Situated in the beautiful county of Cheshire, Crewe is found on the south-east edge of the county, close to its neighbouring counties of Staffordshire and Shropshire.
Originally not much more than a village Crewe developed rapidly as a railway hub in the mid-1800s, acting as a major junction on the west coastline.
Today the station still acts as a major junction for trains travelling south from Glasgow to London, servicing other large conurbations and cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Chester.
In the 21st century, the town continues to attract railway investment because of its central location and superb links to the motorway system.
Crewe is earmarked to be an important part of the new high-speed line (HS2) with its own spur and brand new station connecting Birmingham with the Northern Powerhouse cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull and Newcastle, whilst serving as a servicing and maintenance depot for the whole system.
Crewe’s heritage is also reflected in the town’s Victorian buildings, many of which still survive.
The Town Hall and Municipal Buildings are excellent examples of that era’s architecture overlooking one of the town squares between the main centre and the new shopping centre known as the Grand Junction.
The Queens Park
Dating from 1887, Queens Park situated to the west of Crewe, has recently undergone a multimillion-pound restoration to restore and modernise it for modern lifestyles. A network of paths and tracks crisscross the landscaped gardens, which are planted with mature shrubs, floral borers and trees.
Oval in shape and bordered by an iron fence, the 44acre park has a boating lake, fountains, a clock tower, running streams, greenhouses, a playground and Pavillion, with a café.
Crewe Hall
In 1612 Sir Ranulph Crewe commissioned masons to build this splendid hall as his family seat. Situated to the south-east of Crewe, building commenced in 1616 and lasted 20 years.
Considered one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in Cheshire, the hall was restored in 1836 after a fire. The hall sits in a large landscaped park but also has formal gardens and a stable block.
In 1936 The Duchy of Lancaster took ownership of the estate.
During the Second World War, the hall was used as offices by the military, and later as The Wellcome Foundations UK Head Office.