Nantwich

This is our town, a picturesque old market town situated by the River Weaver. Nantwich (formerly Namptwich) boasts a medieval street pattern, which means it has many narrow, winding streets and pathways, great for meandering home on market days. The focal point of the town is the central square (where Kassie is sitting, below) which is also the setting for St. Mary's Church, known as the "Cathedral of South Cheshire".

Nantwich dates back to Roman times owing to its salt houses, salt being widely used then as both preservative and condiment. The town was first recognized as an urban centre at the time of the Norman Conquest and since then it has been burned to the ground by Norman invaders in the 11th century and attacked by Welsh marauders two hundred years later. It survived a devastating fire in December 1583 which burned for 20 days and necessitated major rebuilding. Queen Elizabeth I donated both money and timber from the Royal forest at Delamere. Many of the buildings, such as those pictured left, date from the Tudor period.

Nantwich is known for its Nantwich and South Cheshire Show, which typically occurs the last week of July and showcases among other things Cheshire cheese. Nearby are Stapeley Water Gardens, the world's largest water garden centre, and Bridgemere Garden World, which offers the largest selection of garden plants in Europe. Crewe, of course, is well known for trainspotting, which is not a myth but a bonafide pastime, and not just among Kassie's (usually male) set.