71-530: 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
142-605: 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
213-525: A Sunday School until 1986. Throughout the 19th century, reforms were being made to the provision of education in England culminating in the Education Act 1870 . The church no longer saw the need to involve themselves in literacy and numeracy, and Sunday Schools saw their sole purpose as religious education. Whitaker's Sunday school, founded on 1 May 1796, had been popular and in 1798 there were 812 pupils and
284-530: 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
355-581: 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
426-416: A congregation of Unitarians and Wesleyans . Some questioned the need for the chapel to invest in education, and whether the poor should be taught to read and write, but a Sunday school was opened in 1902-3 with 160 pupils. In 1880, a day school was added and a separate building erected. In 1812, Whitaker's Sunday School Committee decided to erect a purpose built Sunday School. The Anglicans wanted to erect
497-537: 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
568-507: 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
639-478: A day school as well. By 1865, there were 26 Sunday schools in the town, so inevitably the number of scholars dropped from nearly 2,500 to about 1,500. It remained important as a day school, and became the home to many clubs, societies and events. It was also a meeting place for some of the smaller trade unions. The Sunday school closed in September 1973. It had stopped keeping registers in 1967 when average attendance
710-893: A day school, and it was first thought that these could occupy the same building, but agreement was not forthcoming and two buildings were constructed. The Anglicans constructed their National School on Duke Street. While the Big Sunday School on Roe Street, financed by public subscription was completed in April 1814, the Methodists could not agree with Whitaker's insistence that it should be non-denominational, and withdrew to build their own denominational school on Mill Street in 1819. The Primitive Methodists established themselves in Macclesfield in 1819, and had their own well-attended Sunday School classes and built their own building in 1835 on Beech Lane. Lord Street Sunday School, started in 1820-1 by
781-602: 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
SECTION 10
#1732851463670852-549: A purpose-built school on Roe Street. The Big Sunday School had 1,127 boys and 1,324 girls on its books when it opened. The building is now known as The Old Sunday School and is part of Macclesfield Museums . Sunday schools were first set up in the 1780s to provide education to working children on their one-day off from the factory. It was proposed by Robert Raikes , editor of the Gloucester Journal in an article in his paper and supported by many clergymen. It aimed to teach
923-596: A week, sometimes more than 13 hours a day. In 1781, Raikes saw the plight of children living in the Gloucester slums. In the home of Mrs. Meredith, he opened the first school on Sunday, the only day these boys and girls living in the slums and working in the factories could attend. Using the Bible as their textbook, he taught them to read and write. Within four years over 250,000 children were attending schools on Sunday throughout England. In 1784, many new schools opened, including
994-426: 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,
1065-516: 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
1136-580: 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
1207-464: 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
1278-616: Is in Roe Street, Macclesfield , Cheshire, England. It started in 1796 as a non-denominational Sunday School in Pickford Street, which catered for 40 children. It was founded by John Whitaker whose objective was "to lessen the sum of human wretchedness by diffusing religious knowledge and useful learning among the lower classes of society". Though chapels set up their denominational schools, the Sunday School committee in 1812 elected to erect
1349-462: 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 ,
1420-569: 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
1491-740: 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
SECTION 20
#17328514636701562-616: 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
1633-613: 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
1704-555: The Cheshire silk industry . When John Whitaker died at the age of 47, in October 1820, his nephew Samuel Higginbotham continued as superintendent for the next 40 years. The school continued to thrive. Over the following decades the working condition of children improved. When the Factories Act 1844 reduced the hours that children were permitted to work, the Sunday School responded by opening
1775-546: 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,
1846-705: 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
1917-539: The Stockport Sunday School example. Gas lighting was installed in 1819. It was opened in April 1814 having cost £5,639; £3,000 was raised by subscription and £1,000 came from fund-raising by the scholars and teachers. Scholars were to pay 1d a week. By this time there were 1,127 boys and 1,324 girls on the roll. Scholars were expected to be at least six years old, free of any "contagious distemper" and to arrive "washed" and "combed". The trustees were prominent in
1988-583: The 1970s even the largest Sunday School at Stockport had been demolished. The Macclesfield Large Sunday School was rescued and converted into the Macclesfield Heritage Centre. The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham . Another early start was made by Hannah Ball , a native of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, who founded a school there in 1769. However,
2059-577: 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
2130-476: The Methodist New Connexion, met in the vestry of Parsonage Street Chapel. They erected a building of their own in 1869. This doubled as a day school until 1911, then served as a barracks, a temporary library and finally from 1953 as a home to an amateur dramatic company serving as a theatre - MADS Theatre . Brunswick Street Methodist Chapel had a purpose-built Sunday School before 1845. It continued as
2201-514: 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
Macclesfield Museums - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-492: The annual expenses were £68-2s–4d. In 1800, there were 1,128 pupils and the cost was £93-4s–3½d. The school was accommodated in Hardens Factory on Dukes Street. This was financed from a monthly subscription from itś supporters. By 1812, there were 2,149 children meeting in five locations so a new school was proposed on Roe Street, a central location. The building included an auditorium with a balcony with raked seating, following
2343-487: The children of the poor, the rough sleepers and children from the workhouse. The role of the Sunday Schools changed with the Education Act 1870 . In the 1920s, they promoted sports, and it was common for teams to compete in a Sunday School League. They were social centres hosting amateur dramatics and concert parties. By the 1960s the term Sunday School could refer to the building and not to any education classes, and by
2414-538: The children of the poor. By 1786, 412 children attended, learning reading and the Bible. When management was handed over to a committee of gentlemen, the school failed. In 1796, John Whitaker, a leading Methodist whose father was an alderman, commenced a free Sunday School for 40 children in Pickford Street. It was non-denominational and run by the Sunday School Committee. Churches started to build and run their own. Townley Street Congregational Church had
2485-522: The early days, adults attended the same classes as the infants, as each were instructed in basic reading. In Macclesfield, the Methodists withdrew from the Large Sunday School and built their own, and the Anglicans set up their own "National" schools that acted as Sunday Schools and day schools. These schools were the precursors to a national system of education. Later, a ragged school was set up for
2556-563: 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
2627-436: 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
2698-860: The founding of Sunday schools is more commonly associated with the work of Robert Raikes , editor of the Gloucester Journal , who saw the need to prevent children in the slums descending into crime. In 18th century England, education was reserved for a minority and was not compulsory . The wealthy educated their children privately, i.e. at home, with a hired governess , or possibly tutors once they were older; boys of that class were often sent away to boarding school , hence these fee-based educational establishments were known, confusingly, as public schools . The town-based middle class may have sent their sons to grammar school ; daughters were left to learn what they could from their mothers or from their father's library. The children of factory workers received no formal education, typically working alongside their parents six days
2769-442: 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
2840-576: The interdenominational Stockport Sunday School , which provided a model for Macclesfield. Stockport Sunday School constructed a school for 5,000 scholars in 1805; in the late nineteenth century this was accepted as being the largest in the world. By 1831, it was reported that attendance at Sunday Schools had grown to 1.2 million. Raikes' schools were seen as the first schools of the English state system. In 1778, Rev David Simpson of Christ Church Macclesfield, Charles Roe 's church, opened two charity schools for
2911-557: 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
Macclesfield Museums - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-470: 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
3053-439: 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
3124-645: 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
3195-418: 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
3266-491: 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
3337-525: 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
3408-529: 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 Macclesfield Sunday School
3479-469: 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
3550-536: 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
3621-422: 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
SECTION 50
#17328514636703692-465: 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
3763-475: 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
3834-575: 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
3905-511: 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
3976-532: 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
4047-549: 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
4118-664: The youngsters reading, writing and ciphering and a knowledge of the Bible. In 1785, it was reported that 250,000 children were attending Sunday School and there were 5,000 in Manchester alone. By 1895, the Society for the Establishment and Promotion of Sunday Schools had distributed 91,915 spelling books, 24,232 Testaments and 5,360 Bibles. The Sunday School movement was cross-denominational, and through subscription built large buildings that could host public lectures as well as classrooms. In
4189-407: 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
4260-420: 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 / )
4331-469: 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
SECTION 60
#17328514636704402-415: 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
4473-426: 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
4544-413: 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
4615-400: 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
4686-417: Was fourteen. Funds were disbursed to various missionary organisations. Though the fabric of the building was deteriorating it was listed as a Grade II* Listed Building because of its historical significance. Stockport Sunday School had already been lost. A new charitable trust, The Macclesfield Sunday School Heritage Trust, was formed and funds were raised and the building restored. Essential work and fitting out
4757-402: 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
4828-425: 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
4899-430: 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
4970-494: 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
5041-400: 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
#669330