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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.

Geography

Middlewich lies in the Cheshire plain, a boulder clay plain separating the hills of North Wales and the Peak District of Derbyshire, formed following the retreat of ice age glaciers. Middlewich lies on Upper Triassic Mercia mudstone laid down with large salt deposits. Middlewich is bounded by two rivers, the Dane and Wheelock, and bisected by the River Croco. To the east of the Croco the ground rises steeply, with the old parish of Kinderton being on high ground overlooking the town centre and parish church. Similarly to the west the ground rises away, however because of the greater number of buildings on this side of the river the views are not so commanding. The high ground in Kinderton is also the start of the ancient Roman road of King Street, and the Roman fort at Harbutt's field which has a dominating view of the River and the area of traditional salt workings.

Middlewich lies approximately 2 1/2 miles from junction 18 of the M6 motorway, and is on the main traffic routes between the motorway and Winsford, and for southbound motorway traffic heading for Crewe. Middlewich also sits on a spur of the Shropshire Union Canal, the main route of which joins Wolverhampton with the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port, and the Trent and Mersey Canal which joins the River Mersey, near Runcorn to the River Trent in Derbyshire.

Demographics

Data taken from the 2001 Census

Middlewich has a relatively young population; the proportion of children (0-15) is 3% higher than the national average. 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 a quarter of these households are single person households (compared to 30% nationally), and the vast majority (almost 85%) of the 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 car, 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 using public transport, walking, or cycling.

History

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. Salinae is taken to be the Roman name for "the salt workings" and it also appears to be the name given to Droitwich. During this time the Romans built a fort at Harbutts Field (SJ70216696), to the north of the town, and recent excavations to the south of the fort have found evidence of further Roman activity including a well and part of a preserved Roman road. A further excavation in 2004 in Buckley's Field has found further evidence of Roman occupation. A Roman Road, King Street runs between Middlewich and nearby Northwich. It has been postulated that this was the initial route of the Roman conquest of the North West of England, but evidence from pottery (in particular a scarcity of early Flavian samian ware suggests that this is unlikely.

Salt production in Middlewich

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 . 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, and also through third parties e.g. supermarket own brands. Salt produced by British Salt in Middlewich has 57% of the UK market for salt used in cooking.

Townships in Middlewich parish

The church originally served a number of townships other than Middlewich:

• Byley

Incorporated Croxton and Ravenscroft (see below) in 1892. In 1936 Byley was again extended to include part of Leese. The population in 1801 was 130, in 1851 was 110, in 1901 was 199 and in 1951 was 217.

• Clive

Was incorporated into Winsford civil parish in 1936. The population of Clive in 1801 was 102, in 1851 was 155 and in 1901 was 147.

• Croxton

Was added to Byley in 1892. The population in 1801 was 45, and in 1851 this had risen to 49.

• Kinderton cum Hulme

Most of the population of Kinderton cum Hulme was transferred to Middlewich in 1894, with the remainder being merged with Newton to create Kinderton civil parish. Hulme was transferred to Sproston in 1936, along with Higher Daleacre to Bradwall and the remainder to Middlewich. The population in 1801 was 404, in 1851 was 450 and in 1901 was 286.

• Minshull Vernon

Includes the hamlets of Bradfield Green, Eardswich, Hoolgrave, Minshull Hill, Walley's Green and Weaver Bank. Minshull Vernon's population in 1801 was 357, in 1851 was 375, in 1901 was 302 and in 1951 was 267.

• Mooresbarrow

Became part of Sproston civil parish in 1892. Its population in 1801 was 27 and in 1851 was 25.

• Newton

Was a township in Middlewich parish which was extended in 1892 to include Sutton (see below). In 1894 the majority of Newton was added to Middlewich civil parish, with the remainder being transferred to Kinderton. New included the hamlets of Newton Bank and Newton Heath, and most of the old town of Middlewich. Its population in 1801 was 943 and in 1851 was 1500.

• Occlestone

Was added to Wimboldsley civil parish in 1892. Its population in 1801 was 85 and in 1851 was 117.

• Ravenscroft

Was added to Byley in 1892. Its population in 1801 was 13, and in 1851 was 10.

• Sproston

Incorporated Moorsebarrow 1892, and in 1936 was extended again to included Hulme (from Kinderton cum Hulme). The population in 1801 was 150, in 1851 was 67, in 1901 was 167 and in 1951 was 216. Sproston in namechecked in the song Sproston Green on the album Some Friendly by British band The Charlatans (the band have recorded a number of albums at the Big Mushroom studios in Middlewich..

• Stublach

Was added to Lach Dennis in 1891. Its population in 1801 was 68 and in 1851 was 67.

• Sutton

Was added to Newton in 1892 (see above). Its population in 1801 was 30, and in 1851 was 23.

• Weaver

Became part of Darnhall civil parish in 1892. Its population in 1801 was 129 and in 1851 was 140.

• Wimboldsley

Was extended in 1892 to include Occlestone. The population of Wimboldsley was 106 in 1801, 86 in 1851, 183 in 1901, and in 1951 it was 189. Wimboldsley is the principal entry for Middlewich in the BBC's 1986 Domesday project (grid reference SJ6863).

Population changes

The figure to the right 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

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."

From the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition

"Middlewich, an urband district in the Northwich parlimentary division of Cheshire, England, 166m N.W. of London, on the London & North Western railway. Pop. (1901) 4669. It lies in open country near the river Dane, having water communications by the Trent and Mersey canal, and a branch giving access to the Shropshire Union canal. The church of St Michael and All Angels is of various periods and contains numerous monuments. In the streets not a few old buildings remain, making for picturesqueness, and a number of the fine timbered houses in which Cheshire abounds are seen in the immediate neighbourhood. Middlewich shares in the salt industry common to several towns, such as Northwich and Winsford, in this part of the country; there are also chemical works and a manufacture of condensed milk."

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 new road, St. Michael's Way, which allowed traffic moving from east to west through the town to bypass the main shopping area of Wheelock Street. during the building of this bypass the Talbot public house on the town bridge was demolished, along with shops opposite the Boar's Head, and adjacent to St Michael and All Angels. This bypass successfully eased the flow of 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, initially in the Sutton Lane and Hayhurst Avenue areas. New developments have recently been built on the sites of old salt workings to the south of the Roman Fort at Harbutt's Field, and near to the Norman Baron's moated manor house at Kinderton Manor.

In common with many local towns, for example Holmes Chapel, Northwich and Winsford people are attracted to the area because of good road links via the M6 and the relatively low price and availability of suitable building land.

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

Sports and entertainment

Middlewich has had a town football club since at least 1902, with the current club Middlewich Town being formed in 1998. Middlewich also has a cricket club on Croxton Lane. Since 1990 there has been an annual folk and boat festival, which is now highly regarded on the folk circuit.

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 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, whilst an Industrial Festival is planned for 2007.

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 in which the platform occupied by Crewe fans was stormed by the Nantwich fans and 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.

Churches in Middlewich

Church of England

Parts of the parish church, St. Michael and All Angels, date back to the Normans, although the majority was built during the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The church was the site of fierce fighting in the first and second Battles of Middlewich during the English Civil War.

Methodist Church

Middlewich Methodist Church was built in 2000 in Booth Lane, replacing the earlier chapel in Lewin Street.

Middlewich United Reformed Church

Middlewich United Reformed Church (Image) was founded in 1797, with the current church in Queen Street being built in 1870.

Catholic Church

Catholic masses were held in a cottage near to the cemetery from 1848 until the building of the first Catholic church in the town in Wych House Lane in 1864. This church was enlarged to include the first Catholic school in the town in 1869. The church was later replaced by the modern St Mary's Catholic Church on New King Street (Image) in 1890, with the stone cross from the church on Wych House Lane being kept within the porch of the new church.

Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) Church

Middlewich Community Church is a relatively new church located in the former social club for the Brunner Mond works in Brooks Lane.

Famous people connected to Middlewich

• Sir William Brereton - English Civil War general
• France-Hayhurst family - Landowners
• John Hulse - Divine
• Frank Austin Lidbury - Electrochemist
• Theophilus Lindsey - Theologian
• John Wright Oakes - Landscape painter

See also

• Middlewich folk and boat festival
• Middlewich High School
• History of salt in Middlewich
• First Battle of Middlewich
• Second Battle of Middlewich

References

1. "Census Area Profile" (PDF). 2001 Census. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
2. "National Statistics Online". 2001 Census. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
3. "SALINAE (CORNOVIORVM)". www.roman-britain.org. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
4. "SALINAE (CORNOVIORVM)". www.roman-britain.org. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
5. "Fieldwork 1999". Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
6. "Fieldwork 2000". Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
7. "Fieldwork 2001". Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
8. "Roman dig - update" (PDF). Cheshire Matters. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
9. "David Bird: The Events of A.D. 43: Further Reflections". BRITANNIA 33 2002, A JOURNAL OF ROMANO-BRITISH AND KINDRED STUDIES. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
10. "Factors affecting rivalry in the relevant market prior to the merger" (PDF). A report on the acquisisition by British Salt Limited of New Cheshire Salt Works Limited. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
11. "Byley". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
12. "Clive". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
13. "Croxton". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
14. "Kinderton". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
15. "Minshull Vernon". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
16. "Mooresbarrow". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
17. "Newton". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
18. "Occlestone". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
19. "Occlestone". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
20. "Sproston". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
21. "The Charlatans - Blackened Blue Eyes". Renegade. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
22. "Stublach". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
23. "Sutton". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
24. "Weaver". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
25. "Wimboldsley". THE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY OF CHESHIRE. Retrieved 2006-05-21.
26. "Old Maps". Retrieved 2006-05-22.
27. "Middlewich 1850". Northwich, Cheshire, UK. Local Genealogy and Local History. Retrieved 2006-05-21. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |work= at position 51 (help)
28. Bartholomew, John (1887). Gazetteer of the British Isles.
29. "Middlewich Eastern Bypass (Southern Section)" (PDF). Envioronmental Statement, Non-Technical Summary. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
30. "Middlewich Folk and Boat Festical 2006". The Mudcat Cafe. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
31. "Norman Middlewich". Retrieved 2006-05-22.
32. "Memories would be captured on CD for posterity". This Is Cheshire Work. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
33. "Historical examples of violent incidents in Britain to 1960". Football Violence in Europe. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
34. "About the Church". Middlewich Parish Church. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
35. "Last services at old building". this is Cheshire. Retrieved 2006-05-22.
36. ^ Earl, A.L. (1990). Middlewich, 900 - 1900.

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

External links

Historical links

• Middlewich town council site on Roman Middlewich
• Salinae
• Salt making towns in Cheshire

Other links

• Congleton Borough Council's Middlewich page
• Middlewich Folk and Boat Festival
• CW10 Residents Community Action Group
• Middlewich Community Church
• BBC H2G2 site on Cheshire

• Towns in Cheshire