Leighton, Cheshire
Encyclopedia
Leighton is a scattered settlement and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East
and the ceremonial county of Cheshire
, England
, which lies immediately north west of Crewe
. The parish also includes the village of Barrows Green (at ), which lies on the northern outskirts of Crewe, 1½ miles from the centre. Nearby villages include Bradfield Green and Worleston
. The total population of the civil parish is just under 5000.
and Woolstanwood
. Of 22 parish councillors, seven represent Minshull Vernon, eleven represent Leighton (eight from Leighton Urban and three from Leighton Rural) and four represent Woolstanwood. Current Parish Councillors (as of August 2010) are: Mr A Forrest (Leighton Rural), Mrs L Horne (Leighton Rural), Mr J Parker (Leighton Rural), Mr K Halford (Minshull Vernon) (Vice Chair), Mr R Hollinshead (Minshull Vernon), Mr L Horne (Minshull Vernon), Mr M McGlone (Minshull Vernon), Mr B Palin (Minshull Vernon), Mr J Whittingham (Minshull Vernon), Mr D Preece (Leighton Urban), Mr B Barnes (Leighton Urban), Mr T Beard (Leighton Urban), Mr D Bebbington (Leighton Urban), Mr D Forrest (Leighton Urban) (Chair), Mr J Winstanley (Leighton Urban), Mrs P Butterill (Woolstandwood) and Mr M Wilson (Woolstanwood).
There are currently five seats vacant on the Parish Council; two representing Woolstanwood, one representing Minshull Vernon and two representing Leighton Urban.
From 1974 the civil parish was served by Crewe and Nantwich
Borough Council, which was succeeded on 1 April 2009 by the new unitary authority
of Cheshire East
. Leighton falls in the parliamentary constituency of Eddisbury
, and has been represented by Stephen O'Brien since 1999.
, which forms the western boundary of the civil parish, and in the south to Leighton Brook, which forms part of the southern boundary. The western part of the civil parish is predominantly rural, with the major land use being agricultural; a small area of woodland, Red Hall Wood, is located at . Urban development is concentrated around Barrows Green in the south east, adjacent to the town of Crewe
. A small part of the north-western corner of the parish falls within the Weaver Valley Area of Special County Value.
The A530
runs north–south through the parish and the B5076 runs south-eastwards from Bradfield Green. The Crewe–Chester
railway line runs east–west just to the south of the parish and the Crewe–Winsford
line runs north–south along its western boundary. The Middlewich branch
of the Shropshire Union Canal
runs to the north. The Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk
runs through the eastern part of the civil parish.
, one of two hospitals in the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS
Trust, is located on the A530 (at ). A large general hospital, it provides accident and emergency
services covering a wide area of South Cheshire.
Cheshire East
Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.The borough was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in...
and the ceremonial county of 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...
, which lies immediately north west of Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
. The parish also includes the village of Barrows Green (at ), which lies on the northern outskirts of Crewe, 1½ miles from the centre. Nearby villages include Bradfield Green and Worleston
Worleston
Worleston is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The village lies 2½ miles north of Nantwich and 3 miles west of Crewe...
. The total population of the civil parish is just under 5000.
History
A Roman road runs through the civil parish. A Primitive Methodist chapel was built in Leighton in 1841; it closed in 1899.Governance
Leighton is administered by Minshull Vernon and District Parish Council, jointly with Minshull VernonMinshull Vernon
Minshull Vernon is a hamlet and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The hamlet lies to the north west of Crewe, south east of Winsford and south west of Middlewich. The parish also includes the small settlements of Bradfield Green,...
and Woolstanwood
Woolstanwood
Woolstanwood is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of...
. Of 22 parish councillors, seven represent Minshull Vernon, eleven represent Leighton (eight from Leighton Urban and three from Leighton Rural) and four represent Woolstanwood. Current Parish Councillors (as of August 2010) are: Mr A Forrest (Leighton Rural), Mrs L Horne (Leighton Rural), Mr J Parker (Leighton Rural), Mr K Halford (Minshull Vernon) (Vice Chair), Mr R Hollinshead (Minshull Vernon), Mr L Horne (Minshull Vernon), Mr M McGlone (Minshull Vernon), Mr B Palin (Minshull Vernon), Mr J Whittingham (Minshull Vernon), Mr D Preece (Leighton Urban), Mr B Barnes (Leighton Urban), Mr T Beard (Leighton Urban), Mr D Bebbington (Leighton Urban), Mr D Forrest (Leighton Urban) (Chair), Mr J Winstanley (Leighton Urban), Mrs P Butterill (Woolstandwood) and Mr M Wilson (Woolstanwood).
There are currently five seats vacant on the Parish Council; two representing Woolstanwood, one representing Minshull Vernon and two representing Leighton Urban.
From 1974 the civil parish was served by Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich
Crewe and Nantwich was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It had a population of 111,007...
Borough Council, which was succeeded on 1 April 2009 by the new unitary authority
Unitary authority
A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
of Cheshire East
Cheshire East
Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.The borough was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in...
. Leighton falls in the parliamentary constituency of Eddisbury
Eddisbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Eddisbury is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.- Boundaries :...
, and has been represented by Stephen O'Brien since 1999.
Geography and transport
Much of the area is relatively flat, with an average elevation of around 50 metres. The land slopes downwards in the west to the River WeaverRiver Weaver
The River Weaver is a river, navigable in its lower reaches, running in a curving route anti-clockwise across west Cheshire, northern England. Improvements to the river to make it navigable were authorised in 1720 and the work, which included eleven locks, was completed in 1732...
, which forms the western boundary of the civil parish, and in the south to Leighton Brook, which forms part of the southern boundary. The western part of the civil parish is predominantly rural, with the major land use being agricultural; a small area of woodland, Red Hall Wood, is located at . Urban development is concentrated around Barrows Green in the south east, adjacent to the town of Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
. A small part of the north-western corner of the parish falls within the Weaver Valley Area of Special County Value.
The A530
A530 road
The A530 road is a road linking the A525 east of Whitchurch, Shropshire, England with the A559 east of Northwich, in Cheshire. The road follows the route:*A525*Nantwich*Crewe*Middlewich*A559...
runs north–south through the parish and the B5076 runs south-eastwards from Bradfield Green. The Crewe–Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
railway line runs east–west just to the south of the parish and the Crewe–Winsford
Winsford
Winsford is a town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Weaver south of Northwich and west of Middlewich, and grew around the salt mining industry after the river was canalised in the...
line runs north–south along its western boundary. The Middlewich branch
Middlewich Branch
The Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal is located in Cheshire, in the north west of England, and runs between Middlewich, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal, and Barbridge Junction, where it joins the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal...
of the Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
runs to the north. The Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk
Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk
The Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk is a long-distance walkers' path in the Cheshire East area of Cheshire, England. As the name suggests, the walk forms a circuit around the towns of Crewe and Nantwich...
runs through the eastern part of the civil parish.
Demography
According to the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 4863 in 1666 households. The historical population figures were 200 (1801), 190 (1851), 126 (1901) and 138 (1951).Landmarks
Leighton HospitalLeighton Hospital
Leighton Hospital is a hospital located in the town of Crewe in the county of Cheshire, England. Together with Victoria Infirmary, Northwich, it forms part of the Mid Cheshire Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust.-Level of care:...
, one of two hospitals in the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
Trust, is located on the A530 (at ). A large general hospital, it provides accident and emergency
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
services covering a wide area of South Cheshire.