Stockport is a borough situated South-East of Manchester city centre consisting of Cheadle, Cheadle Hulme, Marple, Bredbury, Reddish, Woodley and Romiley. The borough was made famous in the 19th Century as the home of the nation’s hatting industry, which history is celebrated in the Hat Works, the UK’s only dedicated hatting museum.
Stockport’s architecture is enriched with history. The borough is home to over 380 listed buildings, 6 ancient monuments and one of the most iconic viaducts in the UK, and offers visitors opportunity to visit several medieval and Tudor halls, notably Peel Hall in Heaton Moor and Bramall Hall in Bramall. The Plaza, the UK’s only remaining super cinema and variety theatre, stands out in its Art Deco stylings, and Stockport Viaduct is a predominant landmark of Stockport and has been featured in many LS Lowry paintings.
Culturally, Stockport has a brilliant range of spots to visit, from Staircase House, that’ll take you on a trip through the 14th to the 20th century, to Stockport’s Air Raid Shelters, originally opened in 1939, and built to provide shelter for up to 3,850 people.
In addition to city centre treasures, Stockport has many beautiful walks and gorgeous scenery, with 14 nature reserves to choose from including one of England’s first country parks, the 32 acre Etherow Country Park, alongside other notable reserves including Abney Hall Park, Mersey Vale Nature Park and Reddish Vale Country Park.
When it comes to shopping, Stockport town has plenty to offer, from the high street stores of Merseyway Shopping Centre and The Peel Hall centre, to the independent wares of the Stockport Market Place, which offers over 50 business selling everything from beer to buttons and the Cheadle Makers Market, which brings together finest food, drink, art and craft producers in the area. Speaking of food and drink, Stockport has plenty of offerings for all tastes, including the unique, menu-less Where The Light Gets In, plus opportunity to visit the historic Robinsons Brewery for a tour and beer tastings.
Stockport has fantastic transport links to the Manchester City Centre meaning a day out in this historic borough is a perfect location to visit.