In the United Kingdom, the term "listed building" refers to a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. These buildings are in three grades: Grade I consists of buildings of outstanding architectural or historical interest; Grade II* includes particularly significant buildings of more than local interest; Grade II consists of buildings of special architectural or historical interest. Buildings in England are listed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on recommendations provided by English Heritage, which also determines the grading.[1]
Before the Industrial Revolution, the area contained the separate settlements of Runcorn, Higher Runcorn, Halton, Weston, Weston Point, and Norton. The administrative functions of the area were initially concentrated in Halton,[2] which contained a castle and a court, while the parish church was in Runcorn.[3] The population increase associated with industrialisation resulted in considerable expansion, so that the formerly discrete settlements were absorbed into the current urban area, much of which dates from the 19th and 20th centuries.[4] The listed buildings are concentrated in Halton Village, which has 20, and Runcorn Town Centre, which has 16.
The listed buildings can be divided by date into three groups: ancient structures, structures built during the two centuries before the Industrial Revolution, and those built during or after it.
Halton Castle and Norton Priory date from the 11th and 12th centuries, and are now in ruins. Structures built before the Industrial Revolution reflect society as it was at that time, and the main occupations of farming and fishing. They include farmhouses, such as the building known as the Seneschal's House, which dates from 1598 and is the oldest standing building in the urban area; buildings relating to stately homes, such as the loggia and ice house in the grounds of Norton Priory; domestic buildings, such as Halton Old Hall, and buildings relating to the church, such as Halton Vicarage and the adjacent Chesshyre Library.
The diversity of Runcorn's buildings increased during the Industrial Revolution. Structures such as Bridgewater House were associated with industry, while large domestic buildings such as Halton Grange were financed by the new wealth created. The enlarged town required new civic buildings such as the Old Police Station (originally a Town Hall) and transport infrastructure such as the railway bridge and the tide dock, while the needs of the growing population were met by structures such as Norton Water Tower. All of the listed churches were built in the 19th century; architects include John Douglas, Anthony Salvin, Sir George Gilbert Scott, and Edmund Sharpe. The most recent listed structure is the Silver Jubilee Bridge, constructed in 1961.
Except for the iron or steel included in the bridges and the water tower, the structures are built in brick or stone. The stone is almost invariably red sandstone, obtained from local quarries in the Runcorn, Weston, and Halton areas.[5] Unless stated otherwise, the buildings (except the bridges and the water tower) are constructed in local red sandstone with slate roofs. Their locations can be found on the map of all coordinates.
^Historic England, "Halton Castle: a ruined shell keep castle on the site of an earlier motte and bailey, Runcorn (1015606)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Whimperley, Arthur (1981), Halton Castle: An Introduction & Visitors' Handbook, Arthur Whimperley
^McNeil & Jamieson 1987, pp. 1–20
^Starkey 1990, pp. 8, 30–32, 57–58, 75
^Nickson 1887, pp. 119, 148–149
^ a bHartwell et al. 2011, p. 566
^Historic England, "Remains of Norton Priory, Runcorn (1130433)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Augustinian Abbey known as Norton Priory, Runcorn (1015603)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Seneschal's House, Halton (1330346)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Old Hall, Halton (1130461)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Tricorn Public House, Runcorn (1130425)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 20, 77
^Nickson 1887, p. 112.
^ a bHartwell et al. 2011, p. 568
^Starkey 1990, pp. 51, 77–80.
^Historic England, "The Parish Library, Halton (1115560)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Nickson 1887, pp. 114–117
^Historic England, "The Castle Hotel Public House, Halton (1115543)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 70
^Starkey 1990, p. 81
^Historic England, "The Vicarage, Halton (1320399)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Church of All Saints, Runcorn (1104888)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 95–97
^Hartwell et al. 2011, pp. 559–560
^Historic England, "Runcorn Bridge railway bridge over River Mersey (1130418)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 166–170
^Nickson 1887, pp. 202–206
^Cowan, C. A. Crossing the Runcorn Gap, Vol. 3: Runcorn Railway Bridge, Halton Borough Council, 1990.
^Historic England, "Parish Church of St John the Evangelist, Runcorn (1130422)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 99–100
^Hartwell et al. 2011, pp. 664–665
^Historic England, "Market Cross, Weston (1130438)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Old Hall, Weston (1330364)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Barn south of the Old Hall, Weston (1130436)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 665
^Historic England, "Cavendish Farm House, Weston (1104910)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "125 and 127 Main Street, Halton (1130423)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Manor Farm House, Weston (1332962)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Village Farmhouse, Halton (1115509)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Still Rock Farm House, Halton (1330345)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Brookfield Farm, Runcorn (1105640)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Borrow's Bridge and Associated Hand-cranked Crane, Bridgewater Canal, Norton, Runcorn (1479462)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 22 April 2022
^Historic England, "The Tricorn Public House, Runcorn (1130426)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "6, 8 and 10 Castle Road, Halton (1320343)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^ a bHartwell et al. 2011, p. 563
^Historic England, "53 and 55 High Street, Runcorn (1130439)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 156
^Historic England, "Hollybank House, Halton (1130464)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Norton Lodge (1130432)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Gatepiers and surrounding wall to Parish Library, Halton (1130459)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Elms, Runcorn (1130442)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Nook, Runcorn (1130443)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Ice House in grounds of Norton Priory (1130434)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Norton Arms public house, Halton (1115525)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Bridgewater House, Runcorn (1330334)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 128
^Office Space, Bridgewater Property Management, archived from the original on 11 August 2008, retrieved 20 December 2008
^Historic England, "Weston Grange, Runcorn (1130444)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Former tide dock of Bridgewater Canal and lock to north, Runcorn (1130440)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "31 Main Street, Halton (1320385)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "58 High Street, Runcorn (1104872)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "71 High Street, Runcorn (1330333)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Garden Loggia in grounds of Norton Priory (1096846)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Rockfield, Weston Road, Runcorn (1326281)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "The Royal Hotel, Runcorn (1330332)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 112, 166
^Historic England, "53 Holloway, Runcorn (1104841)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Halton House (1130463)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "12, 14 and 16 Castle Road, Halton (1330343)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "59, 61 and 63 Main Street, Halton (1320414)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "88, 90, 92 and 94 Main Street, Halton (1130462)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Waterloo Bridge, Runcorn (1105680)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 197
^Historic England, "Old Police Station, Runcorn (1104931)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 115–116
^Historic England, "Electricity sub-station, Runcorn (1130437)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Norton Priory Lodge, Halton (1320383)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Church of the Holy Trinity, Runcorn (1130441)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^ a bHartwell et al. 2011, p. 560
^Starkey 1990, p. 98
^Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 665.
^Historic England, "Christ Church and churchyard railings, Runcorn (1271140)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, pp. 98–99
^Historic England, "Church of St Mary, Halton (1330344)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 60
^Historic England, "Runcorn Town Hall (1104859)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 561.
^Starkey 1990, p. 158
^Historic England, "Red Lodge, including boundary fencing and adjacent former Norton Priory estate entrance gate piers and gates (1411703)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "National Westminster Bank, Runcorn (1278017)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Walls, piers and railings to St Paul's Health Centre, Runcorn (1278038)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Norton Water Tower (1335884)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 569
^Starkey 1990, p. 162
^Historic England, "Old Quay Bridge, Runcorn (1326262)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Starkey 1990, p. 217
^Historic England, "Carnegie Library, Runcorn (1392040)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Historic England, "Runcorn War Memorial (1437933)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 16 September 2016
^Historic England, "Runcorn Signal Box (1412067)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 27 November 2013
^Historic England, "Runcorn-Widnes Road Bridge (1130421)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2013
^Hartwell et al. 2011, p. 562
^Thompson, Dave (2001), Bridging Us Together: The Story of Runcorn-Widnes Bridge, Widnes: Dave Thompson