{{For|the Canadian town|Latch ford.}
| Latchford | |
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Latchford
Latchford shown within Cheshire |
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| Population | 7,856 (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SJ624871 |
| Unitary authority | Warrington |
| Ceremonial county | Cheshire |
| Region | North West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WARRINGTON |
| Postcode district | WA4 |
| Dialling code | 01925 |
| Police | Cheshire |
| Fire | Cheshire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Warrington South |
| List of places: UK • England • Cheshire | |
Latchford is a suburban district and electoral ward of the unitary borough of Warrington, in Cheshire, England. It is around one mile south of Warrington town centre and has a total resident population of 7,856.[1]
A predominantly residential area, Latchford lies between the River Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal, and broadly consists of 19th century terraced housing and some open space. The Canal is crossed here by a swing bridge, a high level road bridge and the now disused Latchford railway viaduct.
Its name came from Anglo-Saxon Læccford = "Boggy-stream ford".
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Latchford was originally a township in the ancient parish of Grappenhall, in Cheshire. It was also part of Bucklow Hundred, and was close to the border with Lancashire.[2][3]
Between 1894 and 1974, part of Latchford was placed within the County Borough of Warrington, and the registration county of Lancashire, whilst the rest of Latchford became a civil parish named "Latchford Without" and was transferred to the Lancashire.[2][3]
With the local government reforms of 1974, as part of the newly formed Cheshire borough of Warrington, Latchford was transferred back to Cheshire.[2]
Latchford viaduct was opened on 8 July 1893 to carry the London and North Western Railways Stockport to Warrington line over the Manchester Ship Canal. The wrought iron bridge, which has a span of 250 feet (76 m), weighed more than 1,200 tonnes. The last passengers services ended in 1962 but the line continued to carry freight. It finally closed to all traffic in July 1985 when it was deemed too expensive to make extensive repairs to keep Latchford viaduct operational.
Latchford was chosen to be the location of intermediate locks on the Manchester Ship Canal. These comprise of a larger lock for ocean going vessels and a smaller lock to its south for use by coasters, tugs and barges. A ship mooring area was provided on the canal's south bank and was used to enable two large vessels to pass each other at this point. The locks are still operational but at a lower frequency following the demise of most ship movements to and from the terminal docks at Manchester and Salford.
Latchford is bounded to the south by the Manchester Ship Canal and Stockton Heath and to the north by the River Mersey and Howley.
Victoria Park is an area of open space beside the Mersey, within which is a modern sports stadium and a skateboard park. It contains a large Georgian manor house, previously the Old Warps maternity hospital, subsequently converted into flats. Nearby is a narrow Victorian suspension bridge, Howley Bridge, which provides pedestrian access between Howley and Latchford.
The site that today is Victoria Park was originally the Old Warps Estate. In 1897 the local council bought the estate from the owners and converted it into a park to try to improve conditions for the local working-class people of the terraced housing of industrial Latchford. To mark the Jubilee of Queen Victoria the park was named "Victoria Park". The Georgian manor house "Old Warps" still stands and has been converted to a restaurant.
Before work on the Mersey commenced, Victoria Park was under the River Mersey, in an area that was considered dangerous by even the most experienced seamen. In 1724 various new weirs were built along the course of the River Mersey due to its often treacherous nature. The course of the Mersey was then altered and the land was converted into the Old Warps Estate. A weir was built and is still monitored 24 hrs a day by a "weir man" from a wooden building situated about the weir, which is where the tidal flow of the Mersey terminates. The Mersey is so improved now that salmon and trout are often seen as are herons, kingfishers and cormorants, especially in the wide pool on the river bend below the weir.
Access to Howley is provided by a suspension bridge for pedestrians, (recently renovated by Warrington Borough Council).
Victoria Park has a large running track which is the home of Warrington Athletic Club, bowling facilities, a skate-park and various other leisure facilities. Old Manor Lock marks the northern extreme of the park.
The skate-park within Victoria park has approximately 40 visitors each day and is used by skateboarders, roller-skaters, BMXers and mountain bikes. It has four main sections (three of which are bowls) and one main flat part. It also houses one ramp of approximately 10 ft, which is mainly used by inline-skaters.
Black Bear Canal, now infilled and used as Black Bear Park, once ran from docks on the Manchester Ship Canal near Wilderspool Causeway (at the west of Latchford) to the Mersey at Manor Lock in Howley, providing a shortcut for shipping, avoiding a large river bend and weir.
In 1804, an eight-mile long canal was built between Latchford and Runcorn. It was named the Old Quays Canal. Once the Manchester Ship Canal was dug, in the 1890s, it was shortened to one mile, from Stockton Heath to the River Mersey, at Manor Lock. It was renamed the Black Bear Canal. The Black Bear Canal remained in use for the transport of South American hides to tanneries, until the 1960s, when it fell into disuse.
Warrington Borough Council bought the land and, after the death by drowning of a local boy in the late 1960s, many complaints from residents and parents and threats of civil disruption against Warrington Borough Council, it was converted in 1981 into a parkland forming a line from Victoria Park and the banks of the River Mersey, through to Stockton Heath. (The park also forms a part of the Trans Pennine Trail).
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Latchford Latchford] at Wikimedia Commons
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