Sandbach’s Heritage – January 2026

By Stewart Green

On the 17 January 1976 the Sandbach Leisure Centre was opened. It was not the first of its kind that goes back to the 1800’s when the Brook Silk Mill built c1850 had a large rectangular area of water called “The Pool” which was originally built to supply large quantities of water for the production of silk. As part of the site there was a boathouse to the west of the pool suggesting it was used as a Leisure facility.

A map from 1849 shows the Brook Mill pool on the west side of the High Street bridge seeping via the Ford into Dingle Lake which was a lot larger than it is today and extended to the roadway by Church Street and it also had a boathouse.

An entry in a directory of 1857 has the following information about the Dingle Lake building in Bath Street which was owned by John Brookshouse, “There are baths in the town consisting of a hot, cold, shower and plunge – the latter of such a size as to allow of swimming – and there is a fire station.” The site also had an indoor swimming pool and Dance Hall.

In 1891 the site was owned by Mr Walter Lea who built the artificial lake with the island we now see on this site. On the 27 May 1901 (Whit Week) Dingle Lake opened to the public in Sandbach with a “Grand Swimming Gala”. Mr Lea also had a boating-shed, dance hall which was also used as a cinema and open air swimming-bath on the site with these facilities continuing for about 30 years. In 1910 the lake froze over and was used as a skating rink.

The popularity of the leisure centre dwindled in the 1940’s and by the 1950’s the site was converted into a fishing lake with willow beds used to produce material for making hampers.

By the late 1890’s Schools were by now taking exercise seriously and facilities were installed in Sandbach School by headmaster Mr G. H. Heslop who had an open air swimming bath erected in the grounds. He also added a Gymnasium and a playing field before he left in 1898. In 1969 the lido type pool at the school was demolished and a new Sports Hall and Swimming Pool were added to the Sandbach School complex on the same site.

On the 17 January 1976 a joint venture between the Congleton Borough Council and the Secondary Modern School lead to the building of a Leisure Centre one of 22 built between 1972 and 1979 by CCC and Borough councils. For Sandbach the Cheshire County Council (Education budget) put in £104 thousand (30%) and £242 thousand (70%) came from Congleton Borough Council. Work started in 1974-5 with construction on a new swimming pool, sports hall, squash courts and an observation gallery which was used for parties and gatherings as well as a classroom during term time. With construction nearing its conclusion one of the workmen who was from Scotland and knew how to play the bagpipes decided to go onto the roof of the building and played the bagpipes for the school children to enjoy. Instead of being told off for his stunt he played them so well that he was invited to play at the school’s assembly for the pupils.

In 2014 the charity Everybody Health and Leisure took over the operating of the Leisure Centre and various other facilities within Cheshire East. With new opening times it seems the joint use facilities with the school seems to have been stopped. However the School Curriculum quotes the school having access to a Sports Hall (6 Badminton courts in size) an Astro turf pitch (The old hockey field), hard court areas consisting of 4 netball or tennis courts, a 400 meter grass running track, 6 Rounder’s pitches and a 2 lane long jump pit.

In 2018 the gym and the spin studio were redeveloped at a cost of half a million pounds.

In 2024 a brand new gym was opened with modern equipment.