So, Is Audlem Really The Start Of “The North” ?

March 2024. Audlem.

I’ve been very lax in bringing you the best bits from Mumsnet;

I see the perennial “Is it safe to move North” has come up again.

…….

You could have predicted the first reply;

…..

And no, that’s NOT an April Fools joke.

If you think The North is bad, a reminder that there’s places in The South where sharks fall on your house and never get removed by the council;

A few Mumsnetters HAD been to The North and thought it “Not That Bad“.

I reckon these folk have a lot to answer for in shaping the perception of life beyond,

well, where exactly ?

So where is this mythical “North”, and where exactly does it begin ?

Just into Cheshire, Audlem has a claim.

What an ornate sign (average loos, by the way).

I do like historical signs, but I’m not sure this one for Audlem’s loos is an exemplar.

The parish church of St. James the Great is, however a minor classic,

perched on a small hill overlooking the village of 1,991 souls.

The church tapestry is a medieval classic too.

“Have forbearance if things do not sometimes go on quite right“, indeed.

Somehow that tapestry fails to record the pashmina shop on the High Street.

Who knew they had pashminas in The North ?

Unknown's avatar

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

13 thoughts on “So, Is Audlem Really The Start Of “The North” ?”

    1. Absolutely.

      Us pub tickers have probably seen more of the UK than anyone and the North-South divide is overblown. Never mind the picture postcard North Yorkshire towns, compare Wigan v Woking, Hull v Hastings, Chesterfield v Cheshunt to pick 3 at random. Or visit Maidenhead.

      Like

      Reply

      1. The north south thing in any deep level does seem over blown. We have toured the country pretty heavily and there are regional differences, but I dont think the north south thing is any deeper than a lot of other regional differences. The mumsnet angst over the move is really funny. You would think they were moving to the US.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I thought you’d have an informed perspective on it, Dave.

        I think many “southerners”, which can mean anything from Margate to Midhurst. have never been to The North or if they have it’s a very specific place like a Centerparks holiday or the Lake District or Edinburgh.

        Northerners are far more likely to travel south.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Interesting you mentioned Margate. That was one of the places I was thinking of when I read the post. If you dropped someone who is unaware of accents, I’m not sure most of us would know whether Margate is north or south? It just feels coastal.  

        Like

      4. Good example. And few places are dominated by accents like they were 20 years ago; I hardly hear a Yorkshire accent here in Hillsborough (except when the tradesmen come), so large is the immigration to Sheffield.

        Like

  2. Cheshire sort of blends into the North Midlands, but you have to draw a line somewhere. Congleton is sort of half Leek and half Macclesfield.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I always say (and not JUST to annoy you) that Stoke is where the North starts. Specifically, it starts just above the A500 at the Potteries toilet museum.

      Interestingly, Mumsnet doesn’t acknowledge the existence of a “Midlands”.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Historically Congleton was more like a northern outpost of the Potteries (with eg oatcake shops but unlike the Potteries it was firmly in Boddies territory whereas the Potteries tend to drink dark beer). But these days with the economic decline of the Potteries it has become more of a dormitory for Manchester and looks more north these days.

      The pale/dark beer thing used to be a pretty good cultural indicator, but these days I’d suggest outsiders look at the rivers. The Mersey watershed is in the north, the Trent watershed is the Midlands until it gets to Yorkshire.

      Like

      Reply

      1. I agree that “The pale/dark beer thing used to be a pretty good cultural indicator” and that rightly had Cannock in the Midlands but it wrongly suggested Stafford as being in the North, so it probably just doesn’t apply to county towns.

        Like

Leave a comment