Free Pictures of Ashton's & Neumann's Flashes
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Ashton's & Neumann's Flashes are situated by Anderton Nature Park near Northwich in Cheshire, and are a direct result of Northwich's industrial past. Salt has been mined in Northwich since Roman times and it was one of these salt mines that collapsed in 1873 to form Neumann's Flash, Ashton's Flash was formed by the Great Subsidence of 1800 when water from Wincham Brook flowed into the mine workings and actually causing the Brook to flow backwards.
In the 1940s Northwich had a thriving soda-ash industry based on the locally produced salt, the result of this was lots of lime waste and storage was becoming a problem, it was decided that the Flashes would make a suitable storage area for this waste, so large bund walls were constructed to seal off the site, and the Flashes were then filled with the lime waste from the local chemical industry.
The waste was pumped into the Flashes and allowed to settle producing a clear liquid on the surface, the liquid would then overflow through a set of pipes into nearby Witton Brook, as the lime sediments increased a sill box would be raised to a new level using a winch and cable. Recently the sill box and pipe work ramp ( pictured below ) were restored.
By the 1970s the site became disused and lay derelict for many years until it was re-developed as part of Cheshire County Council's land regeneration project.
Because of the high Alkaline content the Flashes are now a thriving habitat for many unusual species of wild flowers and plants, including marsh helleborine, yellow-wort, and the fragrant orchid. Lots of wildlife also inhabit the Flashes including the rare dingy skipper butterfly, a variety of ducks, waders and other waterfowl.
Ashton's & Neumann's Flashes
The restored sill box and pipe work ramp
Sill box and pipe work ramp
Picture 1
Sill box and pipe work ramp
Picture 2
Sill box and pipe work ramp
Picture 3
Sill box and pipe work ramp
Picture 4
Sill box and pipe work ramp
Picture 5
Nature Trail
with a view of the restored
sill box
Ashton's & Neumann's Flashes
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