IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Oak Tree Gate, CREWE, CW3 0LD

Built in 1969-70, the houses on Tollgate Drive form part of the first major housing estate to be built in Audlem. For some years after construction it was known as the Yew Tree Estate and letters addressed simply to "Plot [x], Yew Tree Estate". (This was its official name: as a large sign carrying the name of the builders, Cape, stood at the entrance it was known in the village for some years as the Cape Estate.) Once the roads on it were named and street addresses assigned, it comprised the central spine Tollgate Drive and the two short arms of Armstrong Close and Gemmull Close. Oak Tree Gate, which joins Tollgate Drive from the west at the lamp-post, is a much later addition. Seen here are the ways that, in the decades since they were built, the basic house designs have been modified with extensions, pitched roofs to the garages, solar panels, etc. The majority of the houses seen here are the tile-fronted Fredricton type, which came in pairs with conjoined garages; other types of houses on the estate were called Calgary (the largest type, of which one can be seen above the van) and Guelph (not seen in this shot). In the late 1960s it was clearly not envisaged that it would become the norm for households here to have two cars and many drives have been widened to make room for extra off-street parking.

The road signs in this photograph replace a much larger direction board that originally stood on the left of the photograph, to the left of the village sign. The stand of honeysuckle on the left was planted to cover the back of this direction board and left in place, twining around the legs of the signpost, when the board was removed.

Built in 1969-70, the houses on Armstrong Close form part of the first major housing estate to be built in Audlem. For some years after construction it was known as the Yew Tree Estate and letters addressed simply to "Plot [x], Yew Tree Estate". (This was its official name: as a large sign carrying the name of the builders, Cape, stood at the entrance it was known in the village for some years as the Cape Estate.) Once the roads on it were named and street addresses assigned, it comprised the central spine Tollgate Drive and the two short arms of Armstrong Close and Gemmull Close. Oak Tree Gate, which joins Tollgate Drive from the west, is a much later addition. Seen here are the ways that, in the decades since they were built, the basic house designs have been modified with extensions, pitched roofs to the garages, solar panels, etc. The close included examples of all three house-types to be found on the estate: the majority in this picture (the two facing the camera and the one immediately to their left) were the middle-option, known as Guelph, whilst off the picture to the right were the larger Calgary type and on the extreme left, one of them creeping into the picture, were the tile-fronted and slightly smaller Fredricton type. In the late 1960s it was clearly not envisaged that it would become the norm for households here to have two cars.

Outside the "Shroppie Fly". This former industrial area in the Weaver valley was important for chemicals and salt. Today the traffic is more recreational. The crane originally stood in the goods shed at the former Audlem railway station. In the early 1970s when the complex of warehouses on Audlem wharf was turned into the Shroppie Fly, the corrugated-iron shed that stood on this brick base was demolished and the old railway crane brought half a mile eastwards to form a feature in the new canalside development. [Thanks - Christopher Hilton]

The southern part of a seven mile walk and cycleway which runs between Audlem and Nantwich alongside the Shropshire Union Canal.

Shady visitor moorings are available on both sides of the canal near the Shroppie Fly public house.