Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire

Chester 

& 

Cheshire 

Spring 

2018 

The 

Ultimate 

Guide 

Issue 03 

JANUARY — 

APRIL 

2018 

Featuring: 

Plus: 

FEMINISM THAT’S 

1,000 YEARS OLD: 

From a warrior 

queen to present 

day politics 

MAKING THE 

MOST OF MACC: 

A trip to Treacle 

Town 

RAGS TO RICHES: 

Reclaimed World’s 

Jeff Pearce on 

salvaging an 

empire 

EATING OUT: 

at the Scottish 

Steakhouse 

Valentine’s Day in the 

walled city 

+ 

Cheshire’s best winter 

gardens 

+ 

Spectacular ‘dance circus’ 

at Storyhouse

Lifting the winter blues 

Andrew Lambie 

Ness Botanic Gardens is home to a wide range of snowdrops which provide 

a welcome respite from the darkness of the winter months and herald the 

beginnings of life, with their lush green leaves and milky white heads poking 

through the soil in the early part of theyear. 

Snowdrop is the common name for the genus Galanthus (from the Greek 

meaning ‘Milk Flower’). Consisting of nineteen species, these delightful plants 

occur naturally from the Pyrenees to Iran and as far south as Sicily and the 

Lebanon. In nature, they flower as early as late autumn (G.reginaeolgae 

subsp. reginae-olgae which can be seen in the Alpine house 

at Ness Botanic Gardens) through to August (G. platyphyllus). 

In Britain flowering occurs from late autumn but generally only 

through to March although this is dependant on the species. 

Here at Ness, we grow over sixty different species and 

cultivars. The best represented is the familiar common 

Snowdrop G. nivalis which can be seen at several locations 

throughout the Gardens. These came from original plantings 

by A.K. Bulley, Ness Botanic Gardens founder and keen 

plant collector, and while some may not remain in their 

original locations, those in the Azalea Border running 

next to the Herbaceous Border do remain as Bulley 

planted them. The Pinewoods and Azalea Walk play 

host to bigger populations, including robust and larger 

varieties such as G. ‘Robin Hood’, and G. ‘Magnet’. On 

the opposite sides of the Garden, the Rock Garden 

plays host to smaller populations of snowdrops such 

as the delightful double bloom Galanthus nivalis 

‘Blewsbury Tart’. 

Due to the enduring popularity of the ever increasing 

snowdrop collection at Ness, we now run an annual 

self-guided Snowdrop Trail around the Gardens as well as our 

popular guided Snowdrop Walks in February 2018, more 

details can be found at our website: 

www.nessgardens.org.uk/learn/walks 

We’d love it if you could join us! 

1 

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Photo: Phil Kay

2 

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Making 

the most of 

the brand 

New Year 

IMAGE 

NESS BOTANIC 

GARDENS 

Launch yourself into 2018 with the best that 

Cheshire has got to offer (or get yourself out of 

the post-festive doldrums) with our guide to the 

great outdoors. Winter gardens, snowdrop walks, 

pubs with fires and even an Alpine sauna all 

feature (page 9), or start planning your Valentine’s 

Day with an off-the-beaten-track walk and some 

very romantic places to eat (page 18). 

Fancy a day out? You’d be hard pressed to beat 

the market-town charms of Macclesfield (page 

54), whose epic Treacle Market is the basis for 

a top day trip, or else we give you a run-down 

of what to do with the kids over half-term and 

beyond (page 32). Elsewhere, we listen to the rags 

to riches (and back again) tale of the man behind 

Reclaimed World (page 48), and hear first-hand 

why a dance-circus performance at Storyhouse 

is one of spring’s must-see highlights (page 11). 

There’s also the history of Cheshire’s silver 

(page 51) and excellent eats at the Scottish 

Steakhouse (page 56). 

We are also banging the drum for Cheshire’s 

women this year – which, given that 2018 marks 

100 years since women were granted the right to 

vote, feels nothing if not timely. Our potted history 

of Cheshire’s women of note traces a route 

from a warrior queen to present day politics, 

and also gives a run-down of what’s on this year 

to celebrate a 1,000 years of feminism. Expect 

everything from walks and festivals, with some 

theatre and art thrown in for good measure (page 

40). And if all that’s not enough, check our full 

listings of what’s on and where in Cheshire this 

season. As ever – enjoy. 

Find out more about what’s on in Cheshire at: 

visitcheshire.com 

This guide has been put together by 

Marketing Cheshire and was made possible 

with the help of our editor, Susie Stubbs 

and with the invaluable support, ideas and 

reality checks of Marketing Cheshire’s 

Rachel McQueen and Leanne Eaton, and 

Storyhouse’s Jen Chapman and Nancy 

Davies. Thanks also to our interviewees and 

contributors, including Mark Littler, Jeff 

Pearce, Laurel Johnson, Kevin Finnan, Lucy 

Dwyer, Nicola Haigh, Bill Elms and Steven 

Hayes. Special thanks should be given to 

Carolyn Barnwell, for her sterling research 

into Cheshire’s suffragettes. 

Supported by 

Artwork by Lemondrop Creative 

Editorial and advertising: 

Ashley Shacklady 

a.shacklady@marketingcheshire.co.uk 

Leanne Eaton 

l.eaton@marketingcheshire.co.uk 

Front Cover Image: Charge by 

Motionhouse, image by Dan Tucker 

For more information vistitcheshire.com 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, 

stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by 

any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, 

except brief extracts for purpose of review, and no part of 

this publication may be sold or hired, without the written 

permission of the publisher. Words, photography and design 

copyright: Marketing Cheshire 2018, except where stated. 

Although the authors have taken all reasonable care in 

preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy 

or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent 

permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. The 

publisher gratefully acknowledges the permission granted 

to reproduce the copyright material in this book. Every effort 

has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their 

permission for the use of copyright material. 

05

3 

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Get Out Into 

The Great Outdoors 

Christmas has been and gone. New Year, 

too – and no doubt with it all those fine 

resolutions (you know, the ones where you 

stop checking Facebook every 25 seconds 

and start leaving the wine in the fridge). 

No matter. Spring is on its way. Leave the 

guilt behind, get outside and breathe 

deep with our guide to the great 

Cheshire outdoors. 

IMAGE 

DELAMERE FOREST 

07

Great winter gardens 

Cheshire has a bit of a rep. 

when it comes to great 

gardens. From sweeping 

lawns to hulking great 

deer parks, if you’re in 

possession of a pair of 

wellies and a National 

Trust card, Cheshire is your 

spiritual home. And some 

of its most glorious gardens 

are the ones that showcase 

the sublime beauty of the 

winter landscape. Take 

Ness Botanic Gardens 

(Ness). Its 64 acres make 

for a fine visit at any time 

of year, but come February 

it’s dusted with snowdrops, 

some 80 varieties, including 

a bunch planted by the 

gardens’ founder in the 19th 

century. Keep an eye out 

for its snowdrop walks, too: 

there’s one that ends with 

hot chocolate and a roaring 

fire. Cosy. Over at Dunham 

Massey (Altrincham), its 

relatively recent winter 

garden (opened in 2009) 

gives Ness a run for its 

frosty money. Thousands 

of snowdrops, irises and 

cyclamen bloom against 

a backdrop of black stem 

dogwood and beech trees. 

Just a short walk across 

open fields you’ll also 

find the Swan with Two 

Nicks (Little Bollington), a 

pub whose open fires are 

particularly appealing at 

this time of year. Like many 

creaky old country houses, 

Rode Hall (Scholar Green) 

closes over winter, but it 

reopens in early spring 

in order to show off its 

snowdrops - a carpet of 70 

varieties dazzle in the winter 

sun (they hold their own 

against the inevitable drizzle, 

too). Rode Hall’s snowdrop 

walks run from 4 February 

until 5 March; the tearoom 

(with wood burner, yay) will 

also be open. As with all 

of these gardens, opening 

times and prices do vary, 

so check ahead. 

FROM TOP 

NESS BOTANIC 

GARDENS / 

DUNHAM MASSEY 

From sweeping lawns 

to hulking great deer parks, 

if you’re in possession 

of a pair of wellies and 

a National Trust card, 

Cheshire is your spiritual 

home 

Winter adventure 

So, when we say ‘winter adventure’ we’re thinking less 

climbing the North Face of the Eiger and more an energetic 

hike up to the dizzy heights of Bickerton Hill (Duckington, 

part of the Sandstone Ridge). Head towards the 3,000 

year-old Maiden Castle on a crisp winter’s day and you’ll 

see as far as the River Mersey (and get an eyeful of a 

reputed nine counties). Top of our list, though, is Lyme’s 

Night Run (Disley, 27 Jan). This is a run that takes you past 

the Elizabethan mansion that most of Lyme’s visitors are 

familiar with and up onto the moors beyond – which far 

fewer are. From up here, 800 feet above sea level, the sight 

is little short of spectacular. At night, spread out in the valley 

below, all the twinkling lights of the Manchester metropolis 

glitter – and will surely make the 3km and 6km routes worth 

the effort. 

08

Outdoors, but also indoors 

If you approach country walks with the same sense of dread 

as a mother preparing for a four year-old’s whole-class 

birthday party – at home – then fear not. There are places 

where getting a lungful of fresh air can be done so in small 

doses. Take Quarry Bank (Styal), a place made famous 

thanks to Channel 4’s The Mill. Yes, you could go on a ramble 

around its 400-acre woods. Yes, you could take a wander 

around the model village at Styal, created by the Greg family 

to house their mill-workers. Or you could simply step inside 

its 19th-century glasshouse, whose beautiful, curvilinear 

structure was once used for growing exotic fruits – and is 

still heated, thanks to a new biomass boiler. Toasty. It won’t 

take long to peruse, however, so head over to the Ship Inn 

(Styal) afterwards, a 350 year-old pub that does excellent 

grub. You’ll definitely have worked up an appetite by then. 

FROM TOP 

QUARRY BANK 

MILL / MOTTRAM 

HALL’S ALFRESCO 

THERMOSPACE / 

THE CHURCH INN, 

MOBBERLEY 

Elsewhere, we like the sound of 

Mottram Hall’s Alfresco Thermospace 

(Mottram). It may sound like 

something NASA has developed as 

part of its space programme, but it 

is in fact part of a spa complex that 

boasts a Bavarian-inspired sauna and 

steam room. There’s a copper oven 

covered in pinecones (which shoots 

out herbal steam), there’s an outdoor 

zone and pine needles on the floor, and 

the whole thing is akin to standing in 

the middle of a steamy alpine forest. 

In fact, a few hours inhaling the herbal 

air must surely offer the same benefits 

as spending a week hiking in the 

Alps. It’s not cheap, though, so unless 

your Christmas was a frugal one you 

might opt instead for the waterfalls 

and wildlife of Lymm Dam (Lymm). 

Take an ever-so-gentle (buggy and 

wheelchair-friendly) stroll around its 

shores, before heading into Lymm for 

the pick of its cafes, pubs and eateries. 

Finally, we often opt for The Church 

Inn (Mobberley), a dog-friendly boozer 

that hands out a map for a four-mile 

walk that starts and ends at its doors. 

Or you could do as we so recently 

did and head there with the best of 

intentions…. and spend the afternoon 

by the fire, drinking Mallory’s 

Mobberley Best Bitter, greeting the 

sinking of the sun with a rueful smile 

- and a resolution to come back again 

for that walk, next time, absolutely, 

just when we’ve got more time. 

And so, from broken New Year’s 

resolutions to missed walks, we bring 

this feature to an end – but you’ve no 

excuses now. Go on: get out into the 

great Cheshire outdoors. 

09

4 

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IN THE HEART OF 

CHESTER 

Over 60 stores. 400 parking spaces. 

Open 7 days a week. 

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social media channels. 

thegrosvenorcentre.co.uk GSCChester GSC_Chester 

5

CHARGE! 

Art and science come together to spectacular effect at 

Storyhouse in February. We speak to Motionhouse’s 

Kevin Finnan about ‘dance circus’, science and 

high-impact moves. 

11

“We used to have a 

reputation for working with 

video but now the screen we 

use is three-dimensional. 

We perform on it, in it and 

through it.” Kevin Finnan is 

attempting to explain what it 

is, exactly, that Motionhouse 

does. And, to be fair, what it 

does is pretty unusual – 

a mix of dance, circus-like 

moves, multimedia and 

set design that leave its 

audiences, according to 

critics, gobsmacked. In fact, 

Motionhouse is a dance 

company that’s been going 

since 1988, its six-strong 

dance troupe playing to 

packed houses across 

the UK and Europe, its 

performances redefining the 

boundaries of contemporary 

dance. “We call our work 

dance-circus,” says Kevin. 

“Alongside the traditional 

dance vocabulary our 

dancers have a wider range 

of skills - circus moves such 

as hand-to-hand balancing 

or aerial techniques – 

and we bring those skills 

together with music and 

digital imagery to create a 

level of skill and spectacle 

that’s unlike anything you’ll 

find in traditional dance.” 

He’s not wrong. 

Motionhouse has, in the 

past, choreographed 

dancers with JCB diggers, 

the former showing off 

super athletic routines 

alongside monster machines 

not normally known for 

their balletic grooves. The 

company also worked on 

the London 2012 Paralympic 

Opening Ceremony and, 

this spring, brings its latest 

show to Storyhouse, Charge. 

“We have performed on a 

vast scale, with skydives 

and ships and cranes, we’ve 

danced on 100 foot-high 

buildings, and now we want 

to bring the power of the 

spectacle indoors,” says 

Kevin of the show. 

Charge is one of 

Motionhouse’s most 

ambitious performances to 

date. The company’s dancers 

tell the story of electricity 

within the human body. 

As they writhe and twist on 

poles and ropes, on each 

other and through computer 

game-like graphics, they 

articulate how electricity 

defines us – from the 

electrical Charge that sparks 

human life to electrical 

activity in the brain. Making 

such a story stack up was a 

huge challenge for Kevin and 

his team. “When you think 

about energy, you think of 

things like the city at night 

or putting petrol in a car, 

but you don’t really visualize 

anything, do you? I thought, 

how am I going to make a 

show about something you 

can’t see?” 

“ We have performed on a 

vast scale, with skydives 

and ships and cranes, 

we’ve danced on 100 foothigh 

buildings, and now we 

want to bring the power of 

the spectacle indoors ” 

12

What’s On 

Chester Cathedral 

6 

Our Colour 

Reflection 

Liz West 

in the Chapter House 

Thursday 1 February - 

Thursday 1 March 2018 

in collaboration with 

SATURDAY 3 MARCH 

Chester Philharmonic presents 

Красивая русская музыка 

Enjoy a Russian Classical Romantic evening 

featuring the young Estonian Pianist Maksim 

Štšura, with music from Rachmaninoff and Glinka. 

7.30pm | Tickets £5 - £16 


Israel in Egypt performed by 

Chester Bach Singers 

Encounter frogs, locusts, tidal waves and much 

more as Chester Bach Singers return to perform 

Handel’s exciting and vivid piece ‘Israel in Egypt’. 

7.30pm | Tickets £5 - £20 


Chester Music Society presents 

An Evening with Mozart 

The Music Society Choir join forces with the 

Liverpool Sinfonia and an outstanding line-up 

of soloists to celebrate the genius of Wolfgang 

Amadeus Mozart. 

7.30pm | Tickets £7 - £20 

GOOD FRIDAY 30 MARCH 

St John Passion, J S Bach – 8pm 

Chester Cathedral Choir, directed by 

Philip Rushforth 

Eighteenth Century Sinfonia 

Robert Murray Evangelist 

Tristan Hambleton Christus 

Alison Rose Soprano 

Marta Fontanals-Simmons Mezzo Soprano 

Marcus Farnsworth Bass 

The St John Passion was written for Good Friday in 

1724 and contains many dramatic moments as well 

as intense, mournful beauty. The soloists performing 

with the choir are of international repute and will 

be accompanied by the superb Eighteenth Century 

Sinfonia. 

Bach’s St John Passion contains all the ferocity and 

sorrow of the Good Friday story but it is also an 

optimistic work, anticipating the resurrection with 

music of radiance and hope. Do come 

and hear this wonderful work in this 

most magnificent setting. 

FREE – retiring collection 

For concert tickets, call 01244 500959 or click to: chestercathedral.com/events

Spring Season 

Charge isn’t the only dance act that’s 

on at Storyhouse this spring. As part 

of a world tour, the acclaimed Saint 

Petersburg Classic Ballet brings both 

Giselle and Swan Lake to Chester 

in February (16 Feb and 17-18 Feb 

respectively). Fans of Strictly take note: 

Brendan Cole and guests present the 

Latin and ballroom-infused All Night 

Long on 17 March and, while it’s not 

dance-related, the appearance of the 

English Touring Opera is also worth a 

mention. They perform three classic 

productions in March: The Marriage of 

Figaro (20 Mar) and a double helping 

of Puccini on 21 March, with Il Tabarro 

and Gianni Schicchi served up in a 

single sitting. 

Kevin began researching the 

subject, examining theory, 

going to conferences, and 

eventually stumbling across 

the work of Dame Frances 

Ashcroft. The award-winning 

Trinity College professor is 

a specialist in ion channel 

physiology – or how cells 

process electrical Charges – 

with her research enabling 

some diabetics to swap 

regular insulin injections 

for more palatable oral 

drugs. When Kevin first 

approached Frances she was 

unsure. “But we spent time 

in her laboratory, I spoke 

to her research team at 

Oxford University about the 

phenomena of electricity 

in the body and between us 

we developed the idea for 

the show.” 

Getting a team of 

white-coated scientists 

from one of the world’s 

leading universities on 

board is testament as much 

to Kevin’s passion as it is 

to Motionhouse’s track 

record and the process was 

genuinely two-way, with 

researchers visiting the 

studio as the show began to 

take visual shape. 

The end result is powerful 

and persuasive and has been 

enthusiastically picked up 

by the university. “Oxford is 

very proud of it and Frances 

is going to show sections of 

it at conferences. It has been 

a great partnership,” says 

Kevin. Charge has done just 

as well with audiences, with 

rave reviews across the UK, 

standing ovations reported 

in Italy and a run on the West 

End on the cards. 

So, do you have to be a 

dance aficionado to enjoy 

Charge? Not at all, says 

Kevin. “Seventy percent of 

our audiences are new to 

dance. What brings them 

is the fact that we’re doing 

something of real quality, 

that’s never been seen on 

the stage.” The show can 

be enjoyed on a range of 

levels. “We have created 

a world that’s informed by 

science. You can sit back 

and think, wow, that’s a 

beautiful visual experience, 

or you can find the science 

side of it fascinating. It 

doesn’t matter,” says 

Kevin. In fact, perhaps the 

only thing that matters is 

seeing it for yourself. The 

one-off performance at 

Storyhouse may not quite 

be dance as we know it, but 

it is an unmissable night 

nevertheless. 

Motionhouse: Charge, 

Storyhouse, 7.30pm, 6 

February, £16.50-£25.50. 

Book at storyhouse.com. 

14

7 

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Eating out 

An Alternative 

Day Á Deux 

16

Thank goodness for Valentine’s Day. It’s a ray of (pink and sparkly) light 

amid the grey gloom of the shortest month – and Chester is an obvious 

place to spend this most romantic of days. Follow a road less travelled 

with our guide to some of its lesser-known charms. 

The best romantic weekends are spent 

mooching around pretty places, with 

all the time in the world to enjoy each 

other’s company. Chester doubleticks 

the mooching box, what with 

its wonky Rows and two-mile amble 

along the Walls, but it has a clutch of 

other romantic nooks and crannies, 

too – the first being Grosvenor Park 

or, more specifically, The Lodge Café 

(Grosvenor Park). Restored as part of a 

£2.4m regeneration a few years back, 

The Lodge sits within landscaped 

grounds donated to the people of 

Chester by the Grosvenors – who, 

fact fans, are an aristocratic family 

with connections to the city that 

stretch back centuries (Sir Richard 

Grosvenor was MP for Chester way 

back in 1620). The Lodge today serves 

up rather good tea and cake, with 

views over the park thrown in for good 

measure. Stop here for sustenance 

before a romantic meander by the 

River Dee, crossing via the wooden 

boards of the Queen’s Park Bridge 

(The Groves) and gazing dreamily 

towards the Meadows and their myriad 

weeping willows. 

Back in town, Chester’s “most romantic 

street” (Godstall Lane) is an obvious 

stopping-off point, though perhaps less 

so if you’ve yet to introduce your latest 

squeeze to your parents – among the 

medieval lane’s residents is a bridal 

boutique. Chester’s biggest draw is 

close by - the Cathedral (St Werburgh 

St) – though the handmade chocs of 

Rococo (Northgate St) follow hard on 

its heels. Ain’t nothing so romantic 

as chocolate, eh? But we’re more 

interested in the modest charm of the 

Abbey Gateway (Northgate St), which 

whispers tales of Chester’s ancient 

past. Built by Richard Lenginour in 1300 

(AKA Richard the Engineer; they were 

a sucker for a prosaic nickname back 

in the 14th century), the gateway led 

to St Werburgh’s Abbey - which later, 

much later, became the Cathedral we 

know and love today. Duck beneath it 

now and you’ll find yourself in Abbey 

Square, where once a bakery, brewery 

and kitchens served the Cathedral 

community. A road leads to the 

Kaleyards Gate; it pierced the Walls 

only with the permission of 

Edward I – who allowed it so long as a 

man on horseback carrying a 10-foot 

lance couldn’t pass through it. Friday 

nights in Chester clearly used to be 

quite something. 

Head back onto Northgate, this time 

heading for Storyhouse (Hunter St). 

It may not come with a 700-year 

history, but this former Art Deco 

cinema has retained its sleek 1930s 

curves, which inside give it an ocean 

liner kind of feel. Its extension, 

meanwhile, is all glass, copper and 

brickwork detailing that acts as a 

21st-century mirror to the cinema’s 

older brickwork. Sitting at the top of 

Northgate, surrounded on all sides by 

more venerable buildings, Storyhouse 

shouldn’t quite work but does – and 

its restaurant serves up the sort of 

mezze, dips and desserts that were 

made for sharing. Check its spring 

season for romance-heavy highlights 

such as Swan Lake (17 & 18 Feb) and 

Giselle (16 Feb). 

IMAGES 

LEFT: CHESTER 

GROSVENOR / 

ROUNDEL: THE 

ROWS 

17

Five eateries 

made for 

romance 

IMAGES 

TOP: RIVER DEE 

ABOVE: THE CROSS 

ABOVE RIGHT: CHESTER 

GROSVENOR 

RIGHT: THE ROWS 

Alderley Edge Hotel (Alderley Edge): 

If bling is your thing, then get thee to 

a hotel whose restaurant majors on 

locally sourced, stellar dishes, 

a great wine list – and on creating 

the sorts of meals-for-two that are 

something special. 

Close by is Rufus Court 

(off Northgate St). Wedged 

between the Walls and the 

Cathedral’s grounds, this 

little courtyard is full of 

eateries and places to have 

fun, among them jazz bar 

Alexander’s and Covino, 

an intimate wine bar that 

knows more about wine than 

Arvid Rosengren (the world’s 

best sommelier, dur). Rufus 

Court is a curious place, a 

mash-up of the medieval and 

the modern, the buildings 

on the Walls dating to 1735, 

the newer ones slotted in 

during the 1990s. Back on 

Northgate Street, the Pied 

Bull is one of Chester’s 

creakiest boozers; it’s also 

its oldest, having been 

serving up ale since the 11th 

century. If it’s something 

more up to date you’re after, 

then Joseph Benjamin 

(Northgate St) plates up 

modern British dishes with 

a seasonal twist. That in 

turn is close to the Bridge of 

Sighs, which spans the canal 

just past Northgate. This 

old bridge is, however, far 

less romantic than it might 

at first seem. It once led 

from the afeared Northgate 

prison to a chapel where the 

condemned received their 

last rites. It’s also a stone’s 

throw from the former home 

of Chester’s hangman – and 

if that (and the wine) doesn’t 

get you holding each other 

close, then what will? 

The Yew Tree Inn (Bunbury): 

This is a classic village pub with 

an open fire, quirky wallpapers, a 

gastropubby menu and the sorts of cosy 

nooks that are the dictionary definition 

of the word “romantic”. 

Meltdown (Handbridge): Sometimes the 

best things in life are unsophisticated: 

ladies and gentlemen, we give you the 

epic cheese toasties of independent 

café, Meltdown. It’s a bit out of town, 

but worth the detour. 

Sticky Walnut (Hoole): Our top tip for 

an unpretentious but fabulous meal. 

Sticky is hands-down the best bistro in 

Chester. Impress your Valentine without 

going over the top. 

Simon Radley at the Chester Grosvenor 

(Chester): If it is all-out foodie 

glamour you’re after, though, Simon 

Radley’s Michelin-starred dishes 

and the opulence of one of Chester’s 

gastronomic grande dames is your 

friend. The service is discreet, 

the food attention grabbing. 

18

9 

January - April Highlights 

New winter brochure 

out now!

Storyhouse 


On Stage 

The best critically acclaimed 

shows from around the world 

hit the Storyhouse Stage this 

season! Highlights include: 

Jan / Apr 

2018 

01 

Chester’s new 

theatre, cinema 

and library 

is here! 

Tickets 

storyhouse.com 

01244 409 113 

Tickets also available 

from the Chester Visitor 

Information Centre 

The Play That 

Goes Wrong 

Saint Petersburg 

Classic Ballet 

03 

29 Jan – 3 Feb 

The multi award winning, 

West End comedy comes 

to Storyhouse this January. 

Hailed a ‘gut-busting’ hit by 

the New York Times. 

Tickets from £16.50 

Motionhouse Charge 

01 

6 February 

Motionhouse bring their 

incredible new multi-media 

show Charge, a unique 

collaboration between art 

and science. 


Kabantu 

21 February 

The Debut Tour Album. Joyous 

quintet creating infectious 

music from around the world. 

Not to be missed concert on 

Storyhouse’s main stage. 

Tickets £12, £16 

Giselle: 16 February 

Swan Lake: 17 – 18 February 

Combining classical training 

and technique with the bestloved 

Russian ballets, Saint 

Petersburg Classic Ballet’s 

performances have an air 

of magic, complemented 

by a full orchestra and 

outstanding soloists who will 

take your breath away! 


David Baddiel – 

My Family: Not The 

Sitcom 

23 February 

My Family: Not the Sitcom 

is a show about memory, 

ageing, infidelity, dysfunctional 

relatives, moral policing on 

social media, golf, and gay cats. 

£27 

Brendan Cole: 

All Night Long 

04 

02 

04 

03 

Sarah Millican 

02 

22 February 

Sarah Millican is not a 

control freak, she’s a control 

enthusiast. Funny, frank and 

unapologetically filthy. 

Sold out 

17 March 

Brendan Cole and his 

sensational cast have been 

dazzling audiences with his 

brand new show with all of the 

magic that one would expect 

from Strictly Come Dancing. 

£39 

20

Coming Soon 

Cilla – The Musical 

6 – 10 March 

The extraordinary story of a 

teenage girl from Liverpool 

whose dreams of stardom 

lead to her becoming one 

of Britain’s best-loved 

entertainers of all time. 

Tickets from £39 

English Touring Opera 

Puccini’s II Tabaro & 

Giann 

21 March 

Il Tabarro and Gianni 

Schicchi could hardly be 

more different: one is a 

moody romance ending in a 

grotesque murder on a barge 

in Paris, and the other is a 

sparkling comedy about a 

family inheritance in Florence. 

English Touring 

Opera: Marriage of 

Figaro 

05 

22 March 

English Touring Opera 

presents an energetic new 

production of Mozart’s classic 

comedy The Marriage of 

Figaro. 


Gangsta Granny 

11 – 14 April 

From the acclaimed 

producers of Horrible 

Histories comes the awardwinning 

West End production 

of this amazing story by David 

Walliams, the UK’s bestselling 

author for children. 


Evita 

17 April 

Evita tells the story of an 

ordinary woman’s meteoric 

rise to power at a time of 

extraordinary political unrest. 

It follows Eva Peron’s, wife 

of former Argentine dictator 

Juan Peron, journey from 

humble beginnings through to 

extraordinary wealth, 

power and iconic status. 

Tickets from £20 

Grumpy Old Women 

23 April 

Hit show starring Jenny 

Eclair, Dillie Keane & Lizzie 

Roper. 

06 

Summer at 

Storyhouse 

5 May – 15 July 

After a critically acclaimed 

opening season last year, 

Storyhouse’s summer 

season of home produced 

theatre includes Stephen 

Sondheim’s gorgeous 

musical A Little Night 

Music, The children’s classic 

Swallows and Amazons and 

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. 

Grosvenor Park Open 

Air Theatre 

6 July – 26 August 

The award-winning 

Grosvenor Park Open Air 

Theatre returns for its 9th 

year in its glorious park 

setting. This summer 

audiences can see the 

children’s classic Swallows 

and Amazons, alongside 

Shakespeare’s The Tempest 

and Much Ado About Nothing. 

06 

Son of a 

Preacher Man 

05 

27 – 31 March 

Welcome to the Preacher 

Man, the swinging 1960s 

Soho joint where kids danced 

the night away to the latest 

crazes and dared to dream of 

love, while legendary owner, 

The Preacher Man himself, 

dispensed advice to cure the 

loneliest of hearts. 


06 

© Mark McNulty 

21

Cinema New Releases 

01 

03 

The Post 

From 2 February 

Katharine Graham (Meryl 

Streep) is the first female 

publisher of The Washington 

Post. With help from editor 

Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks), 

Graham uncovers a massive 

cover-up of government 

secrets that spans three 

decades and four U.S. 

presidents. Directed by 

Stephen Spielberg. 

02 

The Disaster Artist 

From 5 January 

A biographical comedy about 

Tommy Wiseau (James 

Franco), the director of 

the 2003 film The Room 

- the film with the spurious 

reputation of being the worst 

film ever made. Quickly 

gaining status as so-badit’s-good 

– The Room has 

generated a cult following. 

The Greatest 

Showman 

22 

01 03 

02 


Inspired by the story of P. 

T. Barnum, The Greatest 

Showman is an original 

musical celebrating the birth 

of show business. Hugh 

Jackman stars as Barnum, 

on a quest to rise out of 

poverty by bringing a raggletaggle 

bunch of performers 

together to stage the world’s 

first circus. 

Darkest Hour 


Gary Oldman gives a terrific 

performance as Churchill. 

Newly elected as Prime 

Minister he must make 

the decision of whether to 

negotiate a peace treaty 

with Nazi Germany or lead 

the country to war on the 

principles of freedom and 

liberty. As much a political 

thriller as war movie, 

Churchill’s cabinet is far from 

behind him as he wrestles 

with one of the major 

decisions of the 20th century. 

Three Billboards 

Outside Ebbing 

Missouri 15 


Darkly comic drama from 

Martin McDonagh (In 

Bruges). After months have 

passed without a culprit in 

her daughter’s murder case, 

Mildred Hayes (Frances 

McDormand) makes a bold 

move, painting three signs 

leading into her town with 

a controversial message 

directed at the town’s revered 

chief of police, Willoughby 

(Woody Harrelson). 

04 

Phantom Thread 

04 


Acclaimed actor Daniel 

Day Lewis announced his 

retirement last year, making 

Phantom Thread potentially 

the last chance to see him 

on the big screen. Set in 

1950’s post-war London, 

renowned dressmaker 

Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel 

Day-Lewis) and his sister 

Cyril (Lesley Manville) are at 

the centre of British fashion.

10 

EXPLORE THE WONDERS OF THE 

UNIVERSE AT JODRELL BANK 

Open Daily 10am - 5pm 

Discover the giant Lovell Telescope! 

PLUS: Interactive Exhibits and Displays 

35 acres of Gardens and Arboretum 

Planet Pavilion Cafe and Gift Shop 

Playground and Picnic Areas 

Year-round Events and Activities

New Releases 

Early Man 


From the much loved Aardman 

Studio and Nick Park (Wallace 

& Gromit, Chicken Run) comes 

another brilliant family feature. 

Set at the dawn of time, when 

prehistoric creatures and 

woolly mammoths roamed 

the earth, Early Man tells the 

story of Dug and his side kick 

Hognob. 

The Shape Of Water 


Guillermo Del Torro (Pan’s 

Labyrinth) delivers an otherworldly 

fairy tale, set against 

the backdrop of Cold War era 

America. In the hidden highsecurity 

government laboratory 

where she works, lonely Elisa 

(Sally Hawkins) discovers a 

secret classified experiment 

that transforms her life. 

Specials 

Storyhouse Young 

Film Programmers 

Cinema Take Over 

01 

Feb 1 – 4 

Love In All Its Forms 

February: the month of love. 

Storyhouse Young Film 

Programmers are taking over 

the cinema to present a season 

of films all about Love. Check 

storyhouse.com for film titles, 

times and special events. 

01 

LIVE On Screen 

As well as mainstream blockbusters, independent, classic 

and world cinema, Storyhouse screens productions from 

the National Theatre (NT) and the Royal Opera House (ROH), 

bringing the finest drama, opera and ballet to the heart of 

Chester. 

ROH Live: Rigoletto 

16 January 

£19.50 

Aged Under 26: £14.50 

David McVicar’s acclaimed 

production of Verdi’s 

potent and tragic opera is 

conducted by Alexander 

Joel, with an excellent cast 

led by Dimitri Platanias, 

Lucy Crowe and Michael 

Fabiano. 

The Royal Opera | 

Composer: Verdi 

Dimitri Platanias / Lucy 

Crowe / Michael Fabiano 

Conductor: Alexander Joel | 

Director: David McVicar 

ROH Live: Tosca 

7 February £19.50 


Drama, passion and 

fabulous music in Puccini’s 

operatic thriller. Drama, 

passion and fabulous music 

– Puccini’s operatic thriller 

is one of the great opera 

experiences. 

NT Live: Cat on a Hot 

Tin Roof (15) 

22 February 

£19.50 


Tennessee Williams’ 

twentieth century 

masterpiece Cat on a Hot 

Tin Roof played a strictly 

limited season in London’s 

West End in 2017. 

02 

02 

32nd Chester 

International Film 

Festival 

25 Feb - 7 March 

Presented by Chester Film 

Society 

Storyhouse is delighted to 

host the annual Chester 

Film Society International 

Film Festival. A remarkable 

global selection of recent 

films that share stories and 

experiences from an array 

of countries. Titles include: 

Loving Vincent, The In 

Between and Mensashe. 

24

Portrait Advert: 145mm (w) x 220mm (h) 

11 

WHERE HISTORY 

COMES ALIVE 

FORTHCOMING EVENTS 

The Boaty Theatre Company 

presents Dungeness 23 and 24 February 

Easter Boat Gathering 30 March to 2 April 


presents The Accrington Pals 23 and 24 June 

Bicycles and Boats 15 July 

Horses at Work and at War 13 August 


presents Twelfth Night 17 and 18 August 


presents Hamlet 28 to 30 September 

Halloween events and activities 

27 to 31 October 

Santa Cruises – weekends in December 

Please visit the website for museum opening times, prices 

and for more on our boat trips exhibitions and events. 

canalrivertrust.org.uk/nwm 

SOUTH PIER ROAD, ELLESMERE PORT, CHESHIRE CH65 4FW T: 0151 355 5017

Activities 

WayWord 

01 

Percy the Pirate 

Words for Wellbeing 

17 - 24 February 

Week-long festival of 

children’s writers, gamers, 

storytellers, artists and 

thinkers! 

Save the date! 

See storyhouse.com for full 

festival line-up 

Harry Potter 

Book Night 

Thursday 1 February 

4.30pm – 6pm 

Under 16s and their parents 

Storytelling and magical 

activities themed around 

Fantastic Beasts. A 

chance for young people 

to celebrate J.K. Rowling’s 

wonderful series and 

to pass the magic on to 

younger readers who 

haven’t yet discovered these 

unforgettable books. 

FREE 

The Den 

Winter Warmers – 

Family Storytime 

3 & 4 January 

A heart-warming 

storytelling session for 

the new year. Becky the 

Storyteller is back and 

her sack is filled with new 

stories for the New Year. 

Interactive storytime with 

songs, games and fun. 

Each story is brought alive 

with sensory play, singing 

and lots of opportunities to 

join in. 

£2 

Babies (with a paying 

sibling) and parents free. 

8 and under 

The Den 

02 

22 January 

24 January 

27 January 

12pm 

11am (Saturday 27 January) 

Come and help Percy find 

his hat! 

A family friendly show 

which invites audiences to 

participate in an actionpacked 

adventure where 

children will go on a journey 

across the ocean with Percy 

the Pirate. 

This children’s theatre show 

has been especially devised 

using the theme of emotions 

and feelings. 

Wear your best pirate 

costume! 

FREE 

The Kitchen 

Improv Gym for 

over 50s 

4 January (10 week course) 

11.30am 

A series of drama 

improvisation workshops 

open to the over 50’s, ideal 

for those who want to 

discover their playful side 

and enjoy the moment. 

There’s no audience and 

the atmosphere is nonjudgmental 

and fun, so 

that we can see where our 

creativity takes us. Expect to 

work together as a team to 

create group laughs, stories 

and sketches, seemingly 

from nowhere! 

£4 

The Meeting Room 

01 

02 

4 January – 15 February 

Fortnightly 6 sessions 

12.30 – 2.30pm 

A creative wellbeing 

session for people who 

are experiencing stress in 

their lives, or are part of 

a recovery community, or 

those who want to pursue 

some self-help through 

creative writing, inspired 

by listening to poetry and 

stories together. 

£5 

The Meeting Room 

© Mark Carline 

26

12 

UNLEASH 

YOUR 

INNER APE 

15 

PER PERSON 

* 

at Delamere Forest, 

near Chester 

Book at goape.co.uk 

or call 0845 519 5309 † quote UGCDE8 

*Offer valid until 30th November 2018, excludes Saturdays, bank holidays and purchase of gift vouchers. Discount code must be 

entered at time of booking. Only valid at Delamere Forest. † Calls cost 7p perminute plus your phone company’s access charge. 

Participation and supervision ratios apply - please see our website.

N 

H 

01 

Cinema Events 

Family Cinema 

01 

Saturdays, 11am 

Each Saturday morning, 

we bring the best family 

films back to the big screen. 

Highlights this season 

include Ferdinand, Dr 

Doolittle and The Justice 

League. 

My First Movie 

First Tuesday of every 

month, 11am 

Introduce your pre-schoolers 

to the magic of cinema! 

Parent & Baby 

Screenings 

Every Wednesday, 11am 

Cancel the babysitter and 

enjoy the best new releases 

on the big screen in the 

company of other parents 

and their babies. 

For parents with babies 

under 12months 

Silver Screenings 

Every Tuesday and Thursday 

before 5pm 

Over 60’s enjoy 25% off all 

cinema screenings before 

5pm 

F 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

H 

L 

01 

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Newspaper-ad-resized-2-08-11-17.indd 1 08/11/2017 12:23:53

The Kids Are 

All Right 

Young people – they don’t 

know they’re born. Or do they? 

We speak to Storyhouse about 

how Chester has learned to 

love the young. 

We’ve all been there. Rolled 

our eyes at that noisy baby 

in the café. Tutted at a 

tantruming toddler rolling 

beneath the tinned beans 

in aisle 15. Skirted past a 

huddle of teenagers and 

muttered under our breath 

about their misspent youth. 

From the terrible twos to 

terrifying teens, kids are 

written off as nothing but 

trouble, underestimated 

until they hit 18 - when we 

expect them to emerge, like 

so many butterflies, as fully 

formed adults. 

Yet the stereotypes belie 

the truth. Generation Z, 

those teens currently aged 

around 14, are a serious 

bunch. They care about the 

planet, they want a job that 

makes a difference and 

they understand that their 

Instagram is about as real 

as Donald Trump’s personal 

news feed. And by the time 

that toddler you spotted 

in aisle 15 leaves school 

she’ll probably be managing 

an internet start-up while 

vlogging about the housing 

crisis on the side. 

That’s something that the 

folk at Storyhouse are keenly 

aware of. “We work with 

young people interested in 

making art, and we work 

with those who aren’t – 

but whatever their interest 

we need to make room for 

them,” says the venue’s 

Nicola Haigh. “As our artistic 

director Alex Clifton says, 

we need young people to 

stay in Chester, to build a 

creative community here.” 

It’s an approach that’s 

paying off. “After 3.30pm on 

any weekday the place fills 

up with young people. They 

see Storyhouse as a refuge, 

it’s where they do their 

homework and hang out,” 

says Nicola. 

It’s not just teenagers who 

have a home at Storyhouse. 

Its dedicated children’s 

library brings the written 

word to life for the very 

young, while regular family 

events include cinema 

screenings, baby signing 

and craft activities. The 

venue also hosted Breastival 

in 2017, a celebration of 

breastfeeding that attracted 

around 150 new mums. It’ll 

run again this autumn and 

“we’ll go bigger and better,” 

says Nicola. 

But perhaps what’s 

most encouraging about 

Storyhouse is its attitude to 

accessibility. From signed 

performances to a building 

that’s entirely wheelchair 

friendly, it is open to all – as 

is Chester itself. Chester 

was crowned the most 

accessible city in Europe 

in 2017, an accolade that 

comes after almost a decade 

of quiet investment. 

Take the historic Rows and 

Walls, for example: despite 

their age they’re both 

wheelchair accessible, 

with an impressive 11 places 

to get on or off the Walls. 

And what works for 

wheelchairs works for 

parents with buggies, 

or parents with (elderly) 

parents – in fact, it works 

for us all. Child friendly, 

wheelchair friendly, teen 

friendly: these are just 

different ways of saying 

the same thing. Chester 

is people friendly. And the 

kids? Well, they’re all right. 

IMAGE 

WAYWORD 

FESTIVAL 2016 BY 

MARK CARLINE 

30

14

Enjoy the award-winning 

Ice Cream Farm with 

over 50 mouth-watering 

ice creams and sorbets 

on offer! 

IMAGES 

Top places 

to take your 

toddlers or 

teens 

TOP: ICE CREAM 

FARM / ABOVE: 

WAYWORD / 

RIGHT: ANDERTON 

BOAT LIFT 

Half term, Easter weekend: 

sometimes it’s hard to 

think of what to do with 

the smallest people in 

your life. Fear not. The Ice 

Cream Farm (Tattenhall) 

is just as popular when it’s 

cold out. It doesn’t matter 

if Mr. Frosty is feeling 

hypothermic - your kids will 

opt for an ice cream as big 

as their head despite dreadtales 

of Brain Freeze. Well, 

they were warned. David 

Walliams is fast becoming 

a National Treasure, and 

his rip-roaring adventure 

about the secret life of 

grandparents is coming to 

the stage. Catch Gangsta 

Granny at Storyhouse 

(11-14 Apr, Chester). 

Dinosaur Live, meanwhile, 

brings the Triassic to life 

via an interactive show for 

children aged 3 and up (7 

& 8 Apr, Storyhouse), and 

the WayWord Festival is a 

boredom buster for those 

on half term thanks to a mix 

of readings, comedy, denbuilding, 

coding and music 

(17-24 Feb, Storyhouse). 

There are regular cinematic 

treats at Storyhouse, 

too, including the twiceweekly, 

toddler-tastic 

My First Movie. Children 

big and small can enjoy 

bouncy fun on Flip Out’s 

trampolines (Chester), 

though I’ve always had a 

soft spot for the Anderton 

Boat Lift (Northwich). My 

son reckons its strapline 

should be “not as boring as 

it sounds” – so young, yet 

so cynical – but watching it 

heft boats 50 feet from river 

to canal is one of Britain’s 

industrial wonders. Ness 

Gardens lays on a Winter 

Wildlife Trail for half term 

(10-25 Feb, Ness) and, 

talking of wildlife, Tatton’s 

Deer Feed and Trailer 

Ride (20 Feb, Tatton Park) 

gets you and the smalls 

up close to red and fallow 

deer. Finally, don’t miss the 

Lady Lever Art Gallery’s 

take on Chinese New Year: 

it tells the tales of Dragon 

Legends in a show designed 

for children aged 5 and over 

(22 Feb, Port Sunlight). 

32

IMAGES 

LEFT: TATTON PARK 

BELOW: STORYHOUSE 

Best places for 

a feed (and tips 

for travels with 

a baby) 

New mum? Sick of staring at the same 

four walls? Ease yourself back into 

public life by finding a few quiet, buggyfriendly 

places to go, preferably not too 

far from the car (or bus, or train). Take 

more wipes, nappies and changes of 

clothes than seems reasonable and, 

most importantly, don’t try to do too 

much. You may once have shopped 

till you dropped, lunched with friends, 

nipped to the Post Office and called 

your mum all in your lunch hour – 

but those days are over, for now at 

least. As for places to go, Storyhouse 

is a no-brainer. It’s buggy-friendly, 

pro-breastfeeding, has good baby 

changing facilities and is big enough 

to absorb a little screaming (from your 

babe, not you). Breastfeeding Friendly 

Chester should also be your go-to. 

The Facebook group behind Breastival 

has compiled an invaluable directory 

of cafés, shops, restaurants, pubs and 

even schools that actually, you know, 

like babies, among them Marks and 

Spencer (Foregate St), Watergate Deli 

(Watergate Row) and Joseph Benjamin 

(Northgate St). Keep an eye out for 

the window stickers that denote who’s 

baby-friendly – and good luck. It does 

get easier. Honest. 

33

15 

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E - 

35 

06/12/2017 16:26

36

One thousand 

years old, one 

hundred years on 

From an Anglo-Saxon queen to present-day politicians, we tell 

the story of Cheshire’s women of note – in what promises to 

be a very special year. 

History has rarely been kind to women. 

Save for a few figureheads they’ve 

been airbrushed out of the picture. 

Take Chester. It was founded by one 

of England’s most remarkable female 

rulers, a woman who led the English 

resistance to Viking invaders and who 

batted away their attacks as easily as 

if she were swatting flies. Her name? 

Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, a 

woman so revered in her time that 

some grumbled about her eclipsing 

the achievements of her kingly brother. 

Oh, the irony – Aethelflaed’s name 

has all but been forgotten. Happily, 

this year gives us a chance to right 

that particular wrong. It is 1,111 years 

since Aethelflaed founded modern-day 

Chester, an anniversary that coincides 

with 100 years of women being 

granted the (partial) right to vote. So, 

let’s begin 2018 by remembering some 

of Cheshire’s women of note, and by 

making the efforts of our historical 

sisters heard in the here and now. 

Cheshire’s historical sisterhood 

Ah, Aethelflaed. The daughter of Alfred 

the Great may have had a starring 

role in TV epic The Last Kingdom 

(enjoyable as much for its liberal 

use of guyliner as for its portrayal of 

the birth of a nation), but the series 

hasn’t got to the interesting bit yet – 

the bit where Aethelflaed becomes 

the de facto ruler of Mercia after her 

husband’s death. It was a rule that 

saw Aethelflaed fortify towns such as 

Tamworth and Stafford, wrest control 

of Derby and Leicester back from the 

Vikings, and defeat the Danes in an 

audacious battle both outside and 

inside Chester’s bloodied walls. Later, 

she brought the remains of Saint 

Werburgh to the city, thus founding the 

abbey that became Chester Cathedral. 

Military leadership, political strategy 

and building churches: it was all in a 

day’s work for our Aethelflaed. While 

few women (or men) can match her, 

among Cheshire’s other women of 

note is Hannah Greg, the intellectual, 

Unitarian wife of Samuel Greg. While 

Samuel built Quarry Bank Mill in 1784, 

it was thanks to Hannah that it gained 

a reputation for pioneering healthcare 

and workers’ education, putting it light 

years ahead of Manchester’s dark, 

satanic mills. 

IMAGES 

LEFT: 

SUFFRAGETTE 

IN 1909 / 

RIGHT: CHESTER 

CATHEDRAL 

37

16 

CASH IN 

YOUR 

CELLAR? 

17 

Free wine & whisky 

valuations 

Private sales 

arranged 

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Sold for £2,250 

01270 440357 

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www.marklittler.com 

A STEAMSHIP 

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WITH A 

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THERE IS ALWAYS 

SOMETHING HAPPENING 

AT GLADSTONE’S LIBRARY... 

• Boutique bedrooms 

• Writing masterclasses & residential courses 

• Lectures 

• Evening events 

• Language courses 

• Literary festivals 

• Delicious lunches & afternoon teas 

Debate, culture, politics and spirituality in a 

completely unique atmosphere. 

Visit our website 

to view our full 

programme of 

events 

NEW FOR 2018 

Cruises on a rare 1903 

Steam Ship along 

the picturesque 

River Weaver, Cheshire 

or from Cheshire 

to Albert Dock, 

Liverpool. 

Cruises for 2.5 hours, half or full day, April-October 2018 from £22.50 per person* 

• The SS Daniel Adamson is 15th on the 

Register of National Historic Ships 

• Volunteer crew offer tours to explain the 

history of the ship and to point out 

landmarks along the Weaver 

• The ship was restored with £3.8 million 

from The Heritage Lottery Fund 

• Boasts opulent Art Deco saloons, which 

have been recreated from photographs 

from 1936 

• Refreshments are available 

* Based on minimum numbers 

Discounts available for students and clergy. 

VISIT WWW.GLADSTONESLIBRARY.ORG, CALL 01244 532350 

OR EMAIL ENQUIRIES@GLADLIB.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION 

18 

Ideal for groups, private hire also available. For timetable visit 

www.thedanny.co.uk 

or email enquiries@danieladamson.co.uk 

@dannyinsteam 

19 

Search for Daniel Adamson 

Preservation Society 

UltimateGuide_2017.indd 1 16/11/2017 10:18:04

Politics 

today 

The suffragettes would surely dance 

a merry jig if they could see the shape 

of local politics today. Chester’s first 

Lord Mayor – an honour granted by the 

Queen in 1992 – was Susan Proctor, 

while today’s Lord Mayor and Sheriff 

carry on that tradition, the posts being 

held by Razia Daniels and Jane Mercer 

respectively. Their roles are largely 

ceremonial, though not so for the High 

Sheriff of Cheshire, a 1,000 year-old 

post currently held by Sarah Callander 

Beckett. Elbow deep in day-to-day 

politics, meanwhile, are the heads 

of Cheshire East and Chester West 

councils. Samantha Dixon heads up 

the latter, while Rachel Bailey leads 

Cheshire East. Remarkably, both 

their deputies are women, as is the 

opposition leader at Cheshire West. 

ABOVE 

SARAH CALLANDER BECKETT 

Cheshire’s suffragettes 

Those mills ignited political 

dissent that was to burn 

throughout the 19th century, 

the calls for workers’ rights 

gradually joined by calls 

for votes for women. Calls 

turned into a clamour – and 

into the direct action of the 

suffragettes in the early 

1900s. Cheshire’s members 

included Dr. Alice Stewart 

Ker. The 13th female doctor 

to be registered in Britain, 

Alice chaired the Birkenhead 

and Wirral Women’s 

Suffrage Society, wrote a 

book on motherhood and 

was imprisoned (and force 

fed) for joining a windowsmashing 

protest in London. 

Frodsham’s Harriet Shaw 

Weaver was a literary force, 

too. The editor of feminist 

magazine The Freewoman, 

she was a member of 

Emmeline Pankhurst’s 

Women’s Social and Political 

Union and was close to 

Dora Marsden, a former 

Altrincham headmistress 

who became so incensed 

by British politics that she 

hoisted herself into the 

roof space of the Southport 

Empire Theatre so that 

she could heckle Winston 

Churchill, due to speak at 

a political rally there the 

following day. 

Then there was Ada Nield 

Chew, whose letters 

to the Crewe Chronicle, 

detailing the appalling 

conditions of her fellow 

textile workers, caused a 

scandal (and got her the 

sack). Sick of the rubbish 

schooling that girls received, 

meanwhile, Elizabeth 

Clarke Wolstenholme 

Elmy set up her own girls’ 

school in Congleton. The 

school wasn’t the half 

of it: Elizabeth spent 50 

years lobbying for women’s 

rights, was one of the first 

women to give evidence 

at a Parliamentary Select 

Committee and was 

nicknamed “the scourge 

of the Commons”. Alice, 

Harriet, Dora, Ada and 

Elizabeth – they are just a 

few of the women who faced 

derision, discrimination, 

sackings and imprisonment 

for standing up for women’s 

rights. One hundred years 

later, we still have so much 

to thank them for. 

39

How to celebrate 1,000 

years of feminism 

From walks and hill forts to art, theatre and festivals, 

here’s how to make the most of 2018. 

IMAGES 

TOP: CHESTER 

MYSTERY PLAYS 

BOTTOM: AMAZED 

BY SCIENCE 

Aethelflaed may be ancient 

history, but muse on her 

achievements during a walk 

up Old Pale Hill (Delamere 

Forest, Northwich) – 

its panoramic view reveals 

what was once just a slither 

of her kingdom. Nearby are 

the remains of the Iron Age 

Eddisbury hill fort. Beefed 

up by Aethelflaed, 

its continuing existence 

must surely owe something 

to her attentions. 

International Women’s Day 

(8 Mar) has its own history. 

Created by the suffragettes 

in the early 1900s, 

it’s celebrated by millions 

of women across the globe 

– and what better place to 

spend it than at Storyhouse, 

which has been quietly doing 

its bit for gender equality for 

years. “Our policy of having a 

50/50 gender split of actors 

on all our home-produced 

shows has been in place 

since 2012,” says the venue’s 

Nancy Davies. Which means 

that its summer shows, 

among them The Crucible 

(from 16 Jun) and Swallows 

and Amazons (from 26 May), 

have a cast of exactly half 

men, half women. 

In April, Storyhouse also 

hosts a weekend of what 

it calls ‘Thinkins’ festival 

(27-29 Apr), loosely based 

on last year’s Women of 

the World festival; expect 

talks, workshops and 

performances, with the full 

festival making a return 

in 2019. The Chester 

Mystery Plays (24 Jun-14 

Jul, Chester Cathedral), 

meanwhile, have their roots 

in the bible stories originally 

acted out on the streets of 

medieval Chester. Revived in 

1951, and performed every 

five years, this year’s plays 

have been written by awardwinning 

playwright, Deborah 

McAndrew. The Cathedral 

also hosts Our Colour 

Reflection, a solo exhibition 

by Liz West (1-28 Feb) where 

mirrored discs shimmer on 

the floor, creating a playful 

installation that feels like 

it should climb inside your 

colour-drenched eyeballs 

and reenact the disco scenes 

from Saturday Night Fever. 

Elsewhere, this year’s 

Sandstone Ridge Festival 

(16-20 May) is dedicated to 

the anniversary of women’s 

suffrage. Its line-up includes 

Grasping the Nettle, 

a one-woman show about 

the remarkable life, 

music and writing of 

suffragette composer, 

Dame Ethel Smyth. Set up 

in the 1960s as a means 

for likeminded women 

to meet up, the National 

Women’s Register brings 

its annual conference to 

Chester (23 & 24 Jun); 

open to all, sign up for its 

walks, talks, workshops and 

tours. Amazed by Science, 

at venues across Cheshire, 

aims to get kids of both 

sexes interested in science 

(May half term), while an 

exhibition at the Old Sunday 

School (Macclesfield, 

until 28 Jul) tells the tales 

of two women who travelled 

down the Nile in 1873 

in search of mummies, 

tombs and adventure. This 

was an era when Egyptian 

exploration was the preserve 

of men, though it’s not an 

attitude that put a stop to 

Marianne Brocklehurst 

and Mary Booth’s fun. In 

fact, Cheshire’s influential 

women have rarely let the 

small matter of what they 

should do stop them from 

doing what they want to. 

Join them in 2018, and keep 

an eye out for the many 

other events that will make 

this year a celebration of the 

best of women then, and the 

very best of women now. 

40

Family days out by bus. 

Getting there is half the fun. 

20 

Whether you’re zooming to the zoo, 

hitting the shops or visiting a city centre attraction, 

let Stagecoach take you there on the X8. 

Chester City Centre 

Liverpool City Centre 

Chester Zoo 

Cheshire Oaks 

Catch the X8 from 

Chester Bus Interchange 

or Chester Rail Station. 

X8 

£11 

family 

ticket 

pay on bus by 

contactless 

@StagecoachMCSL 

Stagecoach Bus App 

www.stagecoachbus.com

21 22 

EARLY BIRD 

DISCOUNT 

AVAILABLE 

In association with 

the perfect show for planning your perfect day... 

AT TATTON PARK, KNUTSFORD 

3-4 FEBRUARY 2018, 10am–5pm 

Spectacular choreographed fashion shows 

Band performance stage 1 Dressed marquee showcase 

Wedding dresses 1 Florists 1 Jewellery 1 Bridesmaids’ dresses 

Hair and beauty 1 Groomswear 1 Photographers 1 Cars 

Venues 1 Cakes 1 Champagne bar 

Tickets £10 in advance* 

www.bridetheweddingshow.co.uk 

*Booking fee applies 

2018 

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th March 

Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th March 

Doors open 10am - 4pm 

Combined and single 

attraction TICKETS tickets AVAILABLE now 

available ONLINE to buy online 

www.reaseheath.ac.uk/lambing 

janec@reaseheath.ac.uk 

01270 613215 

Reaseheath College, Nantwich, Cheshire CW5 6DF 

ABL_UG_AD_Layout 1 04/12/2017 12:00 Page 1 

23 

FREE 

ENTRY 

Anderton Boat Lift 

Cheshire’s Award Winning Attraction 

A fantastic day out for all the family. Take a river cruise, boat trip through the lift or simply 

explore with free entry into our coffee shop, interactive exhibition, gift shop and grounds 

with NEW play area. Events throughout the summer. 

Visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/Anderton for more information or telephone 01606 786777 

to book your boat trip. 

@AndertonLift 

@AndertonLift

Event 

Guide 

Jan / Apr 

2018 

10 January 

BULLEY’S BIRTHDAY 

To celebrate the birthday 

of the Garden’s founder 

Arthur Kilpin Bulley, born 

10th January 1861 in New 

Brighton, admission to the 

Garden is free to everybody. 

nessgardens.org.uk 

20 January 

APPROACHES TO 

WRITING POETRY 

In this practical 

masterclass, poet Ian Parks 

explores the ways in which 

poems begin to emerge. 

Starting with a blank page, 

journal entries, and visual 

images, the session offers 

insight and encouragement 

for beginners and some 

alternative ways of 

approaching poetry for 

those with more experience. 

Write, draft and take a poem 

or two away with you. 

gladstoneslibrary.org 

21 January 

WEDDING FAIR 

Hosted by the Brides Up 

North Wedding Fair. 

This award-winning luxury 

wedding fair is definitely 

worth a visit. 

capesthorne.com 

1 February – 1 March 

OUR COLOUR 

REFLECTION 

In a collaboration with 

Chester Visual Arts, Chester 

Cathedral presents this 

exhibition by international 

artist, Liz West. ‘Our 

Colour Reflection’ creates 

a conversation between 

the viewer and the Chapter 

House using hundreds of 

mirrors made of coloured 

acrylic. During the 

exhibition, there will be a 

chance to Meet the Artist 

at an exclusive event, 

and undertake Half Term 

Workshops inspired by Liz 

West’s work. 

chestercathedral.com/ 

events 

3 & 4 February 

BRIDE: THE 

WEDDING SHOW AT 

TATTON PARK 

Plan your perfect day at 

the North’s premier bridal 

exhibition in the spectacular 

marquee set in the grounds 

of the estate of Tatton 

Park which will be packed 

with more than 150 of the 

region’s finest wedding 

suppliers. There will be 

sensational choreographed 

catwalk shows, live music, a 

dressed marquee showcase, 

stylish Champagne bar and 

much more. 

bridetheweddingshow.co.uk 

IMAGES TOP TO 

BOTTOM 

OUR COLOUR 

REFLECTION 

/ BRIDE: THE 

WEDDING SHOW 

AT TATTON PARK 

/ NESS BOTANIC 

GARDENS 

43

3 & 4 February 

HEARTH LITERARY 

FESTIVAL 

Four of the most exciting 

contemporary writers gather 

around the fireside to talk 

about their work. Visit for 

the day or make a weekend 

of it by staying overnight. A 

perfect spring weekend. 


4 Feb – 5 March 

SNOWDROP WALKS 

AT RODE HALL 

One of the finest displays 

of snowdrops in the North 

West. Tearooms are also 

open serving homemade 

light lunches and cream 

teas complete with roaring 

wood burner. 

rodehall.co.uk 

7 February 

INTRODUCTION TO 

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY 

Ever wanted to learn how to 

photograph the night sky? 

Join in this informal and 

fun session that includes 

an introductory workshop 

(co-presented by Dr Anthony 

Holloway), along with a 

chance for you to try out 

your equipment and talk to 

the knowledgeable Jodrell 

Bank team. 

jodrellbank.net 

10 – 25 February 

FAMILY WINTER 

HALF TERM FUN 

Winter Wildlife Trail - 

Follow the easy route around 

Ness to discover the plants 

and animals of winter. Enjoy 

the stunning swathes of 

beautiful snowdrops and 

answer the quiz about them. 

Wrap up in your hats and 

scarves and slip on the 

wellies. The views 

are spectacular and can’t 

be missed! 

Winter Crafts in the Coach 

House - Join the education 

team who will help you make 

some seasonal crafts in the 

cosy Coach House. 

nessgardens.org.uk 


HALF TERM AT 

JODRELL BANK 

Discover the Dark Side of the 

Universe at Jodrell Bank this 

half term. With Live science 

shows, Meet the Expert 

sessions, science busking, 

and more, there’s something 

for all the family to enjoy. 

jodrellbank.net 


THE LOVE SCHOOL: 

THE PRE- 

RAPHAELITES AND 

THEIR WORLD 

25 Feb - 7 March 

CHESTER 

INTERNATIONAL 

FILM FESTIVAL 

Presenting a diverse 

collection of some of 

the finer films of world 

cinema in a relaxing and 

appreciative atmosphere. 

festival.chesterfilmfans. 

co.uk 

3 March 

CHESTER 

PHILHARMONIC 

ORCHESTRA 

PRESENTS 

A Russian Classical 

Romantic evening. Featuring 

the young Estonian Pianist 

Maksim Štšura, with music 

from Rachmaninoff and 

Glinka, you are certain 

to enjoy the evening of 

beautiful Russian music. 


events 

10 March 

ISRAEL IN EGYPT 

PERFORMED BY 

CHESTER BACH 

SINGERS 

Encounter frogs, locusts, 

tidal waves and much 

more. The story is about 

the Israelites escaping from 

captivity in Egypt (it’s what 

happened after Joseph’s 

technicolour dreamcoat was 

long gone!), with a little help 

from plagues of insects and 

other catastrophes visited on 

the Egyptians to persuade 

them to let the Israelites 

go – and the choir is the 

Israelites. Chester Bach 

Singers will be joined by 

regular partners, the 18th 

Century Consort Orchestra 

under the baton of Martin 

Bussey. 


events 

IMAGES 

LEFT: HALF TERM 

AT JODRELL BANK 

BELOW: CHESTER 

ANTIQUES FAIR 

(PENMAN FAIRS) 

8 – 11 February 

CHESTER ANTIQUES 

FAIR 

This famous fair takes place 

over three floors of Chester 

Racecourse’s famous 

County Grandstand. With 

prices from less than £25 

to more than £25,000, the 

fair offers plenty of choice 

both for stylish pieces for 

inspired home decoration 

and fine examples to 

enhance a private collection. 

All exhibits are labelled 

with their price, age and 

description and have been 

vetted for quality and 

authenticity. 

penman-fairs.co.uk 

Starting as an antiestablishment 

secret 

society, the Pre-Raphaelite 

Brotherhood soon set the 

Victorian art world on fire. 

In this lavishly-illustrated 

course, Adrian Sumner looks 

more closely at John Millais, 

William Holman-Hunt, Dante 

Gabriel Rossetti, Edward 

Burne-Jones and the waves 

of influence they exerted 

on William Morris, the 

Arts and Crafts movement, 

Symbolism, Art Nouveau 

and more. 


44

24 

Puddle jumping, Leapfrogging and climbing our 9M HIGH BAOBAB TREE 

and discovering AMAZING ANIMALS all over the Z000oo0ooo 

www.chesterzoo.org/play

12 – 16 March 

BRITISH SCIENCE 

WEEK 

To celebrate British 

Science Week, the zoo will 

be running lots of special 

events and activities 

throughout the week 

with free pop-up science 

demos with equipment and 

artefacts to show how they 

use science day to day in 

the zoo. 

chesterzoo.org 

17 March 

CHESTER MUSIC 

SOCIETY PRESENTS 

AN EVENING WITH 

MOZART 

Chester Music Society Choir 

join forces with the Liverpool 

Sinfonia and an outstanding 

line-up of soloists under 

the direction of Graham 

Jordan Ellis to celebrate the 

genius of Wolfgang Amadeus 

Mozart. 


events 

29 March – 2 April 

NANTWICH JAZZ, 

BLUES & MUSIC 

FESTIVAL 

An annual music festival 

not to be missed offering an 

eclectic line-up of wellknown 

international artists. 

Held in various venues in 

Nantwich, many of which 

are free. 

nantwichjazz.com 


CHESTER FOOD, 

DRINK & LIFESTYLE 

FESTIVAL 

A weekend packed with 

delicious food from around 

the world. If you have never 

been to this event before 

then you really don’t know 

what you are missing. 

As soon as you enter your 

senses are aroused with the 

most marvellous smells, 

colours and tastes. Watch 

chef demonstrations, taste 

delicious food and drink and 

there are even kids cooking 

classes for the youngsters. 

chesterfoodanddrink.co.uk 


BRITISH GT 

CHAMPIONSHIP 

The Oulton Park meeting 

will feature two one-hour 

races from the British GTs 

on the Bank Holiday Monday, 

alongside plenty of support 

and off-track entertainment. 

oultonpark.co.uk 

10 April 

IMAGES 

THE HISTORICAL 

NOVEL – A VERY 

SLIPPERY GENRE 

WITH RACHEL MALIK 

LEFT: BLUEBELLS 

AT ARLEY HALL 

ABOVE: CHESTER 

FOOD AND DRINK 

FESTIVAL 

Join Rachel as she traces a 

brief history of the historical 

novel before turning to the 

genre’s apparently unending 

contemporary appeal. 


Until 15 April 

MODEL IMAGE 

June Duncan (1924-2014) 

was a Liverpool-born dancer 

and model who, in the 1950s, 

became one of Britain’s 

top fashion models. This 

exhibition highlights some 

of her best-known images, 

part of a recently-acquired 

collection of more than 90 

photographs dating from the 

1930s to the 1950s. 

liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ 

ladylever 

22 April 

SPRING PLANT FAIR 

Enjoy a day out browsing the 

specialist plant nurseries 

selling unusual plants, 

shrubs, trees and spring 

flowering bulbs and gather 

great ideas for your garden 

for the coming seasons. 

arleyhallandgardens.com 

28 & 29 April 

ESTATE & BLUEBELL 

WALKS 

Enjoy huge carpets of 

bluebells and many other 

wild flowers and take a walk 

by the Lake to see many 

kinds of water birds and 

experience countryside not 

normally disturbed. 

arleyhallandgardens.com 

THE ROWS 

REVEALED 

Tours are not just for 

tourists! 

Locals and visitors alike 

can take a walking tour 

of Chester city centre no 

matter what the weather 

is like. The Rows Revealed 

explores the ins and outs 

of Chester’s unique and 

atmospheric two-tiered 

shopping galleries, first built 

in the Middle Ages, 

and added to over the 

centuries, particularly 

during Tudor, Georgian and 

Victorian times. 

Your Guide will take you 

inside buildings to discover 

unexpected ancient 

treasures, tucked away 

amongst the modern 

bustling shops today. 

Tours take place on the last 

Sunday of each month (28th 

January, 25th February, 25th 

March & 29th April) and 

start at 2pm from the Town 

Hall Visitor Information 

Centre on Northgate Street. 

Tickets direct from the Guide 

on the day (£7 adults, £6 

concessions). Tour duration 

90 mins approx. 

Includes steps. 

For more information please 

visit chestertours.org.uk 

46

The Bridgewater Hall 

Classical Highlights 

Academy of St Martin in the Fields 

Joshua Bell violin 

Monday 22 January 7.30pm 

Programme includes Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons 

Manchester Camerata 

Choir of Clare College, Cambridge 

Mozart Requiem 

Wednesday 31 January 7.30pm 

Czech Philharmonic Orchestra 

Tomáš Netopil conductor 

Alisa Weilerstein cello 

Monday 12 February 7.30pm 

Mozart Overture, Don Giovanni (6’) 

Dvořák Cello Concerto (43’) 

Dvořák ‘New World’ Symphony No.9 (45’) 

The English Concert 

Handel’s Messiah 

Thursday 29 March 7.30pm 

A re-staging of this acclaimed dramatic Bristol 

Old Vic production, directed by Tom Morris. 


Brendan Cole 

All Night Long 

Friday 19 January 7.30pm 

25 

Box Office: 0161 907 9000 

www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk 

Box Office: 0161 907 9000 




Transatlantic Sessions 

Friday 9 February 7.30pm 

Friday 2 February 7.30pm 

The most famous drum ensemble in 

the world demonstrate the rhythm, 

beauty and power of this Japanese 

tradition in their new show for 2018. 

Box Office: 0161 907 9000 


Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain return with special guests Suzy 

Boguss, Shawn Camp, Daoirí Farrell and Julie Fowlis plus regulars 

Phil Cunningham, John Doyle, Danny Thompson, Michael 

McGoldrick, Russ Barenberg, John McCusker, Donald Shaw 

and James Mackintosh. 

Box Office: 0161 907 9000 

www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

From fast fashion to creating a shopping 

destination: we talk to Reclaimed 

World’s Jeff Pearce about salvage, 

leather trousers – and why retirement 

isn’t for everyone. 

Reclaimed 

World 

Most people approach 

retirement with a sense of 

glee. No more early starts. 

No more listening to Boris 

in accounts droning on 

about profitability with all 

the charm of an oil tanker 

bearing down on a rubber 

dinghy. And, most important 

of all, no more work. 

But Jeff Pearce isn’t most 

people. The former fashion 

retailer discovered that 

retirement was a little bit, 

well, dull – though that’s 

hardly surprising for a man 

whose career has spanned 

everything from market 

trading to stunt riding at 

Pinewood Studios. “I thought 

I’d peaked,” he says of 

his decision to retire, “but 

then a plot of land came 

up and I thought I’d open a 

reclamation yard on it, just 

as a hobby business.” 

That land was a threeacre 

site near Tarporley, 

and Jeff’s idea for a hobby 

quickly became Reclaimed 

World, a reclamation yard 

that sells everything from 

bricks and red telephone 

boxes to armchairs and 

vases – and attracts 

shoppers from as far away 

as Devon. “Holidaymakers 

ask if we can deliver and of 

course I say yes. In fact, I’ve 

not long got off the phone to 

someone asking if they can 

bring coach tours, and I said 

yes to that as well,” he says. 

Saying yes to things, taking 

a punt, selling bricks to 

Cheshire: it’s all par for the 

course for a man whose 

life could be described as 

colourful. He left school at 

14, after a childhood spent in 

Liverpool’s post-war slums. 

His ability to sell saw him 

rise from market stallholder 

to heading a fashion 

48

chain and, eventually, to becoming a 

millionaire. He also had a talent for 

grabbing headlines: his decision to 

sell leather trousers for £1 a pop in 

the 1983 January sales was rewarded 

with overnight queues, and the front 

page of the Liverpool Echo. This was 

a glorious tale of (glad) rags to riches, 

but he lost everything in the recession 

of the 1990s and spent the next decade 

clawing it all back – a remarkable story 

detailed in his autobiography, a book 

that, you guessed it, became a national 

bestseller. 

Jeff’s life story matters now because 

it was while building a fashion empire 

that he first developed a taste for 

reclaimed materials. “I had very 

little money to fit the shops out, and 

so I started using reclaimed wood - 

long before it was fashionable,” he 

says. It sparked a 35-year interest in 

reclamation; opening the yard felt like 

an obvious next step. Today, Reclaimed 

World sells all manner of materials – 

wood, masonry, stained glass, cobbles 

– and Jeff dispenses the kind of expert 

advice alongside that’s priceless. 

This retail experience is evident 

in other ways. “Most reclamation 

yards are a nightmare, with bricks 

everywhere, but everything here is 

neat, it’s all priced, and it’s a proper 

shopping experience,” he says. 

There are no teetering piles of dusty 

junk. Instead, alongside traditional 

salvage items, distinct ‘showrooms’ 

reveal a range of different looks. “We 

show people what a whole room could 

look like, we show them what they can 

do with reclaimed wood, and we give 

them ideas. I don’t mind if someone 

just comes to us for ideas,” says Jeff, 

before the salesman in him notes: 

“Mind you, they do always end up 

buying something.” 

Five years on from getting that plot of 

land, Reclaimed World is a destination 

in its own right. With stock sourced 

from auctions and house clearances, 

trades and antiques fairs, one visit 

is never like another. Bespoke and 

upcycled furniture, one-off shepherds 

huts and wood burners combine to 

make it much more than a standard 

reclamation yard – there’s even an 

outdoor pizza oven which fires up over 

summer. “You have to be passionate 

about what you do,” says Jeff, when 

asked why he thinks the yard has 

proven such a success. “If you’re not, 

you shouldn’t be in business.” 

Reclaimed World, Tarporley Road, 

Little Budworth, CW6 9ES. 

reclaimedworld.com 

49

26 

Chester Antiques Fair 

8 - 11 February 2018 

Fine Art Interiors Jewellery 

40 stands displaying Antique & Unique Items for the Home 

in the County Grandstand, Chester Racecourse. CH1 2LY 

Ticket to the Chester Antiques Fair 

Chester Racecourse, 

Chester, CH1 2LY 

Admit Two 

with the Compliments of 

& 

Ultimate 


Magazine 

Furniture, Ceramics, Silver, Jewellery, Paintings, 

Glass, Sculpture, Treen, Virtu, Books 

& Decorative Accessories 

Everything is Vetted by experts 

& labelled with price, date & attribution. 

Appraisals on Friday & Saturday, from 2pm 

Thursday ~ Sunday 

You can expect to find quality pieces from 

Stuart, Georgian, Victorian & Edwardian periods 

also Arts Nouveau & Deco, mid-Century modern 

and some Contemporary works of art. 

8 -11 February 

Excellent in-house catering, 

with a restauant on each floor. 

Due to possible building works, 

please use the Car Park Entrance 

Free Parking on the Racecourse 

(subject to availability) 

10.30am ~ 5pm 

Organised since 1989 by 

www.penman-fairs.co.uk 

Office: 01886 833091 

At the Fair: 07961 371961

Mark Littler 

sets out an 

indispensible guide 

to the real deal: 

the hallmarked 

charms of Chester 

and Liverpool’s 

silversmiths. 

All that 

glitters is 

not gold 

HALLMARKS 

There are several conventions that are British 

to the core: drinking tea, complaining about 

the weather, standing patiently in line - and 

hallmarks. The markings struck to show that 

whatever you had in your hand, from jewellery 

to tumblers, was of the King’s standard (in other 

words, was sterling silver) were introduced in 

London as far back as 1300. A second mark was 

introduced in 1363 to identify the maker. Not 

long afterwards, in 1378, another denoted the 

town in which the article was assayed (the term 

“hallmark” comes from the assay halls where 

items were marked – literally “the mark placed 

at the hall”). Finally, in 1478, a mark was added 

to indicate the year in which the item was 

marked, thus creating a means of identifying 

silver and gold that was – and remains – the 

envy of the world. 

Mark Littler is an 

independent antiques valuer 

and consultant 

marklittler.com 

THE CHESTER ASSAY OFFICE 

Chester had a Guild of Goldsmiths from the 

early 15th century, though records from the 

Chester office only begin at the end of the 17th 

century after tighter legislation (another British 

convention?) was introduced. The earliest pieces 

of Chester silver were struck with the Arms of 

Chester: three wheatsheaves and a sword set 

against a shaped shield. From 1701 the mark 

changed to the Arms of Chester impaling those of 

the Earl of Chester (three lions), but reverted to 

the earlier mark almost 80 years later. By far the 

most prolific family of local silversmiths was the 

Richardson family, with the tumbler cup pictured 

made by Richard Richardson II. Typically around 

five to ten centimetres high and very plain, such 

cups were common from the time of Charles II, 

their weighted bottoms keeping them upright 

and their contents intended to be drunk in one 

swift dram. There are stories of such cups being 

presented at cockfights, though there’s little 

evidence to support this. 

IMAGES 

LEFT: CHESTER HALLMARKS: 

THE HALLMARKS FOR 

RICHARD RICHARDSON II, 

CHESTER 1747 (AS PER THE 

TUMBLER CUP) 

ABOVE: TUMBLER CUP: 

A GEORGE II PROVINCIAL 

TUMBLER CUP BY RICHARD 

RICHARDSON II, CHESTER 

1747. PRICED AT £2,950 

FROM ALASTAIR DICKENSON 


51

Bethold Mueller and foreign imports 

Chester’s official assay office opened in 1700 

and remained important throughout the 19th 

century, a place where both local and foreign 

silversmiths’ work was assayed. Bethold Mueller 

is a name often associated with the office, a firm 

that predominantly distributed silver produced 

by Neresheimer & Co. Based in Hanau, Germany, 

Neresheimer & Co. produced copies of much 

earlier pieces of silver. It was Mueller who 

imported these copies to England, and to comply 

with our hallmarking regulations each piece 

had to be tested for purity and marked. The sign 

that your piece of silver has been imported is the 

inclusion of a letter ‘F’ (implying ‘foreign’) within a 

shield as part of the hallmark. 

IMAGES 

TOP: SHIP: A 

VICTORIAN NEF, 

NERESHEIMER 

& CO OF HANAU, 

IMPORT AGENT 

BERTHOLD 

MULLER, CHESTER 

1900. SOLD 

FOR £42,000 

BY TENNANTS 

AUCTIONEERS. 

ABOVE: 

GROSVENOR 

MUSEUM 

History of Liverpool silver 

Until the end of the 17th century, hallmarking 

regulations were less strict and so, given the 

poor condition of the roads and the dangers of 

highwaymen, silversmiths used their own marks 

rather than risk the journey to an assay office. 

Liverpool’s silversmiths were no exception, and a 

handful of these rare hallmarked pieces survive 

– the use of the word “sterling” stamped 

alongside the makers’ marks identifying 

them. The silver spoon (pictured) was made 

by Liverpool silversmith Edward Lewis 

in 1680; he incorporated the Liver Bird 

into his mark. By the 18th century, however, 

Liverpool’s use of own-brand hallmarks died out, 

the silversmiths forced to mark their work in an 

official assay office. Many chose to do so 

in Chester. 

The Grosvenor Museum 

Want to find out more? Our own Grosvenor 

Museum (Grosvenor St, Chester) holds one of 

the best collections of local silver – and with 

hundreds of pieces it’s well worth a visit to get up 

close to the hallmarks (and silver) on display. 

IMAGE 

ABOVE: SPOON: 

A CHARLES II 

TREFID SPOON, 

EDWARD LEWIS, 

LIVERPOOL, 

C.1680. PRICED 

AT £4,450 FROM 

MICHAEL BAGGOTT 


52

27

Macclesfield 

What’s in a 

name? 

A trip out to Treacle Town reveals much 

more than just a market town. 

Macclesfield is a market 

town with many a name. 

Some abbreviate it to 

Macc. Others call it Treacle 

Town thanks to some sort 

of medieval incident that 

involved a horse, cart and a 

barrel of treacle, the locals 

apparently scooping up the 

sticky remains and making 

merry with it. 

Silk Town is another 

moniker, a reference to the 

70-plus silk mills that once 

thrummed on Macclesfield’s 

streets. It’s a reminder of the 

wealth that flowed through 

a town that was at one point 

the world’s biggest producer 

of finished silk – and was 

once also surrounded by 

walls and ramparts, with a 

castle on top. And for several 

years my eldest laboured 

under the impression that 

the town was, in fact, called 

Mackerels-field, but that’s 

another story. (“I did think 

it was odd,” he later said, 

“because there are no fish.”) 

The town may be historic but 

its main draw is altogether 

more modern. The monthly 

Treacle Market (last Sunday 

of the month) was set up 

only in 2010, and while 

there is no treacle there 

are 160 stalls that cluster 

around Market Place and 

the streets leading off it, a 

selection of antiques and 

vintage, flowers and plants, 

and artisan food and drink 

stalls that are among the 

best I’ve come across. In 

its short life the market 

has been shortlisted for 

or won several national 

accolades (among them a 

nod from the BBC’s Food & 

Farming Awards), and it’s 

little wonder. The Grade 

II-listed St Michael & All 

Angels Church (Market 

Place) overlooks the market, 

its churchyard hosting 

community stalls, while 

live music, kids’ activities, 

performances - and 

occasional events in the 

neighbouring Town Hall 

(Market Place) - all make 

the Treacle Market a hugely 

enjoyable, family affair. 

It gets busy, but there’s 

usually a parking space to be 

found off Churchill Way. 

54

Macclesfield’s past is evident 

in its cobbled, winding 

streets, home to boutiques 

such as ethical bridal 

store The Conscious Bride 

(Church St) and the Cherry 

Blossom Bakery (Church 

St), or in tiny independent 

eateries such as Tempranillo 

(Back Wallgate; good for 

tapas). Even among the high 

street chains of Mill Street 

are a few indies, including 

The Print Mill, showcasing 

the wares of local makers, 

and, on the corner with Roe 

Street, Cheshire Fish, which 

pretty much does what it 

says on the tin. Special 

mention must be given to 

the Café Nero that overlooks 

Market Place. Yes, it’s a 

chain, but its surprising size 

and big picture windows 

make it a winner for bigger 

groups and families – plenty 

of room to get a seat or to 

stash a buggy. It’s also dog 

friendly (as most of Macc 

seems to be). 

IMAGES 

FAR LEFT: TOWN HALL 

/ ROUNDEL: TREACLE 

MARKET / LEFT: MILL 

STREET MISSION 

MEMORIAL / ABOVE: 

WHITE NANCY 

Get closer to history at the 

Old Sunday School (Roe 

St, free), which is squished 

between a car park and a 

hulking great B&M Bargains 

store. It opened in 1814 

as a school for the town’s 

mill-working children (who’d 

be toiling in the mills from 

the age of just six); today it 

houses exhibitions dedicated 

to Macc’s past, a sweet little 

café, shop and a community 

cinema. The nearby Silk 

Museum (Park Ln, £4.50, 

kids free) isn’t quite as 

grand as its name suggests; 

its rather tired displays 

illustrate the process of 

silk-making. A more up 

to date articulation of the 

past can be found in the 

biennial Barnaby Festival 

(15-24 Jun 2018). Like the 

Treacle Market it was set 

up in 2010, though it has its 

roots in the 13th-century 

Barnaby Fair. Street theatre, 

live music, performances, 

a parade and exhibitions 

all feature, in venues right 

across the town. The 2016 

event featured the everbrilliant 

Wild Rumpus, and 

the festival was granted Arts 

Council support for the first 

time in 2017 – expect good 

things for this year’s affair. 

Out of Town 

Out of town Macclesfield is remarkably 

well placed for a rural outing, sitting 

as it does between the Cheshire Plain 

and the Peaks. Kerridge Hill can be 

glimpsed from Market Place, 

for example, while the Grade II-listed 

White Nancy at its peak can be seen for 

miles. Originally built for the Gaskell 

family (of which the author Elizabeth, 

of Cranford fame, is its most famous 

member), the cone-shaped monument 

is regularly whitewashed to keep her 

pristine. She’s also regularly decorated 

and currently sports the Manchester 

bee – a sign of solidarity after last 

May’s atrocity. The views from Kerridge 

Hill are spectacular; walk up from 

nearby Bollington, starting (or ending) 

your walk at the Vale Inn (Adlington 

Rd). You don’t get much more local 

than the local ales served here - they 

hail from the Bollington Brewery, just 

150 feet away. The 11-mile Middlewood 

Way is also nearby, a former railway 

line that leads from Macc up to the 

edge of the Peaks – good for cyclists 

and walkers alike. Macclesfield Forest 

(park at Trentabank Reservoir, 

SK11 0NE) was originally a royal 

hunting ground, a patch of land prized 

by royalty for its deer hunting. Part of 

this ancient forest formed the lands 

given to the Legh family in the 14th 

century as recompense for supporting 

Edward III during the Hundred Year War 

– and that land forms today’s Lyme 

(Disley), the deer park, gardens, house, 

moors and adventure playground that 

are cared for by the National Trust. Like 

much of Macclesfield the views at Lyme 

can be breathtaking. Head up to Park 

Moor for the best. 

55

eviewed... 

The Scottish 

Steakhouse 

A night at Chester’s Scottish Steakhouse does 

wonders for one ageing writer; one steak in and 

she felt like a new woman. 

“The problem is, I just don’t 

feel that old.” One of my 

oldest friends was explaining 

how he, as a dad of three, 

ended up at 2am, cocktail in 

hand, swaying along to Afro 

Beats in a sweaty basement 

nightclub. “Give over, you’re 

older than Violet Brown.” 

My friend said nothing, just 

raised an eyebrow that said 

a) no, I’m not and b) wait, 

who is Violet Brown? “She’s 

that Jamaican woman who’s 

117,” I answered, before 

our waitress saved me from 

certain death by enquiring as 

to whether we’d finished our 

mains or not. 

Said friend and I were in the 

Scottish Steakhouse, the 

restaurant that sits within 

the four-star surrounds 

of the Macdonald New 

Blossoms Hotel. The hotel 

itself is a historic beauty, 

a 400 year-old building 

that’s within haggis-hurling 

distance of the Eastgate 

Clock. Or, to put it another 

way, you don’t get much 

more central than this – 

though it’s curiously quiet 

inside (when we step out 

afterwards, it’s into the 

maelstrom of a Saturday 

night in Chester, but more on 

that later). 

While the hotel has an oldworld 

feel, its restaurant 

is all booth seating and 

stripped-wood floors, the 

shining glasses that stand 

on tables catching in the 

light, a glossy sheen to 

everything that feels very 

Cheshire (but without, as 

can often be the case going 

completely overboard). In 

fact, the restaurant prefers 

to riff on the hotel’s more 

northerly roots, going for a 

Scottish theme that includes 

steak sourced from Scots 

farms, a black pudding 

Scotch egg and ‘Mrs. 

Macdonald’s’ fish pie, though 

I think we can safely assume 

it wasn’t made by her own 

fair hand (it’s actually the 

work of local chef, 

Daniel Hostead). 

56

Everything is carefully 

executed here, the service 

quietly attentive, the menu 

peppered with classic dishes 

(steak, fish of the day, posh 

burgers) – and while there’s 

nothing here that will blow a 

gastronome’s mind, there’s 

nothing that isn’t done well, 

either. My steak came with 

a smoke-infused taste and 

texture, the result of cooking 

over a charcoal grill; served 

with a peppercorn sauce and 

fries it reminded me how 

good simple cooking can 

be. My friend’s fish pie had 

a rich, creamy sauce and a 

certain bite – far better than 

the bland offerings so often 

banged out by less assured 

hands. Our starters deserve 

a mention, too, especially 

a haggis ‘bon bon’ that sat 

sweetly on the plate, its 

crumbling texture given a 

grainy zing thanks to the 

mustard dressing. 

By now our waitress had 

intervened on more than one 

occasion, as conversation 

veered from German 

sauna etiquette to why it’s 

annoying when your mum 

rearranges your sock drawer 

(conclusion: you’re still her 

little baby, even if you’re 

squaring up to the big 4-0). 

A baked New York 

cheesecake appeared and 

was swiftly demolished, 

the only quibble an orange 

sorbet that was too sweet 

for such a stellar, creamy 

slab. On the other side of the 

table, two giant profiteroles 

appeared, swimming in a sea 

of chocolate sauce. “Good?” 

There was no reply; my 

friend was too busy eating. 

And so it went: eating and 

talking, eating and talking, 

with the Scottish Steakhouse 

forming the perfect backdrop 

for a conversation-heavy 

night – for two friends 

enjoying a rare chance to 

chat, to endlessly take the 

mick, to remind ourselves of 

what it used to be like, back 

when we were kids. 

We settled up and stumbled 

out of the New Blossoms 

Hotel, tilting headfirst, or so 

it seemed, into a Saturday 

night in Chester. And so it 

came to pass that I ended 

up, not quite at 2am, swaying 

along to Afro Beats in a 

sweaty basement nightclub. 

“Hey,” I shouted to my 

friend. He raised an eyebrow. 

“You’re right. I don’t feel old 

at all.” Reader, I’ll leave you 

to guess how old I felt the 

morning after. 

Everything is 

carefully executed 

here, the service 

quietly attentive, the 

menu peppered with 

classic dishes 

57

Maps 


26 

6 

4 

5 

20 

2 

28 

20 

1 Ness Botanic Gardens 

2 The Scottish 

Steakhouse at 

Macdonald New 

Blossoms Hotel 

3 Crewe Lyceum 

4 Grosvenor 

Shopping Centre 

5 Brewery Tap 

6 Chester Cathedral 

9 The Brindley 

10 Jodrell Bank 

11 National Waterways 

Museum 

12 Go Ape 

13 Fir Trees 

Caravan Park 

14 The Ice Cream Farm 

17 Hack Green Secret 

Nuclear Bunker 

18 Gladstone Library 

20 Stagecoach 

21 Bride: The Wedding 

Show 

22 Reaseheath College 

23 Anderton Boat Lift 

24 Chester Zoo 

25 Bridgewater Hall 

26 Penman Fairs 

28 ChesterBoat 

29 Cheshire Oaks 


25 

11 

9 

21 

1 

29 

24 

12 

23 

10 

18 13 

14 

22 3 

17 

Not featured on map: 

7 Safe Chester 

8 Chester Bid 

15 Explore Flintshire 

16 Mark Littler 

19 The Danny 

27 Slant 

58

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28 

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Chester and stunning rural Cheshire 

Daytime Cruises 

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Sailing every 30 minutes, 11AM - 5PM, April – October 

(plus selected dates Feb – Nov, 11AM – 4PM). 

Our Two Hour Iron Bridge Cruise is a relaxing journey from Chester 

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magical riverscape teaming with wildlife, meadows and beautiful scenery. 

Sailing 12 noon and 2:30pm weekends and selected dates in May, 

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Evening Cruises 

Look online for our special events 

from Evening Cruises - Disco and 

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events online. 

Private Charters are also 

available for that special occasion. 

We cater for bespoke private parties 

with a wide range of food, drink and 

entertainment. 

Prices & 

Booking Tickets 

All prices available on our 

website. 

Save money and book an 

Advance Ticket online. Or just 

turn up and get your ticket on 

the Boat. 

Cruises subject to weather, correct 

at time of print. 

Departure Point: All cruises sail from The Groves, Chester, CH1 1SZ. 

01244 325 394 | enquiries@chesterboat.co.uk | www.chesterboat.co.uk

29

Ultimate Guide to Chester and Cheshire

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