Lion Salt Works
Encyclopedia
The Lion Salt Works is the last remaining open pan saltworks
in Cheshire
, England
. It closed as a works in 1986 and is now preserved as a museum. The works are situated in Marston
, near Northwich
, England.
.
The buildings were purchased by Vale Royal
District Council to prevent their demolition. In 1993 the Lion Salt Works Trust was formed as a registered charity
and a company limited by guarantee
. In 2000 a survey showed that the land around the works was stable and during the following years money was raised from DEFRA
, English Heritage
, Cheshire Rural Recovery and the Northwest Development Agency to enable surveys to be completed and a conservation plan to be written. In July 2005 an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund
and a Stage 1 award was made the following March. In March 2008 it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund had made an award of £4.96m towards the £7m total cost of the restoration project.
In 2004 Lion Salt Works was a candidate on the BBC
's Restoration
programme. The surviving buildings have been deisgnated by English Heritage
as Grade II listed buildings. The specific buildings listed are the canal salt shed, the engine shed and pump house, the office in the works yard, and the pan sheds and stoves and the store shed behind the works. The buildings are registered as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. The site is recognised as an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage
.
In 2009, the site came into the ownership of Cheshire West and Chester Council.
The site is currently closed for major redevelopment and will open in summer 2013 as a new heritage visitor attraction.
Open pan salt making
In Europe virtually all domestic salt is obtained by solution mining of underground salt formations although some is still obtained by the solar evaporation of sea water. Salt is extracted from the Brine using vacuum pans, where brine is heated in a partial vacuum in order to lower the boiling...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It closed as a works in 1986 and is now preserved as a museum. The works are situated in Marston
Marston, Cheshire
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Marston within the former borough of Vale RoyalMarston is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in the north west of England, on the River Weaver, close to Anderton and the...
, near Northwich
Northwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
, England.
History
John Thompson Junior, a member of a family that had been making salt probably since the 18th century, started the Lion Salt Works when he built a salt pan in the coal yard of the Red Lion Hotel, Marston, in 1894. During the 20th century more efficient methods of extracting and refining salt were developed, and by 1960 the works was the only business continuing to use the open pan process in the country. The business closed down in 1986 when the West African markets, the major purchaser of natural salt, were lost because of the Nigerian Civil WarNigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
.
Preservation
Vale Royal
Vale Royal was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It contained the towns of Northwich, Winsford and Frodsham.-Creation:...
District Council to prevent their demolition. In 1993 the Lion Salt Works Trust was formed as a registered charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
and a company limited by guarantee
Company limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
. In 2000 a survey showed that the land around the works was stable and during the following years money was raised from DEFRA
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
, English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
, Cheshire Rural Recovery and the Northwest Development Agency to enable surveys to be completed and a conservation plan to be written. In July 2005 an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
and a Stage 1 award was made the following March. In March 2008 it was announced that the Heritage Lottery Fund had made an award of £4.96m towards the £7m total cost of the restoration project.
In 2004 Lion Salt Works was a candidate on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
programme. The surviving buildings have been deisgnated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as Grade II listed buildings. The specific buildings listed are the canal salt shed, the engine shed and pump house, the office in the works yard, and the pan sheds and stoves and the store shed behind the works. The buildings are registered as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. The site is recognised as an Anchor Point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage
European Route of Industrial Heritage
The European Route of Industrial Heritage is a network of the most important industrial heritage sites in Europe. The aim of the project is to create interest for the common European Heritage of the Industrialisation and its remains...
.
In 2009, the site came into the ownership of Cheshire West and Chester Council.
The site is currently closed for major redevelopment and will open in summer 2013 as a new heritage visitor attraction.
See also
- Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, NorthwichSalt Museum, NorthwichThe Weaver Hall Museum and Workhouse, Northwich, Cheshire, records the social, cultural and industrial history of west Cheshire. It was formerly known as the Salt Museum, reflecting its earlier focus on the history of salt extraction, a local industry dating back to Roman times...
, formerly The Salt Museum - List of Scheduled Monuments in Cheshire (post-1539)