THE forgotten history of glass in the north west is being explored at Northwich’s Lion Salt Works Museum.

Opening on July 12 and running until October 17, the museum – which is one of the last open-pan salt-making sites in the world - will reveal the link between glass and salt in its exhibition: 'In Flux: Salt and Glass in the North-West'.

Designed to mark the United Nation’s ‘International Year of Glass’, the exhibition explores glass through the eyes of people who work within the industry in the north-west.

It will also show the history of glass from the perspectives of a curator of Roman glass at Chester's Grosvenor Museum as well as Recclesia Stained Glass, a leading glass restoration company.

Encirc, one of the country's biggest glass bottle manufacturers considers the importance of glass in everyday use and a leading north west architect from Donald Insall Associates looks at the role of glass in building design.

The Lion Salt Works Museum examines the specific role of Cheshire salt in north west glass manufacture and the exhibition concludes with an update on the sustainable glass research and development company, Glass Futures, opening later this year in St Helens.     

Councillor Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “Glass is something we take for granted but is key to modern life.

“Most of us know that the north west has had a long history of glass-making thanks to pioneering glass processes in St Helens, but I think few would think that the easy supply of Cheshire salt gave the glass industry a natural advantage.  

“This exciting exhibition throws new light on an industry that we thought we understood, as well as showing how the region will once again be pioneering global changes in the glass-making industry.”