10 MR. THOMAS WARD ON THE 



we find distinct records of salt-works at the three " Wiches," 

 Nantwich, Middlewich, and Northwich, and a reference is 

 made to ' ' King Edward's time " (i. e. Edward the Confes- 

 sor's). In 1 132 Hugh Malbanc, in the foundation-deed of 

 Combermere Abbey, says " I grant to the same monks the 

 fourth part of the town of Wych and tithe of my salt and 

 the salt-pits that are mine/' &c. 



From this period to the commencement of the 16th 

 century the records are very scanty, but sufficient to show 

 that the manufacture was still carried on at the three 

 " Wiches." At this period the most important salt-town 

 was Nantwich or Wich Ma] banc. L eland, in his c Itiner- 

 ary/ and Camden, in his ' Britannia/ both mention the 

 Cheshire salt-manufacture; and during the 17th century 

 references are frequent, especially in the t Philosophical 

 Transactions of the Royal Society. 5 Rock salt was disco- 

 vered in 1670 ; and in 1721 the river Weaver was made 

 navigable from Frodsham through Northwich to Winsford. 

 After this period the manufacture steadily but not rapidly 

 increased until 1825, when the duty was taken off salt. 

 Immediately a great advance was made, which continued 

 till 1844, when the East-Indian market was opened to 

 English salt and the manufacture grew still more rapidly. 

 The alkali trade caused another rapid advance, so that at 

 the present time the quantity manufactured is fully ten 

 times as large as at the commencement of the present 

 century. 



The districts of Cheshire in which salt is made are in the 

 valleys of the Weaver, Dane, and Wheelock : and this has 

 always been the case ; for, with the exception of a small 

 manufacture of salt at Droitwich for a limited time, none 

 has ever been made except in close proximity to these 

 streams. The Weaver valley is the most important; and 

 at Winnington, Anderton, Marston, Wincham, Northwich, 



