CILLA Black has traced her roots back to Holywell.
The Liverpudlian TV presenter was filming a BBC programme tracing her family tree when she found out one of her great-grandmothers had lived in Holywell workhouse in 1842.
Many poor people ended up in the workhouse, now Lluesty hospital.
But the story of Cilla's ancestor is surrounded with scandal.
The destitute single teenager called Sofia was heavily pregnant and turned to the workhouse as a last resort.
Cilla was given a tour of the former workhouse by maintenance worker Ken Baker last week.
She also met up with councillor and local historian David Wilkes who described what life would have been like for the poor, young pregnant Sofia.
'Holywell workhouse has been quoted as the hotel from hell,' he said
'I had to impress on Cilla the dire situation this young girl found herself in. In Holywell in 1842 there would have been abject poverty, disease and misery. The workhouse system was designed to make life even worse than that.
'Entering Holywell workhouse would have been an act of a desperate young girl in need of help.
'The very siting of this building is to strike fear into the people of Holywell.
'On entry she would have been searched, stripped, probably deloused and given a workhouse uniform.
Men were forced to break 300 tonnes of rocks a day in the workhouse and women were given the crippling job of unpicking rope.
Sofia's baby was born in the work-house, but a family member later rescued mother and child from there.
'She was extremely lucky somebody cared for her enough to rescue her,' Cllr Wilkes added.
'You can imagine the shame.' Cllr Wilkes said Cilla took the news about her ancestor incredibly well.
'I have to say she was extremely funny,' he said. 'I have never been so nervous in all my life. She was down to earth and we had a laugh.
'It was the laid back way she accepted some very bad news about a member of her family.'
The BBC programme about Cilla's family history is expected to be aired in the new year. clare.hickie@cheshirenews.co.uk
