Surrounding Area

Crewe is perhaps best known as a large railway junction and home to Crewe Works, for many years a major railway engineering facility, but now much reduced in size. From 1946 until 2002 it was also the home of Rolls-Royce motor car production. The Pyms Lane factory on the west of the town now produces Bentley motor cars exclusively. Crewe is still a busy railway junction today and Crewe Station now has its own Cheshire First Class Lounge where first class travellers can relax in peaceful surroundings before they board their train.

You may be surprised to find that Crewe is a town steeped in history; here you can enjoy a performance at the Grade II Listed Edwardian theatre or relax and explore the splendour of one of the finest Victorian parks in the country. Come and learn about the history of Crewe and its railway heritage or shop ‘til you drop in the town centre where you will find all the big high street names. If you like sport, Crewe is a great place to visit with its plentiful golf courses. Why not come and cheer on Crewe Alexandra Football Club or soak up the atmosphere at one of the many live music venues.

See here for more information about Crewe.

Acton is a small village to the west of Nantwich.  The village is approached along the Chester Road (A 534), under the Thomas Telford aqueduct, or an attractive walk along the tow path of the Shropshire Union canal.  The Crewe to Chester 84 bus stops in Acton. 

The main facilities in the village are
• St. Mary’s Grade 1 listed Church: www.cross-country-group-anglican.org.uk
• The Star pub: with public bar and good quality food
• The Parish Hall:  with two rooms available for booking.

The village is on the Crewe and Nantwich circular walk and a popular starting point for walks in the Cheshire countryside. 

Fields round the village were the site of the Battle of Nantwich in 1644, celebrated in Nantwich each January by a re-enactment on “Holly Holy Day”. 

Nearby in the parish of Acton is the Dorfold Hall Estate, with its Jacobean house (open to the public on Tuesday afternoons) and home to the annual South Cheshire Show; and Basin End Marina, where canal boats can be hired. 

Audlem is a large village located approximately 11 km (7 miles) south of Nantwich. Close to the border with the neighbouring county of Shropshire, the village is eight miles east of Whitchurch and seven miles north of Market Drayton.

It is situated on the Shropshire Union Canal which has a run of 15 locks, designed by Thomas Telford, to raise the canal from the Cheshire Plain to the 93 feet higher Shropshire Plain. The River Weaver passes west of the village.

Audlem has clubs for tennis, badminton, football, cricket, golf, pigeon racing, caravanning and bowls. Cyclists meet informally at The Old Priest-House Cafe.

Audlem has three fine pubs, two by the Shropshire Union canal and the third in the village centre. The Bridge Inn is a welcoming family pub and restaurant with an outside terrace. The Shroppie Fly is situated next to the canal and has extensive outdoor seating next to the water. The Lord Combermere overlooks Audlem Square opposite the Church. The pub is extremely attractive with high quality, contemporary furniture and is an excellent venue in the village centre for food and drink.

For more information about Audlem please see www.ivisitaudlem.co.uk

Hankelow is a small village, one mile from Audlem on the Nantwich Road, situated on the South Cheshire Way, a popular walking route.  Hankelow has a very attractive village green with a duck pond and picnic area. Brookfield Golf Club is situated in the village and offers restaurant, bar and catering facilities for members and non-members alike. For more information about Haneklow please see www.hankelow.net

Tucked away amongst the rolling hills of the Cheshire/Shropshire border, Marbury is a wonderful example of an unspoilt, tranquil English village.

There is a local walk that starts near the Swan Inn, a traditional local pub, and passes the still waters of one of the village's two meres. It then climbs gently to the top of Wirswall Hill, well known for its panoramic views across the whole of the county. The tower of Marbury's fine 15th century church, rising above the surrounding countryside, guides walkers back down the hill towards the village. After again passing the wildlife rich mere, the route returns to Marbury - with its half-timbered houses, inviting pub and village green which boasts a magnificent oak tree planted in 1814. For more information please visit www.discovercheshire.com.

While the parish has been in existence since 1866, it is only in the last decade, with the development of Cronkinson Farm housing estate that change has arrived in this rural area. Along with the increase in population in the parish there has been an increase in amenities with an additional primary school, local shops, a community hall and a public house. A small development of local shops based around a co-operative store now provide a range of services from fast food to dry cleaning and hairdressing and the Globe Inn in Audlem Road has been joined by the Cronkinson’s Farm Public House.

This is also the home of Stapeley Water Gardens where you will find something for the whole family. With everything you need for the home and garden; Garden Centre, Water Gardening, Water Features, Pond Products, Indoor & Outdoor Plants, Furniture, Pets & Fish, Clothing and Gifts, as well as a Camping & Outdoor Centre. For keen Anglers in the family, there is an enormous Angling Centre.  At the Palms Tropical Oasis there's over 100 species of rare and exotic wildlife and dazzling tropical plantlife to explore.
 
For more information about Stapeley and district please see www.stapeleyparishcouncil.gov.uk

Wrenbury village lies at an elevation of around 70m, about five miles south-west of Nantwich and five miles north-east of Whitchurch, Shropshire. Nearby villages include Marbury, Aston and Audlem.

The village is on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal. The Shropshire Union Canal has three rare single-span timber lift bridges dating from 1790, which are among Thomas Telford's earliest works. The Cheshire Cycleway also runs through the village and the South Cheshire Way long-distance path runs just south of it.

The red sandstone St Margaret's Church, overlooking the village green, dates from the early 16th century. Notable features include a rare example of a dog whipper's pew and a memorial to Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere.

Wrenbury is also home to Wrenbury Hall which was the home of the Starkey family, prominent local landowners, until 1920. Parts of the house date from the 17th century, although the front was refaced in Elizabethan style in 1916–19. It is said to have been used as shelter for the Roundheads in 1643 when Nantwich was besieged before the Battle of Nantwich, during the English Civil War.

Wrenbury is known for its annual scarecrow trail, which started in 2000. Held the first weekend in July as part of a Summer Fayre, around a hundred and fifty scarecrows were on display in 2006.

The village has two public houses, both of which serve food. The Cotton Arms, named for the Cotton family, is on Cholmondeley Road near the canal. The Dusty Miller occupies a 19th century corn mill by the canal at Wrenbury Bridge, and is listed in The Good Pub Guide. For more information about Wrenbury please see www.wrenbury.info

Wybunbury village lies 5 miles south of Crewe and 3.5 miles east of Nantwich. One of the main features of Wybunbury is the medieval Tower. The Tower dominates the village and its surrounding countryside. It is a Grade A listed building, 96 feet high dating from the 15th Century.In Wybunbury, there is a legend that fig pies were baked and rolled down the Swan Bank for a prize, or even flung from the top of the Tower! However, the fig pies do not appear to have any connection with St Chad. Wybunbury Pie Wakes continues to be a very successful and popular annual event in the village.

Wybunbury Moss is a National Nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, parking and refreshments are available at the local pub, The Swan. This internationally unique example of schwingmoor (floating bog) consists of a raft of peat, floating on a lake 13 metres deep. As a result of this, a unique habitat for many rare animals and plants exists at the reserve. You should not enter the moss as it is extremely dangerous. There is a regular programme of guided walks available each year. As access is restricted, public footpaths circle the moss and following these will give you beautiful views of the moss and the meadows. For more information about Wybunbury please visit www.wybunburypc.co.uk