52-550: Macclesfield Museums is a collection of four museums focusing on Macclesfield and the Silk Industry. The museums are owned by Cheshire East , the local council, and are managed on their behalf by the Macclesfield Silk Heritage Trust. The museums are called The Silk Museum, Paradise Mill, West Park Museum, and The Old Sunday School. Macclesfield became a centre of the Silk Industry during
104-625: A Royal Commission was appointed to investigate further. A report of March 1881 confirmed the allegations of corruption. As a result, the borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption. The disenfranchisement took effect on 25 June 1885, when the town was transferred to the East Cheshire constituency. However under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the Macclesfield constituency was recreated with extended boundaries, as
156-541: A body of elite soldiers noted for their skills with the longbow that fought in many engagements in Britain and France in the Middle Ages. Battles at which there were sizeable numbers of Cheshire archers include Agincourt and Crecy. In 1277 Edward I employed 100 of these archers from the Macclesfield area as his personal bodyguard, his successor Richard II also employed a bodyguard of these yeoman archers who came from
208-599: A community governance review which established a civil parish . Macclesfield Town Council is controlled by the Labour Party, with 9 councillors. There are 3 Independent councillors, and no Conservatives. Macclesfield is also represented by 12 councillors on Cheshire East Council: 9 Labour, 3 Independents. Macclesfield is in the east of Cheshire and on the River Bollin , a tributary of the River Mersey . It
260-552: A county division, later in 1885. From the 1885 general election it has elected one MP. Macclesfield was for some time considered to be a safe seat for the Conservative Party , having been held by it since the 1918 general election , but the 2017 election showed a significant swing away from the Conservatives. Macclesfield has been represented by Tim Roca of Labour since the 2024 general election . It
312-512: A crash occurred in 1851 and many mill-workers emigrated to the American silk town of Paterson, New Jersey . The silk industry remained active in the town in the 1980s, but no longer dominated. Paradise Mill reopened in 1984 as a working mill museum, demonstrating the art of silk throwing and Jacquard weaving . The four Macclesfield Museums display a range of information and products from that period. A short-lived copper -smelting operation
364-618: A number of art galleries. Macclesfield Chess Club is one of the oldest chess clubs in the country, having been founded in 1886. The 'Macclesfield Literary and Philosophical Society' was formed in 2006, partly in response to The Times' 2004 article. Local newspapers include the Macclesfield Express and the Community News . Macclesfield residents have access to Macclesfield Forum, an online message board , for informal discussion of local news and issues. The town
416-426: Is Grade II listed with Historic England. Constructed in 1897–98 it is built in brick with terracotta dressings and has a Welsh slate roof. It is in a single storey and consists of a single room lit from above by a clerestory . The entrance front has a shaped gable , decorative terracotta frieze and panels. There is a glass verandah on the right side. Macclesfield Sunday School now called The Old Sunday School,
468-530: Is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East , Cheshire , England. It is sited on the River Bollin and the edge of the Cheshire Plain , with Macclesfield Forest to its east; the town lies 16 miles (26 km) south of Manchester and 38 miles (61 km) east of Chester . Before the Norman Conquest , Macclesfield was held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia and
520-593: Is also served by two locally based radio stations: Canalside Community Radio based at the Clarence Mill in Bollington , just north of Macclesfield, and Cheshire's Silk Radio , an independent commercial radio station with studios in the town. Local information websites include Visit Macclesfield and the local what's on guide, Canalside's The Thread . The last remaining commercial cinema in Macclesfield closed in 1997. Discussions have taken place regarding
572-464: Is close to the county borders of Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east and Staffordshire to the south. It is near the towns of Stockport to the north, Buxton to the east and Congleton to the south. It is 38 miles (60 km) to the east of Chester , the county town of Cheshire. To the west of the town lies the Cheshire Plain ; Macclesfield Forest is to the east, containing Ridgegate and Trentabank Reservoirs which supply
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#1732772590531624-467: Is in four storeys, and has a 13- bay front. The right three bays project forward and contain an Art Deco entrance. West Park Museum was built by Marianne Brocklehurst , who came from a wealthy silk trade family, and houses her collection of Ancient Egyptian artifacts, a selection of fine art, and local history items. The refurbishment of the museum was proposed in 2018. The building, in West Park ,
676-583: Is now converted into apartments. Macclesfield is the manufacturing home to AstraZeneca , one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies . The furniture store Arighi Bianchi was founded in 1829. Other industries include textiles , light engineering , paper and plastics . Macclesfield station is on the Stafford to Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line . It is served by three train operating companies : A railway station
728-771: Is served by good road links from the north, south and west, but has fewer roads going east due to the terrain of the Peak District. From the south, access from Congleton and the Potteries is from the A536 , and via the A523 from Leek. From the north, the main access to the town is the A523 from Manchester, Hazel Grove and Poynton . The main west–east road is the A537 Knutsford to Buxton road. At various points around
780-635: Is the original home of Hovis breadmakers , produced in Publicity Works Mill (commonly referred to as "the Hovis Mill") on the canal close to Buxton Road. It was founded by a Macclesfield businessman and a baker from Stoke-on-Trent . Hovis is said to derive from the Latin "homo-vitalis" (strength for man) as a way of providing a cheap and nutritious food for poor mill workers and was a very dry and dense wholemeal loaf completely different from
832-633: The Arighi Bianchi furniture shop. The population of Macclesfield at the 2021 census was 57,539. A person from the town is referred to as a Maxonian . Situated in the ancient Hundred of Hamestan , the town is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Maclesfeld" and in 1183 it was referred to as "Makeslesfeld". The English Place-Name Society gives its name as being derived from the Old English name, Maccel , and field , yielding
884-564: The Industrial Revolution . The museum hosts a collection of silk artwork, weaving machines, and silk historical artifacts. The building was originally known as the Macclesfield School of Art and opened in 1877 to train designers for the silk trade. Paradise Mill is a former silk mill built in 1862, later converted into a working museum with 26 Jacquard looms . It is built in brick with Welsh slate roofs,
936-726: The Quakers . By 1718 an estimated 10% of the population was Nonconformist . Towards the end of that century, the town had a large Methodist congregation, and Christ Church was the only Anglican church in the county to invite John Wesley to preach. During the Civil War , in 1642 the town was occupied for the King by Sir Thomas Aston , a Royalist. In the Jacobite Rising of 1745 , Charles Stuart and his army marched through Macclesfield as they attempted to reach London. The mayor
988-599: The Macclesfield Hundred and the forest districts of Cheshire. The borough had a weekly market and two annual fairs: the Barnaby fair on St Barnabas day (11 June), the other on the feast of All Souls (2 November). In recent years the Barnaby fair has been reinvented as the Barnaby Festival, a cultural festival in mid-June. The weekly market no longer happens but on the last Sunday of each month
1040-526: The Treacle Market is held, a large market selling locally produced food and handmade items such as clothing, handmade goods and pottery. Macclesfield was the administrative centre of the Hundred of Macclesfield , which occupied most of east Cheshire. The Earl of Chester's manor of Macclesfield was very large, and its boundary extended to Disley . The manor house was on the edge of the deer park, on
1092-579: The east of the county. Three crosses survive from this period, originally located in Sutton and now in West Park , and J. D. Bu'Lock speculates that there might have been a Pre-Conquest church. The area was devastated by the Normans in 1070, and had not recovered by 1086; the Domesday Book records the manor as having fallen in value from £8 to 20 shillings. Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester held
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#17327725905311144-436: The forest had been ploughed because of the pressure of population growth. In 1356, two trees from the forest were given to archer William Jauderell to repair his home. Macclesfield Castle was a fortified town house built by John de Macclesfield in the later Middle Ages . Construction began in 1398, and that year an application was made for a licence to crenellate , or fortify, the building. Two chantries were founded in
1196-442: The hilltop, centred on the parish church of All Saints , which was built in 1278, an extension of a chapel built in approximately 1220. In 1357, a hall was built in the town for the mayor's court and the borough court (portmote). The town lacked industries at this date and was described as poor, remaining a small market town until the end of the 15th century, with a population numbered in the hundreds. The Cheshire archers were
1248-569: The lowest, from at least 1850–2005, −16.7 °C (1.9 °F) on 25 December 1860. The town is famous for its once thriving silk industry, commemorated in the Silk Museum. The Georgian Town Hall was designed by Francis Goodwin in 1823. Macclesfield is home to an Augustus Pugin church, St Alban's on Chester Road. The former Cheshire County Asylum on Pavilion Way was designed by Robert Griffiths in Italianate style. It
1300-475: The manor himself after the Conquest; there was a mill, meadow for oxen, and woodland 6 leagues by 4 leagues. A Norman castle was built at Macclesfield. Macclesfield was granted a borough charter by Ranulf de Blondeville, Earl of Chester , in the early 13th century, and in 1261 a second charter was granted by the future King Edward I , allowing a market, fair and judicial court. The medieval town stood on
1352-439: The meaning "Maccel's open country". Although "Silk Town" seems to be its preferred nickname, the traditional nickname of Macclesfield is " Treacle Town". This refers to an historical incident when a horse-drawn wagon overturned and spilt its load of treacle onto the street, after which the poor scooped the treacle off the road. Before the Norman Conquest , Macclesfield was held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia , who also held much of
1404-660: The modern version. Waters Green was once home to a nationally known horse market which features in the legend of the Wizard of Alderley Edge . Waters Green and an area opposite Arighi Bianchi , now hidden under the Silk Road, also held a sheep and cattle market until the 1980s. Macclesfield is said to be the only mill town to have escaped bombing in World War II . After the war, two pharmaceutical companies opened facilities in Macclesfield, Geigy (now part of Novartis ) and
1456-418: The name Well Gate for this gate), are simply referring to the road to/from Chester or the road leading from the church to the well. These names are preserved in the names of three streets in the town, Chestergate, Jordangate and Back Wallgate, which have several older and listed buildings . A charter of 1595 established a town governing body consisting of the mayor, two aldermen and 24 "capital burgesses", and
1508-502: The north and Kidsgrove to the south. The canal was surveyed for its Act of Parliament by the canal and roads engineer Thomas Telford , and built by William Crosley (junior), the Macclesfield Canal Company's engineer. It was the last narrow canal to be completed and had only limited success because within ten years much of the coal and other potential cargo was increasingly being transported by rail. Macclesfield
1560-537: The pharmaceutical division of ICI (now AstraZeneca ). Macclesfield was first represented in Parliament after the Reform Act of 1832 , when it was granted two Members of Parliament (MPs). This situation lasted until 1880, when after problems at the general election that year it was decided to declare the election void and suspend the writ of election (so no by-election could take place). In September 1880
1612-561: The possibility of building a multiplex cinema, but attempts to build a cinema have thus far been unsuccessful. In 2005, a small-scale cinema, Cinemac, was set up in the Heritage Centre, which has since become well established; also based in the Heritage Centre is the Silk Screen arts cinema, which gives fortnightly screenings of art-house films. Macclesfield Sunday School Too Many Requests If you report this error to
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1664-473: The powers of this body were increased by a charter of 1684. By the Tudor era , Macclesfield was prospering, with industries including the manufacture of harnesses, gloves and especially buttons, and later ribbons, tapes and fancy ware. Coal was mined from the 16th century. In 1664, the population was around 2,600, making Macclesfield the third-largest town in the county, after Chester and Nantwich , although
1716-544: The town centre, some of these roads combine, such as the A537 / A523 on the Silk Road section, giving rise to traffic congestion, especially at peak times. The A538 provides access to Prestbury , Wilmslow and Manchester Airport , with the B5470 being the only other eastbound route from the town, heading to Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith . Macclesfield has been accused of having few cultural amenities. In 2004, research
1768-422: The town had expanded little from its medieval extent and had fewer large houses than Nantwich and Stockport . By around 1720, the number of households had increased to 925, and this rapid population growth continued throughout the 18th century, reaching 8,743 in 1801. In the 1580s, Macclesfield was one of the earliest towns in the county to have Puritan preaching "Exercises", and it was also an early centre for
1820-472: The town's drinking water, as well as Tegg's Nose and the Peak District . The Macclesfield Built-up Area forms an urban area which extends from the town to an area that includes the town of Bollington and the village of Prestbury . The urban area has a population of 63,954. According to the 2011 Census , the gender makeup of the population was 31,266 male and 32,688 female. The ethnic makeup of
1872-479: The town: one in 1422 by the Legh family, and one in 1504 by Thomas Savage . In 1502, Macclesfield Grammar School was founded by Sir John Percyvale. No proof exists that Macclesfield was ever a walled town. When the settlement was first established and for some centuries afterwards there would have certainly been some sort of ditch and palisade round the western side of the town which was not naturally defended. This
1924-596: The wall in repair. The suffix "Gate" in the names of several Macclesfield streets has been taken to indicate the former presence of a gate in the sense of a guarded opening in a wall, however, this is very unlikely as the term 'gate' is derived from 'gata', Scandinavian for road, which became gate in Middle English. Therefore, Chester Gate, the Jordan Gate and the Church Wall Gate (some sources give
1976-521: The west of the town. In the 14th century, it had a king's chamber and a queen's hall, as well as a large stable, and the manor served as a stud farm for Edward the Black Prince . The Earls of Chester established the Forest of Macclesfield , which was much larger than its present-day namesake. It was used for hunting deer and pasturing sheep and cattle. By the end of the 13th century, large areas of
2028-539: The whole urban area was under 96.2% white and 2.2% Asian; other ethnic minorities were 1.6%. The religious make up of the whole area includes: 66.3% Christian, 0.5% Muslim, 24.8% irreligious and 6.8% not stated. Like most of the United Kingdom, Macclesfield has a temperate maritime climate ( Köppen : Cfb ). Records of the climate extend back to at least 1850. Between 1881 and 2005, the highest temperature has been 33.1 °C (91.6 °F) on 3 August 1990 and
2080-549: The world's biggest producer of finished silk . A domestic button industry had been established in the town by the mid-16th century, although the first mention of silk buttons is not until 1649. In the mid-18th century, when metal buttons became fashionable, the silk-button industry transitioned to silk manufacture in mills. Macclesfield's first silk mill was founded by Charles Roe in 1743 or 1744. The mills were initially powered by water, and later by steam. There were 71 silk mills operating in 1832, employing 10,000 people, but
2132-407: Was assessed at £8. The medieval town grew up on the hilltop around what is now St Michael's Church . It was granted a charter by Edward I in 1261, before he became king. Macclesfield Grammar School was founded in 1502. The town had a silk -button industry from at least the middle of the 17th century and became a major silk-manufacturing centre from the mid-18th century. The Macclesfield Canal
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2184-477: Was closed in September 1973. It had stopped keeping registers in 1967 when average attendance was fourteen. Though the fabric of the building was deteriorating, it was listed as a Grade II* building because of its historical significance. The building now has multiple uses which include a Museum with Victorian school room and a cinema. Macclesfield Macclesfield ( / m æ k əl z f i əl d / )
2236-474: Was constructed in 1826–31. Hovis breadmakers were another Victorian employer; modern industries include pharmaceuticals , such as Astra Zeneca . Multiple mill buildings are still standing and several of the town's museums explore the local silk industry. Other landmarks include Georgian buildings such as the Town Hall and former Sunday School ; St Alban's Church , designed by Augustus Pugin ; and
2288-548: Was created to perform 'The Monkey Run' at Barnaby. After recent rationalisation , the town now has one museum: the Silk Museum, on Park Lane, which includes paid access to Paradise Mill, a former silk mill. The Silk Museum houses the Ancient Egyptian artefacts brought back by Victorian antiquarian Marianne Brocklehurst and her partner Mary Booth: these were formerly held in West Park Museum, as well as
2340-494: Was established by Roe in 1750, processing ore from mines at Alderley Edge and Ecton ( Staffordshire ), and later from Anglesey . The business switched to copper processing and the manufacture of brass in 1767, before closing after Roe's death in 1781. The industry is reflected in some of the town's street names. Between 1826 and 1831 the Macclesfield Canal was constructed, linking Macclesfield to Marple to
2392-535: Was first opened at Beech Lane by the LNWR on 19 June 1849, which was replaced a month later by Hibel Road station . The current station dates from the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line in the mid-1960s, when the old station buildings were replaced. Macclesfield has a bus station located within the town centre. The original building opened on Sunderland Street, just outside the railway station; it
2444-512: Was forced to welcome the prince, and the event is commemorated in one of the town's silk tapestries. Cumberland House on Jordangate is so named after the Duke of Cumberland who stayed there in 1745 when pursuing the fleeing Prince. The population was 24,137 by 1841. Armoury Towers was completed in 1858 and the Bridge Street drill hall was completed in 1871. Macclesfield was once
2496-459: Was governed locally by Macclesfield Municipal Borough (see Macclesfield (borough) ) until 1974 when Macclesfield Borough Council was established, a local government district with borough status . Following the establishment of Cheshire East Council in 2009 the borough was abolished and the Mayoralty transferred to charter trustees . Macclesfield Town Council was established in 2015 following
2548-425: Was necessary in order to keep out undesirable people and stray animals. No physical trace of a ditch remains though measurements and the shape of certain streets suggest where such a ditch could have been and most of the medieval building were within this area. It is unlikely that the ditch and palisade were succeeded by a wall for no record has been found of a murage tax, which would certainly have been levied to keep
2600-627: Was published in The Times naming Macclesfield and its borough the most uncultured town in Britain, based on its lack of theatres, cinemas and other cultural facilities. The Northern Chamber Orchestra is the oldest professional chamber ensemble in the North West; its home is the Macclesfield Heritage Centre and presents a series of eight concerts a year, attracting international guest soloists. The Silk Opera Company
2652-494: Was replaced in 2004, when a new bus station opened on Queen Victoria Street. The principal operators around Macclesfield are two subsidiaries of Centrebus Group : D&G Bus and High Peak Buses . Fifteen bus routes run within the town and to other locations including Altrincham , Buxton , Congleton , Crewe , Knutsford , Stockport , Wilmslow and Wythenshawe . Only two services run on Sundays: route 58 to Chatsworth House and route 130 to Handforth Dean . Macclesfield
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#17327725905312704-400: Was represented by David Rutley , a Conservative and practising Mormon . He was selected for this seat in 2010, when Sir Nicholas Winterton , who had been the incumbent for 38 years, announced his retirement following unfavourable press coverage relating to the claiming of Parliamentary expenses. Sir Nicholas' wife, Ann Winterton , held the neighbouring seat of Congleton . Macclesfield
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