Leek
Where Macclesfield, over
the years, has slowly been becoming more of a Manchester dormitory,
Leek seems to have retained more of the Market Town feel and a
bit more character. It may be a case of my over-familiarity leading
to less appreciation, however.
The Market Square in Leek
still has its regular markets where Macclesfield had banished
its markets to an off-centre car park.
Leek is very welcoming. When I was there in
May, taking photos, Mr Mayor and a specially imported Town-crier
were there - not to greet me, I should add, but they kindly posed
for this picture.
This is the symbol, to me,
of what makes Leek unique - the Nicholson Library and Institute
built in the late nineteenth century when Leek was a hotbed of
design, associated with the Arts and Crafts movement and William
Morris who lived in the town for a period and worked in the silk
industry with Wardle & Co.
William and Larner Sugden
a father and son team of architects, were responsible for this
and other characterful buildings of the period in and around Leek.
The over-window panels are the essence of Arts & Crafts -
beautifully stylised and idealised figures and composition on
uplifting and 'improving' themes, and education was its necessary
companion. Agriculture, Commerce and Physics & Chemistry are
at the lower level while Literature raises her head above Art
and Science.
Over the Library window,
more ornate with neo-classical elements, Milton is approvingly
quoted extolling the virtue of books. Medallions below show Shakespeare,
Newton, Reynolds and Tennyson.
'The 17th Century Tearoom'
- Greystones, in front of the Nicholson has this ornate Arts &
Crafts gate with symbolic Tree-of-Life, and Green Man also symbolising
regenerative nature.
Inside the single tearoom,
a chummy atmosphere and eclectic decoration complements a tasty
menu and speedy service but so popular is it that you may have
to queue, as we did. We thought it worth the wait.
Another Sugden building
and a major landmark towering over the Macclesfield road as it
climbs up the hill to the town centre. The Big Mill is, sadly,
showing the effects of years of neglect.
If the Big Mill had some
Italianate pretensions in its stair-tower this mill on Ashbourne
Road has neo-Classical ones. Dated 1853, it probably pre-dates
the Sugdens.
Near the bottom of Ashbourne
Road more panels at first floor level, on a building seemingly
originally housing Leek Moorlands Co-operative Society, if not
by Sugdens then in sincere imitation.
At the foot of Ashbourne
Road this impressive and striking memorial clock tower stands
over the major road junction of the town. Around the panel are
inscribed names of battles in the 1914/18 War - Ramicourt, Bohain,
Hooge, Loos, Ypres, Somme, Bellenglise, Lens and Gommecourt.
This plaque at the base
explains why such a magnificent memorial stands in Leek. Sir Arthur
was of the family that founded the Nicholson Institute and was
the head of Nicholson & Hall one of the town's largest employers.
Continued
in Part II
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