Marbury Park, Verdin Park and Winnington Hall all have links to salt and the salt industry in Northwich. They each began as private residences of wealthy people with grounds laid out in fashionable style, maintained by staff, with brine baths and ice houses, kitchen gardens and pleasure grounds. This exhibition by Cheshire Gardens Trust explores the grandeur of designs and facilities included in these estate gardens.

The exhibition will explore the multi-faceted history of three of Northwich’s parks:

Marbury Hall – the place where rock salt was first discovered in the 1670s. Although the magnificent hall is now gone and so are most signs of the Prisoner of War camp, Marbury Park still has the traces of its lovely garden, and the beautiful parkland is now enjoyed by everyone.

Verdin Park – this was given to the town by Joseph Verdin, one of the largest salt manufacturers in the country. In his heyday he employed over 1000 workers, and owned a fleet of salt barges and railway salt wagons.

Winnington Hall – this was once a private residence and then a ladies’ academy with cherished grounds. Sir John Brunner and Ludwig Mond, founders of Brunner Mond and Company, bought it and started developing its chemical works on site, eventually forming one of the most successful chemical companies in the world. Brunner and Mond first came to Northwich because of its rich salt deposits and in 1874 produced the first soda ash from this site.