by Dave Roberts
In the run up to the very first MIDSUMMER MIDDLEWICH FESTIVAL over the weekend of June 18th - 21st, we thought it might be nice to take a look back at some of the classic Folk & Boat Festival photos taken over the years by photographers such as the late and still much-missed CLIFF ASTLES.
We start with this justly famous shot by Cliff from 2011 showing the Town Wharf and Salinae Field at Festival time.
Sadly the Wharf can no longer be used on such occasions because of Health & Safety concerns, but the Salinae Field will be very much a part of the weekend.
And that bird, so enthusiastically joining in the festivities, wasn't photoshopped, but took the opportunity to get in the picture just as Cliff pressed the shutter release.
What may come as a surprise in this well-known photo is the amount of greenery on the field, which is now .given over mostly to lawns.
An even bigger surprise, to those relatively new to the town at least, is this view of the area as it was before the old Seddons Wych House Lane Works closed in 1967.
The salt pans looming over the Trent & Mersey Canal to the right are situated where the lush greenery of Salinae is in Cliff's 2011 photo.
On the skyline, beyond the canal lock, is one of two other works (the third being Pepper Street) belonging to Henry Seddon & Sons. All three closed in 1967.
Close to the Brooks Lane works was a fourth open pan works belonging to Murgatroyd's. The associated brine pump has now been preserved by Middlewich Heritage Trust, which is currently in the process of restoring the pumps to working order and also building a medieval salt hearth to demonstrate the ancient craft of open pan salt making.
To the right, on the waste ground between the lock and the end of the salt works, where Wych House Lane (formerly Wych House Street) runs down to the canal from Lewin Street, is Andersen's Boatyard.
This photo will feature in a future edition of GO LOCAL as part of 'Middlewich Memories'.
Find out more about MIDSUMMER MIDDLEWICH here.
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