pic: The Sandbach Crosses
Transport, in all its guises, has been significant for Sandbach's fortunes over the years.
The town originally sprang up around coaching inns en route from London to Liverpool and Manchester, and some of its pubs date back around 300 years.
It was the first home of Foden and ERF lorries, which provided much local employment before they relocated out of the area, and a good number of the town's population now work at Manchester Airport.
Today many people associate Sandbach with the M6 service station bearing its name, and the motorway junction just half a mile outside the centre.
This is a very well connected place, where you are never far from great transport links – and they even hold an annual Festival of Transport to celebrate all things vehicular.
pic: St Mary's C of E
However, all this contrasts with the simply stunning countryside to be found just a few minutes' drive away, and in Sandbach town centre itself, the modern world of trains, planes and automobiles is replaced by history and heritage.
Here you can wander around the cobbled Market Square and admire one of the finest Saxon monuments in the UK: Saxon crosses thought to date back to the 9th Century and perhaps even earlier.
A plaque reveals they were created to mark the advent of Christianity in the Kingdom of Mercia during the reign of the Saxon King Penda, and the crosses are now maintained by English Heritage.
Market Square is really very pretty indeed, and is surrounded by attractive, historic buildings, some of them Grade II-listed and some dating back to the 16th century.
There are plans to return the town's market here from its current home on Scotch Common.
Indeed, proposals for improvements to the town centre include an emphasis on breathing new life into Market Square to create a vibrant hub, with new lighting and seating, and al fresco dining opportunities.
Sandbach has a genteel, countrified air. It perhaps doesn't have the exclusive boutiques of some of its neighbours, but it does have some great local food shops including a renowned delicatessen. You'll also find a Waitrose supermarket here, always an indicator of a healthy local economy.
The Trent and Mersey Canal winds its way through Sandbach which, combined with the Saxon crosses, helps to draw in tourists.
Property in Sandbach
pic: Houses of the High Street
According to the last census, nearly 43 per cent of all properties in Sandbach are detached, almost 36 per cent are semi-detached, just 15.8 per cent are terraced and five per cent are flats.
More than 81 per cent of homes are owner-occupied, with just 8.8 per cent socially rented.
Sandbach's excellent transport links have led to parts of it becoming a popular residential destination for workers travelling to Manchester, Merseyside and the Potteries in recent years.
Good local schools have also encouraged some people into the town.
However, first-time buyers can find it difficult to get onto the property ladder here and the local authority has expressed concerns about an 'affordability gap'.
Here is a brief run through the property market in Sandbach:
Town centre: There are many very old buildings here, dating from a number of periods but the 16th century at the earliest.
Many of these buildings are used for shops or businesses, but those that are in residential use tend to be highly sought-after. This is a pretty town centre so you'll pay a premium.
Bradwell Road: The big Victorian houses here are popular with families.
Congleton Road: There are a number of Grade II listed properties here, with high price tags attached.
Further along the Congleton Road, towards the motorway, there is some 1970s development which is popular with commuters for obvious reasons.
New developments: In recent years, new homes have tended to be built in small numbers on infill sites, rather than large-scale developments.
There have been some bigger sites, though, and future plans include moving Sandbach Cricket Club and building new homes on its ground in Welles Street.
Estate agents report that apartments tend to be less popular in Sandbach, although there is a new development of modern flats off Elworth Road.
Ettiley Heath: There has been a significant amount of new-build here over the past decade, including a large estate. Property types here range from mews houses to four- and five-bed detached homes.
Living Here
Transport:
Trains: Sandbach Railway Station, in Elworth, is on the Crewe to Manchester line.
Buses: Regular buses offer connections to Crewe, Congleton, Macclesfield, Winsford and the Potteries.
Road: Sandbach has excellent road links. Junction 17 of the M6 is just half a mile outside the town.
Air: The close proximity to the M6 means it's possible to reach Manchester Airport in around 30 minutes.
Shopping:
Sandbach has been a market town since the 16th century, and there's still an outdoor market on Scotch Common every Thursday, which could be moving back to Market Square.
An indoor market is held on Thursday and Saturday mornings under the town hall, and a farmers' market is held next to Market Hall on the first Saturday of each month.
Sandbach has a reasonable selection of shops, including some high street names and some independents, and a branch of Waitrose.
There's plenty of free parking close to the town centre, although this is highly sought after on market days.
Eating and drinking:
Sandbach has a reasonable selection of pubs, restaurants, cafes and takeaways.
It has some great local food shops, such as a traditional butcher and a deli.
Sports and leisure:
Sandbach Leisure Centre in Middlewich Road has a swimming pool, squash courts, sports hall, fitness suite, outdoor hockey pitch, and outdoor tennis and netball courts.
There are two cricket clubs - Elworth Cricket Club in London Road, Elworth, and Sandbach Cricket Club, currently in Welles Street but soon to move to Ettiley Heath.
Sandbach RUFC is based in Bradwall Road.
There are two golf clubs - Sandbach Golf Club in Middlewich Road and Malkins Bank Golf Club in Betchton Road.
Entertainment:
The Foden Richardson Brass Band, originally set up for Foden employees, is award-winning; titles include International Masters Champions 2007.
Sandbach Players stage amateur productions at Sandbach School.
Parks and open spaces:
Sandbach Park, which could be set for a revamp, currently includes a BMX track, skate park and bowling green.