Pictures of Styal

About Styal

The village of Styal stands on the River Bollin close to the town of Wilmslow. It is renowned for Quarry Bank Mill and the surrounding Styal Estate with houses once occupied by the mill workers. The National Trust now owns both the mill and adjacent country park.

Quarry Bank Mill was built in the 18th century when the water we take for granted today was still considered a wonder for its power, the new driving force of many industries. The mill is now an award winning museum with galleries devoted to the development of water and steam power. It has a wealth of exhibits, hands-on displays, a working 1830's Beam engine and a Horizontal Steam Engine. It also offers visitors a rich portrayal of the lives of families employed by the mill, and who laboured for long hours for low wages. The lives of the mill workers children are explored, many of these children toiled at clearing the mill of waste materials both before and after lessons in the starch atmosphere of the Victorian schoolroom.

This is a unique, engaging place, with much to interest every member of the family. The Styal Estate covers some 384 acres of lovely countryside where you can enjoy riverside walks, discover the social and industrial heritage by chatting to people who have spent their lives working in the mills, visit the mill shop, or simply relax soaking up the atmosphere of a vanished era.

Worth a mention is the fact that Styal is the birthplace of Terry Waite, humanitarian and author who was held hostage by Beirut terrorists in the latter half of the 20th century.