Hazel Grove

Hazel Grove is a large village township in Stockport and Cheadle Parishes, once part of the old Macclesfield Hundred. It was formerly known as Bullock Smithy, due to the old blacksmith's forge stopover en route by stagecoach from Manchester to Buxton. It was situated partly in the townships of Bosden, Norbury, Offerton and Torkington, which were united to create Hazel Grove cum Bramhall civil parish in 1900. Local history has it that coach passengers, availing themselves of the hazel nuts from trees around the smithy, began to refer to the place as “The Hazel Grove”, and thus the name stuck. The township is now part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in the Greater Manchester Metropolitan County, and is located about 3½ miles south of Stockport town centre on the main A6 trunk road to Buxton. A busy transit town, it is conveniently well placed for touring the Peak District, which lies a few miles to the south, as well as the urban conveniences of shops and theatres in Stockport and Manchester a few miles to the north. In 1939 the civil parish was extended to include Woodford, and transferred to the county of Greater Manchester in 1974.

TORKINGTON

* A township in Stockport parish, Macclesfield Hundred (SJ 9386), which became part of Hazel Grove cum Bramhall civil parish in 1900. * The population was 218 in 1801, 358 in 1851 and 339 in 1901.

CHURCHES AND CHAPELS

* Stockport, St. Mary (C of E). The ancient parish church for Torkington. * High Lane, St. Thomas (C of E). The parish church for part of Torkington from 1860. * Norbury, St. Thomas (C of E). A chapelry in Stockport parish, and the parish church for part of Torkington fom 1878.

ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

* North Cheshire (1832-67); East Cheshire (1868-85); Hyde (1885-1915)

POOR-LAW UNIONS

* Stockport

REGISTRATION DISTRICTS

* Stockport