MACCLESFIELD

town and borough (district), administrative and historic county of Cheshire, England. The borough includes a narrow strip of the Pennines in the east that is part of the Peak District National Park. The principal town, Macclesfield, is the centre of the silk industry. The manufacture of silk-covered buttons began in the 16th century, and silk throwing was introduced in 1756, when the first silk mill was built. By the end of the 18th century the silk industry was flourishing, but silk production ceased in the late 20th century. The town is now primarily an administrative and service centre, with several corporate offices. Other towns in the borough include residential towns for Manchester commuters such as Poynton, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, and Knutsford. Knutsford, which is the original Cranford in Elizabeth Gaskell's novel of that name (1853), has some industry, including nuclear engineering laboratories. Area borough, 203 square miles (525 square km). Pop. (1991) town, 50,270; (1998 est.) borough, 153,100.