What is Widnes?
'''Widnes''' is an industrial town in the [[Borough of Halton]], [[Cheshire]]. 61,464 people lived there at the 2011 census. <ref>{{Cite web|title=Custom report - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=E34000181|access-date=2023-03-30|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> It used to be in [[Lancashire]]. It is on the northern side of the [[River Mersey]]. The [[Sankey Canal]] runs from Spike Island in Widnes to the River Mersey at Sankey Bridges, near Warrington. It opened in 1757.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sankey (St.Helens) Canal {{!}} Canal & River Trust|url=https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/sankey-sthelens-canal|access-date=2023-03-30|website=canalrivertrust.org.uk|language=en}}</ref> Widnes Dock, the world's first railway dock, was built there in 1833 when the St Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway opened. It is a centre of the [[Chemical substance|chemical]] industry. [[Soap]], [[borax]], soda ash, salt cake and [[bleaching powder]] are made there. Other industries developed including iron and copper works. The Silver Jubilee Bridge connects the town to [[Runcorn]] on the other side of the Mersey. It opened in 1961.<ref>{{Cite web|title=RUNCORN WIDNES ROAD BRIDGE, Non Civil Parish - 1130421 {{!}} Historic England|url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1130421|access-date=2023-03-30|website=historicengland.org.uk|language=en}}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Towns in Cheshire]]