Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port in the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, England. Its population in 2011 was 61,789. The town is in the southeast of the Liverpool City Region, with Liverpool to the northwest across the River Mersey. ...
is an industrial town in
Halton,
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
, England, on the south bank of the
River Mersey
The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...
where it narrows at
Runcorn Gap
The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...
. In the town are the 61 buildings that are recorded in the
National Heritage List for England
The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) is England's official database of protected heritage assets. It includes details of all English listed buildings, scheduled monuments, register of historic parks and gardens, protected shipwrecks, an ...
as designated
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
s in the current
urban area
An urban area, built-up area or urban agglomeration is a human settlement with a high population density and infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas are created through urbanization and are categorized by urban morphology as cities, t ...
of Runcorn, including the districts of Runcorn,
Halton,
Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* ...
, Weston Point, and
Norton Norton may refer to:
Places
Norton, meaning 'north settlement' in Old English, is a common place name. Places named Norton include: Canada
* Rural Municipality of Norton No. 69, Saskatchewan
*Norton Parish, New Brunswick
**Norton, New Brunswick, a ...
. Two of these are classified as being in Grade I, nine in Grade II*, and fifty in Grade II.
In the United Kingdom, the term "listed building" refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. These buildings are in three grades: Grade I consists of buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest; Grade II* includes particularly significant buildings of more than local interest; Grade II consists of buildings of special architectural or historical interest. Buildings in England are listed by the
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, also referred to as the culture secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for strateg ...
on recommendations provided by English Heritage, which also determines the grading.
Before the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
, the area contained the separate settlements of Runcorn, Higher Runcorn, Halton, Weston, Weston Point, and Norton. The administrative functions of the area were initially concentrated in Halton, which contained a castle and a court, while the
parish church
A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
was in Runcorn. The population increase associated with industrialisation resulted in considerable expansion, so that the formerly discrete settlements were absorbed into the current urban area, much of which dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The listed buildings are concentrated in Halton Village, which has 20, and Runcorn Town Centre, which has 16.
The listed buildings can be divided by date into three groups: ancient structures, structures built during the two centuries before the Industrial Revolution, and those built during or after it.
Halton Castle
Halton Castle is a castle in the village of Halton, part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The castle is on the top of Halton Hill, a sandstone prominence overlooking the village. The original building, a motte-and-bailey castle beg ...
and
Norton Priory
Norton Priory is a historic site in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England, comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, and an 18th-century country house; it is now a museum. The remains are a scheduled ...
date from the 11th and 12th centuries, and are now in ruins. Structures built before the Industrial Revolution reflect society as it was at that time, and the main occupations of farming and fishing. They include farmhouses, such as the building known as the
Seneschal's House, which dates from 1598 and is the oldest standing building in the urban area; buildings relating to stately homes, such as the loggia and ice house in the grounds of Norton Priory; domestic buildings, such as
Halton Old Hall
Halton Old Hall is a house in the village of Halton, Cheshire, Halton in Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* Listed building#England and Wales, listed building. The ...
, and buildings relating to the church, such as
Halton Vicarage
Halton Vicarage is in Castle Road, Halton in the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.
The vicarage was built in 1739 by Sir John Che ...
and the adjacent
Chesshyre Library.
The diversity of Runcorn's buildings increased during the Industrial Revolution. Structures such as
Bridgewater House were associated with industry, while large domestic buildings such as
Halton Grange were financed by the new wealth created. The enlarged town required new civic buildings such as the Old Police Station (originally a Town Hall) and transport infrastructure such as the
railway bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whic ...
and the tide dock, while the needs of the growing population were met by structures such as
Norton Water Tower
Norton Water Tower is a water tower in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.
History
It was built between 1888 and 1892 on the water pipelin ...
. All of the listed churches were built in the 19th century; architects include
John Douglas,
Anthony Salvin
Anthony Salvin (17 October 1799 – 17 December 1881) was an English architect. He gained a reputation as an expert on medieval buildings and applied this expertise to his new buildings and his restorations. He restored castles and country ho ...
,
Sir George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...
, and
Edmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe (31 October 1809 – 8 May 1877) was an English architect, architectural historian, railway engineer, and sanitary reformer. Born in Knutsford, Cheshire, he was educated first by his parents and then at schools locally and in ...
. The most recent listed structure is the
Silver Jubilee Bridge
The Silver Jubilee Bridge (originally the Runcorn–Widnes Bridge or informally the Runcorn Bridge) crosses the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal at River Mersey#Runcorn Gap, Runcorn Gap between Runcorn and Widnes in Borough of Halton ...
, constructed in 1961.
Except for the iron or steel included in the bridges and the water tower, the structures are built in brick or stone. The stone is almost invariably red
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
, obtained from local quarries in the Runcorn, Weston, and Halton areas.
Unless stated otherwise, the buildings (except the bridges and the water tower) are constructed in local red sandstone with slate roofs. Their locations can be found on the map of all coordinates.
Key
Listed buildings
See also
*
Listed buildings in Runcorn (rural area)
Runcorn is an industrial town in the borough of Halton, Cheshire, England. This list contains the 27 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings in the part of the borough lying to the so ...
References
Citations
Sources
*
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Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port in the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, England. Its population in 2011 was 61,789. The town is in the southeast of the Liverpool City Region, with Liverpool to the northwest across the River Mersey. ...
Buildings and structures in Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port in the Borough of Halton in Cheshire, England. Its population in 2011 was 61,789. The town is in the southeast of the Liverpool City Region, with Liverpool to the northwest across the River Mersey. ...