Crewe

Crewe is a town in south Cheshire, in the north west of England. It is the major town in the Borough and Parliamentary Constituency of Crewe and Nantwich. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683. It is twinned with Mâcon in France and Bischofsheim, near Mainz, Germany.

Crewe is perhaps best known for its association with the railway industry, being a major junction and once home to a bustling railway works. From 1946 to 2002 it was the home of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor car production. From the end of 2002 Rolls-Royce production ceased at Crewe while the Pyms’ Lane factory now produces Bentley motor cars exclusively.

Little is left of the original buildings of the 19th century ‘new town’ built by the Grand Junction Railway Company in Crewe. Of the buildings in the town to note, the tower of Christ Church is still a prominent landmark. The church was built in 1860 with the tower being added in 1874. Most of the church interior has been demolished and transformed into a walled garden.

The Lyceum Theatre is a fine Edwardian building which has undergone major refurbishment with the auditorium being restored to its original splendour.

On the outskirts of the town is Crewe Hall, a magnificent Jacobean mansion built for Sir Ranulph Crewe in 1615. Extensions to the Hall were added in the 18th century and following a fire in 1866 which almost destroyed the building, it was repaired and reoccupied in 1870. The Hall is now a luxury hotel and restaurant. In 1877 the railway company provided Crewe with a delightful Victorian park - Queens Park - one of the most splendid in the north of England.

Crewe’s railway heritage can be explored at the ‘Railway Age’ Heritage Centre which provides a fascinating insight into Crewe’s place in railway history.