Distance to Birmingham, 75—Liverpool and Manchester, 22½ miles.

DISTANCES BY ROADS FROM THIS STATION TO THE FOLLOWING PLACES:—

Places W. ofStation.

Places E. ofStation.

Halton

3½ miles.

Daresbury

1¼ mile.

Lower Runcorn

4 —

Hatton

2¼ —

Higher Runcorn

4½ —

Stretton

3¾ —

Weston

5 —

Grappenhall

4½ —

The pretty village of Moore is not seen from the line. Richly-wooded country lies on either side the road now, and occasionally peeping through the trees, the masts of vessels passing on the Mersey may be observed. The Mersey Viaduct is next traversed. This, though far less grand in appearance than the Dutton Viaduct, is a fine erection of 200 yards in length, consisting of twelve arches, nine being small, and three of larger span, beneath which the river Mersey, and the Mersey and Irwell Canal pass. Shortly after leaving the viaduct the town of Warrington is seen on the E., and westward lies Penketh, and the small white buildings at Fiddler’s Ferry.

WARRINGTON STATION.

Distance to Birmingham, 78—Liverpool and Manchester, 19½ miles.

DISTANCES BY ROADS FROM THIS STATION TO THE FOLLOWING PLACES:—

Places E. ofStation.

Grappenhall

3½ miles.

Lymm

5½ —

Warburton

8 —

Bowdon

11¾ —

Altringham

12 —

Warrington forms a pleasing view from the approaching trains.

It contains 19,155 inhabitants, and is by some writers supposed to have been originally a British town, and on the invasion of the Romans under Agricola, in 79, to have been converted into a Roman station. This supposition rests chiefly on the circumstances of three Roman roads tending hitherwards to a ford over the Mersey; the vestiges of a castrum and fosse, still discernable; and the discovery of Roman coins and other relics near the ford. On its occupation by the Saxons, it obtained the name of Weringtun, from Wæring, a fortification, and tun, a town. The river was passed by ford till 1496, when Thomas, first Earl of Derby, erected a stone bridge in compliment to Henry VII., when on his visit to Latham and Knowsley. In the reign of Henry VIII., Leland, speaking of Warrington, says, “It is a pavid towne of prety bignes, the paroche chirce is at the tayle of the towne; it is a better market than Manchestre.” In the civil wars of 1643, the Royalists of the place betook themselves to the church, which they fortified, but the Parliamentarian battery dislodged them from their military sanctuary. The town is pleasantly situated on the Mersey; the streets are chiefly narrow, but contain some good buildings.