South Cheshire

The old textile town of Congleton, which gives its name to the Borough, has a number of half timbered buildings as well as a fine "Venetian Gothic" Town Hall. Its origins date back to Neolithic times and the remains of a Stone Age chambered tomb known as the Bridestones can still be seen on the hill road to Leek. Other archaeological finds suggest there was a Bronze Age settlement in the area. The River Dane was thus named because of its reputed usage by Scandinavian settlers in Congleton in the 9th to 11th centuries.
 

At the time of the Doomsday survey of 1086, the town had no more than 30 residents but it flourished and the town's prominence in the Tudor period is today evident by the legacy of buildings from that era. Much of the town area still retains its Georgian character. In 1752, the first silk mill was built by John Clayton and by 1771 this industry had restored the town's prosperity.

High Street Photo: Judges Postcards

Ribbon weaving began in the 1750's, was followed in 1784 by cotton spinning and a small wares trade came later.

The textile industry was the major activity in succeeding decades but light industry and the engineering and paper trades arrived to give the district a more varied industrial basis.
 

Congleton is one of four towns in Cheshire to have retained the main elements of its mediaeval street plan. The town centre has now been relieved of through traffic by an inner-relief road which has allowed the central shopping area to be pedestrianised . This area includes both the newly built 'Bridestones Shopping and Market Precinct', whose architecture has been designed to blend with the general character of the town and added substantially to the ample car parking provision in the town area, and the 'Capitol Walk' shopping mall.

Moody Street Photo: Judges Postcards

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