Warrington
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2008-07-09T06:19:20Z
Ddstretch
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Reverted [[WP:AGF|good faith]] edits by [[Special:Contributions/Wereon|Wereon]]; Rv: no need for this qualification to the country. using [[WP:TWINKLE|TW]]
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{{Infobox Settlement
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|official_name = Borough of Warrington
|other_name =
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|subdivision_name2 = [[North West England]]
|subdivision_type3 = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
|subdivision_name3 = [[Cheshire]]
|subdivision_type4 = [[Administrative centre|Admin HQ]]
|subdivision_name4 = [[Warrington Town Hall]]
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes =
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|leader_title = Governing body
|leader_name = Warrington Borough Council
|leader_title1 = [[Mayors in England|Mayor]]
|leader_name1 = ?
|leader_title2 = [[MPs elected in the UK general election, 2005|MPs]]:
|leader_name2 = [[Helen Jones]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]<br />[[Helen Southworth]] [[Labour Party (UK)|(L)]]
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<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
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<!-- INFOBOX END -->
'''Warrington''' is a large town, [[borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] and [[unitary authority area]] in [[Cheshire]], [[England]]. It stands on the banks of the [[River Mersey]], which is tidal to the west of the [[weir]]. The population of the borough of Warrington, including its 18 [[civil parish]]es, is around 194,000. Its population has more than doubled since its designation as a [[New Towns in the United Kingdom|New Town]] in 1968.
[[Historic counties of England|Historically]] a part of [[Lancashire]], Warrington was founded by the [[Romans]] at an important crossing place on the River Mersey. A new settlement was established by the [[Saxons]] and by the [[Middle Ages]], Warrington had emerged as a [[market town]] at an important bridging point. A local tradition of textile and tool production dates from this time.
The expansion and urbanisation of Warrington largely coincided with the [[Industrial Revolution]], particularly after the Mersey was made navigable in the 18th century and the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] opened in 1894. The [[West Coast Mainline]] runs through the town (north to south) and the [[Manchester Ship Canal]] cuts through the south of the borough (east to west). The [[M6 motorway|M6]], [[M56 motorway|M56]] and [[M62 motorway]]s form a partial box around the town.
People born (or living) in Warrington are known as ''Warringtonians''<ref name="JPriestley">{{cite web | url = http://smartnews.warrington.gov.uk/index.asp?37290 | title = "Tribute to famous Warringtonian Joseph Priestley" | publisher = Warrington Borough Council Smartnews. NB: In addition to verifying the notability of J Priestley, this reference demonstrates the use of the term ''Warringtonian'' | author = Gary Jenkins (Senior Communications Officer, Warrington Borough Council)}}</ref>. The modern Borough of Warrington was formed in 1974 with the amalgamation of the former [[County Borough of Warrington]], part of the Golborne Urban District, the Lymm Urban District, part of the Runcorn Rural District, the Warrington Rural District and part of the Whiston Rural District.
==History==
Warrington has been a major crossing point on the [[River Mersey]] since ancient times and there was a [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] settlement at Wilderspool <ref>.Hinchcliffe J & Williams J H, ROMAN WARRINGTON: Excavations at Wilderspool 1966 - 9 & 1976,Brigantia Monograph No 2, Manchester University 1992 </ref>. In [[medieval]] times Warrington's importance was as a bridging point of the River Mersey, and it was a fulcrum in the [[English Civil War]]. The armies of [[Oliver Cromwell]] and the [[Earl of Derby]] both stayed near the old town centre (the parish church area). Popular legend has it that Cromwell lodged in the building which survives on Church Street as The Cottage Restaurant, though it is likely that the actual place was nearby, possibly next door. The [[Marquess of Granby|Marquis of Granby]] public house bears a plaque stating that the [[Earl of Derby]] 'had his quarters near this site'. Dents in the walls of the parish church are rumoured to have been caused by the [[cannon]]s from the time of the Civil War.
===Industrial history===
Warrington was a centre of [[steel]] (particularly [[wire]]), [[textiles]], [[brewing]], [[tanning]] and [[chemical]] industries.<ref>Rylands, Rylands of Warrington, 1805-1955: The Story of Rylands Brothers Limited, Harley Publishing, 1956 </ref>
Heavy industry declined in the 1970s and 1980s but the growth of the new town around Warrington led to a great increase in employment in light industry, distribution and technology. Travel-to-work patterns are unusual, with many residents working outside the borough and many employees living elsewhere.
===IRA bombing===
{{main|Warrington bomb attacks}}
On [[20 March]] [[1993]], the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] (IRA) exploded two [[Warrington bomb attacks|bombs]] in Warrington town centre. The blasts killed two children: three year old Jonathan Ball died instantly, and twelve year old Tim Parry died five days later in hospital. Their deaths provoked widespread condemnation of the organisation responsible. The blast followed a bomb attack a few weeks earlier on a gas storage plant in Warrington.
Tim Parry's father founded The Peace Centre (formerly the Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Peace Centre) as part of a campaign to reconcile communities in conflict. The centre opened on the seventh anniversary of the bombing in 2000.
===Other history===
Warrington is notable in political history for being the first place to field a candidate for the then newly-formed [[SDP-Liberal Alliance]]; former Home Secretary [[Roy Jenkins]] stood for Parliament in 1981 but lost to [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] candidate [[Doug Hoyle, Baron Hoyle|Doug Hoyle]] by a small number of votes.
However, many people, particularly Americans, will remember Warrington best as the location of [[R.A.F Burtonwood|Burtonwood RAF base]], one of (if not the) largest [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) bases in England and the largest [[US Air Force]] base outside the [[United States]]. During [[World War II]], [[Burtonwood]] was visited by major celebrities like [[Humphrey Bogart]] and [[Bob Hope]] who entertained the [[GI]]s. The base was closed in 1993.
There was a further RAF training camp at [[Padgate]], a Royal Naval air base at Stretton and an army base at the Peninsula Barracks in O'Leary Street, now used by the [[Territorial Army]].
==Governance==
[[Historic counties of England|Historically]] part of Lancashire, Warrington was incorporated as a [[municipal borough]] in 1847 under the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]]. Warrington acquired [[county borough]] status upon reaching a population of 50,000 in 1900 and until 1974 was known as the [[County Borough of Warrington]]. As part of proposed local government reforms of England, in 1969 the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report]] suggested merging Warrington with either [[Merseyside]] or [[Greater Manchester]] [[metropolitan county|metropolitan counties]]. Lobbying by the borough council averted this. But, since these County boundary changes were to make Warrington non-contiguous with Lancashire, under the [[Local Government Act 1972|local government reforms]] of 1974, Warrington, incorporating [[Lymm]] Urban District and part of [[Runcorn Rural District]] from Cheshire, and part of [[Warrington Rural District]], was made a borough within [[Cheshire County Council]].
On [[April 1]], [[1998]] Warrington became an independent [[unitary authority]], though it is still served by [[Cheshire Police]] and [[Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service]], and forms part of Cheshire for [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] purposes, such as the [[Lord Lieutenant|Lord Lieutenancy]]. The current borders of Warrington Borough cover the former [[County Borough]] of Warrington, Lymm Urban District, [[Warrington Rural District]] and part of [[Golborne]] Urban District, part of [[Runcorn Rural District]] and part of [[Whiston Rural District]].
Warrington has applied unsuccessfully for [[City status in the United Kingdom|city status]], the most recent attempt being after the opening of the Peace Centre as a "City for Peace".
The political makeup of the borough council is as follows:
*9 [[Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrat]] Wards: [[Appleton]], [[Grappenhall]] and [[Thelwall]], [[Great Sankey]] North, [[Great Sankey]] South, [[Latchford]] West, Poulton North, [[Stockton Heath]], [[Westbrook, Cheshire|Westbrook]], Whittle Hall.
*7 [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] Wards: [[Birchwood]], [[Burtonwood]] and [[Winwick]], Fairfield & Howley, [[Latchford]] East, [[Orford]], Poplars & Hulme, and Rixton & Woolston.
*2 [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] wards: [[Culcheth]], [[Culcheth and Glazebury|Glazebury]] & [[Croft]], and [[Hatton]], [[Stretton]] & [[Walton, Cheshire|Walton]]
*4 "split" wards: [[Bewsey]] and Whitecross (2 Liberal Democrat, 1 Labour), [[Lymm]] (2 Liberal Democrat, 1 Conservative), Penketh & Cuerdley (2 Conservative, 1 Labour), Poulton South (1 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat).
Current councillor party composition:
{|class="wikitable"
|width="150" colspan=2|'''Party'''
|'''Councillors'''
|-
|bgcolor="{{Liberal Democrats/meta/color}}"|
|Liberal Democrat
|28
|-
|bgcolor="{{Labour Party (UK)/meta/color}}"|
|Labour
|22
|-
|bgcolor="{{Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color}}"|
|Conservative
|7
|-
|}
By consequence, there is '''no overall control (NOC)''' in Warrington.
At [[British House of Commons|Westminster]], Warrington is represented by two [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] [[Member of Parliament|MPs]]. [[Helen Jones]] represents [[Warrington North (UK Parliament constituency)|Warrington North]], and [[Helen Southworth]] represents [[Warrington South (UK Parliament constituency)|Warrington South]].
==Geography==
The Borough of Warrington is bordered by [[Halton (borough)|Halton]], [[Vale Royal]], and [[Macclesfield (borough)|Macclesfield]] boroughs in the Ceremonial County of [[Cheshire]] and by the metropolitan boroughs of [[Trafford]], [[Salford]], [[Wigan]] and [[St Helens, Merseyside|St. Helens]].
{| align="top"
|+'''Neighbouring Districts and Boroughs'''
|
{{compass-table|place=Borough of Warrington
|NW=[[St Helens, Merseyside|St. Helens]]
|N=[[Wigan]]
|NE= [[Salford]]
|W=[[Halton (borough)|Halton]]
|E=[[Salford]]
|SW=[[Halton (borough)|Halton]]
|S=[[Vale Royal]]
|SE=[[Trafford]], [[Macclesfield (borough)|Macclesfield]]
}}
|}
===Subdivisions, suburbs, and civil parishes of Warrington===
The Borough of Warrington is subdivided into 18 [[civil parishes]] and various suburbs of the central town of Warrington, which is an [[unparished area]]:
====Civil parishes====
[[Appleton, Warrington|Appleton]], [[Birchwood]], [[Burtonwood and Westbrook]], [[Croft, Cheshire|Croft]], [[Cuerdley]], [[Culcheth]] and [[Culcheth and Glazebury|Glazebury]], [[Grappenhall and Thelwall]], [[Great Sankey]], [[Hatton, Warrington|Hatton]], [[Lymm]], [[Penketh]],
[[Poulton-with-Fearnhead]], [[Rixton-with-Glazebrook]], [[Stockton Heath]], [[Stretton, Warrington|Stretton]],
[[Walton, Cheshire|Walton]], [[Winwick, Cheshire|Winwick]], [[Woolston, Cheshire|Woolston]]
====Other areas====
[[Appleton Thorn]], [[Bewsey]], [[Blackbrook, Cheshire|Blackbrook]], [[Bruche]], [[Cinnamon Brow]], Cobbs, [[Dallam, Warrington|Dallam]], [[Fairfield]], Gemini, [[Gorse Covert]], Grange, [[Hermitage Green]], [[Hollins Green]], Howley, Hulme, [[Kenyon]], [[Lane End, Warrington|Lane End]], [[Latchford]], [[Little Town, Cheshire|Little Town]], [[Locking Stumps]], [[Martinscroft]], [[Omega Development Site|Omega]], Longford, [[Orford, Warrington|Orford]], [[Paddington (Cheshire)|Paddington]], [[Padgate]], [[Risley]], [[Sankey Bridges]], [[Statham]], [[Thelwall]], [[Westbrook, Warrington|Westbrook]], [[Westy]], [[Wilderspool]], [[Woolston, Cheshire|Woolston]], Wright's Green
===Climate===
<center><!--Infobox begins-->{{Infobox Weather
|single_line= Yes
|location = Warrington, United Kingdom
|Jan_Hi_°F = 42 |Jan_Hi_°C = 6
|Feb_Hi_°F = 42 |Feb_Hi_°C = 6
|Mar_Hi_°F = 48 |Mar_Hi_°C = 9
|Apr_Hi_°F = 53 |Apr_Hi_°C = 12
|May_Hi_°F = 59 |May_Hi_°C = 15
|Jun_Hi_°F = 64 |Jun_Hi_°C = 18
|Jul_Hi_°F = 66 |Jul_Hi_°C = 19
|Aug_Hi_°F = 66 |Aug_Hi_°C = 19
|Sep_Hi_°F = 60 |Sep_Hi_°C = 16
|Oct_Hi_°F = 55 |Oct_Hi_°C = 13
|Nov_Hi_°F = 48 |Nov_Hi_°C = 9
|Dec_Hi_°F = 44 |Dec_Hi_°C = 7
|Year_Hi_°F = 53 |Year_Hi_°C = 9
|Jan_Lo_°F = 33 |Jan_Lo_°C = 1
|Feb_Lo_°F = 32 |Feb_Lo_°C = 0
|Mar_Lo_°F = 35 |Mar_Lo_°C = 2
|Apr_Lo_°F = 37 |Apr_Lo_°C = 3
|May_Lo_°F = 42 |May_Lo_°C = 6
|Jun_Lo_°F = 48 |Jun_Lo_°C = 9
|Jul_Lo_°F = 51 |Jul_Lo_°C = 11
|Aug_Lo_°F = 51 |Aug_Lo_°C = 11
|Sep_Lo_°F = 48 |Sep_Lo_°C = 9
|Oct_Lo_°F = 42 |Oct_Lo_°C = 6
|Nov_Lo_°F = 39 |Nov_Lo_°C = 4
|Dec_Lo_°F = 35 |Dec_Lo_°C = 2
|Year_Lo_°F = 41 |Year_Lo_°C = 5
|Jan_Precip_inch = 3.8|Jan_Precip_cm = 9.5 |Jan_Precip_mm =
|Feb_Precip_inch = 2.6 |Feb_Precip_cm = 6.7 |Feb_Precip_mm =
|Mar_Precip_inch = 2.3 |Mar_Precip_cm = 5.9 |Mar_Precip_mm =
|Apr_Precip_inch = 2.3 |Apr_Precip_cm = 5.9 |Apr_Precip_mm =
|May_Precip_inch = 2.6 |May_Precip_cm = 6.7 |May_Precip_mm =
|Jun_Precip_inch = 3.2 |Jun_Precip_cm = 8.2 |Jun_Precip_mm =
|Jul_Precip_inch = 4.1 |Jul_Precip_cm = 10.4 |Jul_Precip_mm =
|Aug_Precip_inch = 3.5 |Aug_Precip_cm = 8.8 |Aug_Precip_mm =
|Sep_Precip_inch = 3.9 |Sep_Precip_cm = 9.9 |Sep_Precip_mm =
|Oct_Precip_inch = 3.9 |Oct_Precip_cm = 9.9 |Oct_Precip_mm =
|Nov_Precip_inch = 3.7 |Nov_Precip_cm = 9.3|Nov_Precip_mm =
|Dec_Precip_inch = 4.2 |Dec_Precip_cm = 10.6 |Dec_Precip_mm =
|Year_Precip_inch = 40 |Year_Precip_cm = 101.8 |Year_Precip_mm =
|source =Weatherbase<ref name=Weatherbase>{{cite web
| url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=33341&refer==&units=us= |title =Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Penketh, Warrington, UK | publisher=Weatherbase | year=2007 | accessdate=2007-04-13 | language = English }}</ref>
|accessdate = April 2007
}}<!--Infobox ends--></center>
==Demography==
Based on ONS statistics
===Population and ethnicity===
Warrington has a total population of 191,080, of which 49.1% are male and 50.9% are female. The average age of the population is 38.06 years, which is slightly below the regional and national averages. In the borough, the majority of people are of white ethnicity (97.9%). The key minorities are mixed race (0.6%), black ethnicity (0.2%), and Asian origin (0.8%), other racial origins account for 0.5% of the population.
===Housing and social situation===
As at the 2001 census (the last available data), the borough of Warrington had 80,593 households. Of this 80,593 households, 76% are owner occupied, 17.6% are rented from the council, 4.8% are rented from other sources and 1.6% of houses have residents who live rent free. Warrington has a population density of 10.7 residents per hectare, and 31.9% of residents describe the borough is a comfortably well off area, 4.3% of households are deemed overcrowded. Of the total population, 5.8% of residents are on some form of benefits.
===Employment and education===
At 2005, the borough of Warrington had 63.6% employment, with only 2.9% of all economically active people unemployed. 2.3% of the population are students in full-time higher education. 31.1% of the total population are economically inactive (due to retirement, ill health, or full-time carer status). According to borough statistics, of the population (in the Borough of Warrington in 2005). 26.9% are unqualified (either due to leaving school early or failing the end of school examinations). 46.4% have level 1 or 2 qualifications (level 1 being 1+ GCSE (A*-G)or "O" Level or equivalent, level 2 being 5+ GCSEs (grades A-C), 1+'A' levels/ AS levels (A-E) or equivalent). 19.7% have received level 3+ qualifications (meaning 2+ A-levels (A-E), 4+ AS-levels (A-E) or equivalent minimum).
==Economy==
This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Halton and Warrington at current basic prices [http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf published] (pp.240-253) by ''Office for National Statistics'' with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added<ref>includes hunting and forestry</ref> || Agriculture<ref>includes energy and construction</ref> || Industry<ref>includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured</ref> || Services<ref>Components may not sum to totals due to rounding</ref>
|-
| 1995 || '''3,636''' || 14 || 1,361 || 2,261
|-
| 2000 || '''4,768''' || 10 || 1,433 || 3,324
|-
| 2003 || '''5,774''' || 18 || 1,399 || 4,356
|}
In spite of its proximity to significant retail areas in Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and the out-of-town Trafford Centre, Warrington continues to have one of the larger shopping centres in North West England. Despite the competition, Warrington has seen an increase in its customer trade, due in part to the modernisation of the town centre. It has a shopping mall (Golden Square) first opened in 1974, which has been extended to include a [[Debenhams]] store, and a new bus station. The old Cockhedge Textile Mill was demolished and replaced by another shopping mall. The main shopping streets are Buttermarket Street, Horsemarket Street, Sankey Street and Bridge Street. Where these four streets intersect at Market Gate, there is an award-winning redevelopment with a large fountain and "guardians" (known locally as "the skittles") designed by [[Howard Ben Tré]]. The town also has a large indoor market, and several other small shopping malls, such as Hatters Row. In the surrounding modern suburbs, there are several shopping areas, from small groups of shops to malls such as Birchwood Mall. [[IKEA]] chose Warrington as the location for their first store when they came to the UK; the store is located in the large out-of-town shopping area of Gemini, which has a large [[Marks and Spencer]] (the biggest outside [[London]]) , [[Toys "R" Us]], and [[Next (retailer)|Next]] outlets.
===Developments===
[[Image:Wireworks image.jpg|thumb|Wire Works Tower, Warrington]]
Warrington is home to one of the most important strategic development projects in [[Europe]] in the [[Omega Development Site]] close to the [[M62]]. It will be a vibrant, active and sustainable business community which is to be developed in stages over the next 30 years. The site for this is the 575 acres of space on the former [[Burtonwood Airbase]]. The cost of this is set to reach £1billion.
Other developments in Warrington include the Wire Works on Winwick Street which is set to transform the gateway into the town centre with a mixture of retail, cafes, bars, apartments, and an 8-screen cinema. Building work is expected to begin in Summer 2008.
==Transport==
[[Image:Warrington - 1851 - Project Gutenberg eText 13721.jpg|thumb|Warrington after the coming of the railway, 1851]]
{{main|Transport in Warrington}}
The town has two main railway stations. [[Warrington Bank Quay railway station|Bank Quay]] is on the main West Coast Main Line between [[London Euston railway station|London Euston]] and [[Glasgow Central railway station|Glasgow Central]] and the [[Manchester Piccadilly station|Manchester Piccadilly]] to [[North Wales]] via [[Chester railway station|Chester]] line. [[Warrington Central railway station|Central]] is on the Liverpool to Manchester (via [[Widnes]] and Warrington) line with through services to the North East and to East Anglia. Bank Quay is much altered, but Central (built 1873) is of some architectural merit, featuring polychromatic brickwork. Both have undergone some refurbishment. There are also railway stations in the suburbs at Padgate, Sankey and Birchwood.
The town lies close to the M62, M6 and M56 motorways and midway between [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport|Liverpool]] and [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] airports.
[[Warrington Borough Transport]], one of the few [[municipal bus companies]] to survive in public ownership, runs most bus services within the town. [[First Group]] and [[Arriva]] Northwestern provide bus links to surrounding towns and cities such as Manchester, the Trafford Centre, Liverpool, St Helens, Runcorn, Widnes and Chester. A new real-time passenger information system has been installed. A new bus station known as [[Warrington Bus Interchange|Warrington Interchange]] opened in 2006 at the Golden Square Shopping Centre.
The River Mersey runs through the heart of the town dividing it in two. There are only two main thoroughfares crossing the Mersey in Warrington: at Bridge Foot and at the Kingsway Bridge. The [[Manchester Ship Canal]] runs through the south of the town; three swing bridges and a high-level cantilever bridge provide crossing points, and another high-level crossing is planned downstream nearer to [[Runcorn]]. Although shipping movements on the ship canal are far less frequent than in years past, they can cause severe delay to local road traffic. The picturesque [[Bridgewater Canal]] runs through the borough from the scenic village of Lymm to Walton Hall and Gardens, a local park/leisure area.
==Culture==
Warrington has a concert hall (the [[Parr Hall]]), an arts centre (the Pyramid), a museum, an art gallery, and various public libraries throughout the borough. Warrington Central Library was one of the first rate-supported libraries in the UK. The [[Victorian era|Victorian]] swimming baths closed in July 2003. There is a cinema at Westbrook, and another is being considered as part of a town centre redevelopment. There are several parks (see also [[Parks in Warrington]]) and designated nature reserves at [[Woolston Eyes]], [[Risley Moss]], [[Rixton Claypits]], and [[Paddington Meadows]].
There is also [[ten-pin bowling]] located at Winwick Quay, and indoor paintball. An indoor karting centre is located near to Bank Quay. A Laser Quest arena and a snooker club can also be found in Warrington, both located close to the town centre. Gulliver's Theme Park is located in Old Hall.
A number of festivals, carnivals, and [[walking day]]s are held annually in the Warrington area. Warrington Walking Day - originally a Sunday School festival - is held on the closest Friday to the last day of June, and the town centre is closed to traffic as churches walk together through the streets.<ref>Forrest David, Warrington Walking Day: A Brief History</ref>
Other festivals, besides the many walking days, include:
*[[Appleton Thorn|Appleton]] Bawming of the Thorn
*[[Croft, Cheshire|Croft]] Carnival
*[[Culcheth]] Community Day
*[[Culcheth and Glazebury|Glazebury]] Gala
*[[Grappenhall]] Welly Wanging Competition
*[[Howley]] Carnival
*[[Lymm]] May Queen
*[[Lymm]] Dickensian Festival
*[[Newton-le-Willows]] Music Festival
*[[Penketh]] Carnival
*[[St George]]'s Day Parade
*[[Thelwall]] Rose Queen
*[[Winwick, Cheshire|Winwick]] Carnival
*[[Westy]] Carnival
Warrington also has many musical groups, including [[Warrington Male Voice Choir]], [[Warrington Youth Orchestra]] and the [[North Cheshire Wind Orchestra]].
==Sports==
[[Rugby League]] is the town's premier sports in the form of [[Warrington Wolves]] who are nicknamed "The Wire" because of Warrington's history of wire making. The club moved in 2003 to the [[Halliwell Jones Stadium]], leaving its home for over a century, [[Wilderspool Stadium]]. [[Warrington Wolves]] are the only team to have played every season in the top flight of [[Rugby League]]. The town is also home to [[Warrington Wizards]] who play their home matches at [[Wilderspool Stadium]]. The Wizards are currently in the [[Rugby League Conference]]. Warrington is represented in the [[BARLA]] leagues by Crosfields ARLFC, Bank Quay Bulls ARLFC, Rylands ARFLC, Woolston Rovers ARLFC, Latchford Albion ARLFC, Burtonwood Bulldogs ARLFC and Westbrook Tigers ARLFC.
[[Football (soccer)|Football]] is represented by [[Warrington Town]] at [[Cantilever Park]], next to the [[Manchester Ship Canal]]. The club has several nicknames including Town, Yellows, Wire and Warriors. [[Town|Warrington Town]] are currently in the [[Northern Premier League Division One South]]. [[Liverpool F.C. Reserves and Academy|Liverpool FC]] Reserves also play in Warrington at the [[Halliwell Jones Stadium]].
Warrington Athletic Club is based at [[Victoria Park (Warrington)|Victoria Park]], where a new eight-lane synthetic track was built in 1998, after the original track was destroyed in a fire the previous year.
[[Speedway]] racing, formerly known as Dirt Track racing was staged in Warrington in its pioneering era between 1928 and 1930. The track entered a team in the 1929 English Dirt Track League and the [[1930]] [[Northern league]]. Efforts to revive the venue in 1947 failed to materialise.
==Education==
<!-- Unsourced image removed: [[Image:Warrington Collage.jpg|thumb|Warrington Collegiate]] -->
Warrington is home to two colleges: [[Priestley College|Priestley Sixth Form and Community College]] and [[University of Chester|Warrington Collegiate]]. The [[University of Chester]] has a campus at [[Padgate]] that was formerly part of Warrington Collegiate. Most of the high schools have their own post-16 provision ([[sixth-form]]).
The high schools throughout the borough are located at:[[Birchwood]], [[Culcheth]], [[Appleton]] (known as [[Bridgewater High School Warrington]]), two in [[Latchford]] ([[Arnold le Boteler|Sir Thomas Boteler]] [[Church of England]] High School and [[Cardinal Newman]] [[Roman Catholic]] High School), [[Great Sankey High School|Sankey]], [[Lymm]], [[Padgate]], [[Penketh High School|Penketh]], [[Westbrook]] ([[St. Gregory]]'s [[Roman Catholic]] High School), [[Orford, Warrington|Orford]] ([[William Beamont]] High School), and [[Woolston, Cheshire|Woolston]]<ref>from Warrington Borough Council's Community Information Resource</ref>. Woolston High School is to be closed in 2012.
There are also 74 [[primary schools]] in the borough, all of which feed into at least one of the above.<ref>Count from Warrington Borough Council's community Information resource</ref>.
==Landmarks==
[[Image:Warrington town hall.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|Warrington town hall and gates]]
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:Parr hall 051104.jpg|thumbnail|right|250px|Parr Hall, Warrington]] -->
Sites of interest in Warrington include:
*The [[Warrington Town Hall|Town Hall]] (and its golden gates), formerly the home of the Philips family, Bank Hall (built 1750), and their scion, [[Nathaniel George Philips]], the artist. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Leisureandculture/Localhistoryandheritage/Town_Hall_Guide.aspx | title=Town Hall Guide | publisher = Warrington Borough Council | year=2007 | accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref>
*The [[Warrington Academy|Academy]], a [[dissenter]]s' institute where [[Joseph Priestley]] taught and which is now, after being moved from its original location, the offices of a local newspaper.
*"Cromwell's Cottage" (17th century), which [[Oliver Cromwell]] is said to have visited.
*The 14th century [[St Elphin's Church, Warrington|Parish Church of St Elphin]], largely a [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] rebuild with a {{convert|281|ft|m|sing=on}} [[spire]], the sixth largest in the UK.
*[[St Wilfrid's Church, Grappenhall]], Grade I listed medieval church.
*[[St Oswald's Church, Winwick]], Grade I listed medieval church.
*[[Holy Trinity Church, Warrington|Holy Trinity Church]], 1758, Grade II* listed [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] church at Market Gate.
*[[St Ann's Church, Warrington|St Ann's Church]], 1869, Grade II* church designed by [[John Douglas (architect)|John Douglas]], now a rock climbing centre.
*[[St Mary's Church, Warrington|St Mary's Church]], Grade II church designed by [[E. W. Pugin]] and [[Peter Paul Pugin]] in Buttermarket.
*The row of late Victorian terracotta shops on Bridge Street.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.warrington.gov.uk/Images/6_Bridge_St_tcm31-3124.pdf | title=Bridge Street
Conservation Area | publisher = Warrington Borough Council | year=2000 | accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref>
*The [[Woolworths Group|Woolworth's]] Building in Sankey Street (at least the upper storeys).
*The [[Art Deco]] style Synergy nightclub which was originally a large [[Movie theater|cinema]].
*The industrial modernist [[Unilever]] Soapworks.
*The [[Cheshire Lines Committee|Cheshire Lines]] railway warehouse, now redeveloped as apartments.
*The [[Warrington Transporter Bridge]], a [[listed building]] and a [[Scheduled Ancient Monument]].<ref>English Heritage</ref>.
*The Barley Mow, established in 1561, the oldest [[Public house|pub]] in Warrington.
*The [[Parr Hall]], home to one of the few remaining [[Cavaillé-Coll]] organs.
*[[Fiddlers Ferry Power Station]]
*Bewsey Old Hall, a rebuilt medieval manor house.
*[[IKEA]] store which is located near the Gemini retail park. The first of the IKEA chain to be built in the UK. <ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1240464,00.html |title = Ikea: The History | publisher= The Guardian | year=2004 | accessdate=2007-05-23}}</ref>
==Notable residents==
{{Refimprove|date=January 2008}}
*18th century free-thinker and scientist [[Joseph Priestley]] lived and taught in Warrington, at the Academy<ref name="JPriestley"/>.
*[[William Beamont]] was a Victorian solicitor and local philanthropist who founded several churches and the municipal library, the first rate-aided library in the UK.<ref>William Beamont Diaries in Warrington Library</ref>
*[[First class cricket]]er [[George Duckworth]] was born in Warrington and played [[Test cricket]] for England. He played first class cricket for [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]] between 1923 and 1947.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/11946.html |author= |title=George Duckworth player profile |publisher=Cricinfo.com |accessdate=2007-10-16}}</ref>
*[[First class cricket]]er [[Neil Fairbrother]] was born in Warrington and played Test cricket for England.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/12803.html |author= |title=Neil Fairbrother player profile |publisher=Cricinfo.com |accessdate=2007-10-16}}</ref>
*The late [[William Norman]], [[VC]] (1832-1896), a local war hero, was born in Warrington.<ref>[http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/manchest.htm List of VC holders buried in Manchester.] www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk. Retrieval Date: [[May 7]], [[2008]].</ref>
*[[George Sampson]], dancer and winner of [[Britain's Got Talent]] in 2008.<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jLv-DLR9hI1D8PZ60oapDmgOpAIQ
| title = Breakdancer wins TV talent contest
| accessdate = 2008-05-31
| publisher = [[The Press Association]]
}}</ref>
==Twin towns==
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Lake County, Illinois]], [[USA]]
*{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Hilden]], [[Germany]]
*{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} [[Nachod]], [[Czech Republic]]
==See also==
*[[List of parks in Warrington]]
*[[Warrington Dock]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.thisiswarrington.co.uk Warrington Guardian]
*[http://www.warrington-worldwide.com Warrington Worldwide Online Newspaper]
*[http://www.goldengateshousing.org.uk Golden Gates Housing]
*[http://www.warrington.pl Polish community in Warrington]
{{Cheshire, Borough of Warrington}}
{{Cheshire}}
{{NW_England}}
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[[Category:Towns in Cheshire]]
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