Portal:Cheshire

Halton Castle is a ruined castle situated on the top of Halton Hill, a sandstone prominence overlooking the former village of Halton, now part of the town of Runcorn. It is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled ancient monument.

The seat of the Barons of Halton from the 11th century until the 14th century, the castle passed to the Duchy of Lancaster when the 15th baron ascended the throne as King Henry IV. King Edward II visited in 1323. It was used as a prison, administrative centre and court of law during the Tudor period, but had already fallen into disrepair by the early 17th century. The castle was besieged twice during the Civil War, after which its structure deteriorated further. In the 18th century a new courthouse was built on the site of the previous gatehouse. The castle now lies in ruins apart from the courthouse which has been converted into a public house.

Delamere Forest is the remnant of the medieval Forests of Mara and Mondrem, which stretched from the Mersey almost to Nantwich in the 11th century. At around 2,400 acres, it is now the largest area of woodland in Cheshire.

Credit: David Crocker (24 October 2004)

1 August 1984: Lindow Man bog body discovered.

2 August 1957: Lovell Telescope took its first image.

3 August 1952: Pianist Martin Roscoe born in Halton.

4 August 1643: Attack on Nantwich by Royalists led by Lord Capell during the Civil War.

4–6 August 1896: Princess Louise visited Crewe Hall and opened bazaar in aid of Crewe Memorial Hospital.

6 August 2012: Astronomer Sir Bernard Lovell died in Swettenham.

8 August 1953: First (private) motor race at Oulton Park.

9 August 1886: Grosvenor Museum officially opened by the First Duke of Westminster.

10 August 1933: Acton swing bridge over the Weaver opened.

11 August 1642: Confrontation between Sir William Brereton and Royalist forces near Ravensmoor during the Civil War.

13 August 1277: Foundation stones of Vale Royal Abbey laid by Edward I (pictured) and Eleanor of Castile.

15 August 1538: Dissolution of Chester's three friaries.

23–26 August 1617: James I visited Chester, Nantwich and Utkinton Hall, and hunted in Delamere Forest.

24 August 1538: Warrant issued for the dissolution of Vale Royal Abbey.

27 August 1781: First recorded game of cricket in the county.

29 August 1940: An air raid destroyed around fifty houses in Crewe.

The output of Chester-based architect John Douglas (1830–1911) included a diverse collection of residential buildings. The majority of his works were in Cheshire and North Wales. His architectural styles were eclectic, but as he worked during the Gothic Revival period much of his output incorporates elements of the English Gothic style. He is probably best remembered for his incorporation of vernacular elements in his buildings, especially half-timbering, but also tile-hanging, pargeting, and decorative brickwork in diapering and tall chimney stacks.

Douglas' new houses embraced a range of sizes and types, and included substantial country houses, such as Oakmere Hall, as well as terraces of houses built for speculation, such as 6–11 Grosvenor Park Road (pictured) and 1–11 and 13 Bath Street in Chester. He also designed many humbler projects, including farmhouses, cottages and workers' houses. Work carried out on grand houses included additions to Vale Royal Abbey. Other commissions included park entrance gates and a set of kennels.

Top: Map of modern Cheshire showing urban areas (grey) and the major road network. Chester (red) is the county town, and Warrington has the greatest population. Towns with more than 10,000 inhabitants in 2011 are highlighted; the size of dot gives a rough indication of the relative population. Wales and the adjacent English counties are shown in capitals.

Bottom: Relief map showing the major hills. The Mid Cheshire Ridge is a discontinuous ridge of low hills running north–south from Beacon Hill (north of Helsby Hill) to Bickerton Hill. Most other high ground falls within the Peak District in the east of the county. Shining Tor (559 metres), on the boundary with Derbyshire, forms the county's high point.

The ceremonial county of Cheshire is administered by four unitary authorities (click on the map for details):

1 – Cheshire West and Chester

2 – Cheshire East

3 – Warrington

4 – Halton

In the local government reorganisation of 1974, Cheshire gained an area formerly in Lancashire including Widnes and Warrington. The county lost Tintwistle to Derbyshire, part of the Wirral Peninsula to Merseyside, and a northern area including Stockport, Altrincham, Sale, Hyde, Dukinfield and Stalybridge to Greater Manchester.

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