With pretty cobbled footpaths, canal walks and plenty of independent restaurants, cafes and shops, the village of Lymm has plenty of attractions for both residents and visitors alike. But this picturesque Cheshire spot can also lay claim to something rather unique in any village centre.
For at the heart of Lymm, near Altrincham, is a real dinosaur's footprint on a stone slab - encased in a glass cabinet and held up by a wooden frame. It was discovered in Lymm's Windmill Quarry during the 1840s and is thought to date back to the Triassic period - (200-250 million years BC).
It was one of a number of footprints that were found in quarries in the Lymm area during the nineteenth centuries. Similar prints were also found on the Wirral and even abroad in places like Germany as well as on several continents.
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Technically it is not from a dinosaur but from a reptile called Chirotherium Kaupii, which preceded the dinosaurs, reports Cheshire Live. The term literally means 'hand beast' and was chosen due to the print looking similar to that of a human hand.
The description on the display reads: "On the sandstone slab is the raised fossil footprint of a Chirotherium Kaupii, an early type of dinosaur. The name means Hand Beast, so named after its footprint's remarkable resemblance to the hands of apes, bears and humans.
"The footprint dates from the Triassic period (200-250 million years BC). It was found in 1842 in the Windmill Quarry, not far from this present location, one of the many Lymm quarries which were extensively worked between the 1840s and 1890s.
"Lymm was a prolific source of footprints, examples of which can be found in museums at Warrington, Liverpool and Manchester.
"The installation of the frame and stone was funded by Lymm Jubilee WI as a gift to the village to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Institute's founding in 1965."
A model of the Chirotherium Kaupii, made based on the evidence available, was constructed and is currently on display in the Lymm Heritage Centre on Legh Street.
The footprint, and the village's unique link to the dinosaurs, is one of many features in what is one of Cheshire's most desirable locations. It still retains many of its historic features, with buildings dating from the 1600s dotted around the area.
And Lymm itself sits just a couple of miles from the Greater Manchester border next to Trafford.
The Bridgewater Canal flows through the middle of the village and is a popular mooring point for narrowboats. Its beautiful village centre offers a scenic setting and is surrounded by a number of independent businesses.
Georgina Solam, letting manager of Ridgeway Residential estate agents, described Lymm as 'the most desirable place to live in Warrington'. She said that it had become a really 'popular' location.
She said: “I think the attractions come from having all the outstanding primary schools, a really good high school so lots of people move into the area for to get the children into the local schools.
“It's one of the closest places to live for the commute to Manchester, you're obviously on top of the M56 and M62 which then in turn becomes M6."
As well as canal walks, visitors here love the circular walk around the picturesque Lymm Dam. Foodies can also grab some of the delicacies of a celebrity chef as a rich reward at the end of a walk around the Dam.
For the Church Green gastropub, which sits above the Dam, is owned and operated by award-winning Aiden Byrne. You can dine at the pub itself which boasts large outdoor terraces as well as the cosy interiors of the pub itself.
And the Church Green Deli that Aiden and wife Sarah launched during lockdown has been a huge success - offering takeaway sandwiches, cakes, ice creams and coffees.
With such excellent transport links to both the M6 in Cheshire and M56 to Manchester, Lymm is one of the most desirable villages in the region.
The average house price in Lymm, according to Rightmove, is £449,366. Sold prices are eight per cent up on last year and a staggering 19% higher than the 2019 peak.
Nick Harrison, General Manager of Sextons Bakery and Delicatessen, told Cheshire Live last year: “It's just a lovely village, it's got so much community strength.
"It's a pretty village, it’s got really good selection of shops, brilliant pubs, lots of restaurants. It's just like the perfect place to live.”
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