A brief History of Halton

Links between the two towns of Widnes and Runcorn stretch back 900 years to the early 12th century when land on both sides of the river formed part of the Halton Barony

Citizens from the Widnes area had to pay taxes at Halton Castle in Runcorn and a ferry service soon linked the two settlements.

Around the mid-19th century, the British chemical industry began in Widnes utilising Lancashire coal and Cheshire salt. Factories developed on both sides of the river and trade, labour and skills quickly became interlinked. As a result of this, in 1868 the London to Liverpool railway opened, followed in 1905 by a transporter bridge to carry road traffic and pedestrians. These constructions reinforced the links between the two towns which were increased even further when the borough’s current major landmark, the Silver Jubilee Bridge, opened in 1961.

The bridge is listed for its architectural importance and is reminiscent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

Halton has a track record of delivering major projects and regeneration initiatives. The most recent and perhaps the most significant is the Mersey Gateway Bridge. The bridge opened in October 2017, a major regional infrastructure project and a significant achievement for the fourth smallest unitary authority in the country. The building of the Mersey Gateway Bridge not only eases congestion for the Borough and the wider region, it also provides further opportunity for significant development throughout the Borough.