Meadow Island - Winsford, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The area around Winsford has a long history of salt mining and trading. Completion of the River Weaver Navigation in 1734 provided a navigable route for transporting salt from Winsford, through Northwich, to Frodsham, where the Weaver joins the River Mersey.

As trade increased the Navigation was improved and further straightened a number of times. Many salt works were built along the river and the information boards give details of the industry's history including a map and photographs of the area.

1. This is a fitting shop in the Engineering Department in 1923, showing the locomotive 'Wharton'. In front of the locomotive are two of the steam winches which were fitted to the 'flats' (river boats) to assist with handling cargo.

2. This floating dock at Meadow Island was indicative of the thriving ship building industry which grew up alongside the river Weaver in association with the salt industry. At the turn of the 19th Century, when the decline in the salt industry had already begun, there were still at least 100 craft carrying salt down the river. All required an overhaul at some time and the dock was in constant use.

3. A view of Meadow Island from the other side of New Road looking back towards where you are standing. The floating dock can be seen on the right. there was a swing bridge, built in 1876. located where the two bridges are pictured on the right. This was used to allow locomotives to go to and from the island workshops via a branch line from the Winsford and Over station. The old course of the river can be seen in the foreground. This was later filled in and is now part of New Road. Freight wagons on the Cuddington to Winsford and Over railway line can be seen in the foreground.

4. The area on the other side of the river used to be an island and is still known locally as Meadow Island. The map below shows the original course of the river. It followed the line of what is new New Road before coming back to the present river course. The stretch of river in front of you, known as Verdin's Cut was created around 1860 to straighten the river and aid the movement of vessels. Meadow Island produced white salt from open pans until the 1930s. It became a centre for boat and locomotive maintenance. The map lists the many and varied activities which took place on and around the island, all of which had ceased by the 1960s.

5. The 'Monarch' (121' long and 25' wide) was the largest vessel to be built by the Salt Union in Deakin's Dockyard she was launched on 6th August 1896 by Miss E. C. E. Ward, daughter of the Union's first General Manager. The silver plated axe used at the launch was later presented to Winsford Urban District Council.

6. Smokey Old Town (circa 1910). this was the view from New Road looking back to where you are stood now with Wharton in the background. In the foreground is the edge of the river with a railway line and a loading bay visible along the bank. This section of the river has now been filled in. The buildings in the foreground are Verdin's Works located on the island. In the middle distance, to the left, is Uploont Works and further to the right is Birkenhead Works. The highest level buildings in the background belong to Liverpool Salt Works, now part of a supermarket car park. Each shed had a pan and each pan had a chimney belching out the smoke from burning low grade coal. In 1860 there were 416 salt pans.

Type of Historic Marker: Standalone metal board Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Cheshire West and Chester council Give your Rating: Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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