Macclesfield

Macclesfield is a market town in Cheshire where the Cheshire plain gives way to the Peak District. It is home to the biennial Barnaby Festival. Macclesfield is the original home of the very popular brand of bread, Hovis. Two members of the late 1970s rock band Joy Division, and its successor the popular 1980s band New Order, are from the town. More notoriously it is also the home of both the band The Macc Lads and of Mr Methane, the World's only professional flatulist.

Understand
The pharmaceuticals conglomerate Astra-Zeneca has a large manufacturing site in Macclesfield, though its research centre at nearby Alderley Edge was closed in 2014. The biotech and pharmaceutical industry is a significant source of local employment.

In 2011, Macclesfield was home to 51,000 people.

History
Macclesfield was first recorded under the name "Maclesfeld" in the Domesday Book of 1086. Its name is probably from a local landowner of the time. Two centuries later it was granted a charter. The Church of All Saints was built shortly afterwards, where St Michael's Church now stands in the centre of town.

The Earls of Chester established the nearby Forest of Macclesfield, much larger than its present-day counterpart, as their private hunting preserve. Most of it was cut down after population increased in the mid-14th century. Throughout the Middle Ages it was fortified, probably by some sort of ditch and palisade. The names of streets such as Chestergate and Jordangate, contrary to popular belief, are unlikely to refer to the former presence of gates or portals in now-vanished walls; the term 'gate' is derived from 'gata', Scandinavian for road, which became gate in Middle English, and thus the term simply means to the road to Chester, or to the river Jordan, which was once a name for the Bollin.

During the Civil War, in 1642 the town was occupied for the King by Sir Thomas Aston, a Royalist. A century later, during the Jacobite Uprising, Bonnie Prince Charlie marched through on his effort to reach London.

Later in the 18th century Macclesfield, like much of that region of the country, began developing as a centre for textile manufacture. By the 1830s it was the world's biggest producer of finished silks; some of the 71 mills that were in operation are scattered around today's Macclesfield. Fashions changed, however, increasingly preferring French silk and the cottons from Manchester to the north, and many of those mills closed down. So little industry was left in town that it was the only English mill town not bombed by the Germans during World War II.

During the 19th century many Macclesfield silk-workers followed the lead of John Ryle in emigrating to the USA. Ryle settled in Paterson, New Jersey, establishing a silk industry there. Hundreds of workers followed him across the Atlantic, and the two towns were very closely linked for many years, with the Macclesfield press reporting news from Paterson and vice versa. A section of the Macclesfield Silk Museum is devoted to Paterson and silk items produced there. Macclesfield is also the original home of Hovis flour and bread, established in 1886 and produced by Thomas Fitton in a mill near Buxton Road next to the Macclesfield canal, which still stands, now converted into apartments.

Music
Macclesfield regained some measure of international fame in the late 20th century as the home of two members of the late 1970s rock band Joy Division, which evolved into popular 1980s dance band New Order after lead singer Ian Curtis hanged himself in his Barton Street home in 1980. Fans of Joy Division come to Macclesfield from all over the world, especially every 18 May, the anniversary of his death, to pay their respects at his grave marker in Macclesfield Cemetery. Control (2007), a film about Curtis's life and death based on his widow's memoirs, was filmed using many of the same Macclesfield locations in which he lived. Another band, The Macc Lads were infamous in the 1980s as "rudest, crudest, lewdest, drunkest band in Christendom".

This association with the depressing songs of a suicidal musician has not been the only thing Macclesfield has had to live down. In 2004 The Times called the town England's least cultured, due to its lack of theatres and other cultural institutions. That led the town to establish the Barnaby Festival in 2010, a modern take on ancient customs of celebrating St Barnabas's Day. (By local custom, “Barnaby Week” in June was when the mills closed and many of the townspeople went to the seaside in North Wales.) The performance-centred Winterfest in November and December has brought even more people to Macclesfield.

So, if you come listening to Joy Division on your headphones and expect a correspondingly grim Northern town to match, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Pay your respects to Ian, of course, but if you take the time to see more of Macclesfield you'll probably understand why it's a popular home for many top earners in Liverpool and Manchester, including some of City’s and United’s finest.

Layout
The town centre is mostly built around Mill Street and has very little architectural merit. As with many towns it has declined, but redevelopment is continuing. To the south of the centre is the High Street conservation area. To the south, west and north are mostly residential areas, with an industrial estate and more residential housing east of the Silk Road (A523), the main north-south route through Macclesfield. This runs in a valley alongside the River Bollin and the railway line. To the east the land rises steeply as you leave Macclesfield and enter the Peak District.

Visitor information
There is a visitor information office in part of the new Town Hall facing Market Place.

By train
is on the main train line between London Euston and Manchester and is easily accessed from by high-speed trains (Manchester 20 minutes, London 1 hour 45 minutes). Cross Country services between Manchester and Birmingham also call at Macclesfield. Local stopping services are available to Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. The train station is just to the east of the town centre and the main shopping area.

By car
The nearest motorway is the M6. From the north, take Junction 19, and travel through Knutsford. From the south, use Junction 17 and follow the signs for Congleton until Macclesfield is signposted. In either direction, the distance from the motorway is about 15 miles (25 km). From the east, the main road into the town is the A537 from Buxton, known as the Cat and Fiddle road (after the former pub, now the highest-located distillery in England) at its summit. It is a scenic route, but in winter it is occasionally impassable.

By plane
Manchester Airport is  away. By taxi the fare is typically about £25 if pre-booked.

There is no direct train service from the airport but there are frequent trains into Manchester Piccadilly with connections to Macclesfield. There is now a D&G 130 M-Sa daytime bus service between Macclesfield & the Airport. It is cheaper but the train can be quicker.

Get around
The town centre is easily traversable by foot. Buses to suburbs and nearby towns depart from the bus station on Queen Victoria Street. From the train station, cross the road to Waters Green and follow this up the hill and round to the left.

Nowhere in Macclesfield is completely flat and some parts are rather steep, but every so often you’ll see a view of the hills that makes it all worth while. Be aware that cobbled streets can be slippery when wet.

Do

 * Watch football at

Buy

 * Mill Street. The town's main shopping street, primarily home to chain stores, running from Market Place, past the Grosvenor indoor shopping centre and market, down to Park Green.
 * Chestergate. The town's second shopping street, running west from Market Place, with many local boutiques and independent shops.
 * Treacle Market. Street vendors pour into the centre of Macclesfield on the last Sunday of every month (or the Sunday before Christmas) for this event, named for an incident in the town's past when an overturned load of treacle was eagerly scooped up by the local poor – hence the nickname “Treacle Town”. Many interesting goods for sale and idiosyncratic foods for consumption. Local restaurants that are otherwise closed Sundays maintain limited hours for this event, as well.
 * Treacle Market. Street vendors pour into the centre of Macclesfield on the last Sunday of every month (or the Sunday before Christmas) for this event, named for an incident in the town's past when an overturned load of treacle was eagerly scooped up by the local poor – hence the nickname “Treacle Town”. Many interesting goods for sale and idiosyncratic foods for consumption. Local restaurants that are otherwise closed Sundays maintain limited hours for this event, as well.

Drink




Nearby

 * Bollington A large village adjoining Macclesfield, locally nicknamed “Happy Valley”. The sights include several 19th-century cotton mills (now converted mainly for accommodation. White Nancy is a small monument commemorating the Battle of Waterloo on top of Kerridge Hill. As the name suggests it is painted white, though occasionally redecorated (officially or unofficially).
 * Prestbury A village adjoining Macclesfield. One of the UK’s most expensive areas to live outside central London. The village centre is picturesque and you can glimpse the mansions of the rich and famous, if you so choose.
 * Alderley Edge A large village west of Macclesfield, home to numerous wealthy residents, including at one time the Beckhams. The village sits at the bottom of an escarpment (“The Edge”) which was first mined for copper in the Bronze Age, some 5,000 years ago, with occupation going back twice as far. The area is popular for walking in the woods and there are far-reaching views from the sandstone ridge.
 * Poynton A large village north of Macclesfield, home to coal workings from the 16th century onwards, The “inclines” (tramways lines for moving the coal) are still evident in places. The Anson Engine Museum has over 250 gas, oil and steam engines, many still working.
 * Macclesfield Forest A working, mostly coniferous forest with reservoirs supplying water to Macclesfield. Stunning views and many good walks, including to Shutlingsloe, the local peak.
 * Teggs Nose A local country park with great views over the surrounding countryside. The site was used as a quarry, and much of old Macclesfield is paved with its stone. The remnants of quarry equipment are still lying around.
 * Hare Hill A walled garden owned by the National Trust.
 * Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre Home to one of the world’s largest steerable radio telescopes, built in 1957 (using gun turret mechanisms from scrapped battleships to drive it). There are three discovery pavilions of especial appeal to children. Jodrell Bank also hosts festivals such as Bluedot.
 * Gawsworth Hall A nearby hall and gardens. Open air theatre and concert venue.
 * Capesthorne Hall A nearby hall and gardens. Hosts various events and is a popular wedding venue.
 * Lyme Park The largest house in Cheshire, now owned by the National Trust. Set in extensive grounds (free access from surrounding footpaths). Famously used as the exterior of Pemberley in “Pride and Prejudice”, though the scene with Mr Darcy emerging from the lake in a wet shirt wasn’t filmed here.

Connect
As of Oct 2022, Macclesfield and its approach roads have 4G from EE, O2 and Three, and 5G from Vodafone.

Go next
If you haven't come from there, Manchester, England's second largest city, is a short distance to the north. Perceived by those who've not visited as a dismal post-industrial wasteland, whereas the reasons to visit—clubs, restaurants, shopping, museums—are too numerous for even a short list here to do the place justice.

Off to the east is the Peak District. After taking in the splendid scenery and trekking to your heart's content, either camping out overnight or staying in Buxton, you might want to continue on to Sheffield, another post-industrial Northern city with more to offer than that description suggests.

West of Macclesfield one eventually gets to Chester, with its quaint medieval architecture and walls. It's an excellent stopover for travellers heading into Wales, a short distance away.

Almost as close to Macclesfield to the south as Manchester is to the north is Stoke-on-Trent. Once home to a thriving pottery industry it is now a destination with museums and gardens and a thick streak of local pride.

Smaller towns in the area include Congleton (“Bear Town”), Leek, Wilmslow and Knutsford.