Macclesfield - Landmarks and Tourist Attractions

Landmarks and Tourist Attractions

The town is most famous for its once thriving silk industry, commemorated in the local Silk Museum. Although "Silk Town" seems to be the preferred nickname these days, Macclesfield's traditional local nickname is "Treacle Town" — supposedly from an incident where a merchant spilt a load of treacle on Hibel Road, and the poor rushed out to scoop it off the cobbles. However, this term is more widely associated with Nuneaton. Another, less picturesque, reason has it that the mill-owners used to provide barrels of treacle to the unemployed weavers.

The hilltop church of St Michael and All Angels, with a view of the hill range called Kerridge. The apparently 15th century sandstone tower has carved panels with coats of arms:

1. Two chevrons and a canton (possibly Fitton);

2. A cross engrailed;

3. A cross engrailed charged with a mullet; :

4. A pale fusilly (possibly Nigel or Norton Augustinian Abbey, Cheshire, founded by Fitz-Nigel);

5. A cross ermine;

6. Quarterly, 1st and 4th a stag lodged, 2nd and 3rd a human leg couped at the thigh.

The church is approached from Water's Green by a flight of 108 steps, which them selves are a local landmark.

Macclesfield is the home to furniture store Arighi Bianchi, a local football club Macclesfield Town, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca, and The King's School, Macclesfield which dates from the 16th century. The fine Georgian Town Hall was designed by Francis Goodwin in 1823. Present day industries include: pharmaceuticals, textiles, light engineering, paper and plastics.