Wilmslow Totally Explained

Everything about Wilmslow totally explained

Wilmslow is a town in the Borough of Macclesfield in Cheshire, England. It lies to the south of the city of Manchester between Alderley Edge and Handforth. It forms one of the two unparished areas in the Borough of Macclesfield, the other being the town of Macclesfield itself.

History

Toponymy

Its name came from Anglo-Saxon Wīghelmes hlāw = "mound of a man called Wīghelm"

Lindow Man

Much about the local Iron Age history of Wilmslow was uncovered with discovery of Lindow Man, in Lindow Moss. Preserved in the peat bogs for 2000 years, Lindow Man is one of the most important Iron Age finds in the country. Despite a campaign to keep Lindow Man in the area, he was transferred to the British Museum and is a central feature of the Iron Age exhibition. Lindow Man will be returning to Manchester Museum in April 2008 for one year long exhibition.

Events

Wilmslow was in the international media in March 1997, when an IRA bomb exploded at the railway station. Nobody was hurt.
In the general election of the same year, the parliamentary constituency of Tatton, in which Wilmslow falls, made headlines as part of the "sleaze" accusations levelled against the then Conservative Government. Tatton MP, Neil Hamilton, was accused of accepting cash for tabling Parliamentary questions, and subsequently defeated in the election by independent candidate Martin Bell. Martin Bell served for a single term as MP.

Geography

Wilmslow town centre is focussed upon Bank Square, Grove Street and Water Lane. Although Bank Square has traditionally provided the location for many of the town's banks, the name in fact originates from the bank, or slope, leading down to the Carrs recreational fields and up towards the railway station. The River Bollin flows through the Carrs and once provided the power source for nearby Quarry Bank Mill, now a National Trust site, as well as enjoyment for the local population.
Before the railway came in 1842, Wilmslow comprised only a few farms and a church.
For purposes of the Office for National Statistics, Wilmslow forms part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area.

Economy

Wilmslow is the founding location of clothing giant Umbro who have their headquarters in the area. It is also home to the food technologists of Sainsbury's, and is the centre of operations of the life insurance and pensions firm, Royal London Mutual Insurance. The Information Commissioner's Office, one of the government's executive agencies is also based in Wilmslow.
Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich Manchester businessmen. Wilmslow is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury. It grew in popularity in the Victorian era as a most desirable area for wealthy Manchester businessmen to move out to once the railways arrived and connected the towns.

Transport

Wilmslow railway station is situated where the electrified line from Crewe to Manchester Piccadilly divides. One line continues to Manchester via Handforth and Stockport, the other continues via Styal, Manchester Airport and Heald Green. The latter route is commonly known as the Styal Line. There are frequent services to Manchester, Stockport and Crewe plus an hourly service to Shrewsbury and Cardiff. There are a few trains to London Euston (although an hourly service is planned from December 2008). The A34 Manchester to Newcastle-under-Lyme and Winchester road now bypasses the town centre to the east. Manchester Airport lies just four miles to the northwest, but Wilmslow lies away from the approach and departure routes and therefore suffers only slightly from aircraft noise.

Communal facilities

Wilmslow has a municipal leisure centre located near the train station. It offers a range of indoor facilities including courts, gym equipment and two indoor pools, one of which is a heated children's pool. Wilmslow High School is the only secondary school in Wilmslow and is a large comprehensive school that also includes a 6th form for A-level studies. The town has many primary schools, both comprehensive and private (including single sex schools).
   The Wilmslow Guild is an independent adult education centre that provides courses in many subjects as well as societies, clubs and theatre productions. It also hosts the Wilmslow Guild Photographic Society. The Wilmslow Green Room Society is another theatre society in Wilmslow. The Wilmslow Historical Society meets on the second Wednesday of each month, and hosts lectures by a variety of guest speakers. They have an active research group, and have published a number of books and pamphlets on aspects of local history.
   In terms of sporting facilities, Wilmslow also includes a Rugby club and a Lacrosse Club. Wilmslow also contains a public library, fire station and police station.
   Wilmslow used to have three free weekly local papers, the Wilmslow Messenger, the Wilmslow Express and the Manchester Metro News but the Express took over the Messenger and in 2007 the Express and Metro merged into just the Wilmslow Express which now features the Metromagazine section from the Manchester Metro News Wilmslow holds one of the largest annual charity fireworks displays in the area. Run by the local Round Table, it attracts over 6,000 people each year and raises around £10,000 each year for local charities.

Notable people

Alan Turing, the driving force behind the Bombe machine for cracking the German Enigma cypher, is perhaps Wilmslow's most notable resident. Turing committed suicide in his Wilmslow home on 7 June 1954 by eating an apple laced with potassium cyanide.
   Wilmslow has featured in the novels of the writer Alan Garner, with the Black Lake (Lindow) apparently housing a witch. Garner is perhaps best known for his books The Owl Service, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath which are set in nearby Alderley Edge.
   The British indie rock band Doves met at Wilmslow High School in the 1980s. Their song 'Black and White Town' was inspired by Wilmslow and its contradicting 'rich-poor' divide
   Other notable residents include;

Andy Dibble, Coventry City's goalkeeper.
Simon Gregson, who plays taxi boss Steve McDonald in Coronation Street
Martin Edwards, former chairman of Manchester United
Alex Ferguson, Manager of Manchester United
Kerry Katona, former Atomic Kitten star
William Roache, who plays Ken Barlow in Coronation Street .
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United footballer, with his girlfriend Coleen McLoughlin.
Nemanja Vidić, Manchester United footballer, with his wife Ana and son Luka.
Miranda Sawyer, the journalist and arts critic, was born in Wilmslow.

Further Information

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