Rainow
Encyclopedia
Rainow is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East
, located, mostly, on the eastern side of the River Dean
valley next to the B5470 road
, between Macclesfield
and Kettleshulme
in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
, England
. It straddles the eastern side of the Peak District
border of Derbyshire
and Cheshire, and is surrounded by arable
farmland. The village's name comes from the Old English Hraefn Hoe, meaning Ravens' Hill, and it is a former coal
-mining village. It has a total population of just over 2,500.
To the east of the village lies Lamaload Reservoir
, which was the first concrete reservoir constructed in England, between 1958 and 1964. At an elevation of 308 metres (1,010.5 ft), it is also the highest constructed dam in England.
A local landmark, White Nancy
, is a sugarloaf
-shaped, circular, white-painted stone structure constructed to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo
. Prior to its construction, the site was occupied by a small brick beacon
. Located on the northern end of Kerridge Hill, it stands on the boundary between the parishes of Rainow and Bollington
.
roof was added in 1754–55). Originally dedicated to St. John the Baptist, it was first consecrated in 1894 and re-dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.
with tea marquee, tug of war
between the local public house
s — The Robin Hood, The Rising Sun and The Highwayman — and a fell race across Kerridge Hill, overlooking the village. The fete is also associated with a two-week display of 'scarecrows' throughout the village.
, members of the bands Joy Division
, New Order
and The Other Two
, although Gillian is no longer in New Order. Both grew up in nearby Macclesfield
. The Stone Roses
guitarist John Squire
lives in the village, as does MP George Osborne
.
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...
, located, mostly, on the eastern side of 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...
valley next to the B5470 road
B5470 road
The B5470 is a road in England, running from Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire to Macclesfield, Cheshire via Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. The hilly and winding section between Whaley Bridge and Macclesfield is often called ‘The Highwayman’ after a prominent roadside pub...
, between Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
and Kettleshulme
Kettleshulme
Kettleshulme is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The village is close to the border with Derbyshire, on the B5470 road from Whaley Bridge to Macclesfield, in the valley of the Todd Brook, a tributary of the...
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...
, 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...
. It straddles the eastern side of the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
border of Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
and Cheshire, and is surrounded by arable
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
farmland. The village's name comes from the Old English Hraefn Hoe, meaning Ravens' Hill, and it is a former coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
-mining village. It has a total population of just over 2,500.
To the east of the village lies Lamaload Reservoir
Lamaload Reservoir
Lamaload Reservoir is a reservoir near Rainow, Cheshire, England . It lies in the South West Peak within the Peak District National Park, to the west of the Goyt Valley, and is fed by the River Dean. It serves Macclesfield, which lies to its west...
, which was the first concrete reservoir constructed in England, between 1958 and 1964. At an elevation of 308 metres (1,010.5 ft), it is also the highest constructed dam in England.
A local landmark, White Nancy
White Nancy
White Nancy is a structure at the top of the northern extremity of The Saddle of Kerridge, overlooking the village of Kerridge and the town of Bollington, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building, and is on the National Monuments Record. Its...
, is a sugarloaf
Sugarloaf
A sugarloaf was the traditional form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until the late 19th century when granulated and cube sugars were introduced. A tall cone with a rounded top was the end product of a process that saw the dark molasses-rich raw sugar, which had been imported from...
-shaped, circular, white-painted stone structure constructed to celebrate the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. Prior to its construction, the site was occupied by a small brick beacon
Beacon
A beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
. Located on the northern end of Kerridge Hill, it stands on the boundary between the parishes of Rainow and Bollington
Bollington
Bollington is a small rural town and civil parish in the county of Cheshire, , England, in the unitary authority of Cheshire East. It is located east of Prestbury. In the Middle Ages it was part of the Earl of Chester's manor of Macclesfield., and the ancient parish of Prestbury...
.
School
Rainow Primary School is the only school in the village. The school has up to 175 pupils, covering Reception through to Year 6. School facilities include a sports field, playground, a river for nature walks and on-site catering in a large dining hall adjacent to the kitchen area.Holy Trinity Church
Holy Trinity Church was built in 1846, at a cost of £1,800, by John Mellor of Kerridge End, on land donated to the village by Joseph Harding. The architect was Samuel Howard of Disley. In 1958 the present vicarage was built adjoining the Church.Jenkin Chapel
Jenkin Chapel was constructed of the local gritstone in 1733. It was built in a vernacular style and has an external flight of steps leading to a gallery (a small tower with a saddlebackSaddleback
In general, a saddleback is the shape of a saddle.Saddleback can also refer to:Fauna* Saddleback , an endemic bird in New Zealand.* Saddleback caterpillar, a moth larva with a painful sting* Saddleback clownfish* Saddleback toad...
roof was added in 1754–55). Originally dedicated to St. John the Baptist, it was first consecrated in 1894 and re-dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.
Cultural events
Rainow has an annual Church FeteFête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
with tea marquee, tug of war
Tug of war
Tug of war, also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war or rope pulling, is a sport that directly pits two teams against each other in a test of strength. The term may also be used as a metaphor to describe a demonstration of brute strength by two opposing groups, such as a rivalry between two...
between the local public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s — The Robin Hood, The Rising Sun and The Highwayman — and a fell race across Kerridge Hill, overlooking the village. The fete is also associated with a two-week display of 'scarecrows' throughout the village.
Notable residents
Notable residents of the village are Stephen Morris and Gillian GilbertGillian Gilbert
Gillian Lesley Gilbert is an English musician, keyboardist, guitarist and singer, best known as a member of New Order and a founding member of The Other Two.-Biography:...
, members of the bands Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
and The Other Two
The Other Two
AlbumsSingles-External links:* * - Videos :* * * *...
, although Gillian is no longer in New Order. Both grew up in nearby Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
. The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
guitarist John Squire
John Squire
John Thomas Squire is an English musician, songwriter and artist.Squire is best known as the guitarist for The Stone Roses, a rock band in which he formed a songwriting partnership with lead singer Ian Brown. After leaving The Stone Roses he went on to found The Seahorses and has since released...
lives in the village, as does MP 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...
.