Lymm

Lymm (ˈlɪm ) is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Warrington, Cheshire, England, which incorporates the hamlets of Booths Hill, Broomedge, Church Green, Deansgreen, Heatley, Heatley Heath, Little Heatley, Oughtrington, Reddish, Rushgreen and Statham. At the 2021 United Kingdom census it had a population of 12,700. The name Lymm, of Celtic origins, means a "place of running water" and is likely derived from an ancient stream that ran through the village centre. The village appears as "Limme" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Lymm was an agricultural village until the Industrial Revolution, which brought the Bridgewater Canal and the Warrington and Altrincham Junction Railway to the village. The village played a prominent role within the salt extraction industry, gold beating industry and cotton industry (many of its inhabitants were fustian cutters). Lymm Heritage Centre, which opened in June 2017, is in the centre of the village on Legh Street. It hosts exhibitions related to local history as well as activities for schools and visitors. Morris dancing was taking place in Lymm as early as 1817, often appearing in the village at Rushbearing time throughout the Victorian era. Morris dancing continues to feature within the village with Lymm Morris dancers frequently performing during Rushbearing and at the various annual village festivals including the Lymm May Queen Festival, Lymm Festival and Lymm Dickensian Festival. In 2017, Lymm was voted as one of the 'Best Places to Live' according to The Times and The Sunday Times list. In 2023, the village was voted as one of Britains 'Most Desirable Towns' according to The Daily Telegraph. Lymm currently lies within the parliamentary constituency of Warrington South. The constituency is regarded as a bellwether or marginal seat. As of the 2019 General Election, it is represented by Conservative MP Andy Carter who had a 3.2% majority. Since the 2019 General Election there has been a boundary change and both Lymm electoral wards will be absorbed into the Tatton constituency at the next General Election.