Halton, Runcorn
{{Short description|Former village in Cheshire, UK; part of the town of Runcorn}}
{{About|the area of Runcorn||Halton (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| official_name = Halton
| civil_parish =
| country = England
| region = North West England
| coordinates = {{coord|53.331|-2.694|display=title}}
| os_grid_reference =
| post_town =
| postcode_area =
| postcode_district =
| dial_code =
| unitary_england = Halton
| lieutenancy_england = Cheshire
| hide_services = Yes
| population =
| population_ref =
| area_total_km2 =
| static_image = Halton Castle.jpg
| static_image_caption = Part of the ruins of Halton Castle
| website =
}}
Halton, formerly a separate village, is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The name Halton has been assumed by the Borough of Halton, which includes Runcorn, Widnes, and some outlying parishes.
History
Image:Halton Castle engraving.jpg
There is evidence of human occupation in the Stone Age and during the Roman era.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=1–4.}} The village{{cite web |url=http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SJ5381/halton/ |title=Halton | Domesday Book |access-date=2015-02-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202225615/http://domesdaymap.co.uk/place/SJ5381/halton/ |archive-date=2015-02-02 }} Domesday Map Online: Halton is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) in the hundred of Tunendune.[http://domesdaymap.co.uk/hundred/tunendune/ Domesday Map Online: Tunendune Hundred] Towards the end of the 11th century, the first castle, which became the seat of the Barons of Halton, was built on the hill.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=7–8.}} The Tunendune hundred court was absorbed into Bucklow hundred by 1260 so government statistics for Halton over many later centuries are indexed by Bucklow hundred.
During the medieval period, a deer park measuring {{convert|100|acre|ha|0}} lay to the south and the west of the village. At this time, Halton had a weekly market and annual fair.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=19–21.}} The village held a court leet and the castle was used as a prison.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=25–28.}} During the Civil War, the castle was held by the Royalists and twice besieged by Parliamentary forces. Following this the castle fell into ruin.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=57–58.}} The importance of Halton declined with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the development of the chemical and other industries in Runcorn.{{Harvnb|Starkey|1990|pp=147ff.}}
Halton was formerly a township and chapelry in the parish of Runcorn.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/place/2114|title=History of Halton in Cheshire|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=2 May 2024}} In 1866, Halton became a separate civil parish.{{cite web|url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10045125|title=Relationships and changes Halton CP/Ch through time|publisher=A Vision of Britain through Time|accessdate=2 May 2024}} On 1 April 1967, the parish was abolished and merged with Runcorn.{{cite web|url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/runcorn.html|title=Runcorn Registration District|publisher=UKBMD|accessdate=2 May 2024}}
Geography
The village stands in an elevated position at {{convert|240|ft|m|0}} compared with the surrounding area which lies at about {{convert|100|ft|m|0}}. At its centre is an outcrop of sandstone which rises to a height of {{convert|252.6|ft|m|0}}.{{citation |url= http://www.earthtools.org/ |title= Height |access-date= 6 November 2008 |publisher= EarthTools |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120401191717/http://www.earthtools.org/ |archive-date= 1 April 2012 }} On the summit of the outcrop are the ruins of Halton Castle. The major road, Main Street, passes below the castle, to its west and south, and Castle Road leads up to the castle.
Demography
Population statistics were recorded separately for the parish of Halton until the village was incorporated into its larger neighbour under the Runcorn New Town (Designation) Order 1964.
The population of Halton Village in 1664 has been estimated as 375.{{cite web
|url=http://www.cheshirearchaeology.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/HTS_Arch_Assess_Runcorn-and-Halton.pdf
|title= Cheshire Historic Towns Survey - Runcorn and Halton Archaeological Assessment
|publisher=Cheshire County Council and English Heritage
|access-date=12 July 2020}} In 1961, the parish had a population of 1,467.
| class="wikitable"
|+ Population growth of Halton Village since 1801{{cite web |url=https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10045125/cube/TOT_POP |title= Halton Ch/CP through time - Population Statistics |publisher=University of Portsmouth |access-date=13 July 2020}} |
| scope="col" | 1801
! scope="col" | 1811 ! scope="col" | 1821 ! scope="col" | 1831 ! scope="col" | 1841 ! scope="col" | 1851 ! scope="col" | 1861 ! scope="col" | 1871 ! scope="col" | 1881 ! scope="col" | 1891 ! scope="col" | 1901 ! scope="col" | 1911 ! scope="col" | 1921 ! scope="col" | 1931 ! scope="col" | 1951 ! scope="col" | 1961 |
|---|
| 628
| 894 | 1,066 | 1,322 | 1,397 | 1,570 | 1,505 | 1,620 | 1,439 | 1,555 | 1,238 | 1,294 | 1,508 | 1,694 | 1,490 | 1,467 |
Today
Image:St Mary's Halton 2.jpg]]
File:Halton Trinity Methodist Church - geograph.org.uk - 1200498.jpg
The village is now entirely residential, surrounded to the west and north by the estates of Runcorn New Town. To the south is Halton Lea, a shopping mall, and other retail and entertainment outlets. To the east is Town Park. The castle is a Grade I listed building and a scheduled ancient monument, and there are a number of other listed buildings in the village. There are two public houses, the Castle Hotel, which is incorporated into the structure of the castle and which contains the former courthouse, and the Norton Arms. In the village are two active churches, the Anglican Church of St Mary and Trinity Methodist Church.
The Village has a Millennium Green, one of a series of 245 charity-run public green spaces created at the turn of the millennium.
See also
{{Portal|Cheshire}}
References
{{Commons category|Halton, Cheshire|Halton}}
=Notes=
{{Reflist|30em}}
=Bibliography=
{{Refbegin}}
- {{citation | last =Starkey | first =H. F. | title =Old Runcorn | publisher =Halton Borough Council | year =1990 | location =Halton }}
{{Refend}}
{{Cheshire, Borough of Halton}}
{{Cheshire}}
{{authority control}}