Historically part of the civil parish of Glossop in Derbyshire, it was included in the new parish of Ludworth and Chisworth in 1866.[1]Ludworth became a separate parish in 1896 and was abolished in 1936, when the former parish was transferred to Cheshire and amalgamated into Marple Urban District.[2] In 1974, the urban district was abolished and Marple Bridge became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in the county of Greater Manchester.
The village has several bus services running through it. The most regular services run on a Stockport circular route to Romiley and Bredbury (383 anticlockwise) and to Marple and Offerton (384 clockwise). There is also an hourly 394 service to Glossop in Derbyshire and Stepping Hill Hospital in the other direction. It also has bus services to Hayfield and New Mills in Derbyshire.
Conservation area
Marple Bridge village centre has been designated as a conservation area; it was established originally in 1974 and was extended in 2006 to incorporate Brabyns Park.[4]: 3
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has produced a Conservation Area Character Appraisal document, outlining the reasons that the conservation area has been designated as such; in justifying this, the document states of the town:
“Marple Bridge is a predominantly stone-built village situated on the banks of the River Goyt, just to the north-east of Marple... Historically the location had significance as a bridging point on the route between Stockport and Derbyshire and where water power was available initially for a forge and corn mill. Marple Bridge developed from the 18th century as a small urban centre. Of special importance is the landscape setting of Marple Bridge formed by the steep-sided valley of the [River] Goyt...”[4]: 4
The bridge itself was built in the 19th century and was widened in the 1930s; it is a Grade II listed building.[5]
Education
Marple Bridge has two schools: Ludworth Primary School[6] and St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy.[7]
