Difference between revisions of "Warrington"
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The Battle of Warrington Bridge was fought on 13 August 1651 at a crossing of the Mersey in the vicinity of the present day town. The battle saw the victory of Royalist Scottish forces led by Charles II against the Parliamentary forces of John Lambert. At this time, England was under Parliamentary rule, with Oliver Cromwell as head of government. | The Battle of Warrington Bridge was fought on 13 August 1651 at a crossing of the Mersey in the vicinity of the present day town. The battle saw the victory of Royalist Scottish forces led by Charles II against the Parliamentary forces of John Lambert. At this time, England was under Parliamentary rule, with Oliver Cromwell as head of government. | ||
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| + | Starting in 1881, the Regimental Headquarters of the South Lancashire Regiment of the [[British Army]] would be at Peninsula Barracks in Warrington until 1958. | ||
==Administration== | ==Administration== | ||
Revision as of 20:50, April 17, 2025
| Warrington | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | England |
| Shire county | Lancashire Cheshire |
| Council | Warrington Borough Council |
| Population | 211,000 (2021) |
Warrington is a town in north-west England, located on the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. Parts of the town north of the Mersey are in Lancashire, and those south of it are in Cheshire. It is noted for the manufacture of soap and has a vodka distillery. The town is 16 miles east of Liverpool and a similar distance west of Manchester. Wigan is 9 miles to the north, Chester is 18 miles to the south-west and Shrewsbury, Shropshire is 48 miles to the south.
An ancient crossing point of the Mersey, there was a Roman settlement at the modern suburb of Wilderspool in the 1st and 2nd centuries. In 1968, Warrington was designated a 'new town', with Elizabeth II touring its newly revamped main thoroughfare Bridge Street that May.[1] Despite a decline in local heavy industry, the growth of the town in the 1970s and 1980s saw an increase in light industry, retail, distribution and technology.
The M6 motorway, the longest motorway in England, has junctions with the other major motorways M56 and M62 in the vicinity of Warrington, and is a major junction for traffic between the North of England and North Wales. The Warrington post town also includes other settlements including the Lancashire towns of Birchwood and Golborne, and many villages such as Appleton and Grappenhall in Cheshire.
Geography
Warrington lies on the River Mersey around 16 miles east of the Mersey estuary at Liverpool. The parts of the town north of the Mersey are in the West Derby hundred of Lancashire, whereas those to the south are in the Bucklow hundred of Cheshire. The highest point in the Warrington area is High Warren at 351 ft above sea level, which is in the Appleton suburb in Warrington Golf Course.
History
The site of St Elphin's Church has been home to a place of Christian worship since at least 650 AD. Tradition has it that the first church was built by Saint Oswald for his companion Elphin, who remained as the first priest there until his death in 679 AD.
The town was first mentioned by name in 1086 in the Domesday Book, which came 20 years after the Norman conquest. It was mentioned as Walintune, a village near the ford over the Mersey at Latchford and Howley.[2] Warrington had a recorded settlement of 8 households at the time of the Domesday Book, placing it within the smallest 40% of settlements in England at the time. The settlement's Domesday entry noted the presence of a church at Warrington.[3]
St Wilfred's Church in the nearby village of Grappenhall, which lies south-east of the River Mersey from the town centre, was constructed in c. 1120 AD. St Wildred's Church is the oldest surviving building in the Warrington area.
In 1277, the market at Warrington was granted a Royal Charter.
The Battle of Warrington Bridge was fought on 13 August 1651 at a crossing of the Mersey in the vicinity of the present day town. The battle saw the victory of Royalist Scottish forces led by Charles II against the Parliamentary forces of John Lambert. At this time, England was under Parliamentary rule, with Oliver Cromwell as head of government.
Starting in 1881, the Regimental Headquarters of the South Lancashire Regiment of the British Army would be at Peninsula Barracks in Warrington until 1958.
Administration
Warrington is the administrative centre for Warrington Borough Council, which meets at Warrington Town Hall.
Notable Warringtonians
Arts and entertainment
- George Formby (1904-1961) - actor, singer-songwriter and comedian, lived in Warrington for many years
- Tim Curry (born 1946) - actor and singer, native of nearby Grappenhall, notable appeared in Rock Horror Picture Show (1975)
- Martin Roberts (born 1963) - television host and property expert
- Kerry Katona (born 1980) - television personality and Atomic Kitten singer
Politics
- Peter Brimelow (born 1947) - British-born American anti-immigration activist