Вудфорд: История и современность пригорода Манчестера

Suburb of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England

Woodford is a suburban village in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England, 5.2 mile (8 km) south of Stockport, 5.7 mile (9 km) north west of Macclesfield and 10.7 mile (17 km) south east of Manchester. Woodford is the most southerly point of Greater Manchester; it consists of a ribbon of properties and a housing development along the A5102 road, around which is open countryside. Historically part of Cheshire, Woodford was a hamlet in the parish of Prestbury throughout the Middle Ages. It was incorporated into the Urban District of Hazel Grove and Bramhall in 1939 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in 1974. Woodford Aerodrome was opened in 1924 by Avro and produced aircraft such as the Avro Lancaster in World War II; it closed in 2011 and was demolished in 2015. Woodford residents have included Manchester United footballers George Best and Cristiano Ronaldo. Its large, expensive properties include New Hall, a 17th century cottage and Grade II* listed building.

In 1248, the manor of Woodford was one of several in the Barony of Stockport. Land was cleared and improved for agriculture in the late 13th century and a cornmill existed by 1296. The barony shrank during the 14th century, and in 1355 land at Woodford was granted to the Davenport family. The Davenports left the area for the considerably grander Capesthorne in the early 18th century, following a marriage described by Arrowsmith as "fortuitous".

Woodford lies within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire. It was in the Prestbury ecclesiastical parish and, later, in the Poor Law Union of Macclesfield. By the Early Modern period, Woodford constituted a township, The soils of Woodford consist of clay. It is close to the South Pennines and the Peak District. Forming the most southern point of Greater Manchester, the River Dean marks the border with Cheshire. To Woodford's north and northwest are the M60 and M56 motorways, providing road links to the rest of North West England. Woodford's Met Office weather station recorded a temperature of on 8 January 2010, during the winter of 2009–10 in the United Kingdom.

Woodford Christ Church was completed in 1841 as a chapel of ease to Prestbury. It is built of brick with stone used only for windows and other architectural features. A district chapelry was assigned to the church in 1873 which meant that Christ Church became a separate parish.

Woodford has one primary school, Woodford Primary, that opened in September 2022 on the Woodford Garden Village housing development. Other nearby schools are in Bramhall (Queensgate Primary and Bramhall High School). There was a Church of England primary school on Chester Road until it closed in 1983. The last headmaster was Mr George Ireland. A private school was then run on the same site until it closed in 2002 and the school buildings were converted to houses.