Minshull Vernon - Geography, Transport and Economy

Geography, Transport and Economy

The civil parish has a total area of 2,736 acres (1,107 ha). The area is relatively flat, with an average elevation of around 50 metres. The civil parish is largely rural, with the major land use being agricultural, predominantly pasture. A short stretch of the River Weaver forms part of the northern boundary of the parish and Hoggins Brook runs along its eastern boundary; several unnamed brooks also run through the parish, and numerous small meres and ponds are scattered across the area. The parish contains several areas of woodland, including Burnt Covert, Larch Wood, Spring Plantation, Worsley Covert and parts of Polestead Wood and Weaver Bank Wood. Two small areas in the north west and south west of the parish, together with the western parish boundary, fall within the Weaver Valley Area of Special County Value. An underground gas storage plant is located south of Hole House at SJ69636056.

The A530 (Middlewich Road) runs north–south through the parish; Brookhouse Lane/Eardswick Lane loops round from the A530 near Walley's Green to rejoin it near Bradfield Green. Moss Lane and the B5076 (Flowers Lane) run east and southeast, respectively, from the A530 at Bradfield Green towards Barrows Green. Cross Lane runs west from Brookhouse Lane/Eardswick Lane to Church Minshull.

The Middlewich branch of the Shropshire Union Canal runs through the north-west of the parish, and forms the majority of the western boundary. Cross Lane crosses the canal via Minshullhill Bridge. The Crewe–Winsford railway line runs north–south through the parish to the east of the A530. The Weaver Way follows the Shropshire Union towpath, and the Crewe and Nantwich Circular Walk loops through the parish, in part also following the towpath.