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Macclesfield

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For other uses, see Macclesfield (disambiguation).
Map sources for Macclesfield at grid reference SJ9173

Macclesfield is a market town in Cheshire, England with a population of around 50,688 (2001 census for Macclesfield urban sub-area). It is the main settlement and administrative centre of the Borough of Macclesfield, and is considered to be one of the 30 wealthiest towns in Britain.

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[edit] Description

Macclesfield is located in the east of Cheshire, on the western edge of the Peak District, on the River Bollin, a tributary of the Mersey. To the west of the town lies the Cheshire Plain. The town is most famous for its once thriving silk textile industry, commemorated in the local Silk Museum. Although "Silk Town" seems to be the preferred nickname these days, Macclesfield's traditional local nickname is "Treacle Town"—supposedly from an incident where a merchant spilt a load of treacle on Hibel Road, and the poor rushed out to scoop it off the cobbles. Another, less picturesque, reason has it that the mill-owners used to provide barrels of treacle to the un-employed weavers.

Image:Macc TH.jpg It is the home to famous furniture store Arighi Bianchi, local football club Macclesfield Town, AstraZeneca, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies, The King's School, Macclesfield which dates from the 16th century and the King's Girls School, Macclesfield, a much more recent development; both are low-to-middle ranking public (i.e. private, fee-paying) schools (regional GCE league table). Other local High schools include Fallibroome High School, ranked highest in Macclesfield in results tables[specify], Tytherington High School,Henbury High School and All Hallows. The fine Georgian Town Hall was designed by Francis Goodwin in 1823.

The town was the birthplace of Hovis bread. Present day industries include: pharmaceuticals, textiles, light engineering, paper and plastics.

In 2002 the town also featured in the national media, focussing on the work of Cheshire Constabulary pioneering the use of ASBOs to control anti-social behaviour at Thornton Square.

Image:Macc StMichaels.jpg

[edit] Etymology

- It is thought that Macclesfield got its name from "Michael's field" - referring to St. Michael, as in St. Michael's church.

[edit] History

Macclesfield, known as Hamestan in the Domesday Book, was granted a borough charter by the Lord Edward, the future King Edward I, in 1261. There is evidence that the borough had originally been founded by Ranulf III, Earl of Chester, early in the thirteenth century. The parish church of St Michael was built in 1278, an extension of a chapel built in approximately 1220.<ref>A History of the Church. St. Michael's Macclesfield. Retrieved on November 28, 2006.</ref>

The borough had a weekly market, and two annual fairs: the Barnaby fair, was on St Barnabas day (11 June), the other on the feast of All Saints (1 November).

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 went as far as Disley. The manor house was situated on the edge of the deer-park, on the west of the town.

In addition, the Earls of Chester had established the forest of Macclesfield, which was much larger than its present-day namesake. It was used for hunting deer, as well as pasturing sheep and cattle. By the end of the thirteenth century, large areas of the forest had been ploughed up because of the pressure of population growth. In 1356, two trees from the forest were gifted to archer William Jauderell to repair his home.

The so-called 'Macclesfield Castle' was a fortified town house built by the dukes of Buckingham in the later Middle Ages.

In the uprising of 1745, Charles Stuart and his army marched through Macclesfield as they attempted to reach London. The Mayor was forced, reluctantly, to officially welcome the Prince, and this welcome is commemorated in one of the town's famous Silk Tapestries. At one point, Macclesfield was the world's biggest producer of finished silk; now, the four Macclesfield Silk Museums display a huge range of information and products from that period. At one time the silk manufacture was home based but as machinery was introduced large sheds were built to accommodate it and the workers were expected to move into them. Paradise Mill is a working mill museum which demonstrates the art of silk weaving to the public.

Between 1826 and 1831 the Macclesfield Canal was constructed,<ref>Tim Boddington. The Macclesfield Canal. Retrieved on November 28, 2006.</ref> linking Macclesfield to Marple to the north and Kidsgrove to the south.

Waters Green was once home to a nationally known horse market which features in the legend of the Wizard of Alderley Edge.

[edit] Government and politics

See also: Macclesfield (UK Parliament constituency), Macclesfield (borough)

Macclesfield gives its name to a parliamentary constituency which covers the town and the surrounding area. The current MP is Sir Nicholas Winterton, who was first elected in 1971. On a local goverment level, Macclesfield town hall is the headquarters of Macclesfield Borough Council, which administers the Macclesfield parliamentary constituency and the neighbouring constituency of Tatton. Both the parliamentary seat and the council are held by the Conservatives, who have held the parliamentary seat since the 1918 general election<ref>Safe seats. Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.</ref> and have held overall control of the council since 1976.<ref>Local elections: Macclesfield. BBC News. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.</ref>

[edit] Twin towns

[edit] Culture and Sport

Macclesfield has few cultural amenities; In 2004, research 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.<ref>Is charming Macclesfield really such a cultural cul-de-sac?. The Times. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.</ref> The last remaining commercial cinema in Macclesfield closed in 1997. Discussions have taken place regarding the possibility of building a multiplex cinema<ref>Cinema may replace Tesco and Hughes stores as new star in town. Macclesfield Express. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.</ref>, but similar attempts to build a cinema have thus far been unsuccessful. In 2005 a small scale temporary cinema was set up in the Heritage Centre.

Macclesfield has appeared in film: it was used as the location for Sir John Mills' film So Well Remembered in 1947. Some of the locations are still recognisable, such as Hibel Road. A fictionalised version of Macclesfield's railway station appeared in the 2005 football hooliganism film Green Street.

Musically, Macclesfield is best known as the home town of Ian Curtis and Stephen Morris of Joy Division; a memorial to Curtis is located in Macclesfield Crematorium.<ref>Getting to know Dad. Macclesfield Express. Retrieved on November 29, 2006.</ref> Other Macclesfield acts to have gained national recognition are The Macc Lads and Marion. The Macclesfield band Silk Brass have also gone on to recieve a National Champion title in the brass band movement in 2003.

Macclesfield's professional football club, Macclesfield Town, first gained league status in 1997, and currently play in League Two. The club play their home games at the Moss Rose in the south of the town. Macclesfield RUFC, the town's rugby union club, play in National Division Three (North), the fourth tier of rugby union in England.

[edit] Famous residents and natives

[edit] References

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[edit] External links


Ceremonial county of Cheshire [[Image:|40px]]
Unitary authorities: Halton • Warrington
Boroughs/Districts: City of Chester • Congleton • Crewe and Nantwich • Ellesmere Port and Neston • Macclesfield • Vale Royal
Cities/Towns: Alderley Edge • Alsager • Bollington • Chester • Congleton • Crewe • Ellesmere Port • Frodsham • Knutsford • Lymm • Macclesfield • Middlewich • Nantwich • Neston • Northwich • Poynton • Runcorn • Sandbach • Warrington • Widnes • Wilmslow • Winsford
See also: List of civil parishes in Cheshire
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