Congleton is a town and

civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined form, the unitary authority ...

in the unitary authority of

Cheshire East Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The local authority is Cheshire East Council. Towns within the area include Crewe, Macclesfield, Co ...

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

, England. The town is by the

River Dane The River Dane is a tributary of the River Weaver that originates in the Peak District area of England. The name of the river (earlier ''Daven'') is probably from the Old Welsh ''dafn'', meaning a "drop or trickle", implying a slow-moving river. ...

, south of

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

and north of

Stoke on Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 26,482.

Toponymy

The town's name is of unknown origin. The first recorded reference to it was in 1282, when it was spelt ''Congelton''. The element ''Congle'' might relate to the old Norse ''kang'' meaning a bend, followed by the Old English element ''tun'' meaning settlement.

History

The first settlements in the Congleton area were

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistoric period during which stone was widely used to make tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years, and ended between 4,000 BC and 2,000 BC, with t ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

artefacts have been found in the town. Congleton was once thought to have been a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

settlement, although there is no archaeological or documentary evidence to support this. Congleton became a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...

after

Vikings Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden), who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...

destroyed nearby Davenport. Godwin, Earl of Wessex held the town in the

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

period. The town is mentioned in the

Domesday Book Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

, where it is listed as ''Cogeltone: Bigot de Loges''.

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...

granted the whole of Cheshire to his nephew the Earl of Chester who constructed several fortifications including the town's castle in 1208. In the 13th century, Congleton belonged to the

de Lacy de Lacy (Laci, Lacie, Lascy, Lacey, Lassey) is the surname of an old Norman family which originated from Lassy, Calvados. The family took part in the Norman Conquest of England and the later Norman invasion of Ireland. The name is first recorde ...

family.

Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and Sco ...

granted the town its first charter in 1272, enabling it to hold fairs and markets, elect a mayor and ale taster, have a

merchant guild A guild ( ) is an association of artisans and merchants who oversee the practice of their craft/trade in a particular area. The earliest types of guild formed as organizations of tradesmen belonging to a professional association. They sometimes ...

and behead known criminals. In 1451, the River Dane flooded, destroying a number of buildings, the town's mill and wooden bridge. The river was diverted, and the town was rebuilt on higher ground. Congleton became known in the 1620s when

bear-baiting Bear-baiting is a blood sport in which a chained bear and one or more dogs are forced to fight one another. It may also involve pitting a bear against another animal. History Europe Great Britain Bear-baiting was very popular from the 12th ...

and cockfighting were popular sports. The town was unable to attract large crowds to its bear-baiting contests and lacked the money to pay for a new, more aggressive bear. A legend tells that Congleton spent the money they were going to spend on a bible on a bear, this legend is only partly true as only part of the fund to buy a new bible was used to buy a new bear. The legend earned Congleton the nickname Beartown. The chorus of 20th-century folk song "Congleton Bear", by folk artist John Tams, runs: :Congleton Rare, Congleton Rare :Sold the Bible to buy a bear. During the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, former mayor and lawyer John Bradshaw became president of the court which sent

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

to his execution in 1649. His signature as

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

was the first on the king's death warrant. A plaque on Bradshaw House in Lawton Street commemorates him. Almost opposite the town hall, the White Lion public house bears a

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...

, placed by the Congleton Civic Society, which reads: "The White Lion, built 16–17th century. Said to have housed the attorney's office where John Bradshaw, regicide, served his articles." Old Mill (1753-1830) in 1902

King

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...

granted permission to build a mill. Congleton became an important centre of textile production, especially leather gloves and lace. Congleton had an early

silk throwing Silk throwing is the industrial process wherein silk that has been reeled into skeins, is cleaned, receives a twist and is wound onto bobbins. The yarn is now twisted together with threads, in a process known as ''doubling''. Colloquially silk thro ...

mill, the

Old Mill Old Mill may refer to: Animations *''The Old Mill'', a 1937 Academy Award-winning ''Silly Symphonies'' cartoon produced by Walt Disney *'' The Old Mill Pond'', a 1936 Academy Award nominated short film directed by Hugh Harman Places Canada * Old ...

built by John Clayton and Nathaniel Pattison in 1753. More mills followed, and cotton was also spun. The town's prosperity depended on

tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and poli ...

s imposed on imported silk. When tariffs were removed in the 1860s, the empty mills were converted to

fustian Fustian is a variety of heavy cloth woven from cotton, chiefly prepared for menswear. It is also used figuratively to refer to pompous, inflated or pretentious writing or speech, from at least the time of Shakespeare. This literary use is beca ...

cutting. A limited silk ribbon weaving industry survived into the 20th century, and woven labels were still produced in the 1990s. Many mills survive as industrial or residential units.Fustian Mills Talk
Lyndon Murgatroyd 2007 Congleton Town Hall was designed in the

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

style by Edward William Godwin. It was completed in 1866. Congleton elected its first Lady Mayor in November 1945. During the celebration marking 700 years of Congleton's Charter in 1972

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

visited Congleton. As part of the celebration marking 750 years of Congleton's charter Congleton appointed an Ale Taster.

Governance

The Congleton parliamentary constituency is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

. It includes the towns of Congleton, Alsager, Holmes Chapel, Middlewich and Sandbach. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the

first-past-the-post In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast their ...

system of election. The current MP is Fiona Bruce of the

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

, the previous incumbent was

Ann Winterton Jane Ann, Lady Winterton (''née'' Hodgson; born 6 March 1941 in Sutton Coldfield) is a retired British Conservative Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Congleton from 1983 to 2010. She is married to Sir Nicholas Winterto ...

, who sat in parliament alongside her husband Nicholas Winterton, the MP for neighbouring

Macclesfield Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Bollin in the east of the county, on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east ...

. After they were judged to have broken MPs' expense rules in 2008 by claiming for rent on a second home owned by a family trust, both stood down at the 2010 general election; their joint statement cited the hectic life of politics as part of their reason for standing down. Congleton forms the central portion of the

unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

, located in the south-east of Cheshire. Before the abolition of Cheshire County Council on 1 April 2009, Congleton had

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

status (originally conferred in 1272). The neighbouring urban district of

Buglawton Buglawton is a suburb of Congleton, in the south-east of Cheshire. It was a parish and an urban district (i.e. effectively an independent town) from 1894 until 1936, when it was incorporated in Congleton borough. In 1931 the parish had a population ...

was incorporated into Congleton borough in 1936. From 1974 to 2009,

Congleton borough Congleton was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district with borough status in Cheshire, England. It included the towns of Congleton, Alsager, Middlewich and Sandbach. The headquarters of the borough council were located in Sandbach. Hi ...

covered much of south-east Cheshire. For representation on Cheshire East Council, Congleton divided into two wards returning three members, Congleton East and Congleton West. Three of the six seats are currently represented by Conservative Party Councillors, with one Liberal Democrat and two Independents. The town has an elected

Town Council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

which was established in 1980. The town is split into two wards with 20 councillors elected every 4 years.

Geography

Mossley is sometimes classed as the wealthier part of town. Hightown is located in Mossley. West Heath is a estate built in the early 1960s to the early 1980s. Lower Heath lies to the north of the town. There is also the town centre. Congleton is in the valley of the

. South of the town lies an expanse of green space known locally as Priesty Fields which forms a green corridor right into the heart of the town – a rare feature in English towns. Folklore says that Priesty Fields gained its name as there was no priest performing services within the town. The nearest priest was based at the nearby village of Astbury. It is told that the priest would walk along an ancient medieval pathway which ran between the fields at the Parish Church in Astbury and St Peter's Church in Congleton.

Economy

The principal industries in Congleton include the manufacture of

airbag An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate extremely quickly, then quickly deflate during a collision. It consists of the airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. Th ...

s and golf balls. There are light engineering factories near the town and

sand extraction Sand mining is the extraction of sand, mainly through an open pit (or sand pit) but sometimes mined from beaches and inland dunes or dredged from ocean and river beds. Sand is often used in manufacturing, for example as an abrasive or in concret ...

occurs on the Cheshire Plain. One of the most prominent industries during the nineteenth century onwards was Berisfords Ribbons, established in 1858. It was founded by Charles Berisford and his brothers Francis and William. The brothers leased part of

Victoria Mill , owner_2 = Fine Cotton Spinners and Doublers Association , acquisition_date_2 = 1898 , owner_3 = , acquisition_date_3 = Victoria Mill is a Grade II* listed nineteenth century cotton spinning mil ...

, on Foundry Bank, owning the entire factory by 1872. By 1898, the company had offices in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, Manchester,

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

and

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

. Congleton Market operates every Tuesday and Saturday from the Bridestones Centre. Until about 2000, Super Crystalate balls, made of

crystalate Crystalate is an early plastic, a formulation of nitrocellulose, camphor, and alcohol invented in the late 19th century and patented by American inventor George Henry Burt. It is best known as a material for gramophone records produced in the U ...

, were manufactured by The Composition Billiard Ball Company in Congleton. The company was then sold by its owner to

Saluc S.A. Saluc S.A. is a Belgian speciality manufacturing company. Founded in 1923, they are best known for their Aramith brand billiard balls. The company also manufactures other sorts of balls and bearings with high engineering tolerances for a wide vari ...

, the Belgian manufacturer of Aramith Balls. The name Super Crystalate was retained, but the manufacturing process was integrated into the standard process used for Aramith balls.

Culture

The

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

Tudor house

Little Moreton Hall Little Moreton Hall, also known as Old Moreton Hall, is a moated half-timbered manor house southwest of Congleton in Cheshire, England. The earliest parts of the house were built for the prosperous Cheshire landowner William Moreton in about ...

is south-west of the town. Congleton Park is located along the banks of the River Dane, just north-east of the town centre. Town Wood, on the northern edge of the park, is a Grade A Site of Biological Interest and contains many nationally important plants. Congleton Paddling Pool was built in the 1930s and is open in the summer months. Astbury Mere Country Park lies just to the south-west of the town centre, on the site of a former sand quarry. The lake is used for fishing and sailing and, despite its name, is actually in the West Heath area of Congleton, with the boundary between Congleton and Newbold Astbury parishes lying further to the south. The independently run 300 seat

Daneside Theatre Daneside Theatre is a theatre in the town of Congleton, Cheshire, England. It opened in 1984 and expanded in 2001. The theatre is used by several local dramatic and musical societies. History Daneside Theatre was built in response to the clos ...

is on Park Road. The 400-seat Clonter Opera Theatre is based in the village of Swettenham Heath, north of Congleton. Founded in 1971, Congleton Choral Society is a mixed voice choir which regularly performs choral works at Congleton Town Hall and other venues around the town. Congleton Museum is on Market Square, in the centre of town. It was established in 2002 and is dedicated to Congleton's industrial history. It also contains an ancient log boat and gold and silver

coin hoards A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to ...

. Congleton Tourist Information Centre is on the town's High Street. Congleton Park 2456

The town also annually hosts a food and drink festival, which promotes locally sourced produce/cuisine, with a jazz and blues festival which showcases acts from across the UK. In 2019, Congleton held its first annual pride event. The town hosts a one-day carnival every two years. In the past the carnival was regarded as one of the best local carnivals in England, and used to last for up to three days and feature floats and live music among another attractions. For six months in summer 2011 Congleton hosted an event called "Bearmania", in which over sixty 5-foot fibreglass sculptures where placed around the town. Over 26,000 people came to see the bears during "Bearmania".

Media

There is one weekly local newspaper: the locally owned and financed ''

Congleton Chronicle The ''Congleton Chronicle'' is a weekly newspaper published every Thursday in Congleton, Cheshire, England. Founded in 1893 by Robert Head at 11 High Street, Congleton, the newspaper remains at that address, and is the only independently-owned, p ...

''. The evening newspaper '' The Sentinel'', based in Stoke-on-Trent, also covers the town although less so than in the past. Local radio is broadcast from nearby Macclesfield-based

Silk FM Cheshire's Silk 106.9 is an Independent Local Radio serving Macclesfield and parts of East Cheshire, owned and operated by neighbouring station Chester's Dee Radio. It broadcasts a mix of current and classic hits alongside local news and sport ...

Signal 1 Signal 1 is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Bauer as part of the Hits Radio network. It broadcasts to Staffordshire and South Cheshire. As of September 2022, the station has a weekly audience of 172,000 listeners a ...

and

Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire is an Independent Local Radio station broadcasting from studios in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, to Staffordshire and Cheshire. The station was owned by Wireless Group and ran a "gold format" playlist ...

from Stoke-on-Trent and

BBC Radio Stoke BBC Radio Stoke is the BBC's local radio station serving Staffordshire and South Cheshire. It broadcasts on FM, DAB, Freeview and via BBC Sounds from studios in the Hanley area of Stoke-on-Trent. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekl ...

. Community radio is provided by

Moorlands Radio Moorlands Radio is a community radio station based in Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands, England. It was granted the full-time licence in the second round of community radio licensing by broadcast regulator Ofcom in February 2008. The station se ...

Leek The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek ( syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a stem or stalk. The genus ''Alli ...

and Canalside Community Radio in Macclesfield. Congleton did have its own community radio station Beartown FM, but this has now closed. There is an internet-only radio station, Congleton Radio, which started broadcasting on 25 June 2022.

Sport

Rugby union

Congleton is home to the third oldest rugby union club in the country, dating back to 1860. Currently fielding a mini and junior section and three adult sides, the club held the world record for the longest continuous game of rugby ever played, at 24 hours, 30 minutes and 6 seconds. The club has also pioneered the development of 'walking rugby' for more senior players and has re-established a ladies' team, having previously had two of its women players represent England.

Football

The local

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

team,

Congleton Town F.C. Congleton Town Football Club is an association football club based in Congleton, Cheshire, England. They currently play in the and are full members of the Cheshire County Football Association. The club have played in a number of regional league ...

, known as the Bears, play in the North West Counties League. Their ground is at Booth Street.

Tennis

Congleton Tennis Club, one of the oldest in the country (founded in 1890), have occupied the same grounds throughout their history. The club has nine courts: six all-weather courts and three with artificial grass. Four of the courts are floodlit.

Other sports

There are two cricket clubs, Congleton CC and Mossley CC. There are two golf clubs in the town—the historic Congleton Golf Club, which is an undulating nine-hole course with views over the Cloud End, and the 18-hole parkland course at Astbury. There is also a running club, Congleton Harriers, which meets weekly at Congleton Leisure Centre. The club organises the Congleton Half Marathon and in 2012 re-introduced the Congleton Quarter Marathon.

Transport

Railway

Congleton railway station Congleton railway station is a mainline station serving the Cheshire town of Congleton. It lies on the Stafford-Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line in the United Kingdom. History Plans for a railway station in Congleton were first ...

was opened by the

North Staffordshire Railway The North Staffordshire Railway (NSR) was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire. The company was based i ...

on 9 October 1848. It is situated on the Stafford-Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line. There is generally an hourly stopping service between

Manchester Piccadilly Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. Opened as Store Street in 1842, it was renamed Manchester London Road in 1847 and became Manchester Piccadilly in 1960. Located to the south-east of Manchester city ...

and

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

, fewer on Sundays, with trains operated by

Northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

. The Biddulph Valley line used to terminate in the town. The railway ran from Stoke-on-Trent to

Brunswick Wharf Brunswick Wharf was a railway goods yard in Buglawton, Congleton. Brunswick Wharf was used to transport sand from Congleton to the potteries and coal from the potteries to Brunswick Wharf along the Biddulph Valley Line. History Brunswick Whar ...

, in the suburb of

. Passenger services ended in 1927, with freight services continuing until 1968 when the line was closed.

Busses

Congleton has nine bus routes operated by Arriva North West, D&G and Hollinshead coaches.

Roads

Congleton is east of the M6 motorway, connected by the A534. It is on the A34 trunk road between Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester, and the A54 to Buxton and the

Peak District The Peak District is an upland area in England at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southe ...

. The A536 links the town with Macclesfield, with the A527 linking the town to

Biddulph Biddulph is a town in Staffordshire, England, north of Stoke-on-Trent and south-east of Congleton, Cheshire. Origin of the name Biddulph's name may come from Anglo-Saxon/Old English ''bī dylfe'' = "beside the pit or quarry". It may also ...

and providing an alternative route to Stoke-on-Trent.

Waterways

The

Macclesfield Canal The Macclesfield Canal is a canal in east Cheshire, England. There were various proposals for a canal to connect the town of Macclesfield to the national network from 1765 onwards, but it was not until 1824 that a scheme came to fruition. There ...

, completed in 1831, passes through the town. It runs from Marple Junction at Marple, where it joins the Upper Peak Forest Canal, southwards (through Bollington and

), before arriving at

Bosley Bosley is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 406.Trent & Mersey Canal The Trent and Mersey Canal is a canal in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire in north-central England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities to the east of Burton upon Trent and north of Middle ...

at Hall Green. The canal is renowned for its elegant roving bridges. Congleton is one of few places in Britain where a road, canal and railway all cross each other at the same place.

Air

The nearest airport to the town is

Manchester Airport Manchester Airport is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England, south-west of Manchester city centre. In 2019, it was the third busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passenger numbers and the busiest of those n ...

, away.

Public services

Policing in Congleton is provided by Cheshire Constabulary. The main police station is on Market Square. Statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the English county of Cheshire, consisting of the unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. It operates 28 fire stat ...

. Congleton Fire Station is on West Road, near the centre of town. Congleton has a small hospital, Congleton War Memorial Hospital, which was built by public subscription in 1924. The town is also served by

Leighton Hospital Leighton Hospital is a hospital located to the northwest of the town of Crewe in the county of Cheshire, England. It is managed by the Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. History Built at a cost of £6 million, Leighton Hospital was of ...

Crewe Crewe () is a railway town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. The Crewe built-up area had a total population of 75,556 in 2011, which also covers parts of the adjacent civil parishes of Willaston ...

Macclesfield District General Hospital Macclesfield District General Hospital is a health facility in Macclesfield, Cheshire. It is managed by the East Cheshire NHS Trust. History The hospital has its origins in the Macclesfield Workhouse and Hospital which opened at West Park in 1 ...

and the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in

Religion

The four

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

churches in Congleton (forming a partnership in the All Saints Congleton parish) are: * St John's * St Stephen's * St Peter's * Trinity Congleton Town Council lists eleven other places of worship in the town: * Congleton Community

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

Church * Brookhouse Green

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

Church * New Life Church * Congleton

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Church * Rood Lane Methodist Church * Congleton

Spiritualist Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century The ''long nineteenth century'' i ...

Church * St James' Anglican Church * St Mary's Roman Catholic Church * Trinity Methodist Church * Congleton United Reformed Church * Wellspring Methodist Church *

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(Mormons) Historically, Congleton has seen a wide range of Christian church denominations. * The

Friends' Meeting House A Friends meeting house is a meeting house of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), where meeting for worship is usually held. Typically, Friends meeting houses are simple and resemble local residential buildings. Steeples, spires, and ...

closed in 1741. * The Wesleyan Methodist Trinity Chapel, in Wagg Street, was founded in 1766 and was rebuilt in 1808 and again in 1967; the

Primitive Methodist The Primitive Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination with the holiness movement. It began in England in the early 19th century, with the influence of American evangelist Lorenzo Dow (1777–1834). In the United States, the Primiti ...

Chapel was built in 1821 on Lawton Street, and rebuilt in 1890 on Kinsey Street; the Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion Methodist chapel was founded in 1822; the Congleton Edge Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in 1833 and rebuilt in 1889; the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Brook Street was built in 1834; the New Connexion Methodist Chapel in Queen Street was built in 1836 and closed in 1969; the Primitive Methodist Chapel in Biddulph Road was built in 1840; the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Rood Lane was founded in 1861 and rebuilt in 1886. * The Unitarian Chapel in Cross Street was founded in 1687 near the Dane Bridge and in 1733 moved to Cross Street, with the present building constructed in 1883 and closed in 1978. * The United Reformed Church (

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

/ Congregationalist) was built in 1790 on Mill Street, and then rebuilt in 1876 on Antrobus Street.

Education

Primary schools

*Astbury St Mary's C of E School *Black Firs Primary School *Buglawton Primary School *Daven Primary School *Havannah Primary School *Marlfields Primary School *Mossley C of E Primary School *Smallwood C of E Primary School *St Mary's Catholic Primary School *The Quinta Primary School

High and secondary schools

Buglawton Hall Buglawton Hall is a former country house, later a school, to the northeast of Buglawton, a suburb of Congleton, Cheshire, England. Architecture The building dates from the 16th century, with later additions and alterations. In the 19th ...

(closed 2018) *

Congleton High School Congleton High School (CHS) is an 11–18 mixed secondary school and sixth form with academy status in Congleton, Cheshire, England. It has a specialism in engineering. History The school was formed after the reduction of the area's thre ...

Eaton Bank Academy Eaton Bank Academy (formerly Eaton Bank School) is a co-educational secondary school with academy status located in the town of Congleton in Cheshire, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land ...

Notable people

Public service and commerce

* Saint

Margaret Ward Margaret Ward (c. 1550-30 August 1588), the "pearl of Tyburn", was an English Roman Catholic Church, Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I for assisting a Clergy, priest to escape from prison ...

(died 1588), the "pearl of Tyburn", English Catholic martyr executed during the reign of Elizabeth I for assisting a priest to escape from prison * John Bradshaw (1602–1659), judge, sat as President of the

High Court of Justice The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cou ...

for the trial of King Charles I, Mayor of Congleton 1637–1638 *

John Whitehurst John Whitehurst FRS (10 April 1713 – 18 February 1788), born in Cheshire, England, was a clockmaker and scientist, and made significant early contributions to geology. He was an influential member of the Lunar Society. Life and work Whit ...

FRS (1713–1788), clockmaker and scientist, member of the Lunar Society *

Sir John Parnell, 2nd Baronet Sir John Parnell, 2nd Baronet (25 December 1744 – December 1801) was an Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament. Biography A Church of Ireland landowner, his family had originally migrated to Ireland from Congleton in Cheshire. Although not from a ...

(1744–1801), Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament, his family originally migrated to Ireland from Congleton * Robert Hodgson (1773–1844), priest, Dean of Carlisle * Gibbs Crawfurd Antrobus (1793–1861), diplomat and politician, long-established family in Congleton *

Hewett Watson Hewett Cottrell Watson (9 May 1804 – 27 July 1881) was a phrenologist, botanist and theory of evolution, evolutionary theorist. He was born in Firbeck, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, and died at Thames Ditton, Surrey. Biography Watson was the eld ...

(1804–1881), phrenologist, botanist and evolutionary theorist * William Newton (1822–1876), trade unionist, journalist and Chartist *

Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elizabeth Clarke Wolstenholme-Elmy (died 12 March 1918) was a life-long campaigner and organiser, significant in the history of women's suffrage in the United Kingdom. She wrote essays and some poetry, using the pseudonyms E and Ignota. Early ...

(1833–1918), suffragist, essayist and poet * Rear-Admiral Gerald Cartmell Harrison (1883–1943), Royal Navy officer and cricketer *

Theodora Turner Theodora Turner, (5 August 1907 – 24 August 1999) was a British nurse and hospital matron. Early years and education Theodora Turner was born on 5 August 1907 in Congleton, Cheshire, one of five children. Her father later became Conservativ ...

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

ARRC (1907–1999), born in Congleton, nurse and hospital matron. *

Frank Kearton, Baron Kearton Christopher Frank Kearton, Baron Kearton, , (17 February 1911 – 2 July 1992), usually known as Frank Kearton, was a British life peer in the House of Lords. He was also a scientist and industrialist and former Chancellor of the University of Ba ...

FRS FRSA (1911–1992), life peer, scientist and industrialist * George Harold Eardley VC MM (1912–1991), received the Victoria Cross in 1944 *

(born 1941), politician, MP for Congleton 1983–2010 * John Blundell (1952–2014), Director General at the

Institute of Economic Affairs The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a right-wing pressure group and think tank registered as a UK charity Associated with the New Right, the IEA describes itself as an "educational research institute", and says that it seeks to "further t ...

Dawn Gibbins Dawn Gibbins MBE (Later Dawn De Vivre) (1961 – 11 February 2022) was a British entrepreneur and philanthropist. Career Dawn Gibbins founded commercial and industrial flooring company Flowcrete in Sandbach in 1982 alongside her late father, ...

MBE (1961–2022) entrepreneur, started flooring company Flowcrete with her father.

Arts

* Stanley Unwin (1911–2002), also "Professor" Stanley Unwin, comedian, actor and comic *

Alan Garner Alan Garner (born 17 October 1934) is an English novelist best known for his children's fantasy novels and his retellings of traditional British folk tales. Much of his work is rooted in the landscape, history and folklore of his native count ...

OBE (born 1934), novelist best known for his children's fantasy novels *

Louise Plowright Louise Plowright (1 June 1956 – 1 March 2016) was a British actress who trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. She first came to prominence playing abrasive hairdresser Julie Cooper in the television soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 1 ...

(1956–2016), actress *

Mark Edwardson Mark Edwardson (born 1967) is a former TV news presenter and reporter for ''BBC North West Tonight'' based at '' MediaCity UK'' in ''Salford''. He is also a seasoned radio presenter having hosted the breakfast shows at BBC Radio Stoke and BBC GM ...

(born 1967), TV presenter, BBC North West lives in Congleton *

Emma Bossons Emma Bossons, born in 1976 in Congleton, Cheshire, is a ceramic artist and designer for Moorcroft Pottery. Life Bossons' childhood years were spent living on a dairy farm where she developed a keen interest in watercolour painting. Self-taught ...

(born 1976 in Congleton), ceramic artist and designer for

Moorcroft W. Moorcroft Limited (trading as W Moorcroft Ltd) is a British art pottery manufacturer based at Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent, England. The company was founded by William Moorcroft in 1913. History In 1897, Staffordshire pottery manufacturers ...

Pottery * Jackie Oates (born 1983 in Congleton), folk singer and fiddle player

Sports

Tommy Clare Thomas Clare (12 March 1865 – 27 December 1929) was an English England national football team, international association football, footballer, who played at right-back, and football manager. He began his playing career with Stoke City F.C., ...

(1865–1929), international footballer (right-back) and football manager *

George Clawley George Clawley (10 April 1875 – 16 July 1920) was an English professional goalkeeper who played for Stoke, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was the goalkeeper for the Spurs side that ...

(1875–1920), professional goalkeeper who played for

Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is a professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, which competes in the . Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, it changed its name to Stoke in 1878 and then to Stoke City in 1925 after Stoke ...

, Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, born at

Scholar Green Scholar Green () is a village in the civil parish of Odd Rode, in Cheshire, England. Encompassing the smaller settlements of Kent Green and The Bank, it is situated on the A34 near Mow Cop, Alsager, Rode Heath, Butt Lane and Kidsgrove and in ...

, near Congleton * William Yates (1880–1967), racewalker, competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics *

Hugh Moffat Hugh Moffat may refer to: * Hugh Moffat (footballer) (1885–1952), English footballer *Hugh Moffat (politician) (1810–1884), mayor of Detroit *Hugh Moffatt (singer) Hugh Moffatt (born November 3, 1948) is an American country singer and songwr ...

(1885–1952), footballer, played for Burnley F.C. and

Oldham Athletic F.C. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is a professional football club in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. The history of Oldham Athletic ...

Bill Fielding William Fielding (17 June 1915 – May 2006) was an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United in the 1930s and 1940s. Career Born in Broadhurst, Congleton, Cheshire, Fielding beg ...

(1915–2006), goalkeeper for Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers and Manchester United *

Ann Packer Ann Elizabeth Packer MBE (born 8 March 1942) is an English former sprinter, hurdler and long jumper. She won a gold medal in the 800 metres and a silver in the 400 metres at the 1964 Summer Olympics. Early life In 1959 Packer won the English ...

(born 1942) and Robbie Brightwell (1939–2022), husband-and-wife

Olympic gold medal Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece b ...

athletes *

Ian Brightwell Ian Robert Brightwell (born 9 April 1968) is an English former professional footballer and manager. As a player, he was a defender from 1986 to 2006 and who played 468 league games in a 20-year career the Football League and Premier League. H ...

(born 1968), former

Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The tw ...

footballer with 464 club caps; grew up in Congleton *

Laura Newton Laura Kelly Newton (born Macleod, 27 November 1977) is an English former cricketer who played as a right-handed batter and off break bowler. She appeared in 13 Test matches, 73 WODIs and 3 WT20Is games for the English women's cricket team. S ...

(born 1977), cricketer *

Tim Brown Timothy, Timmy, or Tim Brown may refer to: Music * Timothy Brown (bassist) (born 1969), bassist for the band The Boo Radleys * Timothy Brown (conductor) (born 1946), English choral conductor * Timothy Brown (hornist), English hornist Sports Gridir ...

(born 1981), New Zealand international footballer, born in Congleton

Twin towns – sister cities

Congleton is twinned with: * Trappes since 16 September 1962

Aldermen and Freeman

Borough of Congleton Roll of Honorary Alderman

The following is a list of people who have been either an Alderman or Freeman of Congleton, and when the title was bestowed. *A. J. Solly (Alderman ???) *Ernest Hancock (Alderman ???) *John Smith (Alderman ???) *Massie Harper (Alderman ???) *F. Dale (Alderman ???) *Harold Burns (Alderman ???) *W. I. Fern J.P. (Alderman ???) *S. Maskery (Alderman ???) *Fred Jackson (Alderman ???, Freeman ???) *Frederick Barton (???) *G. Rowell (November 1945) *W. Newton (November 1945) *W.F. O'Reilly (November 1945) *Mr C. W. Harrison (Alderman 4 October 1984) *Mr A. G. Smith (Alderman 4 October 1984) *Mr C. H. Kelly (Alderman 25 September 1986) *Mr L. Yarwood (Alderman 29 September 1988) *Mr J. M. Telfer (Alderman 28 September 1989) *Mr F. Bowers (Alderman 5 November 1992) *Mr. W. Vickers Q.P.M. (Alderman 5 November 1992) *Mrs E. Henshall MBE. BA. Dip.ed. (Alderman 22 September 1994) *Mr R. Tomlinson (Alderman 29 October 1998) *Mr R. C. Parry (Alderman 29 January 2004) *Mr K. A. Hemsley (Alderman 29 January 2004) *Mrs K. A. Thompson (Alderman 29 January 2004) *Mr M. J. Cooper (Alderman 2009) *Mr T. Farrell (Alderman 2009) *Mr R. A. Giltrap (Alderman 2009) *Mr L. Morris (Alderman 2009) *MR F. Walton (Alderman 2009) *Cllr D. Brown (Alderman 2009) *Cllr R. M. Domleo (Alderman 2009) *Cllr P. J. Edwards (Alderman 2009) *Cllr R. I. Fletcher (Alderman 2009) *Cllr D. I. Hough (Alderman 2009) *First Battalion of the Mercian Regiment (Freeman ???) *Mr G. Chambers (Freeman 2009)

Freedom of Congleton

The following is a list of people who have had freedom of Congleton and when the freedom was bestowed. *Alderman S. Maskery (Freedom of the Borough of Congleton early 1900s) *DR. W.L. Fern (Freedom of the Borough of Congleton 14 May 1934) *Alderman W. I. Fern J.P. (Freedom of the Borough of Congleton 14 May 1934)

Gallery

File:Dane-in-Shaw bluebells.jpg, Bluebells at Dane-in-Shaw Brook SSI File:Astbury Mere entrance.jpg,

Astbury Mere Astbury Mere is a lake and open area in West Heath, a suburb of Congleton, Cheshire, England, in an area formerly quarried for silica sand. Part of the area is accredited by Natural England as a country park, Astbury Mere Country Park. The cou ...

File:Daneside Theatre.jpg,

in March 2022

References

Notes

Sources

External links

Congleton Town Council website
*
Welcome to Congleton
— dedicated tourism website for the Congleton area.
Congleton Museum
— local history museum and education resource {{authority control Civil parishes in Cheshire Towns in Cheshire Towns and villages of the Peak District