IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Sheffield Row, NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS, WA12 8RZ

During the 1970s and 1980s, the Village became rundown and almost derelict until it was acquired by Maritime Housing Association, who refurbished and adapted the properties to modern standards. During these improvements the old foundry school was converted into three bungalows for the elderly and disabled. After the Vulcan Inn, it is the second largest building in the Conservation Area.

The Vulcan Foundry manufactured ironwork for railways and built early steam locomotives to designs by Robert Stephenson and others. These cottages were thought to have been constructed in 1833, the 114 houses set in six terraces all named after major cities. In 1984 the houses were brought up to modern housing standards and subsequently Vulcan Village became a conservation area. In 2002 the works closed and was demolished in October 2007, this once remote industrial village now has over 600 new houses on the adjacent works site with more under construction.

It is thought that the construction of Vulcan Village began in 1833, though records of the origin of the Village are few and fragmented. The only indication that the Village existed in 1835, are the notices to hawkers and ballad singers, which are located on the gable ends of Derby Row in the Village Dated 1st of May 1835, the notice was probably the result of harassment by hawkers and others in a similar plight, which was a common occurrence in the years following the Napoleonic Wars. This notice is on the northern end of the row, there is an identical notice on the southern end. TAKE NOTICE PRIVATE PROPERTY WE DO HEREBY CAUTION ALL HAWKERS RAG AND BONE DEALERS BEGGARS BALLAD SINGERS &c FROM TRESPASSING ON THESE PREMISES ANY PERSON OR PERSONS OF THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION FOUND HEREON AFTER THIS NOTICE WILL BE PROSECUTED WITH THE UTMOST RIGOR OF THE LAW VULCAN FOUNDRY MAY 1st 1835.

The Vulcan Village Conservation Area has 114 properties. With the exception of two, all the buildings are modest two storey domestic dwellings of 19th Century origin and style. All of the residential properties are in six rows of terraces (Manchester, Liverpool, Derby, Sheffield, Chester and London Row) with narrow frontages directly onto the footways. This is Wargrave Road, looking south through the village; on the right hand side is Derby Row. To the left is The Vulcan Inn.

The village hostelry, the Vulcan Inn, was erected on the village green late in the nineteenth century. This resulted in a loss of much of the central open space.

Looking northwards, along Wargrave Road, through the village. The village green with the Vulcan Inn behind it, is on the right hand side. To the left, is Derby Row; one of six-rows of terraced houses in the village. Most of the street lights within the Conservation Area are in ‘Victorian’ style lighting columns and lanterns, erected at prominent positions; three of these can be seen on the right hand side of the road.