MELLOR, a chapelry in the parish of Glossop, in the High Peak hundred, is two miles from Marple, six and a half from Glossop, eight from Chapel-en-le-Frith, seven from Stockport, and 14 from Manchester. The church, dedicated to St. James [Ed: this is (now) incorrect - it is St. Thomas], which is of stone, is erected on a commanding situation, a short distance from the village: the Rev. Matthew Freeman enjoys the curacy for life: the gift of the living is in the Thornton family.

Here is a small Sunday-school, belonging to the church, and Wesleyan and primitive methodist chapels. In a vault in the church-yard is a coffin, cut out of the solid stone; the lid of which is of the same material, and is covered with masonic characters cut in the stone: the person for whom this substantial and final requisite was made is still living, and personally superintended its construction. The extensive concern of T. R. and S. Waller, Cotton spinners and thread manufacturers, here, gives employment to a great number of hands. The population of the chapelry, in 1821, was 2,099, and at the last census (1831) it had sustained a diminution of 40 persons.

ROWARTH, about a mile from Mellor, is a hamlet in the same parish as that town, in Glossop dale; containing several manufactories in the cotton branch, from which the inhabitants of the hamlet derive their support.

MARPLE and MARPLE BRIDGE, commonly called Upper and Nether Marple, (Nether Marple, or Marple Bridge, being situate in the county of Derby), form a chapelry in the parish of Stockport, about five miles E.S.E. from that town, and 12 from Manchester. The spinning of cotton, bleaching, and calico printing, are carried on to some extent in the chapelry and neighbourbood, and upon the river Goyt are some corn mills.

Not far from the village is a noble aqueduct of three arches, which bestrides the river Mersey. A branch from the Peak Forest canal to Macclesfield, was opened here on the 9th November, 1831; it joins the Mersey canal at Lawton, being twenty-six miles and a quarter in length, and is a most material convenience to this manufacturing neighbourhood.

Wyberslegh hall, now a farm house, is noted as the birth place of the notorious John Bradshaw, who was president of the high court of justice which condemned King Charles I. In the registers of Stockport church his birth is thus entered: ‘1602, John the Sonne of Henry Bradshaw, of Marple, was baptized the 10th of December’. In the margin is the word traitor, with a line under it. It is said the following prophetic lines were written by this staunch adherent to republican principles, on a stone in the church-yard of Macclesfield:

He died in 1659. The probate copy of his will, which may still be seen at Marple hall, contains a bequest of £700. to purchase an annuity for maintaining a free school, at Marple; the changes brought about with regard to property, at the restoration, prevented this provision from being available. Henry Bradshaw, who survived his brother, however, founded a small school here, and endowed it with the interest of £100, which has since been augmented by other benefactions. Marple hall is a noble old house, finely situate on the rise of a hill above the Goyt, and is the property, as well as Wyberslegh hall, of John Isherwood, Esq. a descendant of the before-named president Bradshaw.

Here is a chapel of ease to Stockport, rebuilt of stone, with a tower, containing the old bells of Stockport church. It is dedicated to All Saints, and the living is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the rector of Stockport - the Rev. W. W. Johnson is the incumbent: the registers commenced in 1655. Besides the church, here are chapels for Wesleyan and primitive methodists. The chapelry contained, in 1821, a population of 2,646, and in 1831, 2,678 inhabitants.

ROMILY is a township, in the parish of Stockport, from which it is distant about four miles, situate on the hills bordering on the neighbouring county of Derby. Chadkirk chapel is in this township, nearly opposite to Marple-hall; and there are chapels for independents and Wesleyan methodists, the latter is also used as a Sunday-school. The living of Romily, or Chadkirk, is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the rector of Stockport. The number of inhabitants, in 1821, was 1,181, and in 1831, 1,290.

COMPSTALL BRIDGE, a thriving village, in the parish of Stockport, is five miles from that town, and two from Marple. The principal employment of the inhabitants is cotton spinning, calico printing and weaving. The situation of this place is delightful, and, being surrounded by hills, cold is rarely felt here in its severity. No court in any of the neighbouring towns has jurisdiction over this place; a county court writ from Chester, being the only process that can be employed. The Wesleyan and primitive methodists have each a chapel here, which are the only places of worship. Thirty years ago Compstall consisted of only a few straggling cottages, but since the establishment of the cotton manufacture, it has been gradually rising to its present thriving condition. The population is about 1,700.

POST OFFICE:- MARPLE, Mary Bullivant, Post Mistress:- Letters arrive from STOCKPORT every afternoon about four, and are despatched every morning at eight.
POST OFFICE:- COMPSTALL BRIDGE, Thomas Dyson, Post Master:- Letters arrive from STOCKPORT every afternoon at three, and are despatched every morning at seven. By this post letters are likewise conveyed to and from MELLOR.

Description(s) from Pigot and Co's Commercial Directory for Derbyshire, 1835.
Transcribed by Rosemary Lockie in May 1996.