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Leek is 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 rura ...
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. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in
Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...
, England, on the River Churnet north east 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. It has an estimated population of 259,965 as of 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire ...
. It is an ancient borough and was granted its
royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
in 1214. It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. King John granted Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, the right to hold a weekly Wednesday market and an annual seven-day fair in Leek in 1207. Leek's
coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
is a
saltire A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a Heraldry, heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross. The word comes from the Middle French , Medieval Latin ("stirrup"). From its use as field sign, the saltire cam ...
shield. On the top is the Stafford knot, either side is the Leek double sunset and below a gold garb. The crest is a mural crown with three mulberry leaves on a mount of heather on top of which a moorcock is resting his claw on a small-weave shuttle. The motto translates to: Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair.


Economy

The town has had a regular cattle market for hundreds of years, reflecting its role as a centre of local
farming Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...
. Following the
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
it was a major producer of
textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...
s, with
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
working in particular coming to dominate the industrial landscape. However, this industry has now ceased. The mills from the town's textile era remain and many have now been converted into housing. Britannia Building Society had its headquarters in the town and was a large local employer. Irish
agricultural cooperative An agricultural cooperative, also known as a farmers' co-op, is a producer cooperative in which farmers pool their resources in certain areas of activities. A broad typology of agricultural cooperatives distinguishes between agricultural servic ...
Ornua has its UK headquarters located in Leek, producing and purchasing butter and cheese and employing over 700 staff.


Geography

Most of the town is at or above and is surrounded by the higher countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands which is situated on the southern uplands of the
Pennines The Pennines (), also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, are a range of highland, uplands mainly located in Northern England. Commonly described as the "Vertebral column, backbone of England" because of its length and position, the ra ...
. Leek is built on the slope and crown of a hill which is situated just a few miles south of the Roaches; a gritstone escarpment which rises steeply to . Leek is situated at the foot of the
Peak District The Peak District is an Highland, upland area in central-northern England, at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is subdivi ...
National Park A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
and is therefore sometimes referred to as the Gateway to the
Peak District The Peak District is an Highland, upland area in central-northern England, at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is subdivi ...
, although the town is more often referred to as the Queen of the Moorlands.


Climate


History

Leek (Lee, Leike, Leeke) formed part of the great estates of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia; it escheated to
William the Conqueror William the Conqueror (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), sometimes called William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England (as William I), reigning from 1066 until his death. A descendant of Rollo, he was D ...
who held it at the time of the Domesday Survey. Later it passed to the earls Palatine of Chester, remaining in their hands until Ralph de Blundevill, earl of Chester, gave it to the abbey of Dieulacresse, which continued to hold it until its dissolution. The same earl in a charter which he gave to the town (''temp''. John) calls it a borough and grants to his free burgesses various privileges, including freedom from toll throughout Cheshire. These privileges were confirmed by Richard, abbot of Dieulacresse, but the town received no royal charter and failed to establish its burghal position. The Wednesday market which is still held dates from a grant of John to the earl of Chester: in the 17th century it was very considerable. A fair, also granted by John, beginning on the third day before the
Translation Translation is the communication of the semantics, meaning of a #Source and target languages, source-language text by means of an Dynamic and formal equivalence, equivalent #Source and target languages, target-language text. The English la ...
of
Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ( 1003 â€“ 5 January 1066) was King of England from 1042 until his death in 1066. He was the last reigning monarch of the House of Wessex. Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy. He succeede ...
is still held. The silk manufacture which can be traced to the latter part of the 17th century is thought to have been aided by the settlement in Leek of some
Huguenots The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
after the revocation of the
Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...
. In the 17th and 18th centuries the town was famous for its ale. Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through Leek on his march to Derby (1745) and again on his return journey to Scotland. A story in connexion with the Civil Wars is told to explain the expression "Now thus" occurring on the tombstone of a citizen, who by this meaningless answer to all questions sought escape on the plea of insanity.


Architecture and development

Listed buildings include the original parish church, St Edward the Confessor's, and a Victorian church, All Saints', designed by Richard Norman Shaw. Many Victorian period buildings still stand in the town.


Sugden buildings

Many of Leek's buildings were built by the family architectural practice of the Sugdens. In 1849 William Sugden (b. 1821 in
Keighley Keighley ( ) is a market town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the City of Bradford Borough of West Yorkshire, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the borough, after Bradford. Keighley is north-west of Bradford, n ...
) came to Leek. He was an architect and his work on the design of the railway stations for the Churnet Valley Railway brought him to the area. In the following year William's son, Larner Sugden, was born. After schooling in
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ) is an area of Northern England which was History of Yorkshire, historically a county. Despite no longer being used for administration, Yorkshire retains a strong regional identity. The county was named after its county town, the ...
, Larner returned to Leek in 1866 to be apprenticed to his father as an architect, and thus was formed the famous Sugden & Son (Architects), whose influence on the town was to be profound. The firm had offices in Derby Street. The building still survives, the ground floor now being occupied by Boots the Chemist. Larner was a great supporter of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and so Leek's development was in sympathetic hands. The architectural output from Sugden & Son was both prolific and varied. Some of the buildings designed by the Sugdens are as follows: * the
Congregational Church Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice congregational government. Each congregation independently a ...
with its spire, (now Trinity Church), built in the Victorian Gothic Revival style (1863) * Myatt's Mill in Earl Street (1864) * Mill Street Methodist Chapel and Ragged School (1870) * the Cottage Hospital, in memory of silk manufacturer James Allsop (1871) * their own houses in Queen Street, complete with monograms for William, Larner and for Larner's French wife (1877) * West Street School (extended in 1881) * the District Bank, which exhibits a strong Richard Norman Shaw influence (1882) * the Leonard Street Police Station in Scottish baronial architecture (1891); this last was probably the last joint venture of the father-and-son team because William Sugden died in 1892 The Sugden masterpiece was, perhaps, the Nicholson Institute, built in the Queen Anne style, in 1882. That this building is tucked away behind the 17th-century 'Greystones' is a further indication of Larner's regard for old buildings. Larner would not countenance demolition of the old building, and so, as the Nicholsons owned the land to the rear, that is where the institute was built. Larner cleverly incorporated the busts of Shakespeare, Newton, Reynolds and Tennyson into the building representing 400 years of artistic and scientific achievement from the 16th to the 19th century and embracing literature, science, art and poetry. In 1899 came the Technical Schools and the Co-operative Society Hall. Although the original town centre cattle market was demolished and replaced with a
bus station A bus station, bus depot, or bus interchange is a structure where city buses or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. A bus station is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can st ...
and
shopping centre A shopping center in American English, shopping centre in English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, spelling differences), shopping complex, shopping arcade, ...
in the 1960s, the new cattle market was built on the edge of town adjacent to the
railway station Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in railway track, tracks, which usually consist of two parallel steel railway track, rails. Rail transport is one of the two primary means of ...
. Later, this was one of the stations closed following Dr Beeching's recommendations, and a supermarket now stands on the site. The Nicholson War Memorial was dedicated in 1925. Leek offers some contemporary architecture, most notably the alterations and refurbishment to Trinity Church on Derby Street (2011) and new teaching building on Horton Street for Leek College (2013).


Notable residents

left, Brindley Water Mill Leek was the home of James Brindley, the 18th century canal engineer. He built a water-powered corn mill in 1752. This
watermill A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as mill (grinding), milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in ...
is now preserved as Brindley Water Mill and Museum.
William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 â€“ 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, artist, writer, and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts movement. He was a major contributor to the revival of traditiona ...
, founder of the
Arts and Crafts movement The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and America. Initiat ...
, often visited Leek between 1875 and 1878. He studied dyeing with Thomas Wardle, owner of a dyeworks in the town, and it was Leek which provided his firm with silk. It was through the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, which he founded in 1877, that he came into contact with Larner Sugden, the local architect. Sugden would play a part in establishing a "William Morris Labour Church" in Leek, after Morris' death in 1896. Sugden also published a series called "the Bijou of Leek Freethought Reprints". The 7th volume, published 1884, contained a lecture by Morris, entitled ''Art and Socialism.''''Art and Socialism''
online edition
(accessed 2022-05-07). Se
Leek—William Morris Labour Church
in 'British History Online' (accessed 2022-05-07).
Dame Professor
Averil Cameron Dame Averil Millicent Cameron ( Sutton; born 8 February 1940), often cited as A. M. Cameron, is a British historian. She writes on Late Antiquity, Classics, and Byzantine Studies. She was Professor of Late Antiquity, Late Antique and Byzantine ...
, Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History in the
University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
and former Warden of Keble College, grew up in Leek. Dave Hill, vocalist for English new wave of British heavy metal band
Demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...
, lives in Leek and operates rides at Alton Towers. Jeff Janiak, American born vocalist of influential punk / metal band Discharge and former vocalist of Broken Bones resides in Leek.Stone, Drew. "The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #58 Jeff "JJ" Janiak (Discharge / Broken Bones / Dead Heros") ''YouTube'', uploaded by stonefilmsnyc, Streamed live on 9 Sept 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oExCPVUjUYk . Acsessed March 26, 2021 James Ford, English musical composer, record producer and musician in the band Simian Mobile Disco was born in
Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England. It has an estimated population of 259,965 as of 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire ...
and grew up in Leek "playing bass and singing in bands by the age of ten." Also, he has produced the Arctic Monkeys and Depeche Mode. Amongst sports people associated with the town, the best known person is former five-time world professional darts champion Eric Bristow who used to live in the town. Anna Watkins, born in Leek, won a gold medal for rowing in the 2012 Olympics. Footballer Arthur Hulme (1877–1916) was born in Leek. Former England test cricketer Kim Barnett was born and lives in Leek. Other notable residents include: * Thomas Parker, 1st Earl of Macclesfield (1666 in Leek – 1732) Whig politician, Lord Chief Justice 1710 to 1718, impeached for corruption 1725, fined and placed in the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
* William Benton Clulow (1802 in Leek – 1882)
dissenting minister A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...
, tutor and writer. * Thomas Bullock (1816 in Leek – 1885) Mormon pioneer, emigrated to
Nauvoo, Illinois Nauvoo ( ; from the ) is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States, on the Mississippi River near Fort Madison, Iowa. The population of Nauvoo was 950 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Nauvoo attracts visitors for its h ...
in 1843 * Alice Tredwell (1823 in Leek – 1867) railway contractor and photographer, particularly in India * William Bromfield (1868–1950) trade unionist and Labour Party politician, MP for
Leek A leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek (synonym (taxonomy), syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of Leaf sheath, leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a "s ...
1918 / 1931 and 1935 / 1945 * John Platt (1886 in Leek – 1967) painter, woodcut artist and head of Leek School of Art 1910 / 1919 * Sir Philip Brocklehurst (1887 in Swythamley Park – 1975) Nimrod Expedition in Antarctica 1907–1909, led by
Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarcti ...
* Geoffrey Wedgwood (1900 in Leek – 1977) etcher and engraver, best known for his architectural etchings * Cyril Plant, Baron Plant (1910 in Leek – 1986) trade unionist, general secretary of the Inland Revenue Staff Federation * Donald Nicholson (1916 in Leek – 2012) scientist, devised charts of
Biochemical Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, ...
cycles and Methodist lay preacher * William Bowyer (1926 in Leek - 2015) portrait and landscape painter, his work is "modern traditional" figurative painting * Basil Hayward (1928 in Leek – 1989) footballer and manager, played in 349 league games for Port Vale F.C., 1946 to 1957 * Ken Coates (1930 in Leek – 2010) Labour Party
Member of the European Parliament A member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been Election, elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the European Coal and S ...
, 1989 to 1999 * Roy Fowler (1934 in Leek – 2009) long-distance runner, nicknamed "Red Fox" due to his speed and his red hair * Stuart Sharratt (born 1942 in Leek) former football goalkeeper, 152 appearances for Port Vale F.C. * Tony Lacey (born 1944 in Leek) former footballer, made 201 appearances for Port Vale F.C. * Tom Levitt (born 1954) brought up in Leek, Labour Party politician, MP for High Peak 1997 to 2010 * Wayne Corden (born 1975 in Leek) former midfield footballer, made 471 pro appearances. * Ash Brydges (born 1987) Raised in Leek. Mountain Leader, Adventurer, and British Army non-commissioned officer. Author of Escape to the Wild: A Guide to Wild Camping in the UK.


Tourist attractions and leisure


In Leek

Leek's double sunset on and around the
summer solstice The summer solstice or estival solstice occurs when one of Earth's poles has its maximum tilt toward the Sun. It happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere ( Northern and Southern). The summer solstice is the day with the longest peri ...
attracts many tourists. This event, first recorded by
Robert Plot Robert Plot (13 December 1640 – 30 April 1696) was an English naturalist and antiquarian who was the first professor of chemistry at the University of Oxford and the first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum. Early life and education Born in Bor ...
, occurs when the sun sets behind the Cloud, subsequently partially reappearing in the hollow of the hill's steep northern side, before setting again. Plot's detailed account can be found in his book ''The Natural History of Staffordshire''. Traditionally, the best location for seeing the double sunset was in the grounds of the parish church, but it is no longer visible from there. Locations to witness the spectacle are from Lowe Hill, on the outskirts of the town, and from the private road to Pickwood Hall, off Milltown Way. The phenomenon and its possible observation points are described in detail in Jeff Kent's book, ''The Mysterious Double Sunset''. Every year in May, Leek Arts Festival takes place, celebrating the cultural heritage of the town. According to the festival's website, it began as a weekly event but soon expanded to last a whole month. Leek came second in the Telegraph's "High Street of the Year 2013", behind winner Deal in
Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
.


Parks and gardens

Parks and open spaces in Leek include Westwood Recreation Ground and Woodcroft Recreation Ground west of the town centre, and Pickwood Recreation Ground to the east. Brough Park lies immediately north of the town centre. There is formal landscaping, paths, a variety of trees and a lake. The park originated in 1913 when W. S. Brough, a local businessman, gave acres of his Ball Haye Hall estate to Leek Urban District Council (LUDC); a further acres was given in 1921 by Joseph Tatton, and the park was opened in 1924. There were tennis courts and a bandstand; a bowling green was opened in 1923, and swimming baths were opened in 1975. North of the park is Brough Park Fields Nature Reserve, about of open meadows and young woodland; there are walking trails, with views towards the Roaches. Birch Gardens, by Buxton Road at the junction with Prince Street, is a public garden in Leek. There are flower beds, grassed areas, pathways and a variety of trees and shrubs. It was created by an arrangement in which Mr Birch, a local businessman, gave land to LUDC in return for drainage facilities being provided for his silk manufacturing business; the gardens were laid out by Birch, and LUDC agreed to maintain the gardens. They were opened in December 1935 by Councillor H. Morton, to mark the silver jubilee of King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...
and Queen Mary. On 8 May 2018, there was a ceremony to dedicate Birch Gardens as a Centenary Field, in memory of those who died in
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. It was part of the Centenary Fields programme of Fields in Trust, to safeguard public spaces. A plaque to mark the occasion was unveiled by Councillor Mike Bowen.


Surrounding area

Nearby
Rudyard Lake Rudyard Lake is a reservoir in Rudyard, Staffordshire, located north-west of the town of Leek, Staffordshire. It was constructed in the late 18th century to feed the Caldon Canal. During the 19th century, it was a popular destination for day ...
is a popular tourist attraction and home to the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, running along its eastern shores. Other nearby local attractions are the local football club Leek Town F.C.,
Alton Towers Alton Towers Resort ( ) (often shortened to Alton Towers) is a theme park and resort complex in Staffordshire, England, near the village of Alton, Staffordshire, Alton. The park is operated by Merlin Entertainments, Merlin Entertainments Group a ...
, the cultural and leisure facilities of the city 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. It has an estimated population of 259,965 as of 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire ...
, and the Peak District National Park. The Churnet Valley Railway at Cheddleton also attracts several thousand passengers a year, and they are working in partnership with Moorlands & City Railways to extend the CVR the from its current northern terminus at Leekbrook back into Leek itself along the former North Staffordshire Line. Longer term plans include the development of a North Staffordshire museum alongside the new railway station, and a new canal marina. The surrounding countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the
Peak District The Peak District is an Highland, upland area in central-northern England, at the southern end of the Pennines. Mostly in Derbyshire, it extends into Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire. It is subdivi ...
makes the area a popular tourist destination. The town is on a key route north to
Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...
via the A53 road. Just outside the town is Peak Wildlife Park, which is renowned for its large collection of birds. Also nearby is Coombes Valley RSPB reserve, an
RSPB The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a Charitable_organization#United_Kingdom, charitable organisation registered in Charity Commission for England and Wales, England and Wales and in Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, ...
reserve since 1963, with walks and trails through a wooded valley. Deep Hayes Country Park, created around a former reservoir, is a short distance south-west on the A53 road.


Transport


Buses

The town of Leek is served by First Potteries. There is a generally hourly service on route 18 to
Hanley Hanley is one of the Federation of Stoke-on-Trent, six towns that, along with Burslem, Longton, Staffordshire, Longton, Fenton, Staffordshire, Fenton, Tunstall, Staffordshire, Tunstall and Stoke-upon-Trent, amalgamated to form the City of Stoke- ...
and 16 on an alternative route via Cellarhead. There are also bus services to the nearby towns of
Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...
and
Macclesfield Macclesfield () is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, Cheshire, England. It is sited on the River Bollin and the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east; the town lies south of Ma ...
.


Railway

Leek no longer has its own national railway station; the nearest is now at
Congleton Congleton is a market town and civil parish in Cheshire East, Cheshire, England. It is on the River Dane, south of Manchester and north of Stoke on Trent. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 28,497 and the built-up area ha ...
, for local stopping services to
Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
, 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. It has an estimated population of 259,965 as of 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire ...
for inter-city services to
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and Manchester. The former Leek railway station was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 13 July 1849, but was finally closed in 1965. The Stoke–Leek line lost its passenger service in 1956, whilst the Northern section of the Churnet Valley line to Macclesfield was closed in 1960; the Southern section to
Uttoxeter Uttoxeter ( , ) is a market town and civil parish in the East Staffordshire borough of Staffordshire, England. It is near to the Derbyshire county border. The town is from Burton upon Trent via the A50 and the A38, from Stafford via the A51 ...
closed in 1965. Leek railway station was completely demolished in 1973 and the site is now occupied by a
Morrisons Wm Morrison Supermarkets Limited, trading as Morrisons, is the List of supermarket chains in the United Kingdom, fifth largest supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, the company had 497 supermarkets across England, Wales and Sco ...
supermarket.


Heritage

The Churnet Valley line now operates as a heritage railway and is located to the south of the town; services run between Kingsley and Froghall and Ipstones. Another section of the former trackbed is occupied by the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway, a tourist line which runs beside
Rudyard Lake Rudyard Lake is a reservoir in Rudyard, Staffordshire, located north-west of the town of Leek, Staffordshire. It was constructed in the late 18th century to feed the Caldon Canal. During the 19th century, it was a popular destination for day ...
, to the north-west of Leek.


Future

Plans are afoot to build a new station roughly south of the original, as part of bigger plans to develop the Barnfield area of Leek as a tourist attraction. The re-introduction of a railway service is being directed under the ''Reconnect Leek'' banner, and forms part of proposals to reopen the Stoke–Leek line, which survived as a goods-only line to serve the former sand quarry at Oakamoor.


Local media

Local TV coverage is provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central. Television signals are received from the
Sutton Coldfield Sutton Coldfield or the Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield ( ), is a town and civil parish in the city of Birmingham, West Midlands County, West Midlands, England. The town lies around 8 miles northeast of Birmingham city centre, 9 miles south of L ...
and local relay transmitters.
BBC North West BBC North West is the BBC English Regions, BBC English Region serving Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, as well as parts of North Yorkshire (western Craven District, Craven), Derbyshire (western High Peak, Derbyshire, High ...
and
ITV Granada ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...
can also be received from the Winter Hill TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Stoke, Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire, and Moorlands Radio, a community based radio station which broadcast from the town. '' The Sentinel'' is the town's local newspaper.


Sport

The town's first known football club was Leek F.C. It was formed in the late 1870s, and wound up in the 1890s. Leek has four
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
clubs. Leek Town F.C., founded in 1946, are based at Harrison Park and play in the . They were founder members of the
North West Counties Football League The North West Counties Football League is a association football, football league in the North West England, North West of England. Since 2019–20, the league has covered the Isle of Man, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, ...
in 1982 and in 1997 they were
Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League is an English Association football, football league that was founded in 1968. Together with the Isthmian League and the Southern Football League, Southern League it forms levels seven and eight of the English footba ...
champions and gained promotion to the Football Conference. Leek CSOB, founded in 1945, groundshare with Leek Town at Harrison Park and play in the North West Counties Football League Division One. They were founder members of the Staffordshire County League in 1984, and were league champions in 1996. Ball Haye Green FC founded in 1880 play in the Staffordshire County Senior League and most recently won the Staffordshire FA Vase in 2017. In 2016, Staffordshire Moorlands FC were set up in the town and began their first season in the league pyramid. Leek Hockey Club is based on Macclesfield Road, where they have a club house and four grass pitches, although league matches are played on their own astroturf pitch at Leek High School as well as at Westwood College. The club competes in the Midlands Hockey League. Previous players have included Olympic gold medallist Imran Sherwani and England and GB international Scott Cordon. Leek
Cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...
Club is also based on Macclesfield Road. Leek
Archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a Bow and arrow, bow to shooting, shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting ...
Club use the Macclesfield Road site for outdoor shooting as well as a private indoor range in the town centre. Leek & District Gun Club previously hosted monthly Clay Pigeon shoots at Westwood Farm, west of Leek. The club closed on 26 December 2020. Leek RUFC bears the name of the town but is based in nearby Cheddleton. There are a number of other clubs in the area including Tennis, Swimming, Bowls and Sailing.


Twin town

Leek is twinned with: * Este, Italy


Schools

* All Saints' Church of England First School *Churnet View Middle School *St Edwards Middle School * Leek High School * Westwood College * Westwood First School * Leek School of Art, part of Buxton & Leek College Leek retains the three-tier schooling system. St. Edwards Academy (previously St. Edwards Middle, then St. Edwards Junior High) has the highest student capacity of any 'middle school' in Staffordshire, at 768 students.https://www.getthedata.com/school/st-edwards-church-of-england-academy-139171 Retrieval Date: 15 July 2021.


See also

* Listed buildings in Leek, Staffordshire *


Notes and references

{{Authority control Towns in Staffordshire Towns and villages of the Peak District Staffordshire Moorlands