Dedham and Alderley Edge (Essex and the North West)
Theme: Wealth and its influence on village development
Dedham lies in the valley of the River Stour in Essex and is famous for its association with John Constable, who was schooled at Dedham Grammar School - now a private house. The village prospered from the wool trade in medieval times and much of its architecture hints at this past wealth. In their time, the wool barons represented ‘new money’ and were looked down on by the aristocracy. The new gentry chose to live in fashionable Dedham because it was away from the humdrum of Colchester. Architect Raymond Frith worked in Dedham as does his partner and successor Quinlan Terry. Dedham is an architect’s heaven and prides itself on being an unspoilt village, without street lighting or modern buildings - a place which exemplifies order, continuity, decency and lasting values.
Alderley Edge has a population of 4,000 and boasts the highest number of millionaires per square mile in the country. It’s also the home of several premier league footballers. The village developed after 1842 when the Birmingham and Manchester Railway Company opened a station there. Incentives were offered to build large houses, which heralded the arrival of some of Manchester’s cotton barons and started the village’s association with affluence and wealth. The wealthy cotton barons built their houses on the slopes leading up to the Edge itself, while the less affluent had homes in the village. Today the high street groans under the weight of the constantly passing luxury cars. The employees of coffee bars, boutiques, designer shops and beauticians commute from Manchester and its surrounding area to Alderley Edge to work. It’s still a commuter village for the wealthy, but it’s also a destination for those who aspire.
