Salt in Cheshire
History of salt workings in Cheshire
Northwich
A settlement, Condate, was built during Roman times at the current location of Northwich. It is believed that the Romans built this settlement due to the strategic river crossing of the Weaver and the presence of the brine springs. The Romans used lead salt pans to extract the salt from the brine. Salt pans and first-century brine kilns have both been found around the Roman fort.
The salt beds beneath Northwich were re-discovered in the 1670 by employees of the local Smith-Barry family.
In the 19th century it became uneconomical to mine salt, and so solvent extraction using water as a solvent was used. Hot water was pumped through the mines that dissolved the salt and the resultant brine was pumped out and the salt extracted from the brine. This technique was known as wild brine pumping or natural brine pumping but weakened mines and led to land subsidence as mines collapsed. The collapse of a number of mines led to salt mining to move to Winsford.[2]
There are two chief museums of the industry in the Northwich area, the most recent addition being the Lion Salt Works museum. The Salt Museum of Thomas Ward and John Brunner was founded in the 19th century and is now housed in the Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse.
Middlewich
Following the
Salt manufacture has remained one of the principal employers in Middlewich for most of the past 2,000 years. Salt making is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and by the 13th century there were approximately 100 "wich houses" packed around the town's two brine pits.[8] By 1908 there were nine industrial scale salt manufacturers in the town, with a number of open pan salt works close to the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Nantwich
The origins of the settlement at
In the Domesday Book, Nantwich is recorded as having eight salt houses. The salt industry peaked in the late 16th century when there were 216 salt houses, but the industry ended in 1856 with the closure of the last salt house. Similarly the last tannery closed in 1974, but the clothing industry remains important to the area.
Winsford
From the 1830s, salt became important to Winsford, partly because the salt mines under Northwich had begun to collapse and another source of salt near the River Weaver was needed. A new source was discovered in Winsford, leading to the development of a salt industry along the course of the
Current salt manufacturing in Cheshire
The manufacture of white salt for food and allied industries is now concentrated in Middlewich, in the manufacturer, British Salt, who sell under the name Saxa, and also through third parties e.g. supermarket own brands. Salt produced by British Salt in Middlewich has 57% of the UK market[9] for salt used in cooking.
The UK's largest
See also
- History of salt
- History of salt in Middlewich
- Lion Salt Works
- Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Northwich
- Open pan salt making
- Cheshire Brine Subsidence Compensation Board
References
- ^ "History". Northwich Community Woodlands. Archived from the original on 2 September 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2006.
- ^ Sue Wilkes. "Northwich: The Town With That Sinking Feeling". TimeTravel-Britain.com. Archived from the original on 14 November 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
- ^ a b Strickland, T.J. (2001). Roman Middlewich: A Story of Roman and Briton in Mid-Cheshire.
- ^ "Roman Fort Minor Salt-Working Settlement". WWW.Roman-Britain. ORG. Archived from the original on 9 May 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
- ^ "Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary 1999". Cheshire County Council Planning Dept. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
- ^ "Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary 2000". Cheshire County Council Planning Dept. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
- ^ "Historic Environment Fieldwork Full Summary 2001". Cheshire County Council Planning Dept. Archived from the original on 21 October 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
- ^ Barry, Mary (1972). Memories of Middlewich.
- ^ The Competition Commission. "Factors affecting rivalry in the relevant market prior to the merger" (PDF). British Salt Limited and New Cheshire Salt Works Limited: A report on the acquisition by British Salt Limited of New Cheshire Salt Works Limited. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 January 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
- ^ a b "Winsford Rock Salt Mine: Going underground". Compass Minerals. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
- ^ Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Company
Further reading
- Calvert, A F (1915), Salt in Cheshire, London: E and F N Spon
- Hewitson, C (2015), The Open Pan: The Archaeology and History of the Lion Salt Works, Lion Salt Works Trust Research Report 6
- Lightfoot, Tom (2000), Open Pan Salt Making in Cheshire: An Illustrated Description, Lion Salt Works Trust Research Report 1
External links
- Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Northwich
- Romans Salt Manufacturers' Association
- Anglo Saxons Salt Manufacturers' Association
- Normans Salt Manufacturers' Association
- Winsford Rock Salt Mine