WARRINGTON, market town of Lancashire, England, at the crossing of the river Mersey. Pop. (1931) 79,322.
Warrington is supposed to be of British or earlier origin, and the Roman road from Chester to the north passed through it. In Henry L's reign Warrington was the head of a barony created for Pain de Vilars, but both manor and barony passed to the Botelers or Butlers, who first established their residence on the mote hill and before 1280 built Bewsey in Burton wood. The Butlers held both barony and manor till 1586, when the barony lapsed and the manor passed to the Irelands of Bewsey, then to the Booths and in 1769 to the Blackburns. In 1277 Edward I.
granted a charter for a weekly market on Friday, and an annual fair of eight days from the eve of St. Andrew (Nov. 30), and in 1285 another charter confirmed a change of market day from Fri day to Wednesday and extended the summer fair to eight days The fairs are still held, as well as the Wednesday chartered mar ket, besides a Saturday market which is probably customary. In the 18th and early 19th centuries the chief industries were hucka backs and coarse cloths, canvas, fustians, pins, glass, sugar-re fining and copper. During the Civil War the inhabitants were royalists and the earl of Derby made the town for some time his headquarters in order to secure the passage of the Mersey. In April 1643 the parliamentary forces attacked it, but had to raise the siege. Lord Derby left Colonel Edward Norris in com mand and in May the parliamentarians again attacked the town, which was forced to surrender. In 1648, part of the royal forces
under General Baillie rallied temporarily at Warrington. During the Rebellion of 1745, on the approach of Prince Charles Edward from Manchester, the bridge was cut down. A borough was created by William le Boteler about 123o by a charter (not preserved) ; but its growing strength alarmed the lord who contrived to repress it before 1300, and for over 500 years Warrington was governed by the lord's manor court. There was a friary of Augustine or Hermit Friars here founded apparently about 1280.
The fine church of St. Elphin (Decorated style), has a lofty central tower and spire. The crypt of a much earlier church re mains beneath the chancel. The town hall, a classical building (18th century) formerly a residence, was purchased by the corpo ration in 1872, the park being opened to the public. The other chief buildings are the museum and free library, technical insti tute and market hall. The educational institutions include a grammar school (1526), and a blue-coat school (1665). A few half-timbered houses of the 17th century remain. The Warring ton district is an important centre of the tanning industry. There are also iron bar, hoop and wire works, tool, soap, glass and chemi cal works, foundries and cotton mills. The Manchester Ship Canal is here crossed by five bridges. The town was incorporated in 1847. Area, 3,057 acres.