A mere seven miles southeast of Manchester one can find the beautiful town of Stockport. This lovely burg has been blessed with its placement along the nourishing River Mersey and, as such, it has enjoyed the status of a healthy and lively market town long before it was officially granted the rights in 1260. All the same, Stockport saw its fortunes change pretty regularly into a garrison or stronghold at many points in its history, largely due to the aforementioned proximity to the Mersey. This is actually what many people suspect is the origin of the town's name. Stock was derived from the Saxon word "Stoc", which meant a stronghold or a castle. "Port" was the Saxon word for wood or woods and so the town quite possibly gained its name by being a stronghold in the woods. It is important to remember that in those days the Saxon tribes were warring over many of the surrounding lands and nearly every English town in the area at the time was under some form of Saxon control. These were bloody times and it wasn't until the first Edwardian kings arrived that bloodshed began to be, if not reduced, at least more one-sided.
By the 1500s Stockport became another town entirely, so to speak; one that was devoted to the production of fine rope and hemp. It wasn't long until the town's reputation spread all throughout England as one of the finest and most sought after sources of high quality linens and silks. By the 1800s Stockport added the production of cotton to its already healthy supply of industries and the town seemed poised to be one of the most valued in the entire United Kingdom. This reputation was further bolstered when Stockport added the production of fine hats to its repertoire that same century. Even today one can visit Stockport's "Hat Works"-the town's own museum of its history of hat making. This museum is even more notable when one realizes that it is the only hat museum in the entire United Kingdom.
These days, however, Stockport seems to have eschewed its traditional cloth and linen manufacturing industries and instead has focused on a more varied economy that covers all the bases. Fortunately, the town is far and away one of the most prosperous in England thanks to its large base of "old money". Some neighborhoods in Stockport rank among the most expensive to live in throughout the country and there is little to know urban sprawl or waste that permeates many other industrial cities. As such, Stockport is seen as a little slice of heaven amid some of the more dubious areas in the greater Stockport area. If you have yet to pay a visit to Stockport make sure that, when you finally do get to go, you stop by the Town Center which boasts some of the most upscale and awe-inspiring shopping experiences around. Just make sure that you bring along some extra money to ensure that you can make it home!
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