Pott Shrigley
OS Grid ref:-SJ9380
The charming Cheshire village of Pott Shrigley lies on the very western edge of the Peak District National Park.
Situated one mile east of the small town of Bollington, Pott Shrigley lies on the Congleton and Macclesfield canal. The village was originally known as Pott Shriggelegh - which derives from from the Old English of scric and leah, meaning Scric field. Scric refers to the grey-backed shrike, a bird, which was found in the woodland clearings of the Peak District.
Shrigley Hall dates from the regency period and was built by William Turner, a wealthy mill owner from Blackburn. Two of its ground floor rooms contain fine neoclassical plasterwork.
St. Christopher's church (pictured below) stands at the heart of the village and is a handsome Perpendicular style stone structure probably founded in the fourteenth century, with an embattled tower containing a clock and three bells. It took on its present form in the fifteenth century, when Geoffrey Downes, brother of the local squire, added the Downes chantry chapel. The churches register of baptisms, marriages and burials dates back to 1630.
Inside, the church boasts a fine, late 15th century barrel roof constructed of plaster on a reed backing. Above the chancel arch, the Royal Arms are those of King George I to George III. The oak altar table dates from 1698. The oak box pews were acquired from St James' Church, Gawsworth and were installed in the 19th century. Under the chancel arch close to the altar and built into the wall, there is a representation of the famous 'Alice In Wonderland Cheshire Cat' as it is usually depicted today and the church is home to a number of other medieval carvings. A preaching cross that probably predates the church can be found in the churchyard, to the right of the entrance.
Pott Shrigley Church School, which is allied to the church, has a long history, as it was originally founded as long ago as 1492 and celebrated its 500th anniversary in 1992.
Nearby places of interest
Macclesfield Forest once the centre of a Royal Forest created by the Norman kings for the purpose of hunting game such as deer, wild boar and wolves. It once encompassed all the area from Disley to the River Dane. The forest is home to a herd of red deer, while the reservoirs contain a wide variety of wildfowl.
Adlington Hall Set in the heart of the Cheshire countryside, the current building was begun in 1315, although late medieval and Tudor remodeling have since changed its appearance. The Great Hall is a late fifteenth century addition, while a half timbered Tudor manor was added in the following century.