Transforming Cheadle Green

Civic Society funds major renovation of Cheadle's historic village green

 

         

Cheadle Green has been an integral part of village life for more than 200 years, but following years of neglect, a major renovation of the green was begun in 2014, funded and organised entitely by the Cheadle Civic Society.

The lack of maintenance and appropriate planning meant the green's trees, lawn, pathways and pond had all suffered from a serious lack of care and maintenance which had never been properly addressed. As such, the Civic Society has spent more than £200,000 to bring new life to the green and employed local landscape architects Barnes Walker to design and implement a range of changes and improvements.

Now completed, the new green has a new pond in the far corner (close to the houses in Queens Gardens). There have also been many new trees planted (replacing the many trees which were close to the end of their natural life). There is also a new smart all-weather pathway criss-crossing the green; new lighting; new flower beds and new benches. Perhaps most significant of all is that the Ockleston Memorial, which was moved away from the green to Queens Gardens in the 1960s, is scheduled to be placed at the front of the green, close to the place it was originally sited in the late 19th Century.

The time scale of the work was staggered over many months, starting in February 2014 and mainly being completed by October 2014.

The Cheadle Civic Society will pay for the ongoing professional maintenance of the green for at least the next 20 years. 

In time, it is hoped the historic green will again become a focal point of outdoor life in the village, especially in the summer, with events, markets and other community activities taking place on a regular basis.

 Click here to view a summary of the 2014 archaeological report

The photographs below were taken between February and October 2014 during the main renovation process.

They show how the run-down pond and green was transformed, and also includes some of the archaeological work on the foundations of the former cottages which existed on the side of the green.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The picture above shows "Scotch Bob" the famous Cheadle coachman from the late 19th 
and early 20th Century who was carved from a wooden stump at the end of April 2014
 

 

At the end of 2015, three interpretation boards were created and erected on the green to provide accurate historical information about the history of the green.

To view the boards, click here 

Artefacts from the archaeological digs which took place on Cheadle Green in 2014 can now be viewed in the special presentation cabinet at Cheadle Library. See pictures below

Click here to see an historic archive document relating to the official status of Cheadle Green