Mow Cop
Encyclopedia
Mow Cop is an isolated village
which straddles the Cheshire
–Staffordshire
border, and is thus divided between the North West
and West Midlands
regions of England
. It is 24 miles south of Manchester and 6 miles north of Stoke-on-Trent.
The name is first recorded as "Mowel" around 1270 AD, and is believed to be derived from either the Anglo-Saxon Mūga-hyll, meaning "heap-hill", with copp = "head" added later, or the Common Celtic ancestor of Welsh moel (= hill), with Anglo-Saxon copp added later.
At the village's summit, men once quarried stone to make into querns, used since the Iron Age
for milling corn; this trade ended during the Victorian period. The village also has a long history of coal mining. Mow Cop Castle
is a folly
of a ruined castle at the summit of the hill, built in 1754. The village was served by a railway station
which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway
on October 9, 1848. Mow Cop is known for its 'Killer Mile', a one mile road race from the level crossing on the western side of the hill, up to the Castle. The race was originated in the early 1980s by John Britton, and sponsored by ICL (Kidsgrove). It continues today, organised by the Mow Cop Residents' Association. Mow Cop Runners, a local running club founded in 2009, meet at The Ash Inn and organise The Mow Cop Hill Race, a 6.5 mile fell race.
Mow Cop is also noteworthy as the birthplace of the Primitive Methodist
movement. Starting in 1800, Hugh Bourne
from Stoke-on-Trent
and William Clowes
from Burslem
began holding open-air prayer meeting
s. On 31 May 1807, a large 14-hour camp meeting
was held and as a result the Primitive Methodist Church was formed in 1810. These camp meetings became a regular feature at Mow Cop, with camps later held to celebrate the 100th, 150th and 200th anniversaries
of the first camp.
The village features prominently in the 1973 novel Red Shift
by Alan Garner
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
which straddles the Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
–Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
border, and is thus divided between the North West
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
and West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
regions of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is 24 miles south of Manchester and 6 miles north of Stoke-on-Trent.
The name is first recorded as "Mowel" around 1270 AD, and is believed to be derived from either the Anglo-Saxon Mūga-hyll, meaning "heap-hill", with copp = "head" added later, or the Common Celtic ancestor of Welsh moel (= hill), with Anglo-Saxon copp added later.
At the village's summit, men once quarried stone to make into querns, used since the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
for milling corn; this trade ended during the Victorian period. The village also has a long history of coal mining. Mow Cop Castle
Mow Cop Castle
Mow Cop Castle is a folly at Mow Cop, near Harriseahead in the county of Staffordshire, England.Traces of a prehistoric camp have been found here, but in 1754, Randle Wilbraham of nearby Rode Hall built an elaborate summerhouse looking like a medieval fortress and round tower.The Castle was given...
is a folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
of a ruined castle at the summit of the hill, built in 1754. The village was served by a railway station
Mow Cop and Scholar Green railway station
Mow Cop and Scholar Green railway station was a station on the North Staffordshire Railway between Stoke-on-Trent and Congleton. It served the village of Mow Cop....
which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway
North Staffordshire Railway
The North Staffordshire Railway was a British railway company formed in 1845 to promote a number of lines in the Staffordshire Potteries and surrounding areas in Staffordshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Shropshire....
on October 9, 1848. Mow Cop is known for its 'Killer Mile', a one mile road race from the level crossing on the western side of the hill, up to the Castle. The race was originated in the early 1980s by John Britton, and sponsored by ICL (Kidsgrove). It continues today, organised by the Mow Cop Residents' Association. Mow Cop Runners, a local running club founded in 2009, meet at The Ash Inn and organise The Mow Cop Hill Race, a 6.5 mile fell race.
Mow Cop is also noteworthy as the birthplace of the Primitive Methodist
Primitive Methodism
Primitive Methodism was a major movement in English Methodism from about 1810 until the Methodist Union in 1932. The Primitive Methodist Church still exists in the United States.-Origins:...
movement. Starting in 1800, Hugh Bourne
Hugh Bourne
Hugh Bourne was the joint founder of Primitive Methodism, the largest offshoot of Wesleyan Methodism and, in the mid nineteenth century, an influential Protestant Christian movement in its own right.- Early life :...
from Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
and William Clowes
William Clowes (Primitive Methodist)
William Clowes was one of the founders of Primitive Methodism.He was born at Burslem, Staffordshire, on 12 March 1780,son of William Clowes, potter, and of Ann, daughter of Aaron Wedgwood, grandson of Gilbert Wedgwood. He was employed during his early years as a working potter.For many years...
from Burslem
Burslem
The town of Burslem, known as the Mother Town, is one of the six towns that amalgamated to form the current city of Stoke-on-Trent, in the ceremonial county of Staffordshire, in the Midlands of England.-Topography:...
began holding open-air prayer meeting
Prayer meeting
A prayer meeting is, as its name describes, a meeting of people for the purpose of prayer as a group. Prayer meetings are normally conducted by one or more members of the clergy....
s. On 31 May 1807, a large 14-hour camp meeting
Camp meeting
The camp meeting is a form of Protestant Christian religious service originating in Britain and once common in some parts of the United States, wherein people would travel from a large area to a particular site to camp out, listen to itinerant preachers, and pray...
was held and as a result the Primitive Methodist Church was formed in 1810. These camp meetings became a regular feature at Mow Cop, with camps later held to celebrate the 100th, 150th and 200th anniversaries
Anniversary
An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...
of the first camp.
The village features prominently in the 1973 novel Red Shift
Red Shift (novel)
Red Shift is a fantasy novel by Alan Garner. It spans over a thousand years but one geographical area: Southern Cheshire, England. Garner evokes the essence of place, allowing his characters to echo each other through time, as if their destinies may be predefined by the soil on which they walk...
by Alan Garner
Alan Garner
With his first book published, Garner abandoned his work as a labourer and gained a job as a freelance television reporter, living a "hand to mouth" lifestyle on a "shoestring" budget...
.
Notable residents
- Charles Machin : former Port Vale F.C.Port Vale F.C.Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
director - Alan Jones : former Port Vale Football Club director