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The Sandstone Ridge Trust would like help to compile a pictorial history of the wonderful Sandstone Ridge. A particular emphasis will be images of times past and images of those same locations today, thereby allowing us to examine the changing nature of the landscape over time.
Our featured image, for example, shows the 'Carden Arms', Burwardsley, as it was known back in the 1930s when the family of Sam Barnes were the licensees, and as it is today i.e. 'The Pheasant' (click on image to enlarge).
The Sandstone Ridge is one of Cheshire's most distinctive landscapes, covering 230 sq kms (88 sq miles) of rolling hills and escarpments that stretch from Frodsham and Helsby in the north, through Delamere, Tarporley, Beeston, Peckforton and Bickerton, to Malpas in the south. This is rural Cheshire at its finest, linked by the Sandstone Trail.
The Ridge has a long and rich history, that ranges from pre-historic landscapes through the Roman, Saxon and Medieval periods to the present day. Its appearance has been shaped by centuries of farming, forestry and use of natural resources, including water sources like ancient springs and wells, as well as sandstone, sand and gravel, copper, marl and other minerals.
Old photographs and postcards can provide a revealing snapshot into how people have interacted with the landscape over the decades and centuries. By comparing them with present day views it becomes possible to understand how the countryside, villages and buildings in the area have changed over time.
The Trust would like to hear from anyone who has old photographs and postcards of the Sandstone Ridge area. These can be either in their original (photograph/postcard), or scanned (digital) forms. If enough images can be found, it is hoped that they could be published in a small book for everyone's enjoyment.
You can contact the Trust by emailing info@sandstoneridge.org.uk.
We look forward to hearing from you.