Thursday 28 July 2016

MURGATROYD'S BRINE PUMPS - The last of their kind

Middlewich Heritage Trust is preparing to open the Murgatroyd’s Brine Pump site for this year’s Heritage Open Days in September. This National event enables us to take part in a network of UK events designed to inspire and offer something unusual for people to visit. We certainly have that; the last time the public were allowed on the Brine Pumps site was back in 1977!

The emergency phase 1 repairs project was completed earlier this year and the Trust has been working with Cheshire East Council to secure a lease for the Trust to move  forward    with a full restoration project.

For now the site has been stabilised and made safe, thanks to a grant from Historic England, with whom we continue to work.

September is about discovery. The aims are to lead a guided walk for those who want to learn about Middlewich’s 2,000 years of salt history. It will be a step back in time to look at the contribution of salt production to the town's evolution from the iron age via the Roman and Medieval phases to the 19th century, using the Brine Pumps as our final destination and to the present. The Pump house will be open and visitors will be able to see the work that has been seen, the remaining work and see a selection of the archives. The George Twigg Archive is based on Murgatroyd’s but also connects Middlewich with other salt products/producers and markets in the UK. The collection comprises pictures, books, objects, film, audio recordings and maps.

Entry to the pump site will be free and booking will not be necessary but persons who want to attend the guided tours will need to book in advance as numbers are restricted on each tour.

The site will be open on Saturday 10th September and Sunday 11th September, 1pm – 4pm on both days. Tours will start at the Victoria Building on Lewin Street at 1pm on both days, finishing at the Brine Pump in just under 2 hours

Parking for the pump site only on  is at Middlewich Community Church Car Park on Brooks Lane CW10 0JG.

Contact for the events: Kerry Fletcher 01606 833434 heritage@middlewich.org.uk

middlewich.heritage.trust@gmail.com