Plans to preserve Macclesfield’s West Park Museum collection for future generations

Cheshire East councillors are to discuss steps to preserve the future of an important local museum collection.

The council’s economy and growth committee, at their meeting on 14 January, will consider a report that sets out plans for the future preservation of Macclesfield’s West Park Museum collection. The report recommends that the collection should be displayed permanently at the town’s Silk Museum and Macclesfield Town Hall.

The council itself does not operate a museum service. However, it has a duty to safeguard the collection and provide positive long-term plans for its preservation.

By moving the collection permanently to Silk Museum and Macclesfield Town Hall, the council could ensure, not only the long-term preservation for historically important items, but also enable continued public access to them. 

West Park Museum on Prestbury Road, Macclesfield is not currently open to the public as environmental conditions in the building are unsuitable for housing a historic collection. 

Councillor Michael Gorman, chair of Cheshire East Council’s economy and growth committee, said:

“As soon as it was clear that we could no longer store this important collection at West Park Museum, the urgent need was to safely preserve it elsewhere. 

“This collection is very important, especially to residents of Macclesfield and its nearby towns and villages, so securing its long-term future locally is a priority.

“The entire collection has already been relocated to the Silk Museum – the Egyptology collection as an example is already being well received by visitors there. With West Park Museum sadly no longer fit for purpose, we had to make a decision on how the remaining items that were housed there were looked after.” 

John Varney, chair of the Silk Heritage Trust, said:

“The Silk Heritage Trust is committed to protecting and celebrating the remarkable collections created by Marianne Brocklehurst, Mary Booth and others. Their story is important in showing how the wealth made from the silk industry helped bring to the town important Ancient Egyptian artefacts and fine art paintings.” 

Te care, preservation needs and public access to the collection is managed by Macclesfield Silk Heritage Trust. If committee support the recommendation to rehouse the entire collection, works will be completed by the end of March 2025.

This work supports the council’s overarching priority from its cultural framework 2023-28, ensuring public access to great culture.  

The council is still considering options regarding the future use of West Park Museum. It is envisaged that any change of use of the building will be subject to planning permission.