From iron spiders to steaming salt-pans, visitors are invited to explore Cheshire's industrial heritage and the county's 2000 year relationship with salt this autumn through two major attractions, Anderton Boat Lift and the Lion Saltworks Museum.

Built by Edwin Clark in 1875 to lift cargo boats 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal, the Anderton Boat Lift is now a significant attraction in the heart of Cheshire.

This incredible edifice is perched on the banks of the River Weaver and looks like a giant three-storey-high iron spider. The sheer scale of this engineering feat now includes a free exhibition with interactive displays, coffee shop and play area for the children. There is even a special trip boat trip taking a look around the visitor centre to learn the story of the lift and the industrial heritage of the town of Northwich. Anderton Boat Lift also celebrates its 140 year anniversary in 2015.

Nearby visitors are also flocking to the newly opened Lion Salt Works Museum, close to Northwich, which is proving a huge visitor success despite being open for just two months. The unique site was restored over four years and gives a fresh insight into the story of salt and its significance to Cheshire and the UK; it has welcomed more than 4,000 paying visitors already and has picked up two restoration awards.

Officially opened in June 2015, the Museum has fun, interactive and educational exhibits, including a dramatic sound and film exhibit and a 'subsiding house'. The Museum is located next to the Trent & Mersey Canal and is one of the few attractions in the UK with its own canal moorings.

It is one of the last four historic open-pan salt-making sites in the world and has a unique industrial heritage, recognised by the Museum, unusually, also having the status of a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Earlier in the year, the Lion Salt Works was Highly Commended in the Building Conservation category of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North West Awards and on the first day of opening won the Heritage Award at the prestigious 2015 North West Regional Construction Awards.

The city of Chester has also welcomed the new Chester Cathedral Falconry and Nature Garden attraction with daily flying displays and experiences including falcons, kestrels, eagles, owls and a vulture within the wildlife paradise of the Cathedral gardens. This is in addition to the multi-award winning tower tour, Cathedral at Height. Children are allowed in to the attraction for free during the popular Alice in Wonderland exhibition, celebrating 150 years of the popular children's story and Cheshire's links as the birthplace of author Lewis Carroll – the exhibition is open until 30th August. 

See below for attraction details and key anniversary dates for 2015.

Notes to Editors:

Anderton Boat Lift

Open seven days a week, with free entry to the Visitor Centre, Coffee Shop and Exhibition, enjoy boat trips through the lift and along the River Weaver Navigation.

For more information www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/anderton-boat-lift

The Lion Salt Works

An interesting 2-minute aerial film of the Lion Salt Works is available by going to the following link: https://vimeo.com/132320192

This link is free to download and embed on websites and is courtesy of M7Aerial and Marley Eternit

Adult £6.25 Concession £5.50

Child £4.00

Family ticket (adult and two children) £16.40

Family annual pass:  £50.00

Other family and concessionary prices available

Free access to Café, Gift Shop, Butterfly Garden, Play Area and Car Park

Website:   westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Cheshire West and Chester Council is grateful to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for awarding a grant of £5.29 million under its Heritage Grants scheme, making the Lion Salt Works one of the largest heritage schemes being undertaken with their support in the North West. .English Heritage has also contributed £300,000 to the award-winning restoration.

Chester Cathedral

http://www.chestercathedral.com/forthcoming-events.html

Key Historical 2015/16 Anniversaries in Cheshire:

1.    175th anniversary of Railways in Cheshire

2015 marks the 175th Anniversary of two key Railways in Cheshire. In 1840 both the Crewe to Chester and Chester to Birkenhead lines were opened. This historic milestone is a great opportunity to celebrate the success and achievements of the rail industry and promote Cheshire, old Cheshire, Crewe, Chester and Birkenhead.

2.    The Siege of Chester Event 30 & 31st August

The last major battle of the English Civil War will be fought again in Chester… three hundred and seventy years after the combatants left a blood-stained field. On August Bank Holiday weekend, two thousand Royalist and Parliamentarian troops will re-enact the historic engagement of Rowton Moor, which saw Charles I fail in his attempt to lift the siege of Chester.

To be staged on the afternoons of August 30th and 31st at the Roodee, the UK's biggest re-enactment of the year is being staged by the Earl of Manchester's Regiment of Foote from the Sealed Knot re-enactment society.

http://www.visitchester.com/whats-on/the-siege-of-chester-p163581

3.    Heritage Open Days in Chester – 10 -13th September

The programme of events in Chester and Cheshire can be found on the national site at http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/ and includes free entry to several key venues in the county including Chester Racecourse, Grosvenor Museum as well as a guided tour of the 'Secrets of Chester' including a visit to the rarely opened Agricola Tower which was the original medieval gate tower to Chester Castle, built c.1150. Venues in Cheshire East such as Quarry Bank Mill are involved and are putting on free events along with Macclesfield Silk Museum and Paradise Mill.