Forgotten Towns

Series 2 Episode 5 - MARCH (# 910 Visited 26/08/2024)

Cambridgeshire, England : Population 21,669 (Rank # 491)

With carefully contrived poor timing, we visit the only town in the list to be named after a month of the year... on August Bank Holiday weekend.

MUSIC

The Vulture - Ronnie Ray's Playboys

This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us - Sparks

I've Been Everywhere - Johnny Cash

It's Grim Up North - The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

THANKS

The staff of The Rose & Crown, March

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 2 Episode 4 - CHATTERIS (# 909 Visited 26/08/2024)

Cambridgeshire, England : Population 11,000 (Rank # 872)

For what is Chatteris, and does this market town really 'lack quintessence'? Find out as we visit the Fens.

MUSIC

The Vulture - Ronnie Ray's Playboys

For What Is Chatteris... - Half Man Half Biscuit

THANKS

The organist of St Peter & St Paul's, Chatteris

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 2 Episode 3 - WARE (# 908 Visited 12/08/2024)

Hertfordshire, England : Population 20,004 (Rank # 531)

Ware's where it's at, as our perambulations around the Herts / Essex border end in this pleasant riverside town.

MUSIC

Where Do You Go To My Lovely? - Peter Sarstedt

The Vulture - Ronnie Ray's Playboys

THANKS

The Buildings of England (Hertfordshire) - Pevsner, N. et al

The staff of The Waterside Inn, Ware

The staff of Zero Ristorante Pizzeria, Ware

C D Brown

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 2 Episode 2 - HODDESDON (# 907 Visited 12/08/2024)

Hertfordshire, England : Population 43,823 (Rank # 242)

Whither Hoddesdon? Why Hoddesdon? What is Hoddesdon? Your host pays a visit and attempts to explain.

MUSIC

The Vulture - Ronnie Ray's Playboys

I've Been Everywhere - Johnny Cash

It's Grim Up North - The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

THANKS

The staff of The Sun, Hoddesdon

C D Brown

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 2 Episode 1 - HARLOW (# 906 Visited 12/08/2024)

Essex, England : Population 86,321 (Rank # 101)

Season 2 sees us back in South East England, armed only with an undimmed sense of adventure and a train ticket to one of the UK's largest 'new towns'.

MUSIC

The Vulture - Ronnie Ray's Playboys

Eat My Goal - Collapsed Lung

I've Been Everywhere - Johnny Cash

It's Grim Up North - The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu

THANKS

Greater Anglia

The staff of The Hare, Harlow

C D Brown

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 1 Episode 5 - CHEADLE (# 905 Visited 03/07/2024)

Staffordshire, England : Population 11,223 (Rank # 859)

We fail to look around Staffordshire's 'most perfect piece of C19th Gothic Revival' architecture and consume a pizza in the country's 859th largest town.

MUSIC

The Tomorrow People Theme - Dudley Simpson

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

The Visitors - ABBA

Forgotten Towns - The Christians

For Reasons Unknown - The Killers

THANKS

The staff of The Huntsman, Cheadle

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 1 Episode 4 - BIDDULPH (# 904 Visited 03/07/2024)

Staffordshire, England : Population 18,198 (Rank # 577)

Join me in Biddulph, 'Staffordshire's Garden Town'; #577 by rank of size, and home to a servicable branch of a well known supermarket chain.

MUSIC

The Tomorrow People Theme - Dudley Simpson

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

The Visitors - ABBA

Forgotten Towns - The Christians

For Reasons Unknown - The Killers

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 1 Episode 3 - WILMSLOW (# 903 Visited 03/07/2024)

Cheshire, England : Population 37,400 (Rank # 288)

This week we're in Wilmslow, Cheshire; a powerhouse of Britain's industrial revolution ranked #288 in our Top 1,000.

MUSIC

The Tomorrow People Theme - Dudley Simpson

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

The Visitors - ABBA

Forgotten Towns - The Christians

For Reasons Unknown - The Killers

THANKS

The staff of Quarry Bank Mill, Styal, Wilmslow

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 1 Episode 2 - DENTON (# 902 Visited 03/07/2024)

Lancashire, England : Population 36,100 (Rank # 294)

Join me for a cheeky pint in Denton; sometime home of hat manufacturing, the UK's 249th most populous town, and my last unvisted one in Lancashire.

MUSIC

The Tomorrow People Theme - Dudley Simpson

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

The Visitors - ABBA

Forgotten Towns - The Christians

For Reasons Unknown - The Killers

THANKS

The staff of The Crown Point Tavern, Denton

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org

Series 1 Episode 1 - NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS (# 901 Visited 03/07/2024)

Lancashire, England : Population 23,822 (Rank # 452)

Your host takes a trip to Newton-le-Willows, the UK's 452nd largest settlement. Where is it? And what on earth is he doing there?

MUSIC

The Tomorrow People Theme - Dudley Simpson

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers

The Visitors - ABBA

Forgotten Towns - The Christians

For Reasons Unknown - The Killers

Visit the UK's 1,000 largest settlements with Alexander Rennie. For full details of both challenge and podcast, see https://forgottentowns.org