Description
Crewe, a market-town, a municipal borough, an important railway centre, and a township in Church-Coppenhall parish, Cheshire. The town stands at the junction of the main lines of the L. & N.W.R., 3 1/4 miles NE of Nantwich, 5 SE of Sandbach, 21 1/4 SE by E of Chester, and 157 from London. From this station branches diverge to Liverpool, Chester, and North Wales, Stockport, and Manchester, and to Shrewsbury and South Wales on the L. & N.W.R.; also to Market-Drayton and Wellington on the G.W.R., and to Stoke-upon-Trent on the North Staffordshire railway. It is entirely a new place, due to the formation of the railways, and occupies ground known formerly as Oak Farm, bought by a Nantwich attorney for £35 an acre, and sold to the railway companies for £500 per acre. The population in 1841 was 203; in 1861, 8159; in 1871, 17,810; in 1881, 24,385; and in 1891, 28,761. The borough was extended in 1892, and now includes most of Church Coppenhall and portions of Wistaston and Shavington. The total area is 2193 acres. The locomotive works of the L. & N.W.R. occupy 116 acres, of which 36 are covered, and give employment to upwards of 7000 men. There is a clothing factory. Crewe is not wanting in a variety of handsome dwellings, large and well-stocked shops, and commodious hotels and inns, but it consists chiefly of small red-brick houses, inhabited by employes of the company. The railway station was rebuilt in 1867, enlarged in 1878, and again in 1892. The Mechanics' Institution, built in 1847, contains a town-hall, library and news-room, a gymnasium, and class-rooms. The Cheese Hall is an edifice in the Classic style, built in 1854; the corn market is held here fortnightly; there is also a corn exchange. The Cattle Market is a red-brick building of 1883, and is used for a cattle market and auctions on Mondays, and for horse auctions once a month. Markets are held on Fridays and Saturdays. The town has a head post office, a large theatre, public baths, and numerous schools, the majority of which were established by the L. & N.W.R. Company. The borough has a commission of the peace, was chartered in 1879, and is governed by a corporation consisting of a mayor, 6 aldermen, and 18 councillors. It is a seat of county courts. The Victoria Park was presented to the town by the L. & N.W.R. Company in commemoration of Her Majesty's jubilee, and was opened in 1888. Three newspapers are published, one daily, one bi-weekly, and the third weekly. There are three ecclesiastical parishes in the diocese of Chester £Christchurch, St Paul's, and St Barnabas. The livings of Christchurch and St Paul's are vicarages, that of St Barnabas is a perpetual curacy; gross value of Christchurch, £415 ; net values of St Paul and St Barnabas, £260 and £242 with residences. Patrons of Christchurch and St Paul's, the directors of the L. & N.W.R. Company; of St Barnabas, the Bishop of Chester. Christchurch was erected in 1845 by the Company, and a tower was added in 1878. Population, 5527. The parish of St Paul's was constituted in 1869. Population, 5344. The church is a handsome Gothic edifice. The parish of St Barnabas was constituted in 1885. Population, 4445. The church, built in 1885, is a red-brick edifice. There are Roman Catholic, Congregational, Wesleyan, Free, New Connexion, Independent and Primitive Methodist, and Presbyterian chapels, and places of worship for other bodies.
Crewe Parliamentary Division of Cheshire was formed under the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885, and returns one member to the House of Commons. Population, 64,434. The division includes the following: £Nantwich (part of) £ Alvaston and Beamheath in Alvaston, Barthomley, Basford, Chorlton, Church, Coppenhall, Crewe, Haslington, Hough, Nantwich, Rope, Shavington-cum-Gresty, Stapeley, Weston, Willaston, Wistaston, Wybunbury; Northwich (part of) £ Alsager, Riton, Betchton, Hassall, Sandbach, Wheelock, Arclid, Smallwood, Moreton-cum-Alcumlow, Odd Rode, Church Lawton; Crewe, municipal borough.
