PRESTBURY, CHESHIRE

There are two Prestburys in England. This website is about the village in Cheshire.

Prestbury began as the administrative centre of a large rural parish. In December 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie's army passed through Prestbury. During the nineteenth century the village was involved in the silk industry. By the first part of the twentieth century Prestbury had become "a place so quiet, so secluded and quaint, that a stranger feels almost like an intruder".

Prestbury is now a residential community with a reputation for affluence.

It is no longer quiet or secluded. The A538 strikes through the heart of the village. A traffic calming scheme was introduced in the spring of 2004. It succeeded in reducing the speed of the traffic in the village centre, but traffic volume is as high as ever.

An exhibition mounted by the Friends of Prestbury in the summer of 2011 illustrated the evolution of Prestbury over the previous hundred and thirty years.

The latest version of the text of Tony Cartmell's history of Prestbury is presented here: an illustrated version is on sale in the church.

There are two churches in the village. The Parish Church, St. Peter's, is in the centre together with its Norman Chapel. The Methodist Church is on Macclesfield Road. St.Peter's has a daughter church in Adlington. The Church of the Resurrection, Upton Priory, is moving towards joining Prestbury Parish.

Prestbury Hall is in a commanding position facing down the village street. Ford House is at the other end of the street, near Prestbury Bridge.

Butley Cottage is a pretty house at the north-eastern end of the Conservation Area. Newer buildings in the conservation area include homes specially designed for older people such as those at the Shirleys and at Abbey Mill, a development on the site of the former corn mill.

Prestbury is a favourite destination for sightseers: it has several excellent restaurants.

An illustrated Village Design Statement describes Prestbury's built and unbuilt environment as it was in January 2008.

Prestbury Photo Gallery has annotated photographs of Prestbury and surrounding areas. Other links provide more pictures, maps and information about Prestbury.

But what will Prestbury be like fifty years from now?

The design at the top of this page unites the unicorn of the Leghs of Adlington with the crossed keys of St. Peter.

 John Swallow, March 2013