Monday 11 March 2013

A visit to Sandbach

Sandbach - An ancient and really lovely market town with cobbles, half-timbered pubs and houses, listed buildings, saxon crosses, more history than you can shake a stick at, and the home of Foden and ERF lorries.

The Square (The Cobbles)  Sandbach


The Black Bear built in 1634 where it’s alleged that Dick Turpin stayed


War Memorial


Saxon Crosses (Scheduled Ancient Monuments) reported to have been built in the 7th, 8th or 9th century


 Lower Chequer is claimed to be the oldest building in Sandbach built in 1570

So many different ages of buildings, some real and some fake


 During the 7th Century, the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Sandbach was in the pagan kingdom of Mercia. Legend has it that King Penda of Mercia arranged the marriage of his son Paeda to Princess Alchfleda, the daughter of Oswy the King of Northumbria. As King Oswy was a Christian, Penda allowed four Christian priests, Cedda, Adda, Betti and Diuma, to accompany his son on his return to Mercia. As no union would be allowed by the King unless Paeda embraced the Christian faith he was converted and baptised in the brook below the church at the bottom of The Hill.There is doubt about when the crosses were actually erected. One view is that it was during the lifetime of Paeda, another is that it was much later.
The larger of the two obelisks depicts scenes from the Bible showing John the Baptist in the Wilderness, the Birth of Jesus, His trial and crucifixion, the Ascension, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The smaller shaft shows events leading up to and including Paeda's conversion and eventual marriage to Alchfleda. (Click here)


 St `Mary’s Church in the cold sunshine


The hand water pump served the residents of the surrounding properties until the late 19th century

Half timbered listed building in Hawk street build in 1570 and listed by the Dept of the Environment


The Swan and Chequers (quite a new building) built in 1895!

A town well worth the mile or so walk from Wheelock visitor moorings.

4 comments:

  1. Looks like you had a lovely day, it's ages since we last visited Sandbach, we used to go on a Thursday when the market was open.
    Love your photos and it's great to know where you are!!
    Love you. xxx

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    1. We did Sandra, Sandbach still hold a farmers market every second Saturday - but I don’t know when the next one is!!!

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  2. Great post Carol. Your pictures are always wonderful, and I love the history you included. We were there last summer and I loved Sandbach. There is a huge Rosemary bush behind the Italian restaurant in Wheelock. It "gifted" me with a large sprig which I dried and it was the best rosemary I've ever tasted. Maybe it has to do with growing so close the canal!
    Jaq

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  3. Sandbach market days are Thursdays and Saturdays, with themed markets on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays. Details here:
    http://www.sandbach.gov.uk/sandbach-markets.htm

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