Cheadle

We have a wide range of houses, flats and apartments available to let in the Cheadle area. Read our guide to living in Cheadle.

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Guide to Living in Cheadle

Cheadle

Cheadle is a historic market town in the Staffordshire moorlands lying in a vale between the River Tean and one of its tributaries. Surrounded by tall hills, Cheadle is the gateway to the delightful wooded Churnet Valley.

The Churnet Valley can be explored on foot, by cycle, by car, on the canal and even steam train! The Churnet Valley Railway operates on a reclaimed stretch of track and the scenery from the train is stunning, as it winds through valleys, woods and farm land. The train line mostly runs alongside the route of the canal and the river. Passengers can leave the train and explore the area around the stations on foot. The Railway Tea Rooms at Froghall are worth a visit.

For those wishing to travel at a more leisurely pace then Caldon Canal offers stone bridges and wild meadows. Part of the Staffordshire Way follows the valley here, where you may spot a Kingfisher on the river bank or a Buzzard flying high above the ancient woodlands. The river meanders on towards the Hawksmoor Nature Reserve owned by the National Trust, with miles of well marked footpaths to explore.

Churnet Valley Wildlife Sanctuary & Nature Reserve is a woodland reserve of 12 acres. It is within 15 minutes drive of Cheadle and here you will be able to see otters, owls, red squirrels as well as badgers and deer.

Just a little further on you will find the Manifold Valley which offers scenic walks in steep-sided valley. Here also is the Manifold Valley Railway, now a tourist attraction but which was one of the first lines to be constructed under the Light Railways Act of 1896, built to serve the isolated farming communities of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

The historic settlement of Cheadle dates from Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Cheadle was given permission to hold an outdoor market in 1250 and a market is still held in the town every Friday to this day. Some of the buildings in the High Street have charming Tudor frontages.

A coal seam runs under Cheadle and until recently it was a mining town. Several collieries were located in the nearby hills but these are all gone. One point of interest is that the stone which was used in the construction of the Thames Flood Barrier in London was quarried from around Cheadle.

Nearby Alton Towers, the UK’s number one theme park, is a major employer. Undoubtedly one of the major ‘days-out’ attractions in the UK, this theme park offers something for all family members. There are terrifying white-knuckle rides and gentle rides for young children. You will also find cinemas and boating on the lake. You may simply wish to take a gentle stroll through the magnificent gardens.

Another major employer is JCB, manufacturers of construction and agricultural equipment. More people now commute to the nearby Potteries for work than in previous years.

Cheadle’s Catholic church, dating from 1846 has a breathtaking interior and boasts a 200ft spire. The Anglican church was rebuilt in 1837-39, and incorporates furniture and fragments from the earlier 14th century building.

Cheadle High Street has many attractive old buildings and has hardly changed from how it used to look in Victorian times. Although it is a small town, Cheadle has a bustling High Street with many independent retailers.

Cheadle participates in the Britain in Bloom Competition. It is run by a group of volunteers who plant floral displays in the town. They are able to do this with the aid of grants from the District Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council as well as generous sponsorship from local businesses and individuals.

Sports and hobbies are well catered for in Cheadle. There is a thriving social club offering bowls, cricket and snooker and, unusually, lacrosse. Cheadle Town Football Club is a based in Cheadle. The team was established in 1961 and joined the North West Counties Football League in 1983. Currently members of the North West Counties Football League Division One, their home ground is Park Road Stadium.

Only 15 minutes drive from Cheadle lies the beautiful Peak District National Park. This was Britain’s first national park, established in 1951. The park is visited by people who come to find peace, tranquillity or adventure for it is here that you can experience some of England’s finest climbing, walking, caving and cycling. The National Park is home to 38,000 people and the local economy is based on tourism, quarrying, farming and manufacturing.

All of this makes Cheadle a wonderful place to live. With the bright lights of Manchester to the north and the peace and quiet of the Peak District to the east, there is no excuse to be bored in this lovely and interesting part of England.