Editing Macclesfield (section)

{{Short description|Town and civil parish in Cheshire, England}}
{{about|the market town in Cheshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                  = England
| type                     = Town
| map_type                 = CHESHIRE
| static_image_name        = Macclesfield (33876321786).jpg
| static_image_caption     = Skyline of Macclesfield, with the railway station in the foreground, the spire of St Paul's Church in the background and townscape
| official_name            = Macclesfield
| coordinates              = {{Coord|53.25|-2.13|display=inline,title}}
| london_distance          = {{Convert|148|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Coordinate Distance Calculator |url=http://boulter.com/gps/distance/?from=53.2581+-2.1274&to=51.507+-0.127&units=m |access-date=8 March 2016 |website=boulter.com |archive-date=9 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309015116/http://boulter.com/gps/distance/?from=53.2581+-2.1274&to=51.507+-0.127&units=m |url-status=live }}</ref>
| london_direction         = SE
| label_position           = left
| population_ref           = 52,496 (Parish, 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=Macclesfield parish |url=https://citypopulation.de/en/uk/northwestengland/admin/cheshire_east/E04012471__macclesfield/ |website=City Population |access-date=21 February 2025}}</ref><br>{{nowrap|54,345 (Built up area, 2021)<ref>{{cite web |title=Towns and cities, characteristics of built-up areas, England and Wales: Census 2021 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/housing/articles/townsandcitiescharacteristicsofbuiltupareasenglandandwales/census2021 |website=Census 2021 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |access-date=8 August 2023}}</ref>}}
| unitary_england          = [[Cheshire East]]
| lieutenancy_england      = [[Cheshire]]
| civil_parish             = Macclesfield
| region                   = North West England
| constituency_westminster = [[Macclesfield (UK Parliament constituency)|Macclesfield]]
| post_town                = MACCLESFIELD
| postcode_area            = SK
| postcode_district        = SK10, SK11
| dial_code                = 01625
| os_grid_reference        = SJ9173
| website                  = {{URL|macclesfield-tc.gov.uk}}
}}
'''Macclesfield''' ({{IPAc-en|'|m|æ|k|əl|z|f|i|əl|d}}) is a [[market town]] and [[civil parish]] in the unitary authority of [[Cheshire East]], [[Cheshire]], England. It is sited on the [[River Bollin]] and the edge of the [[Cheshire Plain]], with [[Macclesfield Forest]] to its east; the town lies {{convert|16|mi|km}} south of [[Manchester]] and {{convert|38|mi|km}} east of [[Chester]].

Before the [[Norman Conquest]], Macclesfield was held by [[Edwin, Earl of Mercia]] and was assessed at £8. The [[Middle Ages|medieval]] town grew up on the hilltop around what is now [[St Michael's Church, Macclesfield|St Michael's Church]]. It was granted a [[municipal charter]] in 1261. [[King's School, Macclesfield|Macclesfield Grammar School]] was founded in 1502. The town had a [[silk]]-button industry from at least the middle of the 17th century and became a major [[Silk industry of Cheshire#Macclesfield|silk-manufacturing centre]] from the mid-18th century. The [[Macclesfield Canal]] was constructed in 1826–31. 

[[Hovis|Hovis breadmakers]] were another [[Victorian era|Victorian]] employer; modern industries include [[pharmaceutical industry|pharmaceuticals]], such as [[Astra Zeneca]]. Multiple mill buildings are still standing and several of the [[Macclesfield Museums|town's museums]] explore the local silk industry. Other landmarks include [[Georgian architecture|Georgian buildings]] such as the [[Macclesfield Town Hall|Town Hall]] and former [[Macclesfield Sunday School|Sunday School]]; [[St Alban's Church, Macclesfield|St Alban's Church]], designed by [[Augustus Pugin]]; and the [[Arighi Bianchi]] furniture shop.

At the [[United Kingdom 2021 census|2021 census]] the population of the parish was 52,496 and the population of the built up area was 54,345. A person from the town is referred to as a ''Maxonian''.<ref>{{Citation |title=New Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ut_lAAAAMAAJ&q=macctabrian |volume=9 |page=933 |year=1967 |publisher=New Society Limited}} </ref>{{efn|''Maxonian'' was coined originally to identify a group of alumni of the [[King's School, Macclesfield|King's School]] at [[Oxford University]] as a [[portmanteau]] of Macclesfield and [[Oxonian]]; it was then applied to residents of the town in general.}}