History Walking Tour June 2017: Difference between revisions

 

 

[[File:11PRD5 Canal 1920s.jpg|left|thumb|283x283px|''<small>The Shropshire Union Canal at Boughton c.1920s</small>'']]

The construction of the canal during the 1770s, the building of the Leadworks and shot tower in 1800, the arrival of the railways in 1840, followed by construction of the water company’s reservoir, filter beds and water tower, led to this area becoming densely packed with industry and with housing.

 

In August 2016 local newspapers reported that a second redevelopment plan for the Leadworks and Tower area, designed by Broadway Maylan, award winning architects, had been approved to commence. This followed a serious fire in the tower in December 2015. On completion of the new scheme the base of the shot tower will become a Heritage Interpretation Centre with a focus on the historical elements of the Leadworks site.

 

 

[[File:11PRD8 Boughton Map 1881.jpg|thumb|373x373px|''<small>Ordnance Survey Map of Cheshire 1881-2 Boughton Sheet (available online)</small>'']]

Opened on 5th January 1852, Boughton ‘Ragged School’ stood on this corner site.

In 1941, during World War 2, it replaced the Air Raid Precautions (ARP), and also included wardens, firemen, the Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) and the National Fire Service (NFS), fire watchers, rescue, first aid, stretchers and covered industry.

 

Hoole Lane was the well-established route to Guilden Sutton, traditionally known as St. Ann’s Lane. It was informally called Workhouse Lane after the opening of the workhouse in 1878, but this name did not last.

 

The re-alignment of Station View Road has been considered many times. The bridge over the canal at Hoole Lane was rebuilt in the early 1920s, but any re-alignment would require the widening of the bridge over the railway. Additional land has been purchased for this purpose. The existing bridge is narrow and without footpaths and requires reconstruction. After the Second World War, it was felt that, should the reconstruction be achieved, the road could be connected with Hamilton Street by widening Crawford’s Walk, creating a traffic link between Boughton and Hoole.

 

The brick arch on the canal side of the Westminster Road Bridge dates from the opening of the Chester & Crewe Railway on 1st October 1840, when the Chairman of the Crewe & Chester Railway Company was Jack Uniacke, the Mayor of Chester. The principal contractor on the line was Thomas Brassey. A note in the plans, dated November 1836, requires the road to be raised by 12 feet in order to pass over the railway line. The Act of Parliament which authorised the line was one of the first signed by Queen Victoria, ten days after her accession to the throne on 20th June 1837. Prior to the introduction of railways, it took a couple of days to reach London from Chester in the fastest stagecoaches, but, by 1848, it was possible to reach London by train in six and a half hours.

[[File:11PRD10 Chester Station 1962.jpg|left|thumb|310x310px|''<small>View from Chester General Station 1962 - Water Tower and Westminster Road Bridge over the railway line in the distance</small>'']]