Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Northwich (United Kingdom). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Anderton Boat Lift, Arley Hall, and Delamere Forest. Also, be sure to include Lion Salt Works in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Northwich (England).
Table of Contents
Anderton Boat Lift
Restored Victorian hydraulic engine. The Anderton Boat Lift is a two caisson lift lock near the village of Anderton, Cheshire, in North West England. It provides a 50-foot vertical link between two navigable waterways: the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. The structure is designated as a scheduled monument, and is included in the National Heritage List for England; it is also known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways.
Built in 1875, the boat lift was in use for over 100 years until it was closed in 1983 due to corrosion. Restoration started in 2001 and the boat lift was re-opened in 2002. The lift and associated visitor centre and exhibition are operated by the Canal & River Trust. It is one of only two working boat lifts in the United Kingdom; the other is the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland.[1]
Address: Anderton Boat Lift, CW9 6FW Anderton
Arley Hall
Building in England. Arley Hall is a country house in the village of Arley, Cheshire, England, about 4 miles south of Lymm and 5 miles north of Northwich. It is home to the owner, Viscount Ashbrook, and his family. The house is a Grade II* listed building, as is its adjacent chapel. Formal gardens to the southwest of the hall are also listed as Grade II* on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. In the grounds are more listed buildings, a cruck barn being listed as Grade I, and the other buildings as Grade II.
The hall was built for Rowland Egerton-Warburton between 1832 and 1845, to replace an earlier house on the site. Local architect George Latham designed the house in a style which has become known as Jacobethan, copying elements of Elizabethan architecture. A Gothic Revival chapel designed by Anthony Salvin was subsequently built next to the hall. By the mid-20th century, parts of the house were in poor condition and were demolished, to be replaced by five private homes in a matching architectural style.
The present gardens were created in the 1830s, and were developed during the 20th century. The garden's herbaceous border was one of the first of its type in Britain, and remains one of the finest. The house and its gardens have been open to the public since the 1960s, and have also been used as a film location. Stockley Farm, part of the Arley estate, is an additional visitor attraction for children and families.[2]
Address: Arley Hall & Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA, Northwich
Delamere Forest
Woodland in England. Delamere Forest is a large wood in the village of Delamere in Cheshire, England. The woodland, which is managed by Forestry England, covers an area of 972 hectares making it the largest area of woodland in the county. It contains a mixture of deciduous and evergreen trees.
Delamere, which means "forest of the lakes", is all that remains of the great Forests of Mara and Mondrem which covered over 60 square miles (160 km2) of this part of Cheshire. Established in the late 11th century, they were the hunting forests of the Norman Earls of Chester. Order was maintained under forest law. However this governance limited the agricultural potential of the area for centuries. It was not until ownership passed to The Crown in 1812 that the ancient ordinances were abolished. In 1924 the woodland came under the control of the Forestry Commission.
The area also includes Old Pale hill, the high point of the northern mass of the Mid Cheshire Ridge, and Blakemere Moss, a lake around 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) in length. Black Lake, a rare example of quaking bog or schwingmoor, has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and forms part of an international Ramsar site; Linmer Moss has also been designated an SSSI for its fenland habitat. The white-faced darter, a species of dragonfly rare in the UK, and marsh fern and white sedge, wetland plants that are rare in Cheshire, are found here.
Delamere Forest is a popular recreational area that is used by approximately 750,000 visitors each year, including walkers, cyclists, mountain bikers and horse riders. It is also an outdoor concert venue.[3]
Address: Lindmere Visitors Centre, CW8 2JD Halton
Lion Salt Works
Museum in Marston, England. The Lion Salt Works is the last remaining open pan salt works in Marston, near Northwich, Cheshire, England. It closed as a work in 1986 and is now preserved as a museum.[4]
Address: Ollershaw Ln, CW9 6ES Northwich
Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse
Museum in Northwich, England. The Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Northwich, Cheshire, records the social, cultural and industrial history of west Cheshire. It was formerly known as the Salt Museum, reflecting its early focus on the history of salt extraction, a local industry dating back to Roman times. The museum was renamed Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse in 2010 as its remit now extends to cover the broader history of the area and also the history of the building itself as a former workhouse.
The museum is in the old Northwich Union workhouse, dating from 1839 and situated on the A533 road. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[5]
Address: 162 London Rd, CW9 8AB Northwich
Christ Church
Church in Barnton, Cheshire, England. Christ Church is in the village of Barnton, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Great Budworth, the archdeaconry of Chester, and the diocese of Chester. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[6]
Address: 12 Church Rd, CW8 4JH Northwich
St Helen Witton Church
Building in Northwich, England. St Helen Witton Church, Northwich, is in the centre of the town of Northwich, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. The church is now known as "St Helen's, Witton" or "Northwich Parish Church". It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Middlewich. Alec Clifton-Taylor includes it in his list of 'best' English parish churches.[7]
Address: Church Rd, CW9 5PB Northwich
Anderton with Marbury
English civil parish. Anderton with Marbury is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It had a population of 582 according to the 2001 census, reducing slightly to 571 at the 2011 Census, and includes the villages of Anderton and Marbury. The eastern part of the parish lies in the Northwich Community Woodlands which includes Marbury Country Park, situated in the grounds of the old Marbury Hall, and Anderton Nature Park.
Anderton is known for the Victorian Anderton Boat Lift, which was the model for other European boat lifts. It is fully restored and raises boats 50 feet (15 m) from the River Weaver to the Trent and Mersey Canal.[8]
Harlequin Theatre
Theatre in Northwich, England. Harlequin Theatre is a theatre in Northwich, Cheshire, and hosts plays by The Harlequin Players Club. It is also home to Northwich Folk Club.
Harlequin Theatre produces six full-length plays every year and occasional studio nights and one-act play evenings. There is a monthly Club Night for new and existing members.
In addition, the theatre is hired out for concerts and other performance events.
Located halfway along Queen Street, the theatre has tiered seating for 96 patrons, parking, wheelchair access, an audio induction loop and bar.[9]
Address: Northwich, Queen Street
Grozone Community Garden
Park, Relax in park
Address: Old Danes Nursery, Northwich
Hartford Manor
Hartford Manor is a former country house in the village of Hartford, Cheshire, England. Its age is uncertain; it was said to have been re-fronted in about 1820 for John Marshall, but the core of the building is earlier. It has since been altered and extended. During the 20th century the building was used an office. It one time it was used by North West Gas; as of 2011 it is the office of Holidaybreak. The house is constructed in yellow ashlar stone, and it has a hipped slated roof. Its front is symmetrical with two storeys and five bays. The central bay is slightly bowed, and contains a portico with two Doric columns and a flat entablature. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is now used for office accommodation.[10]