Did You Know?

Trafford is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. With an estimated population of about 211,800 in 2006, it covers 41 square miles (106 km2) and includes the towns of Altrincham, Partington, Sale, Stretfordand Urmston. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972.

 The River Mersey flows through the borough, separating North Trafford from South Trafford. Historically the Mersey also acted as the boundary between the historic counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.

Trafford has two medieval castles. Dunham Castle is an early medieval castle in Dunham Massey. It belonged to Hamon de Massey, and was probably still standing in the early 14th century. 

Towards the end of the 19th century, to avoid the taxing grasp of Liverpool’s dock and railway companies, the Manchester Ship Canal was constructed along the northern limit of then still-untouched Trafford Park. This 36-metre wide waterway would permit seafaring boats a direct route to the heart of Cottonopolis.

The Trafford area has a long heritage, with evidence of Neolithic, Bronze Age, and Roman activity. Amongst the relics of the past are two castles – one of them a Scheduled Ancient Monument – and over 200 listed buildings.

Chill Factore is an indoor ski slope in Trafford Park. It features the UK's longest and widest real snow indoor slope, 100 metres (110 yd) wide and 180 metres (200 yd) long.

The choice of the name Trafford for the borough was a "compromise between Altrincham, Stretford and Sale", and "seemed to have wide support". A Liberal councillor for the Municipal Borough of Sale suggested "Crossford ... whilst "Watlingford" was suggested by councillors in Hale, after the supposed name of an ancient Roman road in the district. Those names were rejected in favour of Trafford.

Trafford Park was built on land purchased from one of the region’s oldest and most noble families, the De Traffords

In 1911, Ford opened its first factory outside of United States, in Trafford Park. The company’s innovative production-line method was introduced at roughly the same time there as in Detroit, and by 1920, 26,000 cars were being produced each year at Trafford Park

The coat of arms of Trafford Council depicts a griffin on a shield flanked by two unicorns. The line bisecting the shield horizontally symbolises the River Mersey running through Trafford from east to west and the canals in the borough. The white legs of a lion on a red background represent the parts of Trafford previously controlled by the De Massey family, while the red body and head of an eagle on a white background represents the areas of Trafford previously controlled by the De Traffords