I’m sitting in the beautiful 16th-century Barley Mow pub in central Warrington, thinking about Socrates, Humphrey Bogart and old friends. Ghosts always come to mind here. I was born and raised five miles north of the Cheshire market town and, for all the regeneration, memories flicker around its pubs, on the high street, at Bank Quay station.
Warrington might be the most bypassed town in the UK. That’s not because it is particularly “left behind”. On the contrary, it’s the north-west’s number one boom town, according to a recent Centre for Cities report. It’s just that there are lots of bypasses.
When I sat down last year to write a book on British towns that tourists miss, I knew I had to begin with Warrington. This is where I set off on my first travels – walks into deepest Cheshire, train rides to London, family holidays to north Wales and the Lancashire coast.
Shorts
The town – like the others I wanted to celebrate – has more to it than you might first imagine. Walking in from the south, you’re reminded how ancient history made Warrington a transport hub. Romans discovered the Mersey was low enough to be forded and built a settlement at Wilderspool. A Morrisons supermarket stands on the site, but there’s a plaque marking the spot and prized artefacts in the museum.
