A HISTORIC milestone has been marked by a royal visitor.

The Duke of Gloucester launched Runcorn’s 1,100th anniversary celebrations.

He opened an exhibition at the Town Hall which heralds the start of a year of special events.

Runcorn was founded in 915 when Princess Aethelflaeda built a Saxon fort to protect the northern frontier of her kingdom of Mercia against the Vikings.

It was built, along with a chapel on Castle Rock, overlooking the Mersey at Runcorn Gap.

The railway bridge over the Mersey is named after the Saxon queen.

The exhibition features artefacts, photographs and documents depicting Runcorn through the ages to the present day, finishing with the Mersey Gateway.

The Duke was greeted by Halton’s Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Shaun and Della Osborne, council leader Cllr Rob Polhill, chief executive David Parr and Mike Hodgkinson, chairman of Runcorn and district historical society.

The Mayor presented The Duke with a copy of Cheshire’s own version of the Magna Carta, which formed part of the exhibition marking a visit by King John in 1207.

The Mayor Cllr Shaun Osborne said: “It was an absolutely fabulous day. The Duke was very interested in the history of Runcorn.

“1,100 years is a long time to be able to say we were a community that lived and worked together.

“Our history and heritage is very important and should be treasured.”

The exhibition features key happenings in the town’s past from the arrival of Princess Aethelflaeda in 915 and the building of Halton Castle in 1070 right up to the opening of the Silver Jubilee bridge in 1961 and the Mersey Gateway in 2017.

The effects of the Civil War, the building of the Bridgewater Canal and the appointment of Runcorn improvement commissioners are also described in detail.

The exhibition will be touring Halton.

Various activities and events are planned to mark the anniversary, including a re-enactment of the siege of Halton Castle.

For further details, visit nortonpriory.org.