Wincle and Surroundings
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Wincle is a thriving community of some 190 inhabitants in the Peak District National Park made up of working farms, home workers, retirees, young families and commuters. Within the parish are two pubs, (The Wildboar, formerly known as the New Inn and The Ship) a school, pre-school, church, brewery and fish farm.
The Ship is said to date from the 17th or even 16th century. It was called the Ship Inn at least as far back as 1829 when its sign depicted a sailing ship but most likely it takes its name from a corruption of the word shippon as it was a combined farm and pub in its early days. The current sign is of The Nimrod on which Sir Philip Brocklehurst of Swythamley Hall sailed with Shackleton on one of his expeditions to the Antarctic in 1907-1909. Farming of dairy and beef cattle, sheep, turkeys and geese, is the mainstay of the village and in 1978 Danebridge Fisheries was established on the banks of the Dane and nearby The Wincle Beer Co in 2008. |
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A very well attended village fete and trout fell run are held every year, usually the Saturday after the spring bank holiday and a beer festival towards the end of June. There are many walks in the area.
HISTORY
The name Wincle may be derived from wincel or wince meaning a nook or corner describing the village’s position in the bend of the valley. In previous times it has been known as Winchul, Wynkehull, Wincell or Wynkyll and even on some grave stones, Winkle but this might just have been a miss-engraving.
As well as the possibility of the church being built on a Neolithic mound, a Neolithic unchambered long barrow (built perhaps 5500 years ago) has been found near Bartomley, a Wincle farm, together with some Roman artefacts. There are said to be signs of a bronze age settlement near Clulow Cross, early flat topped stones on Wincle Minn which could have been early way posts, and the possibility of a battle between the Romans and local Celts on the knoll behind the Ship Inn.
Wincle was situated within the area of Macclesfield Forest owned by the Earls of Chester. It features in records of the late 12th century, when an area of land in Wincle was given to the monks of Combermere Abbey near Nantwich for the purpose of building a Grange. Apart from a short period from 1354 when the Black Prince took control, Wincle Grange remained under Combermere until the dissolution of monasteries in ca. 1538. It was surrendered to Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell before being sold. Wincle Grange remains in private hands today.
The River Dane forms the boundary of Wincle and also between Cheshire and Staffordshire. There was a crossing (known as Slideford) as early as 1190 on what was probably the main route between Macclesfield and Leek. The first bridge was in place by 1357, a double arched bridge constructed in early 17th century but washed away by floods and rebuilt in 1632 as a single arched bridge. The present bridge was erected in 1869. During demolition of the former, a Cromwellian cannon ball was found embedded in the bridge as well as a Charles I coin.
The Dane has been used to power several mills along its banks. The first recorded corn and paper mill at Danebridge was in 1652. The mill was converted to cotton in 1784, to a waste silk spinning mill in 1850 and in 1870 to a colour mill producing black dye from coal dust. This was used by the Leek silk weavers to make Leek Raven, a well known type of silk cloth made famous by Queen Victoria in mourning. The mill also supplied colour for shoe polish, lead pencils and stove polish. It fell into disuse in 1898 and had completely collapsed by the 1970s.
In 1737 a paper mill was erected on the Dane at Whitelee by James Brindley of canal building fame, but ceased production in 1834.
Between 1780 and 1790 Folly (Grove) Mill was constructed on Clough Brook. This was used to produce rough wrapping paper. It fell into disuse in 1867 and together with its cottages has now been demolished. The memorial tablet on the north wall of the church next to the altar is dedicated to Sarah and Abraham Day who were associated with the mill. Anecdotes report that Sarah, fed up with the building exploits of her husband, claimed she would take to her bed until he gave up the idea of building the mill. He didn’t so she kept to her word and remained in bed for many years.
Other notable dates are 1645 when Cromwellian armies passed by; 1745 the passing by of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army on the way to and back from Derby, and 1731, the public hanging of John Nadin who had murdered his employer Farmer Brough at the behest of his lover the farmer’s wife. This was attended by choirs and many bystanders.
Wincle also included part of what is now Wildboarclough until about 1870; roughly from Midgeley Gate to Gradbach.
HISTORY
The name Wincle may be derived from wincel or wince meaning a nook or corner describing the village’s position in the bend of the valley. In previous times it has been known as Winchul, Wynkehull, Wincell or Wynkyll and even on some grave stones, Winkle but this might just have been a miss-engraving.
As well as the possibility of the church being built on a Neolithic mound, a Neolithic unchambered long barrow (built perhaps 5500 years ago) has been found near Bartomley, a Wincle farm, together with some Roman artefacts. There are said to be signs of a bronze age settlement near Clulow Cross, early flat topped stones on Wincle Minn which could have been early way posts, and the possibility of a battle between the Romans and local Celts on the knoll behind the Ship Inn.
Wincle was situated within the area of Macclesfield Forest owned by the Earls of Chester. It features in records of the late 12th century, when an area of land in Wincle was given to the monks of Combermere Abbey near Nantwich for the purpose of building a Grange. Apart from a short period from 1354 when the Black Prince took control, Wincle Grange remained under Combermere until the dissolution of monasteries in ca. 1538. It was surrendered to Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell before being sold. Wincle Grange remains in private hands today.
The River Dane forms the boundary of Wincle and also between Cheshire and Staffordshire. There was a crossing (known as Slideford) as early as 1190 on what was probably the main route between Macclesfield and Leek. The first bridge was in place by 1357, a double arched bridge constructed in early 17th century but washed away by floods and rebuilt in 1632 as a single arched bridge. The present bridge was erected in 1869. During demolition of the former, a Cromwellian cannon ball was found embedded in the bridge as well as a Charles I coin.
The Dane has been used to power several mills along its banks. The first recorded corn and paper mill at Danebridge was in 1652. The mill was converted to cotton in 1784, to a waste silk spinning mill in 1850 and in 1870 to a colour mill producing black dye from coal dust. This was used by the Leek silk weavers to make Leek Raven, a well known type of silk cloth made famous by Queen Victoria in mourning. The mill also supplied colour for shoe polish, lead pencils and stove polish. It fell into disuse in 1898 and had completely collapsed by the 1970s.
In 1737 a paper mill was erected on the Dane at Whitelee by James Brindley of canal building fame, but ceased production in 1834.
Between 1780 and 1790 Folly (Grove) Mill was constructed on Clough Brook. This was used to produce rough wrapping paper. It fell into disuse in 1867 and together with its cottages has now been demolished. The memorial tablet on the north wall of the church next to the altar is dedicated to Sarah and Abraham Day who were associated with the mill. Anecdotes report that Sarah, fed up with the building exploits of her husband, claimed she would take to her bed until he gave up the idea of building the mill. He didn’t so she kept to her word and remained in bed for many years.
Other notable dates are 1645 when Cromwellian armies passed by; 1745 the passing by of Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army on the way to and back from Derby, and 1731, the public hanging of John Nadin who had murdered his employer Farmer Brough at the behest of his lover the farmer’s wife. This was attended by choirs and many bystanders.
Wincle also included part of what is now Wildboarclough until about 1870; roughly from Midgeley Gate to Gradbach.