About the Henbury Society

In 1989 a group of Henbury residents were alarmed by a proposal to extend the Blacksmiths Arms pub to a 32-bed hotel. Supported by a submission signed by 170 residents, they were successful at a Local Enquiry in opposing the proposal, and decided to form The Henbury Society with the following objectives:
(i) To promote high standards of planning and architecture in Henbury
(ii) To educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of Henbury
(iii) To secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic or public interest in Henbury.

By way of fulfilling these objectives the Society has:

1. Published a book entitled Henbury – History of a Village, three booklets, Henbury Walks, Henbury Today and Memories of a Village School and a CD containing much of the archive material on which the book was based.

2. Played a major part in producing the Henbury Parish Plan that was published in 2011, and bringing to fruition some of the recommendations made in that Plan, including the recent establishment of Henbury Online. This attractive and lively new village website is funded by the Parish Council and operated by the Society. It is dedicated to keep Henbury residents up to date with all that's going in and around our village and it's linked to the Henbury Facebook page so please use them and let us know how you like them.

3. Organised annual village clean-ups.

4. In conjunction with the Parish Council, we have twice been successful in the past in objecting to Local Authority Plans to create a "south west link road" and to build on the Green Belt that separates our Parish from Macclesfield. Again in 2016-17 the Society , together with the Parish Council, strongly objected against the Cheshire East Local Plan to release Green Belt between Henbury and Macclesfield for housing development ,but our objections were ignored. Since then Henbury Parish Council, as a Statutory Body, has challenged all planning applications for development in that former Green Belt so vigorously and effectively that the level of involvement of the Society could be reduced to giving support.

Updated Situation in 2022. The Society Closes Down!

In the second half of 2021 the relevance of the Henbury Society to the community in the post Covid-19 pandemic world was reviewed, and following consultation with members, a decision was taken to close the Society down.

Relevant documentation about the closure can be found here and also here .

However, Henbury Online will continue to operate as it always has and will endeavour to handle any questions about the Society.

Please make contact via editor@henbury.org.


March 2022