Congleton

Congleton is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, on the banks of the River Dane, and to the west of the Macclesfield Canal. It has a population of 25,750.

History
Congleton was once thought to have been a Roman settlement, although there is no archaeological or documentary evidence to support this theory. However, a number of neolithic and Bronze Age artefacts have been found in the town. The town is built on marshy land and the centre of population was once at modern-day Astbury.

In 1272 it received its charter to hold fairs and markets. King Edward I granted permission to build a mill. Congleton became an important centre of textile production, especially lace and leather gloves. Congleton had an early Silk throwing mill, the Old Mill built by John Clayton and Nathaniel Pattison in 1753b. The neighbouring village of Buglawton was incorporated into Congleton borough in 1936. From 1974 to 2009, Congleton borough covered much of south-east Cheshire. Following the abolition of Cheshire County Council on 1 April 2009, Congleton is now administered by the unitary authority of Cheshire East.

Congleton became notorious in the 1620s when bear-baiting was a popular sport. Congleton owned an old and rather decrepit bear and was unable to attract large crowds to their bear-baiting contests, but also lacked the money to pay for a new and more aggressive bear. It did however have a sum of money saved to buy a new bible. The town decided to use the money in the bible fund to pay for a new bear, and then replenished it with the income from the increased number of spectators. However, when the story was reported to neighbouring towns, it got corrupted and the legend grew that Congleton had sold its bible in order to buy a new bear.

A song called "Congleton Bear" (by John Tams ) did the rounds of which the chorus ran:


 * ''Congleton Rare, Congleton Rare
 * They sold the Bible to buy a bear.

From the time of this legend, Congleton has been nicknamed 'Beartown'.

Geography
Congleton's main landmark, a high outcrop of rocks known as The Cloud, overlooks the Cheshire Plain. The Cloud Project in Congleton is a daily photographic record of The Cloud over a period of one year and also of Cloudside, Dane in Shaw, The Macclesfield Canal and surrounding areas. The Cloud is also the setting for the climax of the supernatural novel A Haunted Man by Stuart Neild, where the novel's hero, ghosthunter Boag-Munroe, is involved in a fight to the death.

The town of Congleton is broken up by the Congleton townspeople into six main areas. These are Buglawton, otherwise known as "Bug Town", the Bromley Farm estate, otherwise known as "Tin Town" due to the number of tin r.s.j built there, Mossley which is sometimes classed as the posher part of town, West Heath which is a relatively new estate built in the late 1970s to the early 1980s, Lower Heath to the north of the town, and finally the town centre.

Economy
The principal industries in Congleton include the manufacture of airbags and golf-balls. There are light engineering factories near the town, and sand extraction occurs on the Cheshire Plain, although much of the town is now a dormitory for Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. There are several weekly local newspapers: the paid-for Congleton Chronicle and free-sheets the Congleton Advertiser and Congleton Guardian. Local radio is broadcast from nearby Macclesfield-based Silk FM, Signal Radio from Stoke-on-Trent and BBC Radio Stoke.

Congleton Market perates every Tuesday and Saturday from the Bridestones Centre. There are 11 indoor stalls and 84 outdoor stalls.

Congleton railway station opened on 9 October 1848. It lies on the Manchester to Stoke-on-Trent branch of the West Coast Main Line.

Leisure
The National Trust Tudor house Little Moreton Hall, lies to the south of the town.

Congleton Museum is on Market Square in the centre of town. It was established in 2002 and is dedicated to Congleton's industrial history, and contains an ancient log boat and gold and silver coin hoards.

Congleton Tourist Information Centre is on the town's High Street.

Congleton is home to a local football team, Congleton Town F.C., known as the Bears, who play in the North West Counties League. Their ground is at Booth Street. There are also two cricket clubs, Congleton CC and Mossley CC. There are two golf clubs in the town; the historic Congleton Golf Club which is an undulating 9 hole course with views over the Cloud End, and the 18 hole parkland course at Astbury.

Congleton Park is located along the banks of the River Dane just north east of the town centre. Town Wood on the northern edge of the park is a Grade A Site of Biological Interest and contains many nationally important plants. Congleton paddling pool was built in the 1930s and is open in the summer months. Astbury Mere Country Park lies just to the south west of the town centre, on the site of a former sand quarry. The lake is used for fishing and sailing and despite its name, is actually in the West Heath area of Congleton, with the boundary between Congleton and Newbold Astbury parishes lying just a bit further to the South.

Notable residents

 * Emma Bossons, ceramic artist
 * Ian Brightwell, former Manchester City footballer and England U-21 international
 * Mark Edwardson, TV presenter, BBC North West
 * Alan Garner, writer
 * Laura Newton, cricketer
 * Ann Packer and Robbie Brightwell, husband-and-wife Olympic Gold Medalists
 * Daniel Sturridge, Chelsea footballer and England U-21 international
 * John Whitehurst, clockmaker and scientist
 * Ann Winterton, politician
 * Brian Jensen, Burnley footballer
 * Dawn Gibbins (British entrepreneur)
 * Adam Partridge (Television Auctioner e.g. Flog it)

Primary schools

 * Astbury St Mary's C of E School
 * Black Firs Primary School
 * Buglawton Primary School
 * Daven Primary School
 * Havannah Primary School
 * Marlfields Primary School
 * Mossley C of E Primary School
 * Smallwood CE Primary School
 * St Mary's Catholic Primary School
 * The Quinta Primary School

High schools

 * Congleton High School
 * Eaton Bank School