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Welcome to Northwich & District Heritage Society

Northwich and District Heritage Society was established as a registered charity in September 1985.

However, it had been in the making for some years before that, as a result of the efforts of John Chesworth, who was determined to create an organisation dedicated to the history and heritage of his home town. Encouraged by the Northwich Town Council, in late 1984, he headed a Steering Committee comprised of like-minded individuals and representatives of local organisations including the Weaver Hall Salt Museum.

The Northwich and District Heritage Society was established. John then led the way to charitable status and served for two years as its inaugural chairman.

Since those early days the Society has grown in strength. It now boasts about 150 members and meets roughly once per month between October and May in Hartford.

Our Next Event

Announcing the next talk of our 2026/2027 season

At the Grange Junior School, Beechwood Avenue, Hartford  CW8 3AU at 8pm.

See more details on our Programme page.

Thursday 26th November 2026 – Clive Brooks – Marbury Hall, Dunkirk and the Retreat from France May - July 1940  

There were six catastrophic weeks for the nation. Personal accounts illustrate how several thousand men escaped to Britain. Cheshire received many men from Dunkirk, Normandy and Brittany in France. In Northwich alone, in one 24-hour period, 4,000 arrived. The local military failed to deal with the unexpected influx but the local populations of the town, villages and ICI heroically met the challenge. In early July they had all been reunited with their units but these events, and the requisitioning of large houses as accommodation, immediately led to mid-Cheshire itself becoming a major location for the British and later American troops.

 

 

Venue for Talks

We meet at:

The Grange Junior School Hall
Beechwood Avenue, Hartford, Northwich CW8 3AU

There is car parking at the front of the School, including an area for less able people.  Turn into Beechwood Avenue at the roundabout on the Hartford to Weaverham road (B5153 Beach Road / Northwich Road) then turn left after about 50 yards into the school. 

 

Help Us Identify Northwich GEMS

In her talk to the Society in October 2024, Lisa Greenhaigh from Cheshire Archives introduced Society Members to the Cheshire GEMS project.

There was considerable interest from members, and the Society Committee has agreed to help co-ordinate the collection of a long list of potential GEMs within the Northwich and District area.  For details follow this link to the Northwich GEMS page.