Handforth
Encyclopedia
Handforth is a suburban area situated between Wilmslow
, Heald Green
, and Styal
in Cheshire
, England
. Travelling south from Manchester
, Handforth is the first place in Cheshire, although other areas nearer Manchester lie within the historic boundaries of the county.
In the 1950s, two overspill housing estates, Spath Lane and Colshaw Farm, were built in the area to re-house people from inner city Manchester.
.
with which it has historic links. The first mention of Handforth was in a charter which is dated between 1233 and 1236. During the Crusades
, Handforth acquired its own Coat of Arms, which displays the Honford Star. The Honford Star originated from Henry de Honford who, while fighting in the Crusades, painted a silver star on his black shield after seeing a star fall from the sky during a night attack on the Saracens.
The oldest building in Handforth is Handforth Hall
, a black and white timber building built during the Tudor period
by Sir Urian Brereton in 1562. It was originally named Honford Hall after the local feudal family the de Honford's. Sir Urian was escheator of Cheshire, one of the privy grooms to Henry VIII and knighted in 1544 at Leith
during an attack on Edinburgh
. Sir Urian Brereton died at Handforth Hall on 19 March 1577 and is thought to be buried in a chapel at St Mary's Church, Cheadle
. In the south chapel are three recumbent effigies. Two are in alabaster
and are thought to represent members of the Hondford (or Handford) family, Sir John, who died in 1461 and his son, also named John. The third is in sandstone and represents Sir Thomas Brereton who died in 1673. The most famous resident of Handforth is Sir Urian's great grandson, the Parliamentary General, Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet
, who fought in the English Civil War
.
In 1887, John Bartholomew
's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Handforth like this:
"Handforth, township and hamlet with ry. sta., Cheadle par., E. Cheshire, 5 miles SW. of Stockport, 1311 ac., pop. 736; P.O., T.O."
Registration District between 1837 to 1877, until it was divided onto the separate parishes of Handforth and Bosden. Handforth continued to be part of the Stockport Registration District from 1877 to 1936 when it was then incorporated into the parishes of Wilmslow
and Cheadle and Gatley
. The parish of Bosden was abolished in 1900 and incorporated into the parish of Hazel Grove and Bramhall
.
Due to being part of Wilmslow, Handforth along with other towns such as Whitworth
, Poynton
and Alderley Edge
successfully objected from being part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester
when it was formed in 1974 as a result of plans laid out in the Local Government Act 1972
, although the area does form part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
. From 1974 until the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
, Handforth was administered by the Macclesfield Borough Council and Cheshire County Council
. On 1 April 2009 it became part of the Cheshire East
unitary authority.
, which is located in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
. Handforth borders with Heald Green
to the north, which is situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
in Greater Manchester
, and Wilmslow
to the south. Cheshire East straddles the Cheshire Plain
and the Pennines
. The area lies near the River Dean
, a tributary
of the River Bollin
that flows north–west and eventually joins the River Mersey
near Lymm
. The local geology
is mostly glacial clay, as well as glacial sands and gravel.
The majority of buildings in the area are houses from the 20th century, but there are a few buildings that are pre-20th century that date back to the 19th century and as far as the 16th century, such as Handforth Hall.
maritime climate, like much of the British Isles
, with relatively cool summers and mild winters
, a unitary authority area with borough
status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
. Handforth falls within the UK parliament constituency of Tatton
, a strongly Conservative constituency represented by George Osborne
, the current Chancellor of the Exchequer
. It is the third most affluent constituency in the UK outside of Kensington and Chelsea
and Cities of London and Westminster. The area is also represented in the European Parliament
, the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union
, by being part of North West England (European Parliament constituency)
.
data, the Handforth Ward has a population of 8014, of which 4155 (51.8%) are females and 3859 (48.2%) are males. 1678 people (20.9%) are aged 16 and under, and 1577 people (19.7%) are aged 65 and over.
Of the 3.21% (255 people) in non-white ethnic groups:
Methodist:
St. Mary's Methodist Church was built in 1872, however Methodism was present in the Handforth and Wilmslow area long before this. It is recorded that John Wesley
preached at nearby Finney Green on 1st September, 1748.
Roman Catholic:
St. Benedict's Roman Catholic Church, which is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
.
Anglican:
St. Chad's Church of England, which is part of the Diocese of Chester
, is the Anglican Church based in Handforth. During the 19th century a 'Chapel of ease' was built in Handforth, which was part of the Parish of Cheadle. It was consecrated in 1837 as a chapel to St Mary's Church, Cheadle
, becoming the parish church for Handforth and part of Cheadle in 1877. Due to growth of the Handforth population in the late 19th century, the Church went through extensive redevelopment and expansion and the 'new' St Chad's Church was consecrated by Francis Jayne
, Bishop of Chester
on St Chad's Day, the 2nd March 1899.
is on a double-track electrified line that runs from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe
via Levenshulme
, Cheadle Hulme
, Stockport
and Wilmslow
. The A34
bypass from Salford, Greater Manchester to Winchester
in Hampshire
is situated to the east. The main thoroughfare is Wilmslow Road (B5358). Manchester Airport lies just 3.5miles (6 km) to the north west, but Handforth lies away from the approach and departure routes and therefore suffers only slightly from aircraft noise.
is a retail park that houses Tesco
, Marks & Spencer
and BHS, and is situated by the A34 bypass. Pets at Home
has its headquarters based in Handforth.
One half provides GP Consulting Rooms, a Treatment Room, Physiotherapy Suite and Health Screening Clinics: Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Risk Management, Family Planning, Ante-natal, Immunisation, Child Development, Dietetics, Audiology and Counselling.
The other half accommodates East Cheshire NHS Trust Out Patient Clinics, visiting Consultants and Community Staff.
, with the closest branch being based in Wilmslow.
is the fire service that caters for Handforth, with the nearest fire station being located in Wilmslow.
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
, Heald Green
Heald Green
Heald Green is a suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated in the south-west of the borough and is bordered by Gatley and Cheadle to the north, Cheadle Hulme to the east, Handforth and Styal to the south and Wythenshawe to the west...
, and Styal
Styal
Styal is a village in Cheshire East, England. It is on the River Bollin, near to the town of Wilmslow.Styal is a commuter village, with access to Manchester. The village is dominated by Quarry Bank Mill and much of its housing is the mill's estate. The mill and the surrounding country park are...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Travelling south from Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Handforth is the first place in Cheshire, although other areas nearer Manchester lie within the historic boundaries of the county.
In the 1950s, two overspill housing estates, Spath Lane and Colshaw Farm, were built in the area to re-house people from inner city Manchester.
Toponym
The name Handforth is believed to be ascribed to 'Hanna's Ford' and dates back to Saxon times when such a crossing was on the nearby River DeanRiver Dean
The River Dean rises at Longclough in Macclesfield Forest on the western edge of the Peak District foothills above the village of Rainow in north east Cheshire, England.Together with a number of tributary streams it is impounded by the dam at Lamaload...
.
History
Handforth, originally Handforth-cum-Bosden, was for many years in the parish of CheadleCheadle, Greater Manchester
Cheadle is a suburb in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester, England. It borders the districts of Cheadle Hulme, Gatley, Heald Green and Cheadle Heath in Stockport, and the East Didsbury area of Manchester. As of 2001 it had a population of 14,261.-Early history:There has...
with which it has historic links. The first mention of Handforth was in a charter which is dated between 1233 and 1236. During the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
, Handforth acquired its own Coat of Arms, which displays the Honford Star. The Honford Star originated from Henry de Honford who, while fighting in the Crusades, painted a silver star on his black shield after seeing a star fall from the sky during a night attack on the Saracens.
The oldest building in Handforth is Handforth Hall
Handforth Hall
Handforth Hall is a former manor house in Handforth, Cheshire, England. It is dated 1562, and was built for Sir Urian Brereton. Alterations have been made to it in the 17th century, and subsequently. The hall is a timber-framed building and currently consists of a single range, with...
, a black and white timber building built during the Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
by Sir Urian Brereton in 1562. It was originally named Honford Hall after the local feudal family the de Honford's. Sir Urian was escheator of Cheshire, one of the privy grooms to Henry VIII and knighted in 1544 at Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
during an attack on Edinburgh
Burning of Edinburgh (1544)
The Burning of Edinburgh in 1544 by an English sea-borne army was the first major action of the war of the Rough Wooing. A Scottish army observed the landing on 3 May 1544 but did not engage with the English force. The Provost of Edinburgh was compelled to allow the English to sack Leith and...
. Sir Urian Brereton died at Handforth Hall on 19 March 1577 and is thought to be buried in a chapel at St Mary's Church, Cheadle
St Mary's Church, Cheadle
St Mary's Church, Cheadle, is in High Street, Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Cheadle...
. In the south chapel are three recumbent effigies. Two are in alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
and are thought to represent members of the Hondford (or Handford) family, Sir John, who died in 1461 and his son, also named John. The third is in sandstone and represents Sir Thomas Brereton who died in 1673. The most famous resident of Handforth is Sir Urian's great grandson, the Parliamentary General, Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet
Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet
Sir William Brereton, 1st Baronet was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1628 and 1659. He was a commander in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....
, who fought in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
In 1887, John Bartholomew
John Bartholomew
John Bartholomew Junior was a Scottish cartographer, born in Edinburgh.His father John Bartholomew Senior started a cartographical establishment in Edinburgh,Scotland and he was educated in the work. He was subsequently assistant to the German geographer August Petermann, until in 1856 he took up...
's Gazetteer of the British Isles described Handforth like this:
"Handforth, township and hamlet with ry. sta., Cheadle par., E. Cheshire, 5 miles SW. of Stockport, 1311 ac., pop. 736; P.O., T.O."
Administrative history
Handforth-cum-Bosden was part of the StockportStockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
Registration District between 1837 to 1877, until it was divided onto the separate parishes of Handforth and Bosden. Handforth continued to be part of the Stockport Registration District from 1877 to 1936 when it was then incorporated into the parishes of Wilmslow
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
and Cheadle and Gatley
Cheadle and Gatley
Cheadle and Gatley was, from 1894 to 1974, an urban district of Cheshire, England.It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 based on the Cheadle and Gatley urban sanitary district...
. The parish of Bosden was abolished in 1900 and incorporated into the parish of Hazel Grove and Bramhall
Hazel Grove and Bramhall
Hazel Grove and Bramhall was a civil parish and urban district in north east Cheshire, England from 1900 to 1974.It was created in 1900 covering, from Stockport Rural District, the former area of the civil parishes of:*Bosden*Bramhall*Norbury*Offerton...
.
Due to being part of Wilmslow, Handforth along with other towns such as Whitworth
Whitworth, Lancashire
Whitworth is a town and civil parish within the Borough of Rossendale in Lancashire, England. It is set amongst the foothills of the Pennines, between the towns of Bacup, to the north, and Rochdale, to the south. It has a population of 7,263....
, Poynton
Poynton
Poynton is a town within the civil parish of Poynton-with-Worth, and the unitary authority area of Cheshire East, England. For ceremonial purposes it is part of the county of Cheshire. Poynton is located at the eastern most fringe of the Cheshire Plain, north of Macclesfield, south of Stockport...
and Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge
Alderley Edge is a village and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,409....
successfully objected from being part of the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
when it was formed in 1974 as a result of plans laid out in the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
, although the area does form part of the Greater Manchester Urban Area
Greater Manchester Urban Area
The Greater Manchester Urban Area is an area of land defined by the Office for National Statistics consisting of the large conurbation that encompasses the city of Manchester and the continuous metropolitan area that spreads outwards from it, forming much of Greater Manchester in North West England...
. From 1974 until the 2009 structural changes to local government in England
2009 structural changes to local government in England
Structural changes to local government in England were effected on 1 April 2009, whereby a number of new unitary authorities were created in parts of the country which previously operated a 'two-tier' system of counties and districts...
, Handforth was administered by the Macclesfield Borough Council and Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council was a County Council, of the second highest level of United Kingdom Government for the residents of Cheshire. Founded in 1889, it ceased to exist on 1 April 2009, when it and the district councils in Cheshire were replaced by two unitary authorities; Cheshire West and...
. On 1 April 2009 it became part of the Cheshire East
Cheshire East
Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.The borough was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in...
unitary authority.
Geography
At 53.348189°N 2.21297°E, Handforth is situated in Cheshire EastCheshire East
Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.The borough was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in...
, which is located in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. Handforth borders with Heald Green
Heald Green
Heald Green is a suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is situated in the south-west of the borough and is bordered by Gatley and Cheadle to the north, Cheadle Hulme to the east, Handforth and Styal to the south and Wythenshawe to the west...
to the north, which is situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
Metropolitan Borough of Stockport
The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in north west England, centred around the town of Stockport. It has a population of about 280,600 and includes the outyling areas of Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish and Romiley...
in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, and Wilmslow
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
to the south. Cheshire East straddles the Cheshire Plain
Cheshire Plain
The Cheshire Plain is a relatively flat expanse of lowland situated almost entirely within the county of Cheshire in northwest England. It is bounded by the hills of North Wales to the west, and the Peak District of Derbyshire and North Staffordshire to the east and southeast...
and the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
. The area lies near the River Dean
River Dean
The River Dean rises at Longclough in Macclesfield Forest on the western edge of the Peak District foothills above the village of Rainow in north east Cheshire, England.Together with a number of tributary streams it is impounded by the dam at Lamaload...
, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Bollin
River Bollin
The River Bollin is a major tributary of the River Mersey in the north-west of England.It rises in Macclesfield Forest at the western end of the Peak District, and can be seen in spring form, from the Buxton to Macclesfield road. The stream then descends the through Macclesfield and Wilmslow where...
that flows north–west and eventually joins the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
near Lymm
Lymm
Lymm is a large village and civil parish within the Warrington borough of Cheshire, in North West England. Lymm was an urban district of Cheshire from 1894 to 1974. The civil parish of Lymm incorporates the hamlets of Booths Hill, Broomedge, Church Green, Deansgreen, Heatley, Heatley Heath, Little...
. The local geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
is mostly glacial clay, as well as glacial sands and gravel.
The majority of buildings in the area are houses from the 20th century, but there are a few buildings that are pre-20th century that date back to the 19th century and as far as the 16th century, such as Handforth Hall.
Climate
Handforth experiences a temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
maritime climate, like much of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
, with relatively cool summers and mild winters
Governance
Handforth is situated in Cheshire EastCheshire East
Cheshire East is a unitary authority area with borough status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.The borough was established in April 2009 as part of the 2009 structural changes to local government in England, by virtue of an order under the Local Government and Public Involvement in...
, a unitary authority area with borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
status in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. Handforth falls within the UK parliament constituency of Tatton
Tatton (UK Parliament constituency)
- Elections in the 1990s :- Elections in the 1980s :- Sources :* Data for the 2005 election are from the .* Data for the 2001 election are from http://www.election.demon.co.uk/....
, a strongly Conservative constituency represented by George Osborne
George Osborne
George Gideon Oliver Osborne, MP is a British Conservative politician. He is the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom, a role to which he was appointed in May 2010, and has been the Member of Parliament for Tatton since 2001.Osborne is part of the old Anglo-Irish aristocracy, known in...
, the current Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. It is the third most affluent constituency in the UK outside of Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)
Kensington and Chelsea was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was one of the safest Conservative seats in the United Kingdom, and since its creation in 1997 became a prestigious seat, with MP Alan Clark, the former Defence Secretary...
and Cities of London and Westminster. The area is also represented in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, by being part of North West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England (European Parliament constituency)
North West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. For the 2009 elections it elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.-Boundaries:...
.
Population
The historic population of Handforth was 650 in 1851, and 911 in 1901. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
data, the Handforth Ward has a population of 8014, of which 4155 (51.8%) are females and 3859 (48.2%) are males. 1678 people (20.9%) are aged 16 and under, and 1577 people (19.7%) are aged 65 and over.
| Handforth Compared | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census United Kingdom Census 2001 A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.... |
Handforth | Cheshire | England |
| Total population | 8,014 | 673,781 | 49,138,831 |
| White | 96.8% | 98.4% | 90.9% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 0.5% | 4.6% |
| Black | 0.2% | 0.2% | 2.3% |
Ethnicity
Ethnic white groups (British, Irish, other) account for 96.79% (7,757 people) of the population, with 3.21% (255 people) being in ethnic groups other than white.Of the 3.21% (255 people) in non-white ethnic groups:
- 101 (39.61%) belonged to mixed ethnic groups
- 85 (33.33%) were Asian or Asian British
- 17 (6.67%) were Black or Black British
- 52 (20.39%) were Chinese or Other Ethnic Groups
Religion
A break-down of religious groups and denominations:- Christian - 79.17% (6345 people)
- Buddhist - 0.15% (12 people)
- Hindu - 0.39% (31 people)
- Jewish - 0.34% (27 people)
- Muslim - 1.02% (82 people)
- Sikh - 0.10% (8 people)
- Other religions - 0.12% (10 people)
- No religion - 12.80% (1026 people)
- Religion not stated - 5.90% (473 people)
Places of Worship
There are three churches in Handforth:Methodist:
St. Mary's Methodist Church was built in 1872, however Methodism was present in the Handforth and Wilmslow area long before this. It is recorded that John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
preached at nearby Finney Green on 1st September, 1748.
Roman Catholic:
St. Benedict's Roman Catholic Church, which is part of the Diocese of Shrewsbury
Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese in England. The diocese encompasses parts of the North West of England and parts of the West Midlands...
.
Anglican:
St. Chad's Church of England, which is part of the Diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
, is the Anglican Church based in Handforth. During the 19th century a 'Chapel of ease' was built in Handforth, which was part of the Parish of Cheadle. It was consecrated in 1837 as a chapel to St Mary's Church, Cheadle
St Mary's Church, Cheadle
St Mary's Church, Cheadle, is in High Street, Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Cheadle...
, becoming the parish church for Handforth and part of Cheadle in 1877. Due to growth of the Handforth population in the late 19th century, the Church went through extensive redevelopment and expansion and the 'new' St Chad's Church was consecrated by Francis Jayne
Francis Jayne
Rev Francis John Jayne , was a British bishop and academic.Born in Pant-y-beiliau, Llanelli, he was educated at Rugby School and Wadham College, Oxford. He took his B.A. in 1868 and M.A. in 1870...
, Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
on St Chad's Day, the 2nd March 1899.
Transport
Handforth railway stationHandforth railway station
Handforth railway station serves the village of Handforth in the English County of Cheshire.-Services:The station opened on 10 May 1842. The northbound platform was previously situated approximately 75m north of its current location...
is on a double-track electrified line that runs from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
via Levenshulme
Levenshulme
Levenshulme is an urban area of the City of Manchester, in North West England. It borders Longsight, Gorton, Burnage, Heaton Chapel and Reddish, and is approximately halfway between Stockport and Manchester City Centre on the A6 road. The A6 bisects Levenshulme. The Manchester to London railway...
, Cheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southwest of Stockport and southeast of the city of Manchester. It lies in the Ladybrook Valley on the Cheshire Plain, and the drift consists mostly of boulder clay, sands and gravels...
, Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
and Wilmslow
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
. The A34
A34 road
The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. It forms a large part of the major trunk route from Southampton, via Oxford, to Birmingham, The Potteries and Manchester...
bypass from Salford, Greater Manchester to Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
is situated to the east. The main thoroughfare is Wilmslow Road (B5358). Manchester Airport lies just 3.5miles (6 km) to the north west, but Handforth lies away from the approach and departure routes and therefore suffers only slightly from aircraft noise.
Economy
Handforth DeanHandforth Dean
Handforth Dean is a retail park situated in Handforth, near Wilmslow in Cheshire. It is located off the A34 bypass which was built at the same time. It contains three large superstores: Marks & Spencer, Tesco Extra and British Home Stores , an industrial estate and a gym...
is a retail park that houses Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
, Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
and BHS, and is situated by the A34 bypass. Pets at Home
Pets at Home
Pets at Home is a large pet supplies retail chain in the United Kingdom. With 300 stores nationwide, it is the largest pet supplies retail chain in the United Kingdom Pets at home currently have over 5000 employees...
has its headquarters based in Handforth.
Health
Handforth Health Centre was purpose built in 1975, and purchased from the Health Authority by the GPs in 1992 and completely refurbished. The building is divided into two.One half provides GP Consulting Rooms, a Treatment Room, Physiotherapy Suite and Health Screening Clinics: Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Heart Risk Management, Family Planning, Ante-natal, Immunisation, Child Development, Dietetics, Audiology and Counselling.
The other half accommodates East Cheshire NHS Trust Out Patient Clinics, visiting Consultants and Community Staff.
Schools
Handforth is served by three primary schools: Wilmslow Grange, Dean Oaks Primary and St Benedict's RC Primary.Police
Handforth is served by Cheshire ConstabularyCheshire Constabulary
Cheshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing the English unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. The force is responsible for policing an area of with a population of roughly 1 million.The Chief Constable of the...
, with the closest branch being based in Wilmslow.
Fire
Cheshire Fire and Rescue ServiceCheshire Fire and Rescue Service
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statuory fire and rescue service for the English county of Cheshire, consisting of the unitary authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton and Warrington. It has 24 fire stations...
is the fire service that caters for Handforth, with the nearest fire station being located in Wilmslow.