Many of you will recognise this imposing stone house, Beechwood, which is at the top of Lakes Road leading down to the Roman Lakes.  However, why was such a fine house built so near to Oldknow’s workers cottages at Stone Row and who lived in it? Documents in the Archives and the census returns can answer some of these questions and provide a fascinating insight into the lives of those who lived there over one hundred years ago.

The house was built for Edward Rossard Ross by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&L), on land it owned above the Marple South Tunnel. The house commands an impressive view of the valley below and across to the hills of Mellor and Kinder. Edward was born in Marylebone, London in 1827 and at the age of 19 he joined the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway. Five years later, he was appointed secretary of the MS&L, and held that position for 42 years. According to George Dow who wrote a detailed history of the Great Central Railway he was “kindly, shrewd and diplomatic. Handsome in appearance and impeccable in his dress, nothing seemed to ruffle him. He assiduously followed the maxim that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. He also enjoyed immense popularity amongst the officers and staff alike.”

Marple has five nationally important buildings, listed by English Heritage as either Grade 1 or Grade II* One of these is Old Manor Farm, tucked away above the Marple Brook which runs in the valley near Dan Bank. Described by Pevsner as 'a small medieval manor house, the central part timber-framed, probably 15th century, with a two-bay hall of cruck construction. Later wings were added, the service wing of stone, the other half-timber.' Its importance was recognised in 1951 when it was featured in Cheshire Life as one of the “Homes of Cheshire”.

(left: Old Manor Farm at Dan Bank, 1981)

Read the article from the Cheshire Life

A story that comes courtesy of Marple Historical Society.The Marple in Pennsylvania, which had a population in 2010 of 23,478,and area of 10.5 square miles whilst Marple’s, Cheshire population in 2011 was 23,686 in an area of 11 square miles, almost identical twins ! Marple Township, Delaware County,  originates from 1684, on the 29th September 1863; Quakers had settled the county Delaware after sailing along the River Delaware, in the ship Endeavor.

The following article is taken from the Spring-Summer issue of the Marple Historical Society newsletter, not to be confused with the Marple Local History Society.Special thanks to Rich Paul of Marple Historical Society.

A tale of local deluges, separated by eighty years, and the damage that they caused.

Both stories are drawn from contemporary newspaper reports of their day. The first from the Stockport Advertiser of 1911, describes a flood in the May of that year, in Compstall and beyond.

Whilst the second, from the Stockport Express of December 24th 1991, reports on the collapse of the retaining wall in Town Street, Marple Bridge