According to Warrington Council:

‘ Since time immemorial, the Mersey has caused trade, travellers, new ideas and attitudes to flow through Warrington. 

On the south bank of the Mersey at what is now Wilderspool, the river was forded and a community soon grew, trading the rich fruits of the river – cockles and salmon.  For centuries, gooseberries grown in the local area were regarded as the best in all of England.

Around 100AD, a Roman industrial settlement was built, and the moving water of the Mersey created a natural impenetrable barrier. 

During Saxon times, Warrington expanded onto the opposite bank of the Mersey, near the present parish church, and the town’s strategic importance continued through the Norman period and beyond. ‘

//Mersey: the River Mersey; it is important as it has promoted social and economical development of the areas.