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Middlewich

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Middlewich is one of the Wich towns in Cheshire, England.

Middlewich lies on the confluence of a number of natural and man made features: the Rivers Dane, Croco and Wheelock; the Shropshire Union and Trent and Mersey Canals; and the A533, A54 and A530 roads. It is an important location for salt manufacture, and has also been known for Cheshire cheese. The parish church for Middlewich is St Michael and All Angels, which dates back to the 12th century.

History

St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich, England (2005)

The town was founded by the Romans as Salinae on account of the salt deposits around it, as it was one of their major sites of salt production. A Roman Road, King Street (originally Kind Street, hence Kinderton, one of the Middlewich wards) runs between Middlewich and nearby Northwich. Salt manufacture has remained the principal industry for the past 2,000 years. Salt making is mentioned in the Domesday book, and by the 13th century there were approximately 100 "wich houses" packed around the towns two brine pits [ 1 ]. By 1908 there were nine industrial scale salt manufacturers in the town, with a number of open pan salt works close to the Canal, however salt manufacture in Middlewich is now concentrated in one manufacturer, British Salt, who sell under the name Saxa.

On the 13th of March 1642, during the English Civil War, the town was the scene for the First Battle of Middlewich, between the Parliamentarians, under Sir William Brereton, and the Royalist supporters of King Charles I of England, under Sir Thomas Aston. The Royalists had entered Middlewich, following a march from Chester. The Parliamentarians marched from Northwich, with others coming from the Parliamentary stronghold of Nantwich (following the Battle of Nantwich in January 1642). The Parliamentarians entered the town under fire and drove the Royalists into St Michael and All Angels. During the fierce hand-to-hand fighting that followed the Royalists retreated into the churchyard and then into the church itself. During this time much of the armorial glass was broken. Marks of the battle can still be seen on the church, particularly near to the main entrance where legend says the impression of a cannon round [1] (more likely to have been a musket round) can be seen. During the battle Sir Thomas Aston was trapped outside the church and his men would not open the door since they feared letting in the Parliametarians. Sir Thomas took flight on his horse, and despite his protestations he was disgraced. See (1) or (6) for a fuller description).

Increase in the Population of Middlewich over the last 200 years

The figure to the left shows how the population of Middlewich rose through the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of this rise is attributable to a number of parishes being combined, for example parts of Newton were added to Middlewich in 1894, with Sutton having previously been added to Newton is 1892. These parish names live on in road names in Middlewich, for example Newton Bank and Sutton Lane. An Ordnance Survey map from 1882 shows the town with St. Michael's church in the centre.

Middlewich in 1850

The following is adapted from [2]

The 1841 census records Middlewich as a market town, having 323 houses, and 1242 inhabitants (an average of 3.8 people per dwelling) although since Middlewich extended into Kinderton and Newton the actual population figure was upwards of 3,800. Middlewich parish in 1850 comprised Byley-cum-Yatehouse, Clive or Cliff (now part of Winsford, Croxton, Kinderton-cum-Hulme, Middlewich, Minshull Vernon (near Crewe), Moresbarrow-cum-Parme, Newton, Occleston, Ravenscroft, Sproston, Stublach, Sutton, Wimboldsley, and Weaver, (now Winsford). The total population of the parish was 4,755.

Middlewich in 1850 comprised 24 acres of land, with its principal works being the surrounding farming district, a silk factory, and the salt works in Kinderton and Newton. A list of public houses was recorded and the following seven are still present today (although not necessarily in the same buildings): Boars Head; Golden Lion; King’s Arms; Old Cheshire Cheese; Red Lion (now Cats Bar); White Bear and White Horse.

Middlewich in 1887

"Middlewich, town, par., and township, Cheshire, 5½ miles SE. of North wich and 166 NW. of London by rail - par., 13,110 ac., pop. 5205; township, 37 ac., pop. 1325; town, 238 ac., pop. 3379; P.O., T.O., 1 Bank, 1 newspaper. Middlewich was held by the Earl of Mercia under Edward the Confessor. The town has an antique appearance. The trade is chiefly in salt, obtained from brine springs in the neighbourhood; there are small silk and fustian factories, and considerable quantities of fruit and vegetables are raised in the vicinity for the Liverpool and Manchester markets." (7)

The post war years

The period between the First and Second World Wars and following the Second World war saw extensive housebuilding within the town, with significant new houses being built in the King Street area to the north, Cledford to the south and the Nantwich Road/St. Annes Road region to the West.

The 1970's commenced with the building of a bypass, St. Michael's Way, to Wheelock Street, the main shopping street. As part of building this bypas the Talbot public house on the town bridge was demolished, along with a row of shops opposite the Boar's Head. This bypass has been successful in moving traffic away from the main shopping street, but the confluence of three major roads remains a bottleneck, which will be eased by a proposed eastern bypass. Since the early 1980's Middlewich has seen a significant quantity of new housing development, which is still continuing. In common with many local towns, for example Holmes Chapel, Northwich and Winsford the attraction of good road links via the M6 and the good availability of suitable building land are contributing factors.

Middlewich town centre, unlike the centres of other local towns such as Northwich and Winsford, was not heavily remodelled as a shopping centre during the 1970s and consequently many of the original shops remain. This contrasts with, for example, Winsford, where the High Street was demolished and replaced by Winsford Shopping Centre. However Middlewich has not capitalised on the potentials of this quaintness, and since there are no large supermarkets in the town, it has failed in becoming a shopping destination for residents of other towns.

The town today

Middlewich Cemetery, Middlewich, England (2005)

Demographics

Data taken from the 2001 Census

Middlewich has a relatively young population, with 3% more children (0-15) than the national average [3], [4]. Households are larger than average, consistent with a younger population, with an average of 2.51 people per household, compared to the national average of 2.36. Approximately 1/4 of these households are single person households (compared to 30% nationally), and the vast majority (almost 85%) of housing stock is owner occupied.

Three quarters of the 9,500 people between the ages of 16 and 74 are classed as economically active, i.e. either in full or part time employment, or full time students. Unemployment runs at around 2.2%, compared to 3.4% nationally. Eighty seven percent of households own at least one care, and a primary use of these is to travel to and from work, with nearly 77% of people travelling to work by this means, with 10% working from home, and the remainder either walking, using the bus or train.

Sports and Entertainment

Middlewich has had a town football club since at least 1902 [5], with Middlewich Athletic playing at Seddon Street [6] since 1912 [7]. Middlewich Athletic were mid-Cheshire league champions five times between 1952 and 1975 [8]. In 1998 Middlewich Town was formed by combining Middlewich Athletic with the Middlewich Town Youth teams, so that the club now has junior squads ranging from under 8s to under 16s, a reserve team and a first XII [9]. Since the name change Middlewich have been runners up in the mid-Cheshire league three times, and won the league once [10]. Middlewich also has a cricket club on Croxton Lane [11].

Since 1990 there has been an annual folk and boat festival, which is now highly regarded on the folk circuit [12] with visitors coming into the town from all over the UK. During this festival artists appear at venues throughout the town, whilst Morris Dancing and Craft Stalls also featured. The boating festival centres on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The main venues where people and boats converge are the Big Lock and Kings Lock, public houses next to locks of the same name on the Trent and Mersey canal.

There have also been a number of ad-hoc events, including the Middlewich Roman Festival in 2001. This Roman Festival led to a lottery grant which was converted into a supposed replica of a Roman Amphitheatre at the old Bull Ring near to St Michaels and All Angels church. This has regularly been used for other purposes, such as an open-air music stage and an ice-rink. 2005 saw Middlewich staging a Norman Festival [13].

The Big Lock, Middlewich, England (2005)

It is not surprising that Middlewich should host the folk and boat festival, given the number of well connected canals which run through the town - originally to transport salt from the town. A branch of the Shropshire Union Canal flows to the town, where it meets with the Trent and Mersey Canal. The town is also home to a third canal known as the Wardle canal which joins the Trent and Mersey to the Shropshire Union, and is the shortest canal in the UK. Middlewich lies on a railway branch line between Sandbach and Northwich, however the local station, which opened in 1868 was closed to passenger traffic in 1959, and has now been demolished. Middlewich Station was host to a fight between Football supporters from Crewe and Nantwich in 1889 [14] in which the platform occupied by Crewe fans was stormed by the Nantwich fans. Many sustained injuries.. Road links from Middlewich are good, with junction 18 of the M6 motorway within easy reach, and direct roads to Crewe, Nantwich, Northwich, Winsford and Sandbach.

Apart from the Trent and Mersey and Shropshire Union canals, local attractions include the town church of St. Michaels and All Angels. Within the local area are the Jodrell Bank radio telescope and the Salt Museum in nearby Northwich.

There are a number of shops on the shopping street of Wheelock Street, and on Lewin Street going out towards Sandbach. There is a Somerfields supermarket behind Wheelock Street, and also a Lidl supermarket near to the Cemetery on Chester Road. The main focus of the services sector within Middlewich is food outlets (especially take-aways) and public houses, most of them being situated near to the town centre (Wheelock Street) or along the banks of the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Facilities

Miscellaneous

Places of Worship

Schools

Pubs and Bars

  • Big Lock Inn, Webbs Lane. CW10 9DN
  • Boars Head, Kinderton Street. CW10 0JE
  • Cats Bar, 85 Wheelock St. CW10 9AE
  • Cheshire Cheese, 101 Lewin St. CW10 9AX
  • Golden Lion, Chester Rd. CW10 9ET
  • Kinderton Arms, 338 Booth Lane. CW10 0HB
  • Kings Arms, 2 Queen St. CW10 9AR
  • Kings Lock, 1 Booth Lane. CW10 0JJ
  • Narrow Boat, 22 Lewin St. CW10 9AS
  • Newton Brewery Inn, 68 Webbs Lane. CW10 9DN
  • Salt Cellar, Holmes Chapel Road. CW10 0JB
  • Tempters Wine Bar, 11 Wheelock St. CW10 9AG
  • The Turnpike, Warmingham Lane. CW10 0DJ
  • Ansells Vaults, Wheelock St. CW10 9AG
  • Verdin Arms, Nantwich Rd, Wimboldsley. CW10 0LW
  • White Bear, 10-12 Wheelock St. CW10 9AG
  • White Horse, Lewin Street. CW10 9AS

Famous people connected to Middlewich

Politics

Further reading

  1. Memories of Middlewich, Mary Barry
  2. Roman Middlewich: A Story of Roman and Briton in Mid-Cheshire. T.J. Strickland, Graham Sumner, 2001
  3. Middlewich, 900-1900, A L Earl, 1990
  4. Middlewich, 1900-1950, A.L. Earl, 1994
  5. Middlewich (Images of England Series), B J Curzon, P Hurley
  6. Picturesque Cheshire, Chester & the Welsh Border, T.A. Coward, 1903
  7. Gazetteer of the British Isles, John Bartholomew. 1887

Estate Agents

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