Crewe is a town in Cheshire which is probably most famous for its connection to the railway industry. The Grand Junction Railway arrived in Crewe in the late 1830s. Before this time, it was just a small village, but by the 1871 census it had grown into a town with a population of approximately 40,000 people. For a long time, the Crewe Works were one of the biggest locomotive building works in the country employing thousands. This number declined over the years and some of the land now houses a heritage centre, but it only opens at weekends, so sadly we weren’t able to visit. The Waterstones is in a red-brick building in the main shopping area and is set over two floors. It was previously an Ottakar’s book shop.
Lyceum Theatre
A theatre known as the Lyceum opened in Crewe in 1887, the building having previously been a church. The building burnt down in 1910 and was rebuilt, opening the following year – it is Grade II listed. We popped our heads in the door to take a look, expecting to just see the lobby, but a staff member took us into the auditorium. The building is just stunning as you can see from the photos.
Crewe Market Hall
A cheese hall was built in Crewe in 1854 for the storage of Cheshire cheese. Later a Corn Exchange and a butter and bacon warehouse were added to form what is now Crewe Market Hall. Today the market offers food and goods for sale, and also hosts events.
The photo below shows the weathervane on top of the Municipal Council Building in Crewe in the shape of a train, echoing that town’s railway heritage.
Janet's Adventures in Waterstones 