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Macclesfield
Home town of Marion
The Borough of Macclesfield is home to over 150,000 people. It covers over 200 square miles of predominantly rural land nestling in the foothills of the southern Pennies. Agriculture remains important to the life and economy of they Borough with the emphasis on dairy farming on the Cheshire Plain to the west, and hill farming on the Peak fringe to the east. Yet, the area contains several sizeable towns, each with its own individual characteristics.
Originally the home of the silk industry, Macclesfield has grown
to be an important centre with good cultural and entertainment
facilities. It is estimated to be among the 30 wealthiest towns
in the country. Knutsford has many specialist shops, fine
buildings and high quality restaurants. It has literary
connections through the author Elizabeth Gaskell and includes a
number of large open spaces close to the centre, including a Site
of Special Scientific Interest. Wilmslow was originally a
stagecoach stop between London and Manchester, its growth as a
residential town - being a dormitory for Manchester business
people - has benefited from the Intercity rail link between
Manchester and London. In the north-east of the Borough is
Poynton. Now largely an urban parish, its history is that of a
small mining village associated with coal seams running through
the Pennine foothills to the east. Alderley Edge takes its name
from the natural landmark and beauty spot which rises abruptly
out of the low and level plain to over 600 feet about sea level.
The town began to develop as a favoured residential district
after the opening of the railway service between Crewe and
Manchester. Situated on the River Bollin is Prestbury, a long and
narrow parish that extends along the Bollin Valley towards
Wilmslow. The village centre is still largely unaffected by the
modern residential developments and it retains a number of older
inns, houses and shops. Handforth's development started after
1842 when the railway was constructed and until 1890 it was still
a tiny hamlet. In recent years it has developed rapidly as a
residential area. Disley, which stands in the Goyt Valley, is of
ancient foundation tracing back to a clearing in the large area
of Macclesfield Forest. Greatly enlarged in recent years, Disley
is now an attractive residential area. Adelphi and Clarence Mills
vividly depict Bollington's strong historical links with the
cotton industry, which lie on the banks of the Macclesfield
Canal.
The Borough has largely avoided the problems of declining
industries and today is a prosperous area with a thriving
economy. Its varied countryside of fields and hedgerows, mature
trees and meres, dotted with characterful buildings and
settlements create a rich backcloth for industrial and commercial
developments.
Unemployment is around half of the national average. The Borough
is justly proud of its environmental legacy and looks forward to
continuing growth in harmony with its varied heritage.