| 1828 : Northwich, and the villages of Great Budworth, Davenham, Leftwich, Weaverham and Neighbourhoods. |
| 'Northwich is a large and ancient market town, in the parish of Great Budworth, giving name to a hundred, in which it lies. It is situated on the conflux of the River Dane with the Weaver, and is one of the great thoroughfares between Liverpool and London, and between Manchester and Wales, via Chester. It is 174 miles from the metropolis, 20 from Manchester, 18 from Chester, 12 from Frodsham, and 6 from Middlewich. Its name applies to its local situation, being the northernmost of the wiches, or salt towns. The streets of Northwich are formed without respect to uniformity, and many of the houses are of great antiquity. Th parochial chapel, which is in the township of Witton, is a neat gothic structure, situated on rising ground, and consists of a nave, chancel, and side aisles, and a neat embattled tower, containing 6 bells. The living is in the gift of Lord de Tabley, and the present incumbent is the Rev. George Okell; here are also Independent and methodist chapels. At Hartford is also a protestant chapel, of which the Rev. T. Ainsworth is the minister. A well endowed grammer school, and a national school impart instruction to a great number of children. Courts leet and baron are held here by the lord of the manor, John P. Heywood esq., at which are chosen two constables, market lookers &c. The salt trade is conducted here to an immense extent, indeed the neighbourhood of Northwich may be considered the concentration of this peculiar branch of manufacture. It is estimated that upward of one hundred thousand tons, from the brine springs, are sent down the Weaver annually, for exportation. The salt from the rock mines (the principal ones being at Wincham), though not so much in demand as that from the springs, give, nevertheless, employment to a great number of hands, and are wonderful subterranean curiousities. To a stranger, who never visited similar excavations, the effect, when the caverns are lighted, upon the stupendous arches and crystalline arcades, is truly astonishing, and well worthy of delaying the curious traveller. The advantageous situation of the town, on the banks of the Weaver, and its contiguity to the Grand Trunk canal, which has opened a source of cheap communication with so many parts of England, have all combined to render Northwich pre-eminent in the salt trade. Its central situation also, and its being surrounded with gentlemen's seats, has rendered the town a place of considerable resort for the transaction of public and other business. The principal seats in this vicinage are, Vale Royal, the seat of Lord Delamere; Delamere Lodge, the seat of G. Wilbraham, esq.; the seats of J.F.Stanley, esq., Winnington; J.S.Barry, esq., Marbury Hall; Jos. Leigh, esq., Belmont; George Eaton, esq., of the pole; &c. &c. The general appearance of the country is rich and interesting, the views upon the Dane and Weaver, romantic, and the land is noted for its fertility. The market day is on Friday, and the fairs are the 10th.April, 2nd.August, and 6th.December; at the two last named fairs, considerable quantities of Manchester, Yorkshire, Birmingham and Sheffield goods find ready purchasers; these goods are exposed for sale in a place called York Buildings, which consists of more than a hundred shops, and covers more than an acre of ground. The township of Northwich of itself, in extent, is inconsiderable, and does not cover above six acres of land, nor contain above 1,500 inhabitants, but the suburbs embrace various other populous townships, principally in the parish of Great Budworth, which parish contained, in 1821, upwards of 14,000 inhabitants. WITTON-CUM-TWAMBROOK is a chapelry, and forms part of the township of Northwich. The number of inhabtiants, in 1821, was 2,405. Great Budworth parish is the most extensive, with the exception of Prestbury, in this county, being nearly 15 miles long, and 10 wide. It is partly in the hundred of Northwich, partly in Bucklow hundred, and extends also into the hundred of Eddisbury. The village of Budworth is about 2 miles from Northwich, pleasantly situated on a gentle acclivity, near two large sheets of water called Pic-mere, and Budworth mere. The church of All Saints stands in a delightful situation, and consists of a nave, chancel, side aisles, and two transepts, with a fine tower, containing eight bells. The present vicar is the Rev. G.H.Webber. The school, in the church yard, was founded in 1600, by the Rev. John Dean. This village is so intimately connected with Northwich, that what has been said regarding the of the trade &c. of that town, in a great degree applies to Budworth. In 1821, the village contained about 500 inhabitants. Davenham is a township, in a parish of the same name, situated on the river Dane, in the hundred of Northwich, from which town it is distant about two miles, and from Middlewich, N.E. about four. The greater part of the estates are the property of J.H. Harper, esq. The ancient hall of Ravenscroft, the name of one of the former possessors of the estates, is here. The church, part of which is of modern erection, is a neat building, with a spire; on the north side of the chancel is the Leftwich chapel, belonging to the hall of that name, and within which township, the whole building stands. It is dedicated to St. Wilfred, and certainly existed previous to the 12th. century; the present rector is the Rev. Henry Tomkinson. A free school is endowed here, with a rent-charge on Shipbrooke hill farm, of £20 per annum, for the master, and the parish has added to its income. The township of Davenham, contained in 1821, about 400 persons; and the whole parish, including ten other towsnhips, 3,470. Leftwich village is situated about one mile from Northwich, in the parish of Davenham. The family of Leftwich resided here for many generations prior to the seventeenth century; a farm house now occupies the site of the ancient hall, and the estates are chiefly the property of J.H. Harpur, esq. This township is strictly agricultural; it contained, in 1821, about 1,200 inhabitants. Weaverham is a parish and lordship, in the second division of Eddisbury hundred. The village is about four miles N.W of Northwich, where is the church, which is dedicated to St.Mary, and consists of a nave, chancel, aisles, and a handsome tower; it is a rectory, in the presentation of the Bishop of Chester; the present incumbent is the Rev. R.V. Law. Here is a charity for six poor decayed housekeepers, and their wives, of Weaverham, or to deserving old widows or deserving old maids, to be selected by the vicar. The interest of some other charitable bequests, afford comfort and relief to the poor, at Christmas and Easter. The population of the whole parish, in 1821, was 2,360, of which number, about 500 were resident in the lordship. Post Office, High St., Northwich, Mark Topham, Post-Master. - The mail arrives at half-past five in the morning, and is despatched at six in the evening, to Knutsford, where it meets the London Mail. |
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