Ellesmere Port & Neston
Ellesmere Port and Neston is a local government borough based in the county of Cheshire in the north west of England. The district here stretches across the south end of the Wirral peninsula and includes towns and villages such as Ellesmere Port, Neston, Willaston and Parkgate.
Given the location of the district Ellesmere Port and Neston offers visitors a range of landscapes and environments. The district has two significant rivers passing through it in the Mersey and the Dee as well as coastal access. It is also a highly industrialised district in certain parts (i.e. around Ellesmere Port) but is, on the other hand, fairly rural when you get further inland.
The largest town in the district is Ellesmere Port itself. This town sits on the edge of the peninsula and has a strong history within sea and water related industries. It is thought that people have settled here since the times of the Domesday Book if not before. The town’s sea location would have made it an attractive proposition for settlers and there is evidence of Norse settlements in the entire Cheshire region.
Originally known as Netherpool, the town really came into its own in the 1700s when the Ellesmere Canal was built to connect the region to the sea. It was given another boost in the late 1800s with the connection with the Manchester Ship Canal. The town is also well known for a variety of other manufacturing industries such as car manufacturing, oil refining and chemicals. Visitors to Ellesmere Port have a variety of attractions to visit in the town. Many people, for example, will recommend a visit to the town’s Boat Museum or the Blue Planet Aquarium.
Neston is a smaller town in the borough. The name of the town is thought to have been of Norse origin and it was referred to as Nestone in the Domesday Book. Neston has long been associated with more rural industries than Ellesmere Port - it was, for example, given market town status in the 1700s via a Royal Charter. The town was actually originally a significant port in the region until the River Dee became too silted up to use.
Neston is also well known in the region for its coal mining past. The mine in the town played a significant part in local mining from the 1700s until the early 1900s. Visitors to Neston may enjoy a trip to the Ness Botanic Gardens
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