By Paul Hurley

‘THIS gate hangs well and hinders none refresh and pay and travel on.’ These are the words that travellers over the years have looked up at as they read the inscription on the farm gate. The gate hangs from the wall of the old but beautifully presented pub on what was the main road from Whitchurch to Warrington.

It’s The Hanging Gate at Weaverham, an ancient building with its actual age lost in the mists of time.

Prior to 1827 it was called The Weaverham Gate then The Barrymore Arms and then simply The Gate.

It was owned by Lord Barrymore until it was purchased by Greenall’s in 1932. It is believed that further down the road from the pub was a Toll Gate as the A49 was a turnpike.

The story is that when the gates were finally removed, one of them was hung from a bracket outside the pub, probably causing the change of name.

In the old photograph Inglenook cottage can be seen.

This cottage was actually in the pub garden and was at one time Woodward’s Cafe.

Shady Brook Lane can be seen opposite. Although situated on the outskirts of the village it played a full part in village life.

The Weaverham Rose Fete started many years ago as ‘Hospital Saturday,’ in those pre-health service days it was a charity event for the benefit of Northwich Infirmary.

A procession started at the Hanging Gate and travelled through the village before returning to the pub for refreshments, competitions and festivities on the field opposite.

For many years the Hanging Gate had been situated on the busy A49 but in the 1980s Weaverham was by-passed leaving Sandy Lane with only bird song and the occasional car to disturb the peace.

Now in the New Moon stable of gastro pubs ‘The Hanging Gate’ has re-invented itself in the form of a first class eatery described by the manager as ‘an elite dining experience’ with food sourced locally, cocktails, a good cellar and real ale.