SANDBACH, a town and urban sanitary district of Cheshire, is situated on the Trent and Mersey Canal, and on the London and North-Western Railway, at the junction for Northwich, 25 miles east-south-east of Chester and 5 north-east of Crewe. In the market-place are two ancient obelisks, dating, according to some, from the 7th century. The principal public buildings are the parish church of St Mary, in the Perpendicular style, with a tower rebuilt 1847-9, the grammar school, the public reading rooms, and the town-hall. Anciently the town was celebrated for its ale. The principal industry was formerly silk throwsting, but this is now discontinued, and the inhabitants are chiefly employed in the salt-works and alkali-works. The population of the urban sanitary district (area 2694 acres) in 1871 was 5259, and in 1881 it was 5493.