Macclesfield (borough)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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For the principal settlement of this borough, see Macclesfield.
| Borough of Macclesfield | |
 Shown within Cheshire |
|
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Non-metropolitan district, Borough |
| Region: | North West England |
| Admin. County: | Cheshire |
| Area: Total: |
Ranked 95th 524.97 km² |
| Admin. HQ: | Macclesfield |
| ONS code: | 13UG |
| Demographics | |
| Population: Total (2006 est.): Density: |
Ranked 111th 150,600 287 / km² |
| Ethnicity: | 98.1% White 1.3% S. Asian [1] |
| Politics | |
| Macclesfield Borough Council http://www.macclesfield.gov.uk/ |
|
| Leadership: | Leader & Cabinet |
| Executive: | Conservative |
| MPs: | George Osborne, Nicholas Winterton |
Macclesfield is a local government district, borough and parliamentary constituency in Cheshire England. It includes the towns of Macclesfield, Wilmslow, Knutsford and its wide area includes the villages and hamlets of Adlington, Disley, Gawsworth, Hurdsfield, Kerridge, Pott Shrigley, Poynton, Prestbury, Rainow, Styal, Sutton and Tytherington.
The district was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It was a merger of Macclesfield municipal borough, Alderley Edge, Bollington, Knutsford and Wilmslow urban districts, along with the single parish Disley Rural District, Macclesfield Rural District and part of Bucklow Rural District.
Current proposals by the government are that the Borough of Macclesfield will be abolished in April 2009, when it will be merged with Crewe and Nantwich and Congleton to form the new unitary authority of Cheshire East[2].
Contents |
[edit] Council political composition
| Party | Councillors | |
| Conservative | 38 | |
| Liberal Democrat | 12 | |
| Labour | 6 | |
| Handforth Ratepayer | 2 | |
| Independent | 2 | |
[edit] Parishes and settlements in the borough
The borough contains 52 civil parishes. The towns of Macclesfield and Wilmslow are not civil parishes. So, they do not have parish councils. They omit this level of local government. Of the 52 parishes, five (Ageden, Little Bollington, Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough, Tatton, and Wincle) hold parish meetings rather than elect a parish council.
[edit] Local sites of interest
The borough is home to a large number of historic sites:
- Tatton Park is the venue for a variety of events: classical concerts; fireworks displays; classic car shows; open air theatre and the Country Show (massed pipes and drums, sheepdog trials, competitions, crafts fair, and dancing).[3]
- Gawsworth Hall is a half-timbered hall, and possibly once home to Shakespeare's 'Dark Lady'. Concerts are held in the grounds, and each summer there is an open air theatre season, featuring Shakespearean classics and light opera, comedy, jazz, and drama.[4]
- Arley Hall is a Victorian-Jacobean hall.[5]
- Quarry Bank Mill is set in the village of Styal and is a working water-mill and living museum.[6]
- Capesthorne Hall is a Jacobean-style stately home which plays host to a variety of events.[7]
- Alderley Edge is a great sandstone escarpment that overlooks the Cheshire plain.[8] The Edge itself has been mined for copper since at least the time of the Roman invasion, and is the centre of the legend of the Wizard of Alderley,[9] made famous by local author Alan Garner's books The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath. Nowadays it is said that the Wizard was Merlin, but this is an addition that only appeared over the past thirty years. Tours of the mines are available, but should not be attempted without an experienced guide - the Edge is riddled with mineshafts.
- St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton is a 14th century house of worship which lies on an artificial mound or earthwork.[10]
- Knutsford is best known as the site where King Canute forded the Lily Stream, and as the home of Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell, and the town puts on a May Day parade and festival every year.[11]
- Lyme Park is an estate and park located near Disley. Lyme Hall is the principal feature of the park.[12]
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=276900&c=macclesfield&d=13&e=13&g=428795&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1206541359765&enc=1&dsFamilyId=1812
- ^ Macclesfield borough council press release 25 July 2007. Retrieval Date: 25 July, 2007.
- ^ Tatton Park website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Gawsworth Hall website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Arley Hall and Gardens website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Quarry Bank Mill website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Capesthorne Hall website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Information site about Alderley Edge. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Wizard of Alderley information. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton information. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ History of Knutsford. Virtual Knutsford website. Retrieval date: 1 September 2007.
- ^ Lyme Park Information. National Trust website. Retrieval Date: 1 September 2007.
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