Quarry Bank: The beauty spot by Manchester Airport with acres of woodland walks
11.06.2022 - 11:13
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Right next door to Manchester Airport is a historic mill surrounded by acres of woodland for families to explore. Quarry Bank - located in the village of Styal in Cheshire - is a unique beauty spot where nature and industry collide.
It is one of Britain's greatest heritage sites of the Industrial Revolution, once home to a bustling community driven by the giant cotton mill there. It’s a place of contrast, where the wealthy owners and poor workers, including young children, once lived side by side.
You can experience what life was like back in the day by watching the machinery turn inside the mill or by stepping inside Apprentice House - where children as young as nine were housed in cramped conditions in exchange for their graft. Meanwhile, you can wander around the stunning gardens belonging to the elegant Georgian home of the old owners, and follow the meandering path of the river Bollin, crossing folly bridges.
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Before the mill was built, Styal village was a small collection of barns and cottages, with residents working on the surrounding land. But in 1784, the valley was chosen by businessman and industrialist, Samuel Greg, as the site for Quarry Bank mill.
As the mill expanded, many of the original farm buildings in Styal were converted into houses, with the purpose-built Oak Cottages for workers added in the 1820s. When Samuel came to retire in 1832, it was the largest textile mill in the country.
The community went on to include a school, shop, bakery, and two churches. By 1939, heir Alexander Greg gave the estate to the National Trust to be cared for and for future generations to enjoy.
There are four walking