Five things to do in these charming villages which lie in the countryside to the north of Northwich Words by Paul Mackenzie
Antrobus community shop It's the only one of its kind in Cheshire and was launched in 2003 by a group of villagers concerned about the lack of a local shop and the uncertain future of the Post Office. The first meeting was attended by 60 people and their community action has led to the shop being re-opened and the Post Office saved. The two concerns are now run by a group of about 15 volunteers who deserve the support of villagers and visitors. The shop is open seven days a week and the Post Office from Monday to Thursday.
Local heritage initiative In 1998 Antrobus was selected as one of three villages in Cheshire to take part in pilot studies for the Countryside Agency's local heritage initiative. The project was designed to celebrate the area's heritage and support its ecology and in Antrobus the scheme has led to hundreds of trees and wildflowers being planted and the publication of a book recording life in the parish at the turn of the millennium. The book followed one by the historian and naturalist Major AW Boyd who lived in Antrobus from 1919 to 1959.
Antrobus cabbage canter One of the things that makes England such a wonderful place to live is the marvellous eccentrics who inhabit our towns and villages and the weird and wonderful events they dream up which become staples of local life. One such event is the Antrobus Cabbage Canter. In the late 1990s Rosie Harris wanted to raise money for the village nursery school and to encourage the village to get fit. She devised a 10km route around the village and gave cabbages as prizes. The annual event - the next one will be on October 10 2010 - has now grown and attracts hundreds of runners.
Comberbach Swilltub Mummers The mummers group - motto: Never knowingly over-rehearsed - has been an important part of life in Comberbach since they re-formed 25 years ago. The group perform traditional folk plays, most notably the Soulcaking Play which they present on October 31 each year. These plays were once common in Cheshire villages and groups like the Comberbach Mummers, and their rivals up the road in Antrobus, along with some others around the county, are reviving the tradition as a way of raising money for charity. Among the other plays in their repertoire is one telling the history of salt in the village which features a two-headed giant.
Comberbach events The village hosts a number of annual events which draw in people from far and wide. The Comberbach fete has been a feature of the summer here for more than 50 years, with rose queens, entertainment, fun, games and a scarecrow festival. The village art group also stage an annual exhibition which showcases their talent.
