Prestbury, Cheshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Prestbury | |
  Prestbury shown within Cheshire |
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| Population | 3,324[1] |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Parish | Prestbury |
| District | Macclesfield |
| Shire county | Cheshire |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | MACCLESFIELD |
| Postcode district | SK10 |
| Dialling code | 01625 |
| Police | Cheshire |
| Fire | Cheshire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Macclesfield |
| List of places: UK • England • Cheshire | |
Prestbury is a village, civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in the northwest of England. The village is about 1.5 miles (3 km) north of Macclesfield, Cheshire. At the time of the 2001 census, the civil parish had a population of 3,324.[1] The ecclesiastical parish [2]is almost the same as the Prestbury local government ward which consisted of the civil parishes of Prestbury, Adlington, and Mottram St. Andrew. The population in 2001 was 5,034.[3]
Prestbury is a frequent winner of Best Kept Village/Community Pride Competitions[4] and a popular destination for sightseers.[5]
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[edit] History and geography
Prestbury lies between Macclesfield and Wilmslow, for the most part on elevated ground above the flood-prone River Bollin. The ancient Forest of Macclesfield is to the east.
There is no evidence of a settlement before Saxon times, although a cemetery nearby which had been excavated in 1808 contained pottery cremation urns and signs of sacrifice and was presumably pre-Christian.
Prestbury was founded by priests. Its name comes from Preôsta burh, which is sometimes thought to mean priests' town, but more correctly means a priests' fortified enclosure.
For their enclosure, the priests chose a defensible spot on the River Bollin where there was relatively high ground close to the river on both sides so that crossing was easy. From there they could travel to all parts of a parish which was extensive, though thinly populated, in part because the countryside was wild and barren and in part because the forest was reserved for hunting.
[edit] The parish
At the time of the Conquest, the parish consisted of thirty-five townships:
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Prestbury township was not mentioned in the Domesday Book, perhaps because information was not supplied or because Prestbury was only a church, not a manor.
Twelve of the other townships are mentioned. Butley was valued at 2 Shillings at the time of the Domesday Survey, compared with 30 Shillings at the time of Edward the Confessor, Adlington and Macclesfield were both worth 20 Shillings and Siddington 5 Shillings. The other eight townships were valued "Waste".
The church administered the civil as well as ecclesiastical affairs of the parish until the Local Government Act 1894 created rural districts and civil parishes. Three of the townships, Butley, Fallibroome and Prestbury, constitute fhe present civil parish of Prestbury.
[edit] The village
The school, smithies, the mill, inns and the stocks centre on a village street called "The Village", which is broad enough for cattle fairs and the like. Until the nineteenth century the village street was connected to Pearl Street, the main street of Butley, by a ford.
In about 1825, a bridge of two arches was built, linking the village street to a new road ("New Road") passing behind the cottages and the Admiral Rodney pub[6] on the southeast side of Pearl Street. In 1855 the bridge was replaced by the present bridge with one arch.[7]
During the nineteenth century Prestbury became involved in the silk industry. Swanwick's factory operated and cottages were built for the workers ("Factory Cottages" or "Irish Row"). Weavers cottages were built on both New Road and the Village[8] with upper storeys for weaving.
In the twentieth century, improved communications made it possible for Prestbury to develop into a residential community.
Prestbury Mill[9] was destroyed by fire in 1940.
[edit] Conservation Area
The Conservation Area includes areas neighbouring the village street, the east side of Macclesfield Road as far south as the Methodist Church,[10] and New Road as far north as Butley Cottage[11] and its garden.
Many of the buildings and structures in the Conservation Area are listed by English Heritage, four of them, Bridge Hotel,[12] Priest's House,[13] Horners[14] and Prestbury Hall[15] being regarded as "Focal Buildings". Other buildings are considered to be of townscape merit. Trees and even some hedges are important landscape features.
The Manor House[16] was shown as the vicarage on the 1831 map.
Brooks Cottages,[17] marked with a plaque reading "Rodger Brooks and Ellen his wife Erected this house in the 24 years of his life Ano Dom 1686" are among the listed buildings on the Butley side of the Bollin.
[edit] Other areas
Smithy Cottage, built on the site of a former smithy, is just outside the conservation area.
Butley Hall[18] is shown on the 1831 map but is outside the Conservation Area, as are the Butley Ash inn and Spittle House, which was probably built between 1300 and 1450 as a leper hospital.
New estates were built during the twentieth century to accommodate commuters.
The defining characteristic of twenty-first century development has been the replacement of quite sizeable houses by large mansions, such as that built for Wayne Rooney.[19]
Adlington Hall[20] with strong connections with Prestbury is nearby.
[edit] Churches
St Peter's Church[21] which is one of the oldest Parish Churches in the country and houses a Saxon Cross in its churchyard.[22] The parish's memorial to the dead of the two World Wars is in the west porch.
St John's Adlington, a daughter church of St Peter's[23]
Prestbury Methodist Church[10]
[edit] Education
Prestbury Church of England Primary School[24]
[edit] Sporting Facilities
Bowling Club
Cricket Club
Football Clubs
Golf Club[25]
Macclesfield Rugby Club[26]
Riding School
Squash Racquets Club
Tennis Club[27]
[edit] Transport
Because of the lie of the land, the village is a natural traffic hub.
The road from Macclesfield to Altrincham (A538) carries traffic between Macclesfield and Wilmslow through the centre of the village. The Macclesfield to Hazel Grove road (A523), built in 1810, goes through the parish in a north–south direction, passing to the east of the village.
Bus 19 and 19X, Prestbury to Macclesfield
Prestbury is served by the Manchester to Macclesfield to Stoke-on-Trent railway line. Prestbury Station was opened on 24 November 1845 and refurbished in 1986. The south entrance arch to Prestbury Railway Tunnel is grade II listed.[28] The village centre is a few minutes walk from the station.
[edit] Famous residents
Numerous stars of sport and entertainment have lived in Prestbury for various lengths of time, including:
- Stan Pearson, professional football player, later sub-postmaster in Prestbury
- Wayne Rooney, professional football player
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Official census figures Retrieval Date: 10 June, 2007
- ^ [1] Chester Diocese Website. Retrieval Date: 20 August, 2007
- ^ Ward Population Figures. Macclesfield Borough Website. Retrieval date: 20 August, 2007
- ^ Cheshire Community Council, accessed 15 April 2008
- ^ Photos at Boots and Paws, accessed 24 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 27 October 2007
- ^ Prestbury Cheshire Website, accessed 20 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ Prestbury Cheshire Website, accessed 17 October 2007
- ^ a b Prestbury Cheshire website, accessed 20 October 2007
- ^ Prestbury Cheshire website, accessed 20 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 25 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 4 October 2007
- ^ The Independent, accessed 14 February 2008
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 5 October 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 4 October 2007
- ^ St. Peter's Church Official Website, accessed 20 August 2007
- ^ Prestbury Cheshire website, accessed 29 May 2008
- ^ School Portal, accessed 8 November 2007
- ^ Prestbury Golf Club website, accessed 2 December 2007
- ^ Macclesfield Rugby Club website, accessed 2 December 2007
- ^ Prestbury Tennis Club website, accessed 2 December 2007
- ^ English Heritage: Images of England, accessed 8 October 2007
[edit] References
- Frank Renaud "Contributions towards a history of the ancient Parish of Prestbury in Cheshire", The Chetham Society, 1876
- Gordon B.Hindle "St. Peter's Prestbury: a personal response", Church of St.Peter, Prestbury, Cheshire, 2001
- Prestbury Conservation Area Appraisal: Draft for Public Consultation: Macclesfield Borough Council, January 2006, accessed 28 October 2007
- A.J.S.Cartmell "The History of Prestbury", St.Peter's Church Prestbury, 2006
- Prestbury Community Directory, Prestbury Parish Council, 2006
- Prestbury Village Design Statement: Supplementary Planning Document, Borough of Macclesfield, June 2007, accessed 28 October 2007
- Village Design Statement for Prestbury Parish, accessed 15 April 2008
[edit] External links
- Prestbury Parish Council Official website
- Plan for Prestbury
- Oliver Wood's photos A collection of photos of Prestbury and the surrounding area.
- Travel article "The Wilmslow Boys" by A.A.Gill. Prestbury slated as "Smug Central"
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