Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town and civil parish in Cheshire, England. The town lies on the River Bollin, in the east of the county on the edge of the Cheshire Plain, with Macclesfield Forest to its east. It is around 16 miles south of Manchester city centre and 38 miles to the east of Chester.
Before the Norman Conquest, Macclesfield was held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia and was assessed at £8. The manor is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Maclesfeld", meaning "Maccel's open country". The medieval town grew up on the hilltop around what is now St Michael's Church. It was granted a charter by Edward I in 1261, before he became king. Macclesfield Grammar School was founded in 1502. The town had a silk-button industry from at least the middle of the 17th century, and became a major silk-manufacturing centre from the mid-18th century. The Macclesfield Canal was constructed in 1826–31. Hovis breadmakers were another Victorian employer. Modern industries include pharmaceuticals. Multiple mill buildings are still standing, and several of the town's museums explore the local silk industry. Other landmarks include Georgian buildings such as the Town Hall and former Sunday School; St Alban's Church, designed by Augustus Pugin; and the Arighi Bianchi furniture shop.
The population of Macclesfield at the 2011 census was 51,482. A person from Macclesfield is sometimes referred to as a "Maxonian". Macclesfield, like many other areas in Cheshire, is a relatively affluent town.
Toponymy
Situated in the ancient Hundred of Hamestan, the town is recorded in the Domesday Book as "Maclesfeld" and in 1183 it was referred to as "Makeslesfeld". The English Place-Name Society gives its name as being derived from the Old English name, Maccel, and field, yielding the meaning "Maccel's open country".Although "Silk Town" seems to be its preferred nickname, the traditional nickname of Macclesfield is "Treacle Town".
This refers to an historical incident when a horse-drawn wagon overturned and spilt its load of treacle onto the street, after which the poor scooped the treacle off the road.
History
Before the Norman Conquest, Macclesfield was held by Edwin, Earl of Mercia, who also held much of the east of the county. Three crosses survive from this period, originally located in Sutton, and J. D. Bu'Lock speculates that there might have been a Pre-Conquest church. The area was devastated by the Normans in 1070, and had not recovered by 1086; the Domesday Book records the manor as having fallen in value from £8 to 20 shillings. Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester held the manor himself after the Conquest; there was a mill, meadow for oxen, and woodland 6 leagues by 4 leagues. A Norman castle was built at Macclesfield. Macclesfield was granted a borough charter by Ranulf de Blondeville, Earl of Chester, in the early 13th century, and in 1261 a second charter was granted by the future King Edward I, allowing a market, fair and judicial court. The medieval town stood on the hilltop, centred on the parish church of All Saints, which was built in 1278, an extension of a chapel built in approximately 1220. In 1357, a hall was built in the town for the mayor's court and the borough court. The town lacked industries at this date and was described as poor, remaining a small market town until the end of the 15th century, with a population numbered in the hundreds.The borough had a weekly market and two annual fairs: the Barnaby fair on St Barnabas day, the other on the feast of All Souls. In recent years the Barnaby fair has been reinvented as the Barnaby Festival, a cultural festival in mid-June. The weekly market no longer happens but on the last Sunday of each month the Treacle Market is held, a large market selling locally produced food and handmade items such as clothing, handmade goods and pottery.
Macclesfield was the administrative centre of the Hundred of Macclesfield, which occupied most of east Cheshire. The Earl of Chester's manor of Macclesfield was very large, and its boundary extended to Disley. The manor house was on the edge of the deer park, on the west of the town. In the 14th century, it had a king's chamber and a queeen's hall, as well as a large stable, and the manor served as a stud farm for Edward the Black Prince. The Earls of Chester established the Forest of Macclesfield, which was much larger than its present-day namesake. It was used for hunting deer and pasturing sheep and cattle. By the end of the 13th century, large areas of the forest had been ploughed because of the pressure of population growth. In 1356, two trees from the forest were given to archer William Jauderell to repair his home.
Macclesfield Castle was a fortified town house built by John de Macclesfield in the later Middle Ages. Construction began in 1398, and that year an application was made for a licence to crenellate, or fortify, the building. Two chantries were founded in the town: one in 1422 by the Legh family, and one in 1504 by Thomas Savage. In 1502, Macclesfield Grammar School was founded by Sir John Percyvale.
No proof exists that Macclesfield was ever a walled town. When the settlement was first established and for some centuries afterwards there would have certainly been some sort of ditch and palisade round the western side of the town which was not naturally defended. This was necessary in order to keep out undesirable people and stray animals. No physical trace of a ditch remains though measurements and the shape of certain streets suggest where such a ditch could have been and most of the medieval building were within this area. It is unlikely that the ditch and palisade were succeeded by a wall for no record has been found of a murage tax, which would certainly have been levied to keep the wall in repair. The suffix "Gate" in the names of several Macclesfield streets has been taken to indicate the former presence of a gate in the sense of a guarded opening in a wall, however, this is very unlikely as the term 'gate' is derived from 'gata', Scandinavian for road, which became gate in Middle English. Therefore, Chester Gate, the Jordan Gate and the Church Wall Gate, are simply referring to the road to/from Chester or the road leading from the church to the well. These names are preserved in the names of three streets in the town, Chestergate, Jordangate and Back Wallgate.
A charter of 1595 established a town governing body consisting of the mayor, two aldermen and 24 "capital burgesses", and the powers of this body were increased by a charter of 1684. By the Tudor era, Macclesfield was prospering, with industries including the manufacture of harnesses, gloves and especially buttons, and later ribbons, tapes and fancy ware. Coal was mined from the 16th century. In 1664, the population was around 2,600, making Macclesfield the third-largest town in the county, after Chester and Nantwich, although the town had expanded little from its medieval extent and had fewer large houses than Nantwich and Stockport. By around 1720, the number of households had increased to 925, and this rapid population growth continued throughout the 18th century, reaching 8,743 in 1801.
In the 1580s, Macclesfield was one of the earliest towns in the county to have Puritan preaching "Exercises", and it was also an early centre for the Quakers. By 1718 an estimated 10% of the population was Nonconformist. Towards the end of that century, the town had a large Methodist congregation, and Christ Church was the only Anglican church in the county to invite John Wesley to preach.
During the Civil War, in 1642 the town was occupied for the King by Sir Thomas Aston, a Royalist. In the Jacobite Rising of 1745, Charles Stuart and his army marched through Macclesfield as they attempted to reach London. The mayor was forced to welcome the prince, and the event is commemorated in one of the town's silk tapestries. Armoury Towers was completed in 1858 and the Bridge Street drill hall was completed in 1871.
Industry
Macclesfield was once the world's biggest producer of finished silk. A domestic button industry had been established in the town by the mid-16th century, although the first mention of silk buttons is not until 1649. In the mid-18th century, when metal buttons became fashionable, the silk-button industry transitioned to silk manufacture in mills. Macclesfield's first silk mill was founded by Charles Roe in 1743 or 1744. The mills were initially powered by water, and later by steam. There were 71 silk mills operating in 1832, employing 10,000 people, but a crash occurred in 1851 and many mill-workers emigrated to the American silk town of Paterson, New Jersey. The silk industry remained active in the town in the 1980s, but no longer dominated. Paradise Mill reopened in 1984 as a working mill museum, demonstrating the art of silk throwing and Jacquard weaving. The four Macclesfield Museums display a range of information and products from that period.A short-lived copper-smelting operation was established by Roe in 1750, processing ore from mines at Alderley Edge and Ecton, and later from Anglesey. The business switched to copper processing and the manufacture of brass in 1767, before closing after Roe's death in 1781. The industry is reflected in some of the town's street names.
Between 1826 and 1831 the Macclesfield Canal was constructed, linking Macclesfield to Marple to the north and Kidsgrove to the south. The canal was surveyed for its Act of Parliament by the canal and roads engineer Thomas Telford, and built by William Crosley, the Macclesfield Canal Company's engineer. It was the last narrow canal to be completed and had only limited success because within ten years much of the coal and other potential cargo was increasingly being transported by rail.
in the town.
Macclesfield is the original home of Hovis breadmakers, produced in Publicity Works Mill on the canal close to Buxton Road. It was founded by a Macclesfield businessman and a baker from Stoke-on-Trent. Hovis is said to derive from the Latin "homo-vitalis" as a way of providing a cheap and nutritious food for poor mill workers and was a very dry and dense wholemeal loaf completely different from the modern version.
Waters Green was once home to a nationally known horse market which features in the legend of the Wizard of Alderley Edge.
Waters Green and an area opposite Arighi Bianchi, now hidden under the Silk Road, also held a sheep and cattle market until the 1980s.
Macclesfield is said to be the only mill town to have escaped bombing in World War II. After the war, two pharmaceutical companies opened facilities in Macclesfield, Geigy and the pharmaceutical division of ICI.
Governance
Macclesfield was first represented in Parliament after the Reform Act of 1832, when it was granted two members of Parliament. This situation lasted until 1880, when after problems at the general election that year it was decided to declare the election void and suspend the writ of election. In September 1880 a Royal Commission was appointed to investigate further. A report of March 1881 confirmed the allegations of corruption. As a result, the borough constituency was disenfranchised for corruption. The disenfranchisement took effect on 25 June 1885, when the town was transferred to the East Cheshire constituency. However under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 the Macclesfield constituency was recreated with extended boundaries, as a county division, later in 1885. From the 1885 general election it has elected one MP. Macclesfield was for some time considered to be a safe seat for the Conservative Party, having been held by it since the 1918 general election. It has since become a target seat for the Labour Party, with the 2017 election showing a significant swing away from the Conservatives.Currently, Macclesfield is represented by Gravesend-born David Rutley, a Conservative and practising Mormon. He was selected for this seat in 2010, when Sir Nicholas Winterton, who had been the incumbent for 38 years, announced his retirement following unfavourable press coverage relating to the claiming of Parliamentary expenses. Sir Nicholas' wife, Anne Winterton, held the neighbouring seat of Congleton.
Macclesfield was governed locally by Macclesfield Municipal Borough until 1974 when Macclesfield Borough Council was established, a local government district with borough status. Following the establishment of Cheshire East Council in 2009 the borough was abolished and the Mayoralty transferred to charter trustees. Macclesfield Town Council was established in 2015 following a community governance review which established a civil parish. Macclesfield Town Council is controlled by the Labour Party, with 9 councillors. There are 3 Independent councillors, and no Conservatives.
Macclesfield is also represented by 12 councillors on Cheshire East Council: 9 Labour, 3 Independents.
Geography
Macclesfield is in the east of Cheshire, on the River Bollin, a tributary of the River Mersey. It is close to the county borders of Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east and Staffordshire to the south. It is near the towns of Stockport to the north, Buxton to the east, and Congleton to the south. It is 38 miles to the east of Chester, the county town of Cheshire.To the west of the town lies the Cheshire Plain. To the east is Macclesfield Forest, containing Ridgegate and Trentabank Reservoirs which supply the town's drinking water, as well as Tegg's Nose and the Peak District.
Landmarks
The town is famous for its once thriving silk industry, commemorated in the Silk Museum. The Georgian Town Hall was designed by Francis Goodwin in 1823. Macclesfield is home to an Augustus Pugin church, St Alban's on Chester Road.Economy
Macclesfield is the manufacturing home to AstraZeneca, one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. The furniture store Arighi Bianchi was founded in 1829. Other industries include textiles, light engineering, paper and plastics.Transport
Rail services
is on the Stafford to Manchester section of the West Coast Main Line and has frequent services to Manchester Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent and London Euston by Avanti West Coast, and to Birmingham New Street and beyond provided by CrossCountry. Northern's stopping service between Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent calls at Macclesfield.A railway station was first opened at Beech Lane by the LNWR on 19 June 1849, which was replaced a month later by Hibel Road station. The current station dates from the modernisation of the West Coast Main Line in the 1960s, when the old station buildings were demolished to make way for new buildings.
On 26 July 1971, an electric multiple unit departed from Macclesfield station against signals and was derailed by trap points.
Roads
Macclesfield is served by good road links from the north, south and west, but has fewer roads going east due to the terrain of the Peak District. From the south, access from Congleton and the Potteries is from the A536, and via the A523 from Leek. From the north, the main access to the town is the A523 from Manchester, Hazel Grove and Poynton. The main west–east road is the A537 Knutsford to Buxton road. At various points around the town centre, some of these roads combine, such as the A537 / A523 on the Silk Road section, giving rise to traffic congestion, especially at peak times. The A538 provides access to Prestbury, Wilmslow and Manchester Airport, with the B5470 being the only other eastbound route from the town, heading to Whaley Bridge and Chapel-en-le-Frith.Culture
Macclesfield has been accused of having few cultural amenities. In 2004, research was published in The Times naming Macclesfield and its borough the most uncultured town in Britain, based on its lack of theatres, cinemas and other cultural facilities.The Northern Chamber Orchestra, the oldest professional chamber ensemble in the North West, has its home at the Macclesfield Heritage Centre and presents a series of eight concerts a year, attracting international guest soloists. The Silk Opera Company was created to perform 'The Monkey Run' at Barnaby.
Macclesfield has four museums including the Silk Museum, a former silk mill, and West Park Museum, which houses Ancient Egyptian artefacts, as well as a number of art galleries.
The Macclesfield Model Railway Group is nationally recognised as a leading railway modelling club, famous for many layouts since its foundation in 1957.
The Macclesfield Literary and Philosophical Society was formed in 2006, partly in response to The Times 2004 article.
Local newspapers include the Macclesfield Express and the Community News. Macclesfield residents have access to Macclesfield Forum, an online message board, for informal discussion of local news and issues. The town is also served by two locally based radio stations: Canalside Community Radio based at the Clarence Mill in Bollington, just north of Macclesfield, and Silk FM, a commercial independent radio station with studios in the town. Local information websites include Visit Macclesfield and the local what's on guide, Canalside's The Thread.
The last remaining commercial cinema in Macclesfield closed in 1997. Discussions have taken place regarding the possibility of building a multiplex cinema, but attempts to build a cinema have thus far been unsuccessful. In 2005 a small-scale cinema, Cinemac, was set up in the Heritage Centre, which has since become well established; also based in the Heritage Centre is the Silk Screen arts cinema, which gives fortnightly screenings of art-house films.
Amateur dramatics is well represented in the town: the Macclesfield Amateur Dramatic Society has existed since 1947 and performs in its own theatre on Lord Street. The Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Group has been producing musicals since its inception in 1971, initially at the Majestic Theatre, but latterly at various other locations after the theatre was converted into a public house by the new tenants. Most recently, shows have been produced at the Heritage Centre, the Evans Theatre in Wilmslow and MADS Theatre on Lord Street. Several members of this society have progressed to the professional stage, most notably Marshall Lancaster and Jonathan Morris.
Gawsworth Hall hosts an annual Shakespeare festival as well as many arts and music events throughout the year.
Macclesfield has appeared in film: it was used as the location for Sir John Mills's film So Well Remembered in 1947. Some of the locations are still recognisable, such as Hibel Road. A fictionalised version of Macclesfield's railway station appeared in the 2005 football hooliganism film Green Street. It was also the location of Control, a film about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Division.
Macclesfield was the home town of Ian Curtis and Stephen Morris of Joy Division, and Gillian Gilbert, who along with Stephen Morris was a member of New Order. A memorial to Curtis is located in Macclesfield Crematorium. Other Macclesfield acts to have gained recognition include The Macc Lads and Marion. Silk Brass Band, the Macclesfield-based brass band, won the National Champions of Great Britain title in 2003. The blues singer John Mayall was born here in 1933. More recently, local band the Virginmarys has achieved national and international success. Chart-topping UK band The 1975 come from Macclesfield.
In literature, Macclesfield is the second principal location of the fantasy novels The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner.
In 2008, the borough was named as the fifth happiest of 273 districts in Britain by researchers from the universities of Sheffield and Manchester, who used information on self-reported personal well-being from the British Household Panel Survey.
Education
Macclesfield is served by four state-funded academies ; Tytherington School, The Macclesfield Academy, Fallibroome Academy and All Hallows Catholic College.There are also two independent schools, The King's School which dates from the 16th century and Beech Hall School.
Macclesfield Academy is made up of pupils from the former school Henbury High School, and also took in the pupils left over when Ryles Park secondary school closed in 2004. Ryles Park had been in turn an amalgamation of Ryles Park girls school and the oldest state school in the town, Macclesfield Central boys school, which closed in 1975. It is on the site of Macclesfield College and Park Lane Special School as part of the Macclesfield 'Learning Zone', which was opened in 2007. Macclesfield High School was the name originally given to the girls grammar school on Fence Avenue now forming part of the King's School.
Religion
The hilltop church of St Michael and All Angels has views of nearby Kerridge Hill. The church is approached from Waters Green by a flight of 108 steps, which themselves are a local landmark.Macclesfield Sunday School started in 1796 as a non-denominational Sunday School in Pickford Street, which catered for 40 children. It was founded by John Whitaker whose objective was "to lessen the sum of human wretchedness by diffusing religious knowledge and useful learning among the lower classes of society". Though chapels set up their denominational schools, the Sunday School committee in 1812 elected to erect a purpose-built school on Roe Street. The Big Sunday School had 1,127 boys and 1,324 girls on its books when it opened.
St Alban's Church in Chester Road is an active Roman Catholic parish church. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. It was designed by A. W. N. Pugin.
Christ Church is a brick-built redundant Anglican church, located on Great King Street. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church was in use until 1981. It remains consecrated and is used occasionally for services.
There is a Mormon church located on Victoria Road.
Other churches of architectural merit include:
- King Edward Street Chapel, Macclesfield
- St George's Church, Macclesfield
- St Paul's Church, Macclesfield
- St Peter's Church, Macclesfield
- Holy Trinity Church, Hurdsfield
- Macclesfield United Reformed Church
Sport and leisure
Youth football teams include Macclesfield Juniors FC, Macclesfield Saints JFC, Moss Rose Juniors FC and Tytherington Juniors.
Macclesfield RUFC, the town's rugby union club, plays in National League 1, following promotion from National League 2 North in the 2013–14 season.
Macclesfield Chess Club is one of the oldest chess clubs in the country having been founded in 1886.
Macclesfield's cycling club Macclesfield Wheelers is a local club for all cycling activities, from pleasure riding to racing. World-famous cyclist Reg Harris produced "Reg Harris" bikes in Macclesfield for three years during the 1960s. The local cycling campaign group is known as MaccBUG. Formed in 1999, it campaigns for better cycling provision for leisure and utility cyclists.
Macclesfield Harriers & Athletic Club is an active club with over 500 members. The club caters for all abilities and ages. There are sections for road running, track & field, fell running and cross country.
Macclesfield Hockey Club is a community club with 8 senior teams and a thriving junior section. They cater for players of all abilities from the age of 5 upwards. At the first team level, the Ladies play in the Regional North Leagues and the men in the North West Hockey Premier League.
In December 2006, Sport England published a survey which revealed that residents of Macclesfield were the third-most active in England in sports and other fitness activities; 29.3% of the population participate at least three times a week for 30 minutes.
Since 1997, Macclesfield has hosted the annual British Lawnmower Race, held in December in the town's West and South parks.
Macclesfield parkrun, a free weekly timed 5k run, takes place in South Park every Saturday morning at 9.00am.
Notable people
Pre-19th century
- Blessed John Shert English Catholic priest and martyr, executed during the reign of Elizabeth I, beatified in 1889.
- Charles Roe industrialist, helped establish the silk industry in Macclesfield
- Rev David Simpson, M.A. Anglican priest who spent most of his career in Macclesfield
- Hester Rogers British Methodist writer and role model for women Methodists
- James Pigot British publisher of directories, and a pioneering publisher of trade directories
- William Buckley, escaped convict, survived among Australian aborigines between 1803 and 1835, raised here.
- John Brocklehurst DL, MP silk manufacturer, banker and MP for Macclesfield for 36 years from 1832 to 1868.
19th century
- John Charles Ryle was the first Anglican Bishop of Liverpool
- Alfred Gatley was an English sculptor
- John Brocklehurst Head of a family of silk producers in Macclesfield, banker, and Liberal politician, one of the town's two MPs.
- William Coare Brocklehurst English Liberal Party politician. Son of John and his successor as MP. Unseated after a complaint of bribery during the 1880 election which caused the borough to lose its representation in Westminster. His son William was mayor of Macclesfield from and MP for the town.
- David Chadwick English accountant and Liberal Party politician. One of two MP's for Macclesfield from 1868 to 1880 when unseated and then convicted of bribery and of making a false return of election expenses
- John Birchenough JP local politician and silk manufacturer in the town
- Thomas Mottershead British trade unionist and socialist activist
- Sir Thomas Wardle businessman, known for his innovations in silk dyeing and printing on silk
- William Ryle II silk manufacturer
- Herbert Philips philanthropist and justice of the peace
- Sir Samuel Rowe KCMG doctor and colonial administrator of Sierra Leone, the Gambia and Gold Coast
- William Brocklehurst Brocklehurst businessman and Liberal Party MP for Macclesfield from 1906 to 1918
- Sir John Henry Birchenough, 1st Baronet, GCMG English businessman and public servant.
- Arthur Smith Woodward, palaeontologist specialising in fossil fish, was born and educated here
- Sui Sin Far author, wrote about Chinese people in North America
- Joseph McCabe, rationalist writer and critic of religion, was born here
- John William Wadsworth, ceramics designer for Mintons, born in Macclesfield
- Mabel Frances Layng English landscape and figure painter
- Richard Crosse DSO & Bar distinguished British Army officer
- Vera Brittain nurse, writer, feminist and pacifist, lived in Macclesfield as a child
- Edward Brittain MC British Army officer, fought and died in WW1 and was immortalised by his sister Vera Brittain in Testament of Youth
20th century
- Charles Tunnicliffe OBE, RA naturalistic painter of British birds and other wildlife; born in the village of Langley
- Peter Gaddum was the sole provider of raw silk to the UK during much of World War II
- Sir Walter Bromley-Davenport TD DL, Kt. Conservative MP for Knutsford from 1945 until 1970
- Percy Wragg Brian FRS FRSE CBE British botanist and mycologist, developed natural antibiotics
- Alec Stokes, scientist who worked on X-ray crystallography and DNA was born here.
- Brian Redhead, Manchester Guardian journalist and BBC Radio 4 Today anchorman, lived in the town
- Sir Andreas Whittam Smith, CBE financial journalist, founded and edited The Independent newspaper in 1986
- Sir Nicholas Winterton retired Conservative politician, MP for Macclesfield from 1971 until 2010
- Kika Markham English actress, widow of Corin Redgrave
- Michael Jackson television producer and executive, was Controller of both BBC One and BBC Two and Chief Executive of Channel 4, between 1997 and 2001
- Christine Mary Tacon CBE the United Kingdom's Groceries Code Adjudicator
- Peter Stanford writer, editor, journalist, presenter, known for biographies and writings on religion and ethics
- Nick Robinson, was political editor for the BBC, now presenter of the Today programme
- Tony Pollard archaeologist, specialising in the archaeology of conflict
- Sarah Burton OBE fashion designer, creative director of fashion brand Alexander McQueen
- Stuart Evers novelist, short story writer and critic.
- Helen Marten, sculptor who won the Turner Prize and the inaugural Hepworth Prize
Music
- Forbes Robinson bass, known for his performances in works by Mozart, Verdi, and Britten.
- John Mayall OBE blues musician and bandleader, influential in the British blues movement
- Noddy Holder lead singer of Slade, lives in the town.
- Ian Curtis lead singer of Joy Division, lived and died there. He is buried in the Macclesfield cemetery.
- Stephen Morris drummer in the bands Joy Division, New Order, The Other Two & Bad Lieutenant
- Gillian Gilbert musician, keyboardist, guitarist, singer, member of New Order, founding member of The Other Two
- Andy Carthy known by his stage name Mr. Scruff, record producer and DJ
- Phil Cunningham guitarist, member of the bands Marion, New Order and Bad Lieutenant
- Jim Moray folk musician, born in Macclesfield
- The Other Two an English dance act consisting of Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert of New Order
- Marion Brit-Pop band
- Hatty Keane r&b and pop singer
- The Macc Lads rock band
- The Virginmarys rock band.
Sport
- Joseph Hawcridge a rugby union footballer
- Linton Hope sailor, competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Meulan, France
- Reg Harris OBE track cyclist, active in the 1940s, 1950s and 1970s.
- Bobbie van de Graaf retired Dutch rower, bronze medalist in the 1964 Summer Olympics
- Chris Nicholl former Northern Ireland international footballer, over 600 pro appearances, coach and manager
- Jonathan Agnew MBE cricketer and cricket commentator
- Peter Moores former England Cricket Coach, born and schooled in Macclesfield.
- Stuart Brown thirteen-time British National Sidecarcross Champion.
- Steven Mellor swimmer, competed in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona
- Jamie Donaldson golfer, born in and plays for Wales, was raised and currently lives in the town
- Sir Ben Ainslie CBE Olympic gold-medal-winning yachtsman, born in the town
- Peter Crouch Burnley F.C. and England international football player.
- Vicky Jepson, association football manager
- Izzy Christiansen English women footballer
- Matthew Nottingham badminton player
- Emily Whitlock a professional squash player, world No. 12 in 2017.
TV personalities
- David Dickinson antiques expert and television presenter.
- Robert Longden composer, librettist, director, film, stage and television actor
- Pretty Fred, local business man punting chocolate tea towel holders. Leading representative of the LGBT community. And a future hall of famer for his services to canal Street
- Michael Jackson is a British television producer and executive
- Mr Methane as Paul Oldfield, the world's only currently performing flatulist
- Greg Scott TV and radio presenter, presents ITV's Quizmania
- Dominic Brunt actor, played vet Paddy Kirk in ITV's Emmerdale
- Geoff Lloyd radio DJ, also known as the Geoff half of Pete And Geoff; Hometime show on Absolute Radio.
- Marshall Lancaster actor, played DC Chris Skelton in the BBC dramas Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes
Twin towns
- Eckernförde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The official status has existed since 1953, although was submitted to review in 2011 after the formation of Cheshire East Council.
Freedom of the Town
Individuals
- John Askey: 9 August 2018.
Military Units