDA supermarket.[57]

Landmarks and places of interest

Halton Castle

The major landmark in the town is Halton Castle on the top of Halton Hill near the geographical centre of the town. Only ruins of the castle exist but there are widespread views from the top of the hill. The interior of the castle grounds is open at advertised times.[58] Incorporated in the castle walls is the Castle Hotel which used to include a courthouse on the first floor. Another landmark is Norton water tower, built of Runcorn sandstone, 112 feet (34 metres) high, which holds 672,000 imperial gallons (3 million litres) of water and supplies water to Liverpool.[59]

An important historical site and the major visitor centre in the town is Norton Priory which is a museum. The site contains the remains of the ancient priory with adjacent gardens which used to be those of a country house. Nearby are a walled garden which includes the national collection of tree quinces and an ice house.[60][61]

Runcorn Town Hall, formerly Halton Grange

Much of the architecture of the town is undistinguished but there are listed buildings. The listed churches are All Saints Parish Church and Holy Trinity Church in the centre of the older part of the town, St Mary's in Halton village, St John's in Weston and Christ Church in Weston Point. The oldest existing houses are the Seneschal's house in Halton village (1598), Weston Old Hall (1607), Brookfield Farmhouse (1691) and Halton Old Hall (1693). Other outstanding houses include Runcorn Town Hall (formerly Halton Grange), Camden House and Cottage in High Street, and Bridgewater House near the Ship Canal.[62]

The war memorial to the men who served in both world wars is sited at the bottom of Moughland Lane.[63] There is a memorial in Castle Road, Halton village, commemorating residents of the village who served in the Boer War. There is public sculpture in the town. In High Street in the old town centre is Runcorn Spire, a metal structure which represents features of the history of the town. In Mersey Road, overlooking the Ship Canal, is a boat-shaped sculpture with the head of Ethelfreda as its figurehead. On the top of the market hall in the old town centre is Runcorn Dome which represents the shipping and chemical industries. On Runcorn Hill and on Wigg Island there are sculptures, mainly in wood.

Culture

Theatre and cinema

The Brindley is a theatre and arts centre which opened in 2004. It is situated in the old town Centre and named after James Brindley, engineer of the adjacent Bridgewater Canal. It contains a proscenium theatre seating 420 and a multi-purpose theatre seating 108, The Studio, which doubles as a cinema. There is an exhibition space for art installations, a small café and separate rooms for different purposes. The theatre is owned and administered by Halton Borough Council which runs community events in the building.[8] A multiplex cinema run by Cineworld is sited in Trident Park.[56]

Filmography

Runcorn has been used for the shooting of films and television programmes. Some of the sequences of the first two series of the BBC police drama Merseybeat were filmed in and around the town.[64] The BBC situation comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is set in Runcorn. External shots of the Waterloo Hotel in the area of High Street known as Top Locks (which is known in the show as The Archer) appear in that show and the opening credits show the Silver Jubilee Bridge and Halton Castle.[65] Drop Dead Gorgeous, a four-part comedy drama on BBC Three, was set in Runcorn.[66] The interior of the Undercroft at Norton Priory has been used to depict locations in films.[61]

The Runcorn Ferry

Before the building of Runcorn Railway Bridge and its attached footbridge, the only way to cross the Mersey at or near Runcorn Gap other than by the dangerous method of fording, was by the ferry. This has an ancient history which goes back at least until the 12th century.[67] The ferry was celebrated in the monologue entitled The Runcorn Ferry, written by Marriott Edgar and popularised by Stanley Holloway. It includes the lines:

Per tuppence per person per trip… Per trip or per part of per trip.[68]

Community facilities

The main library is at Halton Lea with a branch library in Egerton Street in the old town centre (which includes the archives of the Runcorn & District Historical Society).[7] Runcorn has two locations offering One Stop Shop facilities; Halton Lea Direct Link is in Halton Lea and Runcorn Direct Link is in Church Street in the old town area.[69] Runcorn Direct Link also includes a Tourist Information Centre.[70]

Runcorn Hill

Runcorn Hill Local Nature Reserve has been developed on the site of a quarry and consists of heathland. Adjacent to it is a park which includes a bandstand, a model boating lake and sports facilities.[71] Wigg Island is a nature reserve on previous industrial site. It is on an island between the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey and consists of open spaces and woodland with bird hides and pathways. Murdishaw Valley is an area of ancient woodland to the east of the town between the Murdishaw housing development and the M56.[72] Rock Park is on the site of a quarry in the old town area and includes sports facilities.[73] Town Park is in the centre of the new town development and has a link to the north with Norton Priory.[74] Open areas in Runcorn form part of Mersey Forest, one of Britain's community forests.[75]

Runcorn's hospital is Halton Hospital which is administered by the North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust. This hospital is undergoing change. Originally planned as a District General Hospital, it was never large enough to provide a full range of services. Acute medical services have been transferred to Warrington Hospital and it is planned to provide non-emergency surgery and rehabilitation at Halton Hospital.[76] There is a hospice, Halton Haven Hospice, in the Murdishaw area of the town.[77] Primary care services are provided by the Halton and St Helens Primary Care Trust. This is in a state of change following the recent merger of the Halton and the St Helens Primary Care Trusts. In Runcorn general practitioner services are provided in five health centres and in one separate medical practice in Heath Road. There are dental practices providing National Health Service and private dental care.[78]

Transport

Runcorn railway bridge is on the left and Silver Jubilee (road) bridge on the right

There are two railway stations. Runcorn (mainline) station is on the Liverpool branch of the West Coast Main Line. From this station Virgin Trains run 15 trains daily on weekdays between Liverpool and London and Central Trains run services between Liverpool and Birmingham. Runcorn East station is on the Chester to Manchester line. Arriva Trains Wales and Northern Rail run an hourly service to Chester, Warrington and Manchester.[79]

In addition to normal roads, busways are available to be used by buses and no other form of transport other than emergency vehicles.[35] There are two bus stations, one in the old town centre and the other at Halton Lea. Two companies provide local public transport services, Halton Transport[80] and Arriva.[81] Express coach services calling at Runcorn are provided between Hoylake via Liverpool and London and between Southport and Cambridge by National Express.[82] Coach services are provided by Selwyns[83] and Anthony's Travel[84] who have depots in the town.

Runcorn has a system of expressways diverting through traffic from the local roads.[35] This system links to the north by the A533 over the Silver Jubilee Bridge to Widnes and south Lancashire, to the north-east to Warrington by the A56, to the east to Northwich and north Cheshire by the A533, and to the south-east by the A557 to the M56 and to Frodsham. The M56 links to the M6 and, to the north of Widnes, the A557 links to the M62.[85] The Silver Jubilee Bridge becomes very congested at peak travel times and in the event of a breakdown or accident on the bridge traffic in the area comes to a standstill. To resolve this a second crossing of the Mersey is planned, to be known as the Mersey Gateway.[86] There is a network of dedicated cycleways in the town.[87] Runcorn is 8 miles (13 km) from Liverpool John Lennon Airport and 22 miles (35.5 km) from Manchester Airport.

Education

There are twenty-nine primary schools in the town and one nursery school at The Grange. The four secondary schools are Halton High, St. Chad's Catholic High, The Grange and The Heath. The former colleges, Halton College and Runcorn Sixth Form College, merged in 2006 to form the Riverside College Halton. There is one special school in the town, Cavendish School. There are opportunities for adult education at the Acorn Lifelong Learning Centre and at the Grange City Learning Centre which shares its attached school's information technology training with adults. Other courses for adults are held at different venues in the town.[88]

The achievement and attainment tables for 2006 show that the primary schools in the Halton Local Authority perform in English, mathematics and science in Key Stage 2 at levels close to the England average.[89] The achievements and attainments of the secondary schools in the local authority are below national levels. Using the measure of 5 or more grades A*–C in the GCSE (or equivalent), including English and mathematics, the England average is 45.8% while the Halton average is 33.3%. The figures for the individual secondary schools in Runcorn are Halton High 22%, St. Chad's Catholic High 39%, The Grange 24% and The Heath 42%.[90]

Religion

All Saints Parish Church

The 2001 census showed that of the people living in the borough of Halton, 83.8 per cent declared themselves to be Christian, 8.7 per cent stated that they had "no religion" and for 7.0 per cent their religion was not stated. Those confessing to other religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jewish, Islam, Sikh and "other religions") amounted to 0.5 per cent.[91]

The Anglican churches are part of the Diocese of Chester and the deanery of Frodsham.[92][93] In Runcorn the parish church is that of All Saints in the old town centre and there are 10 more Anglican churches in the town.[93] There are five Roman Catholic churches in Runcorn which are administered by the Diocese of Shrewsbury.[94] There are three Methodist chapels and one Welsh Presbyterian chapel. Wicksten Drive Christian Centre is shared between the Church of England and the Methodists. There is an Independent Baptist chapel, three independent Christian churches and a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Jehovah's Witnesses have two Kingdom Halls and there is a Spiritualist church.[93] There are no places of worship in Runcorn for the other major world religions.

Sports

Runcorn's main football club is Runcorn Linnets FC. This club has had a complicated history. Formerly Runcorn F. C. played in their ground at Canal Street, Runcorn. When this land was sold for housing in 2000 the team played at grounds outside the town and it was renamed Runcorn F.C. Halton. In 2006 there was a change of management and team's name was changed again. The club is in the North West Counties League Division 2 and their "home" ground is shared with Witton Albion F.C. at Wincham Park Stadium in Northwich.[95] At the end of the 2006–07 season the club gained promotion to Division 1 of the League[96] and it is hoped that they will be able to play their home games in Runcorn from next season.[97] There are a number of smaller football clubs in the town for adults and children.

Runcorn Cricket Club and Runcorn Hockey Club are based at Runcorn Sports Club in Moughland Lane. Runcorn Rugby Union FC is based at Halton Sports Club in Murdishaw. There is an 18 hole golf course at Runcorn Golf Club in Clifton Road[98] and a golf driving range at Sutton Fields.[99] Runcorn Sports Club is a privately run sports club in Moughland Lane and provides facilities and coaching for cricket and hockey. Halton Sports Club is in Murdishaw Avenue. There is a privately run swimming pool in Beechwood local centre and another at Stockham Lodge Raquet and Health Club. Adjacent to the latter is are two artificial ski slopes administered by Runcorn Ski Centre.[100] Runcorn Rowing Club rows on the River Weaver Navigation near Clifton Village.[101] Sports centres run by the local authority include Brookvale Recreation Centre which has indoor sporting facilities, Phoenix Park which has outdoor sporting facilities and Runcorn Swimming Pool.[102] Facilities for other sports are available.[102]

Notable people

The people from Runcorn who are deemed worthy of an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography include Sir John Chesshyre (1662–1738) a prominent lawyer of the time,[103] Nathan Alcock (1707–79) a noted physician[104] and his brother Rev. Thomas Alcock (1709–98) Vicar of Runcorn, writer and cider maker.[105] Thomas Hazlehurst (1779–1842) founded one of the two major soap and alkali manufacturing businesses in the town, Hazlehurst & Sons. His son Thomas Hazlehurst (1816–76) was involved with the business and was a Methodist who paid for the building of around 12 chapels and three schools in the area.[106]

Edward John Smith, (1850–1912) was captain of the Titanic, who had purchased a home in which to retire after the maiden voyage in Higher Runcorn but the ship struck an iceberg on the way to New York and subsequently sank. Thomas Henry Hall Caine (1853–76), a novelist and playwright, was born in Runcorn.[107] Thomas Alfred Jones (1880–56) was awarded the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Conduct Medal during World War I.[108] In more recent times the singer and actress Kym Marsh (1976– ) and the actor Jack Ryder (1981– ) often spend their weekends in Runcorn with Marsh's family.[109] The boxer Robin Reid (1971– ) attended secondary school in Runcorn which he identifies as his home town[110] and the singer Nicola Roberts (1985– ) from the British girl band, 'Girls Aloud' comes from the town.[111]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b Halton Borough Council:Halton Population. Accessed 3 April 2007
  2. ^ a b Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp133–137
  3. ^ Starkey, Schooner Port, p13
  4. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp215–216
  5. ^ a b c d e English Partnerships, accessed 28 June 2007
  6. ^ Halton Borough Council:Town centres, accessed 28 July 2007
  7. ^ a b Halton Borough Council: Libraries, accessed 22 March 2007
  8. ^ a b The Brindley, accessed 28 July 2007
  9. ^ Nickson, p5, Starkey, Old Runcorn, p4
  10. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp1–4
  11. ^ Nickson, pp6–13: "The foundations of the fort were discovered during the building of the railway bridge but were covered by an abutment of the bridge."
  12. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp7–8
  13. ^ Nickson, pp136–137
  14. ^ Greene, p151, Nickson, p39
  15. ^ McNeil, Robina (ed.), Halton Castle: A Visual Treasure, North West Archaeological Trust, 1987, p7
  16. ^ King, Daniel, The Vale Royal of England, 1656.
  17. ^ Starkey, Schooner Port, pp19–24, Old Runcorn, pp125–130
  18. ^ Nickson, p206
  19. ^ Starkey, Schooner Port, p. 184
  20. ^ Thompson, Bridging the Years, p17
  21. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp215–219
  22. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, pp221–222
  23. ^ Phillips, p27
  24. ^ Phillips, p9
  25. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, p193
  26. ^ Phillips, p11
  27. ^ Halton Borough Council: The Borough of Halton, accessed 23 April 2007
  28. ^ Phillips, pp102–103
  29. ^ Starkey, Old Runcorn, p221
  30. ^ Obituary, accessed 28 June 2007
  31. ^ Halton Borough Council: MPs, accessed 26 March 2007
  32. ^ Halton Borough Council: Local Democracy, accessed 26 March 2007
  33. ^ Halton Borough Council:Your Councillors, accessed 4 July 2004
  34. ^ UK MEPs, accessed 4 July 2007
  35. ^ a b c Halton Borough Council:Runcorn New Town, accessed 28 June 2007
  36. ^ Ordnance Survey, Explorer 275 map
  37. ^ Phillips, pp4–5
  38. ^ Met Office: Average annual mean temperature, accessed 22 May 2007
  39. ^ Met. Office:Average annual sunshine, accessed 22 May 2007
  40. ^ Met Office: Average annual rainfall, accessed 22 May 2007
  41. ^ Met Office: Days of snow lying, accessed 22 May 2007
  42. ^ Met Office: Days of air frost, accessed 22 May 2007
  43. ^ Halton Borough Council:Halton Population, accessed 4 April 2007
  44. ^ Vision of Britain, accessed 4 April 2007
  45. ^ National Statistics:Region in Figures, North West Winter 2004/05, pp24, 26, accessed 4 April 2007
  46. ^ a b Halton Borough Council: Halton Unitary in Figures, accessed 4 April 2007
  47. ^ National Statistics:Region in Figures, North West Winter 2004/05, p106, accessed 4 April 2007
  48. ^ Ineos, accessed 29 March 2007
  49. ^ The Heath Business and Technical Park, accessed 29 March 2007
  50. ^ Port of Runcorn, accessed 14 May 2007
  51. ^ The Port of Weston, accessed 14 May 2007
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References

  • Greene, Patrick. Norton Priory: The archaeology of a medieval religious house, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1989 ISBN 0-521-33054-8
  • Nickson, Charles History of Runcorn, Mackie & Co., London and Warrington, 1887.
  • Phillips, A.D.M. and Phillips, C.B. A New Historical Atlas of Cheshire, Cheshire County Council, Chester, 2002. ISBN 0-904532-46-1
  • Starkey, H.F. Schooner Port: Two Centuries of Upper Mersey Sail, G. W. & A. Hesketh, Ormskirk, 1983. ISBN 0-905777-34-4
  • Starkey, H.F. Old Runcorn, Halton Borough Council, 1990.
  • Thompson, Dave. Bridging the Years: The Story of Runcorn-Widnes Transporter Bridge, Dave Thompson, 2000.

Further reading

  • Starkey, H. F. Runcorn in Times Past, Countryside Publications, Chorley, 1980. ISBN 0-86157-032-4
  • Starkey, H. F. The Old Photographs Series: Runcorn, Alan Sutton, Bath, 1994. ISBN 0-7524-0025-8
  • Starkey, H. F. The Old Photographs Series: Runcorn — The Second Selection, Tempus, Stroud, 1999. ISBN 0-7524-1826-2
  • Starkey, H. F. Images of England — Runcorn: A Century of Change, Tempus, Stroud, 2005. ISBN 0-7524-3617-1
  • Howard, Liz. The Way We Were - Runcorn Remembered: A Social History, Aurora, 1993. ISBN 1-85926-031-4
  • Howard, Liz. Runcorn in Old Picture Postcards, European Library, Zaltbommel, 1995. ISBN 90-288-6124-6
  • Whimperley, Arthur. Halton Castle: An Introduction & Visitors' Handbook, 1981.
  • Whimperley, Arthur. The Barons of Halton, MailBook Publishing, Widnes, 1986.
  • Halton Borough Council, The Bridging of Runcorn Gap, 1978
  • Cowan, C. A. Runcorn Town Hall: A History and Description, Halton Borough Council, 1990.
  • Cowan, C. A. Crossing the Runcorn Gap, Vol. 1: Runcorn Ferry and Hale Ford, Halton Borough Council, 1990.
  • Cowan, C. A. Crossing the Runcorn Gap, Vol. 2: Early Bridging Proposals, Halton Borough Council, 1992.
  • Cowan, C. A. Crossing the Runcorn Gap, Vol. 3: Runcorn Railway Bridge, Halton Borough Council, 1990.
  • Thompson, Dave. Bridging the Mersey: A Pictorial History, European Library, Zaltbommel, 2000.
  • Thompson, Dave. Over the Hill: An Historical Look at Runcorn Hill and its Locality, Dave Thompson, 2000.
  • Thompson, Dave. Bridging Us Together: The Story of Runcorn–Widnes Bridge, Dave Thompson, 2001.
  • Thompson, Dave. Britain in Old Photographs: The Changing Face of Runcorn, Sutton, Stroud, 2004. ISBN 0-7509-3507-3
  • Nowell, Diane. The Time of Your Life: 100 Years Recalled, Mike Price, 1998. ISBN 0-9533216-0-6
  • Nicolle, Dorothy. Widnes and Runcorn: Photographic Memories, Frith Book Company, Salisbury, 2004. ISBN 1-85937-854-4
  • Helsby, Betty. Memory Lane, n.d.
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