History of Northwich was the Stanley's, later Earls of Derby and stayed in the family’s hands until the late 18th century. That salt production continued throughout the centuries can be seen through John Leland's description of the town in 1540: Although Leland described Northwich as a market town, there is no surviving charter for a market or fair. A market still exists today. Between 1642 and 1643, during the English Civil War, Northwich was fortified and garrisoned by Sir William Bereton for the Parliamentarians. The salt beds beneath Northwich were re-discovered in the 1670s by employees of the local Smith-Barry family. The Smith-Barrys
Townwell House, Nantwich Townwell House, Nantwich Townwell House is an Early Georgian town house in Nantwich, Cheshire, England, located at number 52 on the north side of Welsh Row (at ). It dates from 1740, and is listed at grade II*; in the listing, English Heritage describes the building as "important" and highlights its "good central entrance". Townwell House is one of many Georgian buildings on Welsh Row, which Nikolaus Pevsner calls "the best street of Nantwich". Number 83, on the opposite side of the street, is also listed at grade II*. The house was constructed in 1740. As the name suggests, it