| Spike Island | |
|---|---|
 Spike Island viewed from the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre | |
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| Type | Park and urban open space |
| Location | Widnes, Cheshire, England |
| Coordinates | 53°21′14″N 2°43′50″W / 53.35389°N 2.73056°W |
| Operated by | Halton Borough Council |
Spike Island is a park in Widnes, Halton, North West England. It is an artificial island between the Sankey Canal and the estuary of the River Mersey containing parkland, woodland, wetlands and footpaths. It is next to the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, an interactive science and technology museum.
Spike Island was at the centre of the British chemical industry during the Industrial Revolution. In 1833, Widnes Dock, the world's first rail-to-ship dock, was built on the island. In 1848, John Hutchinson built the first chemical factory in Widnes on the island. The chemical industry in Widnes grew rapidly thereafter. By the 1970s no working chemical factories remained, and from 1975 onwards the island was cleaned up and turned over to public recreation.
A famous concert by the rock band the Stone Roses, subsequently the subject of an eponymous film (2012), took place on the island in May 1990.
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