THE Lion Salt Works Museum will be hosting the Newcomen Society's Salt Symposium on Saturday, October 20.

The day will feature experts talking about the technologies associated with producing salt and include talks on geology, salt production, transportation, ‘wild’ brine extraction and controlled brine extraction.

Held in conjunction with Cheshire West & Chester Council, the Lion Salt Works Trust and Middlewich Heritage Trust, the event costs £25 per person, which includes lunch, and takes place between 9.30am and 4.30pm.

Newcomen Society Vice-president, Jonathan Aylen, said: “We are delighted to be holding our Symposium at the Lion Salt Works Museum.

“It is an outstanding historic site and one of the only sites in the world showing the fascinating process of open-pan, salt-making.

“This symposium is a wonderful opportunity to get an insight into the fascinating and little understood technology for extracting salt from beneath the Cheshire Plain.”

“We hope that some of those attending will have personal reminiscences or family stories about the salt industry.

“If so, there will be someone to talk to on the day and we can arrange more time to record the information at a later date."

Councillor Louise Gittins, cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, Cheshire West & Chester Council, said: “This is a really fascinating chance to understand the technology and engineering that underpins the salt industry in Cheshire.

“For thousands of years, salt has been a crucial Cheshire industry that has had a huge impact on the county’s industry, people and environment.

“I know that everyone attending this symposium will come away with a new perspective on the county.”

The Symposium will review the geology of the saltscape, the history of subsidence due to ‘wild’ brine pumping and refer to the challenges posed to the HS2 high speed rail line as it passes through salt country.

As part of the day there will be talks about historic production processes and transport as well as the technology behind pumping ‘wild brine’ at the Lion Salt Works and at Murgatroyd’s in Middlewich.

For tickets, go to Newcomen.com, and follow the link to item on The White Salt Industry, or go to eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-white-salt-industry-production-transport-and-impacts-tickets-48463864724.