| Ridley | |
|---|---|
 Trig point, with the Peckforton Hills in the background | |
  Ridley Location withinCheshire | |
| Population | 120 (2001) |
| OS grid reference | SJ554544 |
| Civil parish | |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TARPORLEY |
| Postcode district | CW6 |
| Dialling code | 01829 |
| Police | Cheshire |
| Fire | Cheshire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| UK Parliament | |
| 53°05′06″N2°39′54″W / 53.085°N 2.665°W /53.085; -2.665 | |
Ridley is a formercivil parish, now in the parish ofBulkeley and Ridley,[1] in the unitary authority area ofCheshire East and the ceremonial county ofCheshire,England, which lies to the north east ofMalpas and to the west ofNantwich. The parish is largely rural with scattered farms and buildings and no significant settlements. In 2001, the population was 120. Nearby villages includeBulkeley,Bunbury,Faddiley,Peckforton andSpurstow. At the 2011 Census the population had fallen less than 100. Details are included in the civil parish ofPeckforton.
Ridley is administered jointly withBulkeley by the Bulkeley & Ridley Parish Council.[2] Ridley was formerly atownship in the parish ofBunbury,[3] and from 1866 was a civil parish in its own right.[4] On 1 April 2023 the parish was abolished and merged withBulkeley to form "Bulkeley and Ridley".[5]
From 1974 Ridley was served byCrewe and Nantwich Borough Council, which was succeeded on 1 April 2009 by theunitary authority ofCheshire East.[6] Since 2024 Ridley has been in the parliamentary constituency of Chester South and Eddisbury[7] which is represented byAphra Brandreth.[8]
TheRiver Weaver runs north–south through the west of the civil parish and theRiver Gowy runs east–west along part of its northern border. Both rivers are close to their sources in thePeckforton Hills, which rise to the north west of Ridley.[9] There is a low hill in the east of the civil parish, with a high point of 127 m atSJ567539, at the north part of Chesterton Wood. A mast and a covered reservoir are located on the top of the hill, and atrig point stands atSJ566542, around 100 metres north of the reservoir, at an elevation of 125 metres. The ground slopes gently downwards towards the Weaver in the west of the civil parish, with a low point of around 90 metres.[9]
The land use is predominantly agricultural, particularly cattle pasture. Several small meres and ponds are scattered across the farmland. There are four small woods – Ridley Wood and Chesterton Wood in the north west of the parish, and The Moss and The Bache in the south east – as well as several smaller areas of unnamed woodland.[9] TheA49 andA534 roads run north–south and east–west through the parish, respectively.[9]
The Ridley Hall gatehouse (SJ5470254759) might have formed part of the "fine Ridley Hall" mentioned inLeland'sItinerary, which would date it at around 1530. It islisted at grade II*. The stone archway is topped with a brick storey under a slate roof, and is now flanked by later brick farm buildings. Above the archway on the south face is a carved stone tablet bearing theescutcheon of the Egerton family, flanked with horn players and animals.[10][11] The grade-II-listed former primary school stands on the south side of the A534 atSJ5419854484. A T-shaped building of rock-faced sandstone incorporating a teacher's house, the school is in Gothic style and dates from 1876.[12][13]
According to the 2001 census, the civil parish had a population of 120.[14] The population has been relatively constant since 1801, with historical population figures of 122 (1801), 133 (1851), 109 (1901) and 138 (1951).[15]
There are no educational facilities within the civil parish. Ridley falls within the catchment areas of Bickerton Holy Trinity CE Primary School inBickerton andBishop Heber High School inMalpas.[16][17]
