Stockport 300827 225022852 2008-07-11T14:39:37Z Jza84 4751314 ce lead {{otheruses}} {{for|the larger local government district|Metropolitan Borough of Stockport}} {{infobox UK place| |country = England |static_image= [[Image:Stockport Town Hall (2).jpg|240px]] |static_image_caption=<small>[[Stockport Town Hall]]</small> |latitude= 53.4083 |longitude= -2.1494 |official_name= Stockport |population= [[List of English cities by population|136,082]] ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]]) |metropolitan_borough= [[Metropolitan Borough of Stockport|Stockport]] |metropolitan_county= [[Greater Manchester]] |region= North West England |constituency_westminster= [[Stockport (UK Parliament constituency)|Stockport]] |post_town= STOCKPORT |postcode_district = SK1-SK3, SK5-SK8 |postcode_area= SK |dial_code= 0161 |os_grid_reference= SJ895900 |london_distance= {{convert|157|mi|km|abbr=on}} [[Boxing the compass|SE]] }} '''Stockport''' ({{Audio|en-uk-Stockport.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a large town in [[Greater Manchester]], [[England]]. It lies on elevated ground on the [[River Mersey]] at the influx of the rivers [[River Goyt|Goyt]] and [[River Tame, Greater Manchester|Tame]], {{convert|6.1|mi|km|1|lk=on}} southeast of the city of [[Manchester]]. Stockport is the largest settlement of the [[Metropolitan Borough of Stockport]], and has a population of [[List of English cities by population|136,082]], the wider borough being 281,000. [[Historic counties of England|Historically]] a part of [[Cheshire]], Stockport in the 16th century was known for the cultivation of [[hemp]] and [[rope]] manufacture and in the 18th century the town had one of the first mechanised silk factories in the [[United Kingdom]]. However, Stockport's predominant industries of the 19th century were the [[cotton]] and allied industries. Stockport was also at the centre of the country's hatting industry which by 1884 was exporting more than six million hats a year. In December 1997 the last Stockport hat works closed. The town's hatting heritage is preserved at 'Hat Works - the Museum of Hatting'. Dominating the western approaches to the town is the [[Stockport Viaduct]]. Built in 1840, the [[viaduct]]'s 27 brick arches over the River Mersey carry the mainline railways from Manchester to [[Birmingham]] and [[London]]. This structure featured as the background in many paintings by [[L.S. Lowry]]. ==History== ===Toponymy=== Stockport was first recorded as "Stokeport" in 1170.<ref name=Arrowsmith1997>Arrowsmith (1997), p.&nbsp;23.</ref><ref name=Mills>{{cite book |last=Mills |first=A D |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Dictionary of English Place-Names (2nd ed) |year=1997 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |id=ISBN 0-19-280074-4 }}</ref> The currently accepted etymology is [[Old English language|Old English]] ''stoc'', a market place, with ''port'', a hamlet (but more accurately a minor settlement within an estate); hence, a market place at a hamlet.<ref name=Arrowsmith1997/><ref name=Mills/> Older derivations include ''stock'' or stoke, a stockaded place or castle, with ''port'', a wood, hence a castle in a wood.<ref name=SMBClocalhistory>{{cite web |url=http://www.stockport.gov.uk/content/communitypeopleliving/historyandheritage/localhistory/?a=5441 |title=Local History |accessdate=2007-04-02 |work=[[Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council|Stockport MBC web pages]] }}</ref> The castle part of the name probably refers to [[Stockport Castle]], a 12th century [[motte-and-bailey]] first mentioned in 1173.<ref name="Pastscape">{{cite web |title=Stockport Castle |url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=1085399 |publisher=Pastscape.org.uk |accessdate=2008-01-05}}</ref> Other derivations have been formed, based on early variants of the name such as Stopford and Stockford. There is evidence that a ford across the Mersey existed at the foot of the town centre street now known as Bridge Street Brow. Stopford retains a use in the adjectival form, Stopfordian, used for Stockport-related items, and pupils at [[Stockport Grammar School]] style themselves as Stopfordians.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stockportgrammar.co.uk/osa/index.htm |title=Old Stopfordians' Association |accessdate=2007-04-03 |format= |work=Stockport Grammar School web pages }}</ref> By contrast, former pupils of nearby Stockport School are known as Old Stoconians, perhaps from the Old English name for the town. [[Image:Confluenceoftameandgoyt.JPG|thumb|The River Tame (left) and the River Goyt (right) meeting to form the Mersey]] Stockport has never been a sea or river port. The Mersey is not navigable to anything much above canoe size, and in the centre of Stockport has been [[culvert]]ed and the main shopping street, ''Merseyway'', is built above it. ===Early history=== There is sufficient evidence that a fortified stronghold existed in the vicinity in the time of the [[Ancient Briton]]s, and that [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola|Agricola]] in AD 79 recognised its strategical advantages and fortified Stockport to guard the passage of the Mersey.<ref name=SMBClocalhistory/> After the [[Norman Conquest]], it was ruled by a hereditary [[Baron]] of Stockport. The town was connected to the national [[canal]] network by the 5 miles of the [[Stockport Branch Canal|Stockport branch]] of the [[Ashton Canal]] opened in 1797 which continued in use until the 1930s. Much of it is now filled in, but there is an active campaign to re-open it for leisure uses. [[Image:Stockport Viaduct.jpg|thumb|right|The Stockport railway viaduct over the [[River Mersey|Mersey]]]] The first borough [[charter]] was granted in about 1220 and was the only basis for local government for six hundred years. From the 17th century Stockport became a centre for the hatting industry and later the [[silk]] industry. Stockport expanded rapidly during the [[Industrial Revolution]], helped particularly by the growth of the cotton manufacturing industries. However, economic growth took its toll, and 19th century [[philosopher]] [[Friedrich Engels]] wrote in 1844 that Stockport was "renowned as one of the duskiest, smokiest holes in the whole of the industrial area".<ref>{{cite book | last = Engels | first = Frederick | authorlink = Frederick Engels | title = The Condition of the Working Class in England | origdate = 1845 | url = http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/condition-working-class/ | accessdate = | edition = | date = 1969 | publisher = Panther | location = | id = | doi = | chapter = The great Towns | chapterurl = http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/condition-working-class/ch04.htm | quote = Stockport is renowned throughout the entire district as one of the duskiest, smokiest holes, and looks, indeed, especially when viewed from the viaduct, excessively repellent.}}</ref> ===Recent history=== Since the start of the 20th century Stockport has moved away from being a town dependent on cotton and its allied industries to one with a varied base. It makes the most of its varied heritage attractions, including a national museum of hatting, a unique system of underground Second World War air raid tunnel shelters in the town centre, and a late medieval merchants' house on the 700-year-old Market Place. In 1967 the [[Stockport Air Disaster|Stockport air disaster]] occurred, when a [[Bmi (airline)|British Midland Airways]] C-4 Argonaut [[aeroplane]] crashed in the Hopes Carr area of the town, resulting in the deaths of 72 passengers. In recent years, [[Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council]] has embarked on an ambitious regeneration scheme, known as ''Future Stockport''. The plan is to bring over 3,000 residents into the centre of the town, and revitalise its residential property and retail markets, in a similar fashion to the nearby city of Manchester. Many ex-industrial areas around the town's core will be brought back into productive use as [[mixed-use]] residential and commercial developments. ==Governance== Most of the town is within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire (south of the Mersey), although [[Reddish]] and the [[Four Heatons]] lay within the historic boundaries of [[Lancashire]] (north of the Mersey). ===Civic history=== The [[1835]] [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835|Municipal Corporations Act]] made Stockport a [[municipal borough]] divided into six wards with a council consisting of 14 Aldermen and 42 Councillors. In 1888, its status was raised to [[County Borough]], becoming the [[County Borough of Stockport]]. Since 1972, Stockport has been twinned with in [[Béziers]] in [[France]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stockport.gov.uk/content/communitypeopleliving/towntwinning/twintowns/ |title=Twin towns |publisher=Stockport.gov.uk |accessdate=2008-05-19}}</ref> In 1974, under the [[Local Government Act 1972]] Stockport amalgamated with neighbouring districts to form the Unitary Authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in the now ceremonial [[metropolitan county]] of Greater Manchester. ===Parliamentary representation=== There are four parliamentary constituencies in the Stockport Metropolitan Borough: [[Stockport (UK Parliament constituency)|Stockport]], [[Cheadle (UK Parliament constituency)|Cheadle]], [[Hazel Grove (UK Parliament constituency)|Hazel Grove]], and [[Denton and Reddish (UK Parliament constituency)|Denton and Reddish]]. Stockport has been represented by [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] MP [[Ann Coffey]] since [[United Kingdom general election, 1992|1992]]. [[Mark Hunter (politician)|Mark Hunter]] has been the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle since a 2005 [[Cheadle by-election, 2005|by-election]]. [[Andrew Stunell]] has been the Liberal Democrat MP for Hazel Grove since [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997]]. The constituency of Denton and Reddish bridges Stockport and [[Tameside]]; the current member is [[Andrew Gwynne]]. ==Geography== {{further|[[Geography of Greater Manchester]]}} {{climate chart |Stockport |1|6|70 |1|7|50 |3|9|60 |4|12|50 |7|15|60 |10|18|70 |12|20|70 |12|20|80 |10|17|70 |8|14|80 |4|9|80 |2|7|80 |source={{cite web|url=http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/UKXX0140_c.html|publisher=Yahoo! Weather|date=2008|title=Records and averages}} |float=right }} At {{coor dms|53|24|30|N|2|8|58|W|city}} (53.408°, -2.149°), and {{convert|157|mi|km|0}} northwest of [[London]], Stockport stands on elevated ground, {{convert|6.1|mi|km|1}} southeast of [[Manchester City Centre]], at the [[confluence]] of the rivers [[River Goyt|Goyt]] and [[River Tame|Tame]]. It shares a common boundary with the [[Manchester|City of Manchester]]. ===Divisions and suburbs=== {{Areas of Stockport}} ==Demography== {{further|[[Demography of Greater Manchester]]}} [[Image:Stockport Pyramid.jpg|thumb|right|Stockport Pyramid]] The town had a population of 136,082 according to the 2001 [[Census]], with the wider borough having a population of 284,528. Although suburbs such as [[Woodford, Greater Manchester]], [[Bramhall]] and [[Hazel Grove]] rank amongst the wealthiest areas of the United Kingdom and 45% of the borough is green space, districts such as [[Adswood]] and [[Brinnington]] suffer from widespread poverty and post-industrial decay. In the north-west of the borough are the relatively prosperous areas of [[Heaton Moor]] and [[Heaton Mersey]], which together with [[Heaton Chapel]] and [[Heaton Norris]] comprise the so-called ''Four Heatons''. Opinions on the general quality of life in Stockport greatly differ.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} In its favour, some highlight its proximity to Manchester, and its abundance of amenities; but its perceived grittiness and loutish youth culture earned it 12th place in the internet-based 2004 guide ''[[Crap Towns|Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places To Live In The UK]]'' (however, given that its fellows on this list were places such as [[Oxford]], [[Winchester, Hampshire|Winchester]], [[Liverpool]] (European Capital of Culture 2008), and tiny London commuter belt villages, the relevance of the list is disputed). [[Image:Stockport Central Library.jpg|thumb|right|Stockport Central Library]] ==Economy== Stockport's principal commercial district is located in the town centre, with branches of most high-street stores to be found in the [[Merseyway Shopping Centre]] or [[Stockport Peel Centre|The Peel Centre]]. [[Grand Central Stockport|Grand Central Leisure]] boasts an Olympic sized swimming pool, a ten-screen cinema, bars, a [[bowling]] alley, health complex, and several restaurants. Stockport is located seven miles (10 km) from [[Manchester city centre]], making it convenient for commuters and shoppers. ==Places of interest== Stockport is home to the following: [[Image:The Market, Stockport.jpg|right|thumb|The Market, Stockport]] *Stockport boasts the UK's only hat museum, the "[[Hat Works]]" based in Wellington Mill - a thriving hat factory in [[Victorian era|Victorian times]].<ref>[http://www.hatworks.org.uk/ Hat Works Web Site<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> *[[Stockport Viaduct]] is one of the western Europe's biggest brick structures,<ref name=viaduct>{{cite web|accessdate 2007-12-10|title=Stockport Railway Viaduct|url=http://www.stockport.gov.uk/content/communitypeopleliving/historyandheritage/buildingsandstructures/railwayviaduct?a=5441}}</ref> the {{convert|111|ft|m|0}} high, four-track railway viaduct over the River Mersey on the line to Manchester which represents a major feat of Victorian engineering, built in 21 months at a cost of £70,000. Eleven million bricks were used in its construction, opening in 1842. The foundation stone was laid on March 10, 1839. *[[Staircase House]] is a Grade II* listed medieval townhouse in the Market Place. The building has been modified several times, but is probably the oldest secular building in Stockport.<ref name=Arrow>{{cite book | last = Arrowsmith | first = Peter | authorlink = | title = Recording Stockport's Past: Recent Investigations of Historic Sites in the Borough of Stockport | date = 1996 | publisher = Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council | location = Stockport | isbn = 0-905164-20-2}}</ref> *[http://www.staircasehouse.org.uk/default_Story.asp Stockport Story Museum], detailing over 10,000 years of Stockport's history. This museum has free admission and is housed within Staircase House. * [[Stockport Town Hall]], with its ballroom, described by [[Poet Laureate]], [[John Betjeman]] as 'magnificent' containing the largest [[Wurlitzer]] theatre organ in Britain designed by [[Sir Alfred Brumwell Thomas]]. *[[Stockport College]] with sites in the town centre and Heaton Moor *Underbank Hall in the centre of Stockport is a late 16th century timber framed building, built as the townhouse of the Arderne family from nearby [[Bredbury]]. It remained in the family until 1823, and since 1824 has been used as a bank. The current main banking hall lies behind the 16th century part and dates from 1915.<ref name=Arrow/> The building is listed Grade II*. *[http://www.airraidshelters.org.uk/ Stockport Air Raid Shelters] is a museum based around the underground tunnels dug during [[World War II]] to protect local inhabitants during air raids *[http://www.stockport.gov.uk/content/leisureculture/parksrecreation/parks/vernonpark/ Vernon Park]. This is the main municipal park, located a short distance to the east towards [[Bredbury]]. It was opened on September 20th, 1858 on the anniversary of the [[Battle of Alma]] in the [[Crimean War]]. Named after Lord Vernon who presented the land for the park to the town. *[[St Elisabeth's Church, Reddish|St. Elisabeth's church]], Reddish, and [[model village]]. Mill community designed in the main by [[Alfred Waterhouse]] for the workers from Houldsworth Mill, at the time the largest [[cotton mill]] in the world. *[[St Mary's Church]] on the Market Place is the town's oldest place of worship with parts dating to the early 14th century and houses the [[Stockport Heritage]] centre run by local volunteers on market days. ==Transport== The Manchester orbital [[M60 motorway]] and [[A6 road]] to London cross at Stockport. [[Stockport railway station]] is a mainline station on the Manchester spur of the [[West Coast Main Line]]. [[Manchester Airport]] ([[Ringway]]), the busiest in the UK outside London, is located five miles (8 km) southwest of the town. ==Sports== {{Unreferencedsection|date=June 2008}} Stockport is home to two professional sports teams, both of which play at [[Edgeley Park]] stadium: [[Stockport County F.C.]] play in [[Football League One]];. Their claim to fame is that they currently hold the record for the most consecutive [[Football League]] wins without conceding a goal with nine, achieved in 2007.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} [[Sale Sharks]] [[Rugby Union]] club, who currently own Edgeley Park stadium, won the [[Guinness Premiership]] title in 2006 and boast current [[England national rugby union team|England]] internationals [[Mark Cueto]], [[Charlie Hodgson]], [[Andrew Sheridan]] and [[Andy Titterrell]]; [[Scotland national rugby union team|Scotland]]'s [[Jason White (rugby player)|Jason White]] as well as capped overseas stars including [[Sébastien Chabal]], [[Sébastien Bruno]], [[Ignacio Fernández Lobbe]]. Stockport Metro Swimming Club, based at Grand Central Pools is the most successful British swimming club, through the last three Olympic Games.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} Stockport Metro swimmers have claimed 50% of British swimming's medal haul.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} In the 1996 [[Atlanta]] games Graeme Smith won bronze in the 1500 m freestyle and in the 2004 [[Athens]] games Stephen Parry won bronze in 200 m butterfly.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} Stockport has three [[athletics (track and field)|athletics]] clubs - Manchester Harriers & AC, Stockport Harriers & AC, and DASH Athletics Club. Manchester Harriers train at William Scholes' Playing Fields in Gatley, and they organise highly-regarded schools cross country races throughout the winter. Stockport Harriers are based at Woodbank Park in Offerton, and have several International middle-distance and endurance athletes including Steve Vernon. DASH Athletics Club are the newest Club in Stockport based at both Hazel Grove Recreation Centre,and the Regional Athletics Arena at Sportcity in Manchester. In 2006 DASH AC Coach Geoff Barratt was UK Athletics' Development Coach of the Year, and in 2007 the club won England Athletics North West Junior Club and North West Overall Club of The Year accolades. ==Notable people== {{Main|List of people from Stockport}} As one of the larger towns in the UK, Stockport and its surrounding villages have had many notable residents throughout their history including dashing weatherman [[Chris Fawkes]], actor [[Dominic Monaghan]], best-known for his role in the movie adaptations of ''[[The Lord of the Rings film trilogy|The Lord of the Rings]]'' (who attended Aquinas College in Stockport), [[John Amaechi]], NBA Star and activist, novelist [[Christopher Isherwood]], engineer [[Sir Joseph Whitworth]], tennis player [[Fred Perry]], judge [[John Bradshaw (judge)|John Bradshaw]] and architect [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Norman Foster]]. Distinguished [[first-class cricket]]ers [[Fred Ridgway]] and [[Maurice Tremlett]] were born in Stockport and played [[test cricket]] for England.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://content-www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/19405.html |author= |title=Fred Ridgway player profile |publisher=Cricinfo.com |accessdate=2007-08-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/engvind/content/player/21579.html |author=Wisden Cricket Monthly |title=Maurice Tremlett player profile |publisher=Cricinfo.com |accessdate=2007-08-27}}</ref> Also, drummer [[Dominic Howard]] from the successful band [[Muse (band)|Muse]] hails from Stockport. ==See also== *[[Stockport Air Disaster]] *[[St Mary's Church, Stockport]] *[[St Peter's Church, Stockport]] *[[St George's Church, Heaviley]] *[[Stockport Peel Centre]] ==References== {{reflist|2}} ===Bibliography=== {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Arrowsmith |first=Peter |title=Stockport: a History |date=1997 |publisher=Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council |location=Stockport |isbn=0-905164-99-7 }} {{refend}} ==External links== {{Commonscat|Stockport}} * [http://www.stockport.gov.uk/ Stockport Council] {{Greater Manchester}} [[Category:Towns in Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Stockport|*]] [[Category:Articles including recorded pronunciations (UK English)]] [[de:Stockport]] [[es:Stockport]] [[eo:Stockport]] [[fr:Stockport]] [[id:Stockport]] [[nl:Stockport]] [[pl:Stockport (Anglia)]] [[ro:Stockport]] [[simple:Stockport]] [[fi:Stockport]] [[sv:Stockport]]