Monument record 2606/1 - Macclesfield Copper Works

Copper Works set up by Charles Roe, 1758, on the edge of Macclesfield Common, to exploit the ores his company extracted from Alderly Edge, and later from Parys Mountain. With the refusal of permission for a canal to Macclesfield, Roe set up another works at Liverpool, which shipped copper to Macclesfield to be alloyed/worked. Zinc was also extracted, in Macclesfield, for making brass (1). Described in 1758 as 1/3rd of an acre (2), the site grew to 12 aces in 1800 (3). When the site was sold off, in 1801, there were no takers, so the windmill (previously used for grinding ore (4)) became a cornmill, and part of the buildings became a Baptist Chapel. The windmill was later moved to Kerridge, Bollington (1). By 1838, only the chapel and windmill remained (5).

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 62/52-86 Chaloner W H 1953 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Macclesfield Corporation Minutes, Macclesfield Corporation 1768 I/ (Book). SCH2060.

<3> Macclesfield Corporation Minutes, Macclesfield Corporation 1800/ (Book). SCH2060.

<4> Aiken J, 1795, Description of the Country from 30-40 Miles Round Manchester, /438 (Book). SCH1043.

<5> Calladine A & Fricker J, 1993, East Cheshire Textile Mills, /137 (Book). SCH1093.