Did You Know?

It has been said that it was Romans who had first discovered the Warrington town. But the first residential settlement had been developed by the group of Germanic tribes, called Saxons. After this town, you have been known as a “market town” where textile and tool production were the key items for marketing.

It is steeped not only in literary history, but it real events that shaped Britain as we know it today. During the English Civil War, military leader Oliver Cromwell’s army would stay in the area, and Cromwell himself is said to have made Church Street his lodging spot.

Warrington was a major centre for glass making between 1780 and 1820 with pressed glass being a key speciality. Notable figures included Peter Seaman, Josiah Perrin, Thomas Glazebrook, Thomas Robinson, Edward Boulton and the Cartwright family who operated out of the Bank Quay, Cockhedge and Orford Lane areas.

The glitzy Golden Gates at the town hall were originally designed for Sandringham Palace but were rejected by Queen Victoria who was not amused to see them displayed next to a statue of Oliver Cromwell who signed the death warrant of her predecessor, Charles I.

Warrington folk will proudly consider ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ author Lewis Carroll to be one of their own. He was born in nearby Daresbury, which probably explains his inspiration for characters like the Cheshire Cat.

Warrington is designated a ‘new town’ under the New Towns Act 1946, but really it’s anything but. It’s been a crossing point on the River Mersey for centuries, and there is evidence of Bronze Age and Roman settlements in the area.

Lovers of flat-pack furniture and Swedish meatballs should be aware of the towns significance. Scandinavian home accessories giant Ikea first set foot in Britain with its Warrington store, built in 1987.

It might seem an unlikely place for the global enterprise to get involved, but Disney fantasy series Evermoor was filmed in a Warrington warehouse. Disney explained that favourable tax breaks played a role in the choice of location, but also mentioned the excellent local acting talent.