Cheshire & North Wales Estate Agents
The Coachworks, Northgate Street
Chester
CH1 2EY
The Coachworks, Northgate Street
Chester
CH1 2EY
Sitting in the North West of England and bordering Wales, Cheshire’s geographical history gives rise to one of its distinctive property traits – unique red coloured stone.
In our area guide, we explore this diverse county which offers gently-paced country living as well as the cultural benefits of the towns and cities such as Chester (an historical walled city) and nearby Liverpool and Manchester, and provide practical information for living in Cheshire, such as schooling, transport and property prices.
The residential sales team in Strutt & Parker’s Chester office sells stunning and varied properties throughout Cheshire and North Wales: old estate cottages, modern mansions, townhouses, farmhouses on the Cheshire Plains and farmsteads ripe for development.
The land management department provides landowners across the region with advice on strategy, tax, planning, building surveying and energy needs.
The world-famous Chester Zoo, apart from the obvious attractions, has beautiful gardens, and the Royal Liverpool Golf Course has been host many times to the Walker Cup and has recently also held The Open. For motor racing fans, Oulton Park, near Tarporley, holds events in a number of different disciplines between spring and autumn.
The county offers many opportunities to discovery its fascinating past including Chester with its historic city walls, dating back to the Roman times. There are also beautiful castles at Beeston and Peckforton, Port Sunlight on The Wirral, and the Royal Horticultural Society garden at Tatton Park. The National Trust have some great places to visit in Cheshire, such as Dunham Massey, The Lovell Quinta Arboretum and Lyme Park & Gardens.
Cheshire is home to a large network of canals, built during the early phases of the Industrial Revolution, including The Cheshire Ring, now providing a thriving leisure industry. For those after more vigorous activity, there is fantastic walking in some beautiful spots, including the Sandstone Trail, the Peak District (which falls partly within Cheshire), Tegg’s Nose Country Park and Marbury Country Park.
Or, if you’re feeling brave, you can train for the Chester Marathon, renowned for being one of the friendliest races in the UK and chosen as one of the UK's top two marathons by the runners who take part!
Cheshire is ideal for:
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The county city of Chester is situated on The River Dee, close to the Welsh border. It has the most complete city walls of any English city, a Roman Amphitheatre, a world-famous racecourse, and Chester Cathedral, a beautiful construction with over 2,000 years of history. Chester Zoo is the UK’s most popular tourist attraction outside London.
For those after a bit of retail therapy, Chester has excellent shopping, including The Rows, a unique two-tiered gallery of shops, and fabulous dining. Chester also has great schools and a multi-site University running both under-graduate and post-graduate courses.
Situated on the rivers Weaver and Dane, and central within the county, sits Northwich - named by the Sunday Times in 2014 as one of the best places to live in the UK. The town was famous in Roman times for its salt pans, which have now been stabilized to allow the regeneration of the area. Hayhurst Quay, on the site of the old Magistrates court, now has a marina and a state of the art culture and leisure centre, and Baron’s Quay attracts many visitors to its retail and leisure offerings, as well a good choice of restaurants and cafes.
Nantwich is another town with a Roman history based on salt: it was recorded in the Domesday Book as having eight salt houses. Most of the town was burnt down in 1583, and rebuilt largely with money gifted by Queen Elizabeth I. Nantwich has a number of impressive historic buildings, one of the finest being Dorfold Hall, which every July plays host to the Nantwich Show and annual International Cheese awards.
The market town of Frodsham sits just 16 miles south of Liverpool, overlooking the estuary of the River Mersey. The River Weaver is also close by and the town was once a significant port for the export of salt from Cheshire. The Frodsham Caves are found in the sandstone foundations of Frodsham Hill, at one end of the Mid-Cheshire Ridge.
The extremely picturesque large village of Tarporley has four pubs, a monthly Saturday market, a primary school and high school. It also boasts a vibrant atmosphere, with a bustling community centre, and, sitting amongst typical Cheshire countryside, is a hotspot to buy for young families.
Tattenhall, which sits eight miles south-east of Chester, is another Cheshire village that featured in the Domesday Book. It is home to a group of houses designed by Clough Williams-Ellis – the architect who designed Portmeirion. Just outside the village, the famous Ice Cream Farm attracts around 500,000 visitors a year!
The parish of Malpas is in the south-western corner of Cheshire, on the borders with Shropshire and Wales. Its location has played an integral part in its history: Malpas Castle was built to protect the border from the Welsh. Its foundations can be found near the village’s beautiful 15th century Church, St Oswald’s, built in Cheshire’s distinctive red stone, and located in the centre of the village. Just outside the village is the popular Bishop Heber High School. It is now home annually to the budding Malpas Arts Festival, known as Malfest.
The town of Knutsford is located on the Cheshire Plain, 14 miles from Manchester. A highly desirable spot, Knutsford, along with Hale Barns and Alderley Edge, makes up an area known locally as the Golden Triangle. The town centre is made up of two key shopping streets: Princess Street and King Street, at the end of which Tatton Park can be found, known nationally as the location of the RHS Flower Show. Knutsford has excellent transport, with access to the national rail and motorway networks, and within easy reach of Manchester Airport. Knutsford is also known for its boutique shops, galleries and restaurants. It also has numerous sports clubs, and a unique tradition of “sanding the streets” on May Day.
Alderley Edge is found at the base of a National Trust owned wooded sandstone rise, known as The Edge, from which there are spectacular views. One of the most highly sought-after places to live in the North, Alderley Edge is known as being the home of choice of many footballers and actors. It is reputed to be one of the most expensive places to live in the county; consequently Alderley Edge has a reputation for designer shopping and “designer” living. However, it also has a very rich history. Copper was mined in Alderley Edge from the Bronze Age right up to the 1920s, and in the 1990s evidence of Roman settlement and a coin hoard were discovered. Over time, several ancient gold bars have also been found.
To the east of Cheshire, close to the Peak District, is the attractive market town of Macclesfield. It was once the world's biggest producer of finished silk, with over 70 mills operating in the 1830s; the industry’s history in the town can be discovered at the local silk museum. It was not, however, the only thing to bring riches to the town. Macclesfield was the original home of Hovis bread, and there many other industries thriving there today: pharmaceuticals, paper, plastics and the emerging digital industry to name a few. The town is also home to Macclesfield Town Football Club, and Macclesfield Chess Club – one of the oldest in the country!
The wealthy town of Wilmslow is another town thought of as home to the Cheshire Set lifestyle; even in Victorian times, affluent businessmen bought houses here, particularly as the railways made the North West more accessible. Wilmslow is now known throughout the region for its range of boutique shops and restaurants, as well as its high-end car sales.
For more information on towns in Cheshire, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our sales team, who are experts on the region.
Cheshire has a good number of independent, state and Church of England schools.
Chester has excellent and renowned independent schools, including Abbeygate College (mixed), King’s School (mixed) and Queen’s School (girls), all of which have junior schools, and nearby Christleton High School.
There is also Beech Hall and The King’s School in Macclesfield, which dates from the 16th Century, Cransley School and The Grange School Hartford, near Northwich.
Tarporley has a good High School and Sixth Form College, Alderley Edge School for Girls (for aged 2-18) is locally renowned and Bishop Heber High School near Malpas is also very popular.
Reaseheath College near Nantwich offers higher and further education.
For a more comprehensive list of schools in Cheshire, we recommend the Good Schools Guide.
In the heart of Cheshire is Crewe station, one of the most important interchanges in the North West of England, giving access to all parts of the UK, including direct services to London, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. From Chester, direct train services run to all major towns in Wales, including Holyhead which provides an onward connection to Ireland.
There is a comprehensive motorway network running throughout Cheshire: the M6, M56, M53 and M56 combine to provide very easy access to Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, and therefore the national motorway network.
Cheshire has great cities, market towns, a fantastic history with a good scattering of castles, as well as great expanses of countryside, Cheshire’s Peak District, woodland walks, and a historic canal network.