Runcorn, separated from Widnes by the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal but united by three bridges, is somewhere I often pass but seldom visit. The town lies within the Liverpool City region but outside Merseyside, in Cheshire.
From the Runcorn side, you see across into the Ship Canal and the wall that separates it from the Mersey.
The image above shows the two older bridges from the Runcorn bank, I took this shot in 2016 and the pre refurbishment rust shows clearly.
I took the photo above in 2021 from the Landings. The Landings seem to be modern apartment blocks, but I could be mistaken. They may be offices. For my purposes, the riverside view of the river there served as a great vantage point for a long-exposure shot.
Rising above Runcorn town centre, the remains of the sandstone Halton Castle sit at the top of Halton Hill and commands a superb view of the bridges and across in all directions. Wikipedia tells me that construction of a wooden castle began here in 1071 but the original sandstone castle replaced it in the 13th century. During the period until Tudor times, it served variously as a prison, a court of law and as an administrative centre. By 1650 the castle was in ruins though the gatehouse continued in use as a court until 1908. That courthouse is now used as a pub/restaurant. The castle is now managed by the Norton Priory Museum Trust. The circumference of the walls is intact, and I was able to walk around it entirely to capture the views below.
The sweeping curve of the Mersey Gateway.
Fidlers Ferry power station awaiting demolition to make way for housing.
The Silver Jubilee bridge seen from the castle.
A church, St Mary’s the Virgin, lies adjacent to, but just below the castle. Although a chapel at this spot was mentioned in the Domesday Book, the current building was consecrated in 1852. It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott of London – a famous Victorian architect.
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