Buildings in the village include St. Thomas' Church, a primary school, golf course, sports club, a riding school, three pubs (the Royal Oak,[2] The Devonshire Arms[3] and The Oddfellows Arms[4]) and the late-17th-century Mellor Hall.
It was a civil parish in the county of Derbyshire until 1936, when it was transferred to Cheshire. In 1974, it became part of the metropolitan borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester.
Etymology
The name Mellor is first attested in the thirteenth century, in the forms Melver and Meluer. Its origin lies in the Common Brittonic words which survive in modern Welsh as moel ("bare") and bre ("hill"). Thus the name once meant "the bare hill".[5][6]:279
The name Mellor does not appear in the Norman-era Domesday Book, although the neighbouring settlement of Ludworth (recorded as Lodeuorde) is listed.[7] It is possible that Ludworth originally included Mellor and that they split into two distinct areas at a later date.[citation needed]
The Saxons built a church at the southernmost end of the Iron Age settlement at some point in the 7th or 8th centuries. The church was subsequently destroyed and rebuilt, possibly several times.[citation needed]St. Thomas' Church has the oldest known wooden pulpit in Britain, possibly the world.[8] Dating from the reign of Edward II (1307–1327), it is octagonal and carved from a single piece of wood.[9] The church also has a 12th-century font.[10]
According to local legend, Mellor Hall is built on the foundations of the house of a Norman nobleman.[citation needed] During excavations of the Iron Age hill fort, a 13th-century hall was discovered.[11][citation needed] By the time of the English Civil War, Marple had become important in the region, so much so that John Bradshawe, Lord President of the High Court of Justice and Lord of Marple Hall, was the first to sign the death warrant of King Charles I.[12]
A model of Mellor Mill and the 'Roman Lakes'
Samuel Oldknow[13] was a significant businessman[14] and mill owner[15] in Mellor during the Industrial Revolution. Just across the River Goyt are the "Roman Lakes".[16][17][18] These are not Roman, but were water reservoirs for Samuel Oldknow's Mellor Mill,[19] a cotton mill that was a major employer in the area during the Industrial Revolution. The mill was destroyed by fire in November 1892.
Another major figure in Mellor at this time was William Radcliffe, a mill owner who invented many devices[20] for improving the textile industry.
At the height of the Industrial Revolution, coal-power supplanted water-power as the driving force and minable coal seams were found in Mellor. Relatively recently, British Coal strip-mined the seams that still contained commercially viable coal.
Before it expanded in the Victorian era, Mellor was a small village of a few houses, including the hamlet of Moorend, now considered part of Mellor.
Geography
Mellor lies in the foothills of the Pennines, just outside the area of Derbyshire known as the High Peak. Nearby villages include Rowarth, Marple Bridge, Ludworth and Mill Brow. The town of Marple lies across the River Goyt. A little further away are the towns of Romiley and New Mills, and the villages of Hayfield and Strines. Mellor Church and Mellor Hall are on a ridge, separated from the bulk of the village by a gully and stream.
The oldest part of inhabited Mellor runs alongside the River Goyt, stretching from the oldest parts of Marple Bridge up the hill and spreading out where the slope becomes gentler. Newer parts of the village run down Longhurst Lane, the old turnpike road, and into former farmland released for building by Townscliffe Farm. At the very top of Mellor is the junction of Five Ways; one of these roads runs to Mellor, a second to Rowarth, a third to Strines and New Mills, the fourth to a water treatment plant and a fifth to many farms on the edge of Mellor. Spoil heaps indicate mining operations here; coal was mined in the general area during the Industrial Revolution.
Due to its topology, Mellor lies on one of the easier points for entering the Pennines from the Mersey Basin by road or foot. It is also on the flight path for air traffic into Manchester Airport.
Geology
Mellor is within a gritstone area in a part of the Peak District referred to as the Dark Peak; in contrast, the limestone region of the Peak District is referred to as the White Peak. The underlying geology of the area belongs to the Carboniferous Millstone Grit series, which outcrop as the Middle Grit. Below this are shales, mudstones and older Gritstones, such as the Kinder Scout Grit which forms the Kinder Plateau to the east. Boulder clay, left from the Ice Age, can usually be found just below the surface-level soil. At one point, all of the Peak District – Mellor included – was submerged beneath relatively warm waters; evidence for this is the limestone region, with the limestone containing fossils of coral and other shallow-depth warm-water creatures.
The gritstone comes from deposits laid down about 300 million years ago over the limestone. Shallow coal deposits lie on top of the gritstone, although most of these have long since been mined. Very deep coal deposits occur further into the Pennines but, again, many of these have been worked out.
The soil in Mellor is fairly rich in peat and can bog easily, but there are no permanent peat bogs within Mellor itself. The only other noteworthy detail on Mellor's geology is the almost complete absence of iodine, particularly in the water of the River Goyt. If no other source of iodine is in the diet, the consequent iodine deficiency can lead to an enlarged thyroid gland, a condition known as "Derbyshire Neck" or goitre.
Mellor was formerly a township and chapelry in the parish of Glossop,[21] in 1866 Mellor became a separate civil parish, 1 April 1936 the parish was abolished and merged with Marple[22] and became part of Marple Urban District in Cheshire. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1712.[23] In 1974 it became part of the Stockport district in Greater Manchester.
According to the Office for National Statistics, at the time of the 2001 Census, Mellor had a population of 2,394. The 2001 population density was 2,771 inhabitants per square mile (1,070/km2), with a 100 to 92.1 female-to-male ratio.[26] Of those over 16 years old, 18.8% were single (never married), 54.6% married and 6.6% divorced.[27] This was significantly different to the borough and country figures, with a higher rate of marriages and fewer single people.[28] Mellor's 1,070 households included 27.4% one-person, 43.5% married couples living together, 5.7% were co-habiting couples and 5.9% single parents with their children.[29] Of those aged 16–74, 20.9% had no academic qualifications.[30]
At the 2001 UK census, 88.4% of Mellor's residents reported themselves as Christian, 1.0% Muslim and 0.2% Hindu. The census recorded 5.8% as having no religion, 0.2% had an alternative religion and 4.4% did not state their religion.[31]
A few small businesses work out of the old mills that scatter the countryside, and there is a limited amount of farming, principally grazing livestock: sheep and beef cattle. Horses are also common, and horse-riding is a popular pursuit in the area, which benefits from many ancient bridleways.
According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents of Mellor aged 16–74 was 18.3% manufacturing, 16.3% retail and wholesale, 12.2% health and social work, 12.0% education, 11.7% property and business services, 6.6% public administration, 4.6% construction, 4.5% transport and communications, 4.2% hotels and restaurants, 2.7% finance, 2.0% agriculture, 0.7% energy and water supply, and 4.2% other.[34] Compared with national figures, the town had a relatively high proportion of people working in education, agriculture, and public administration, and low levels of people working in finance and transport and communications.[35] The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 1.8% students were with jobs, 3.4% students without jobs, 3.1% looking after home or family, 4.1% permanently sick or disabled, and 1.1% economically inactive for other reasons.[32]
Sport
Lacrosse
Mellor Lacrosse Team[36] has enjoyed success in its 80-year history, winning the North of England men's championship on many occasions, the most recent being 2006. The club has three men's senior teams and a junior section; it has recently created a ladies team. The club also regularly plays host to touring teams from the US at junior and senior level.
Football
Mellor Football Club[37] was founded in 1923 by members of the Hambleton Family. Mellor FC's home ground is Wood Lane in Marple and the club currently boasts four open-age teams. Mellor 1st XI are currently in the Premier Division of the Lancashire & Cheshire League and won the Stockport Senior Cup in the 2004–05 season.
Cricket
Mellor Cricket Club[38] had two senior teams that played in the Derbyshire and Cheshire League, having previously played in the Glossop and District League for many years and, before that, in the High Peak League. They now play in the Cheshire County League 3rd XI Saturday Division 2[39] under "Marple-Mellor" having resigned from the Derbyshire and Cheshire League in 2008.[40]
Tennis
The tennis club[41] was formed between 1945 and 1950. It originally had only one grass court; this was later extended to include two shale courts and later to include two all-weather courts. These were then replaced with astroturf. It has three men's and three ladies' teams in the Slazenger North East Cheshire League.
Badminton
Mellor's badminton club[42] has eight teams: two teams in the Tameside Badminton League, three in the Stockport Badminton League and three Junior teams in the Stockport Badminton League.
Golf
The golf course[43] runs through a sparsely populated section of the oldest inhabited part of Mellor. The course offers a view over Greater Manchester and, on a clear day, the Welsh Mountains can be seen.
Societies
There are a number of societies within Mellor, ranging from church activities to painting and rambling.
Some of these societies run charitable events in the area. For example, every four years, the local residents open a number of private gardens during an event known as the Mellor Open Gardens day. The purpose of the event is to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and the support of the local Parish Centre.[44] Another event is the Mellor March, in which ramblers carry out a sponsored walk to traverse the boundary of Mellor.[45]
Transport
Mellor is served by three bus routes. The 375, operated by Little Gem, runs to Stockport via Marple and Hazel Grove; the service is hourly on weekdays. The 802 and 819 school services also run to Mellor from Rose Hill and Harrytown respectively.
The village does not have its own railway station; the closest is Marple station.
Disley is a village and civil parish in Cheshire, England. It is located on the edge of the Peak District in the Goyt Valley, south of Stockport and close to the county boundary with Derbyshire at New Mills. The population at the 2011 Census was 4,294. To the north, the River Goyt and the Peak Forest Canal, which opened in 1800, pass along the edge of the village. Today, it is a commuter town, retaining a semi-rural character.
The River Etherow in northern England is a tributary of the River Goyt. Although now passing through South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester, it historically formed the ancient county boundary between Cheshire and Derbyshire. The upper valley is known as Longdendale. The river has a watershed of approximately 30 square miles (78 km2), and the area an annual rainfall of 52.5 inches (1,330 mm).
The River Goyt is a tributary of the River Mersey in North West England.
The Upper Goyt Valley is the southern section of the valley of the River Goyt in North West England.
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Manchester, 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and 12 miles (19 km) north of Macclesfield. The Rivers Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here. It is the main settlement of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Stockport. In 2011 it had a population of 137,130.
New Mills is a town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England, 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Stockport and 13 miles (21 km) from Manchester at the confluence of the River Goyt and Sett. It is close to the border with Cheshire and above the Torrs, a 70 feet (21 m) deep gorge cut through carboniferous sandstone, on the north-western edge of the Peak District National Park.
Dukinfield is a town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England, on the south bank of the River Tame opposite Ashton-under-Lyne, 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of Manchester. At the 2011 Census, it had a population of 19,306.
Compstall is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, between Marple Bridge and Romiley. Historically part of Cheshire, it was formerly a mill village built by George Andrew in the 1820s to house his 800 workers; most of the original mill cottages and other structures remain unchanged.
Cheadle Hulme is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It lies in the historic county of Cheshire, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-west of Stockport and 8 miles (12.9 km) south-east of Manchester. In 2011, it had a population of 26,479.
Whaley Bridge is a town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It is situated on the River Goyt, 16 miles (26 km) south-east of Manchester, 7 miles (11 km) north of Buxton, 9 miles (14 km) north-east of Macclesfield and 28 miles (45 km) west of Sheffield. It had a population of 6,455 at the 2011 census, including Furness Vale, Horwich End, Bridgemont, Fernilee, Stoneheads and Taxal.
Marple is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is on the River Goyt, 9 miles (14 km) south-east of Manchester, 9 miles (14 km) north of Macclesfield and 4 miles (6 km) south-east of Stockport. In 2021, it had a population of 12,980.
Cheadle is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2024 by Tom Morrison of the Liberal Democrats. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first-past-the-post voting system.
Romiley is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, it borders Marple, Bredbury and Woodley. At the 2021 census, the Bredbury Green and Romiley ward, which also includes Compstall, Bredbury Green and a large part of Bredbury, had a population of 13,700.
Samuel Oldknow (1756–1828) was an English cotton manufacturer.
Bredbury is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles (12.9 km) south-east of Manchester, 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Stockport and 3 miles (4.8 km) south-west of Hyde. At the 2011 census, it had a population of 16,721.
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in England. It is south-east of central Manchester and south of Tameside. As well as the towns of Stockport, Bredbury and Marple, it includes the outlying villages and suburbs of Hazel Grove, Bramhall, Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Reddish, Woodley and Romiley. In 2022, it had a population of 297,107, making it the fourth-most populous borough of Greater Manchester.
Marple Bridge is a district of Marple in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The River Goyt runs through the centre of the village. Marple Bridge shares borders with Mellor, Marple, Compstall, New Mills, Strines, Mill Brow and Chisworth. It is in the ecclesiastical parish of Mellor; the parish church of St. Thomas stands several hundred feet higher than the village, overlooking Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
The Greater Manchester Built-up Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), consisting of the large conurbation that encompasses the urban element of the city of Manchester and the metropolitan area that forms much of Greater Manchester in North West England. According to the United Kingdom Census 2011, the Greater Manchester Built-up Area has a population of 2,553,379 making it the second most populous conurbation in the United Kingdom after the Greater London Built-up Area. This was an increase of 14% from the population recorded at the United Kingdom Census 2001 of 2,240,230, when it was known as the Greater Manchester Urban Area.
Ludworth is an area of Marple in Greater Manchester.
Mellor Mill, also known as Bottom's Mill, was a six-story cotton mill in Marple, Greater Manchester built by Samuel Oldknow in 1793. This was a six-storey, 42-foot (13 m) wide and 210-foot (64 m) long mill with additional three-storey wings making it 400 feet (120 m) in all. The mill was built for Samuel Oldknow and used to spin coarse counts. It was originally driven by the Wellington water wheel. The River Goyt, and with it the then county boundary between Derbyshire and Cheshire was diverted and a weir built, the leat fed a millpond that in later times was named the Roman Lakes. This in turn fed a second mill pond along with water from reservoir in Linnet Clough. Supplementary power was provided by a second exterior wheel known as the Waterloo wheel. The Mill reached its peak production in 1804, when 10,080 spindles were operating and around 550 people were employed. It was destroyed by fire in 1892.
↑ Watts, Victor, ed. (2004). The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names, Based on the Collections of the English Place-Name Society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN9780521168557., s.v. Mellor (1).
↑ Coates, Richard; Breeze, Andrew (2000). Celtic Voices, English Places: Studies of the Celtic Impact on Place-Names in Britain. Stamford: Tyas. ISBN1900289415..
↑ St Thomas, Mellor, Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture of Great Britain and Ireland, archived from the original on 29 September 2007, retrieved 30 December 2007
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