Northwich was the most northern of the -wich towns in Cheshire. The existence of Northwich in the early medieval period is shown by its record in the Domesday Book: The manor of Northwich belonged to the Earls of Chester until 1237 when the family line died out. Subsequently, Northwich became a royal manor and was given to a noble family to collect tolls in exchange for a set rent. That salt production continued throughout the centuries and can be seen through John Leland's description of the town in 1540: Between 1642 and 1643, during the English Civil War, Northwich was fortified
Economics of English Mining in the Middle Ages and churches. Four metals were mined commercially in England during the period: iron, tin, lead and silver using a variety of refining techniques. Coal was also mined from the 13th century onwards, Iron mining occurred in several locations including the main English centre in the Forest of Dean, as well as in Durham and the Weald. Some iron to meet English demand was also imported from the continent, especially by the late 13th century. By end of the 12th century, the older method of acquiring iron ore through strip mining was being supplemented by more advanced techniques, including tunnels, trenches