Hide

Runcorn

hide
Hide

The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

"RUNCORN, a parish, market town, and seaport in the hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 17 miles E.S.E. of Liverpool, 15 N.E. of Chester, and 187 from London by road, or 182 by the London and North-Western railway, which has stations on either side of the river. The Lancashire and Cheshire, and Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire lines also have stations here-the latter at Widnes. The parish, which extends over a large surface, contains, besides the town of Runcorn, which formerly comprised two townships, the four chapelries of Aston, Daresbury, Halton, and Thelwall, and the townships of Acton Grange, Aston Grange, Clifton or Rock Savage, Kekewick, Moore, Newton-by-Daresbury, Norton, Preston-on-the-Hill, Stockham, Sutton, Walton Inferior, Walton Superior, and Weston. The town, consisting of two divisions, higher and lower, is situated near the confluence of the Weaver and Mersey, on the left bank of the latter river, which at this point is contracted to about 400 yards wide at high water, by a projection from the Lancashire side called Runcorn Gap. It is much resorted to during the summer months by persons from Liverpool and the surrounding neighbourhood as a bathing-place. It was called Runcora by the Saxons; and Ethelfleda, a daughter of Alfred the Great, refounded the town and built a castle here in the early part of the 10th century, every vestige of which has since disappeared, though the rock on which the castle stood still retains the name of the Castle Rock. In 1134 a priory was founded by William Fitz-Nigel, which was subsequently removed to Norton. The commercial prosperity of Runcorn, however, is of comparatively modern growth, having originated with the construction of the Duke of Bridgewater's, the Mersey and Irwell, and Trent and Mersey canals, towards the close of the last century. The level of the water in the canal being considerably above that of the Mersey, it here suddenly falls by a series of ten locks. There are also large wet docks and basins, and extensive warehouses have been constructed to supply the demands of the yearly-increasing traffic-a considerable part of which is transacted by the Old Quay Navigation Company. Runcorn was formerly a sub-port to Liverpool, but became an independent bonding port in 1847. A steam-packet boat plies between Runcorn and Liverpool daily, and another boat between Runcorn and Manchester during the season. The coasting and carrying trades occupy a large proportion of the inhabitants, and others are engaged in the various manufactures and trades, the principal being iron-foundries, anchor forges, corn-mills, collieries, tanneries, slate and stone quarries, shipbuilding yards, rope-walks, soap-works, chemical works, works for distilling turpentine, &c. the chimneys of some of these factories being between 200 and 300 feet high. The principal exports are grain, salt, coal, culm, iron, soap, school-slates, and stone. The town is paved, and lighted with gas from works in Gas-street. It contains the townhall, built in 1830, with a bridewell beneath, also the Forester's Hall, in Devonshire-place, a subscription newsroom, savings-bank, and the baths, close to the ferry, where boats ply every five minutes to and from Runcorn Gap. A county court is held in the town. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of Chester, value £350, in the patronage of Christ Church, Oxford. The church, dedicated to All Saints, has a square tower surmounted by an octagonal spire, and containing a peal of eight bells. It was completed in 1849, and stands on the site of an ancient edifice erected before the Norman conquest, and dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The interior contains a painted E. window, the gift of Sir R. Brooke, Bart., and several monuments. In addition to the parish church there are the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in 1838, a chapel-of-ease to this church, and a floating chapel on the Bridgewater canal for mariners, also several district churches in the rural parts of the parish-viz: Aston-by-Sutton, Daresbury, Halton, Thelwall, and Christ Church, Weston Point, the livings of all which are perpetual curacies, varying in value from £88 to £213. The Roman Catholics have a chapel, built in 1845, and there are places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyans, and Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion. There are National, Sunday, and infant and Wesleyan schools. Runcorn Poor-law Union contains 37 parishes and townships, but the rates are applied solely to out-door relief. Market day is on Friday. Fairs are held on the last Friday in April and in October."

"ACTON GRANGE, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, in the county palatine of Chester, 2 miles to the S.W. of Warrington. The old Roman way, called Wading Street, passes through it. The river Mersey, which is navigable, forms the northern boundary of the township; and the Mersey and Irwell canal, the Duke of Bridgewater's canal, and the London and North Western, and Lancashire, and Cheshire railways pass through it."

"ASTON GRANGE, a township in the parish of Runcorn, and hundred of Bucklow, in the county palatine of Chester, 3 miles from Frodsham. It is situated on the river Weaver, not far from the North Western railway and the Bridgwater canal. It formerly belonged to the Cistercian abbey of Stanlow, which was made a cell to that of Whalley in 1296. A chapel belonging to the monks stood here."

"ASTON SUTTON, (or Aston-by-sutton), a chapelry in the parish of Runcorn, and hundred of Bucklow, in the county palatine of Chester, 7 miles to the N. W. of Frodsham. It is situated on the north bank of the river Weaver, not far above its confluence with the Mersey. The North Western railway and the Bridgwater canal pass near the chapelry It contains the liberty of Middleton Grange, formerly a possession of the abbey of St. Werburgh, Chester. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Chester, value £88, in the patronage of Sir A. Aston, Bart. In the church is an ancient lectern, and many monuments of the Aston family. Aston Hall, which was rebuilt at the commencement of the 18th century, stands near the site of the old mansion. It has been the seat of the Astons for generations past.

"CLIFTON, (or Rock Savage), a township in the parish of Runcorn, in the hundred of Bucklow, in the county of Chester, 2 miles N.E. of Frodsham. It is situated on the river Weaver. Here are the ruins of a fine seat of the Marquis Cholmondeley, erected by his ancestor, Sir John Savage, in 1565.

"DARESBURY, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, in the county of Chester, Smiles N.E. of Frodsham. It is a station on the Manchester, Warrington, and Chester section of the Birkenhead railway. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Chester, value £175, in the patronage of G. Greenall, Esq. The church is dedicated to All Saints. The charities amount to £49 per annum. There is an endowed school. The executors of the late S. Chadwick, Esq., are lords of the manor. The Cheshire hounds meet here."

"HALTON, a township and parochial chapelry in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 6 miles S.W. of Warrington, and 1½ mile S.E. of Runcorn. Preston Brook is its post town. This place was anciently the bead of a barony, which, with the constableship of Chester, was conferred by Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, upon his cousin Nigel, whom he also appointed his earl marshal. These offices were for several centuries held by Nigel's successors, barons of Halton, who had the power of holding courts for the trial of all offenders within the barony, and for the determination of all pleas, except such as belonged to the earl's sword. They had also a prison, master-sergeant, and eight under-sergeants within their fee. The village, formerly a market town, is situated on an eminence near the Bridgwater canal, and the rivers Irwell and Mersey, commanding an extensive view of the latter. In 1837 an Act was obtained for lighting the place with gas. The castle, situated in a commanding position on the brow of a hill, was built soon after the Conquest. It afterwards passed from John of Gaunt to the Duchy of Lancaster, and was dismantled during the civil war of Charles I. The ruins of the castle are inconsiderable, the only part now habitable having been rebuilt after the Restoration. Stone is quarried here to a great extent. The living is a perpetual curacy* in the diocese of Chester, value £157. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a red stone structure, with turret containing one bell. The Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists have places of worship, and there is an endowed grammar school for boys. The parochial charities produce about £2 per annum, besides an almshouse endowed with £54 12s. per annum, for six honest aged servants. Sir Richard Brookes, Bart., is lord of the manor and chief landowner."

"HATTON, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 4 miles S.W. of Warrington, and 7 N.E. of Frodsham. It is situated near the Bridgwater canal and Grand Junction railway. The soil is clayey, and the chief crops wheat, oats, and potatoes. The charities belonging to this township produce £2 per annum. There is a village school for boys and girls, also a Sunday-school. The Marquis of Cholmondeley is lord of the manor and chief landowner."

"KEKEWICK, (or Keckwick), a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 4 miles S.W. of Warrington, and 4 E. of Runcorn. It is situated on the Grand Junction railway and Bridgwater canal, both of which intersect this township. The soil is clay. Sir Richard Brooke, Bart., is lord of the manor and principal landowner.

"MOORE, (or Moor), a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 3½ miles S.W. of Warrington and 4 from Runcorn. It has stations on the London and North-Western and the Lancashire Junction railways. The village, which is small, is situated on the Grand Junction railway and on the Bridgwater canal. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The soil is of a clayey nature, with a subsoil of clay and sand. There is a place of worship for the Wesleyan Methodists. Sir Richard Brooke is lord of the manor and principal landowner.

"NEWTON-BY-DARESBURY, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 5 miles N.E. of Frodsham, and the same distance S. of Warrington. It is situated near the Chester, Manchester, and Birmingham railways."

"NORTON, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 3½ miles N.E. of Frodsham. It is a station on the Manchester, Warrington, Frodsham, and Chester railway. It is situated on the Grand Trunk and Bridgwater canals. The township contains Norton Priory, an old seat, which was besieged by the Royalists in 1643. This mansion was built out of the ruins of an Austin canonry, founded by William Fitz-Nigell in 1133. At the Dissolution its revenue amounted to £258 11s. 8d. The inhabitants are wholly engaged in agriculture."

"PRESTON-BROOK, a hamlet in the parish of Runcorn, county Chester, 1 mile from Preston-on-the-Hill, and 5 miles S.W. of Warrington. It is a station on the Manchester and Crew section of the London and North-Western railway. It is situated at the junction of the Bridgwater and Grand Trunk canals."

"PRESTON-ON-THE-HILL, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 5 miles S.W. of Warrington, 4 N.E. of Frodsham, and the same distance from Runcorn. The village, which is of small extent, is situated near the Preston Brook station of the Grand Junction railway, which here passes through a tunnel 40 yards long. The grand Trunk and Bridgwater canals form a junction in this township. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agriculture. The soil is of a clayey nature, upon a subsoil of clay. There is a National school for both sexes. Miss E. A. Yates is lady of the manor. The Wesleyans have a place of worship."

"ROCKSAVAGE, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 2 miles N.E. of Frodsham. In a wood are the ruins of a mansion erected in Elizabeth's time by Sir John Savage, which afterwards passed to the Barrys and Cholmondeleys, who take hence the title of earl. The soil is of a clayey nature, with a subsoil of clay. The Marquis of Cholmondeley is lord of the manor."

"STOCKHAM, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 3 miles N.E. of Frodsham."

"SUTTON, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 2 miles N.E. of Frodsham, near the river Weaver."

"THELWALL, a township and chapelry in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 3 miles S.E. of Warrington, its post town. It is a joint station of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire and London and North-Western railways. The village is situated on the Bridgwater canal and the river Mersey. It was founded by Edward the Elder in 920. Several of the inhabitants are employed in the gunpowder mills situated on the S. bank of the river. The soil is clay, with a subsoil of sand. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Chester, value £150. The church is dedicated to All Saints."

"WALTON INFERIOR, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 2 miles S. of Warrington. The village is situated near the river Mersey and the Bridgwater and Mersey and Irwell canals."

"WALTON SUPERIOR, a township in the parish of Runcorn, hundred of Bucklow, county Chester, 2½ miles S.W. of Warrington, its post town. It is situated on the Bridgwater and Mersey and Irwell canals, near the river Mersey and the North-Western railway. The principal residence is the Hall. Sir R. Brooke, Bart., is lord of the two manors."

"WESTON, a township in the parish of Runcorn, county Chester, 3 miles N. of Frodsham. It is situated near the confluence of the Weaver with the Mersey."