Stoneyfold Park began life as a working quarry and was bought on March 26th 1920 by Ashton & Holmes Ltd, predominantly owned by the Ashton family, from The Rt Hon Dudley, Ninth Earl of Harrington and the Rt Hon C.J. Leicester Viscount Petersham.
In 1943 further land was purchased from a local farmer which now makes up the 40 acres of Stoneyfold Park. The quarry itself was worked some time before 1920 and Ashton & Holmes added Stoneyfold to their collection of seven quarries around the Macclesfield area. The stone quarried was Silica, which was used for the manufacture of Stainless Steel in Sheffield, and was in high demand particularly during the Second World War.
During the mid fifties, the method of production of stainless steel changed which prompted the Directors to think of diversification and thus Planning Permission was applied for and granted in 1955 for a caravan park.
Another diversification was the planting of Sitka Spruce (Christmas trees), for sale at Macclesfield Market whereby they were carted by tractor and trailer and sold off the back of the trailer at the market. Happy days!
Stoneyfold Park was created along the south side of the quarry to take advantage of the views and the sunlight, and was formed on the spoil tips consisting of clay, broken rock and shale. It is interesting to note that somewhere near the park entrance there is buried the last Foden Steam Lorry ever produced. This was purchased and operated by Ashton & Holmes in the twenties, but since at the time, scrap metal was not in demand neither was there the will to cut it up, it was buried. Anyone with a good metal detector?
Production of silica stone finally ceased in 1963 and it was at this time that Stoneyfold Park began to operate. The park is still owned and managed by the grandson of the Ashton family.
The park originally started with people parking their touring caravans on various pitches with the odd static caravan, which in those days were very similar to tourers but slightly larger. There was no soil drainage, electricity or plumbed in water. Water was available from stand pipes located around the park and all the owners had to use the toilet block for conveniences and showers etc. Water was piped to each caravan during the mid eighties and electricity and soil drainage came to only part of the park in 1994.
In 2003 after the park was purchased by the grandson of the Ashton family, major refurbishment work commenced. Firstly a number of static homes were scrapped to enable drainage and electricity to be installed over the whole of the park. A Bio disc Environmentally Friendly Sewerage Treatment Plant was installed, as well as a water well borehole to provide superbly tasting water for all the homes, which filters through the rock strata.
The whole park was landscaped with gravel covering all the parking areas. The area where the Lodges are located involved major earth moving works to provide a secluded area with care taken to provide the views and reasonable privacy for each Lodge. The final result being a rustic appearance of the area with gravel and natural stone used to create an environment which fits comfortably with the natural surroundings.
We are now in the process of planning our next phase of development at Stoneyfold Park. Plans are in place to extend the park and site 12 new residential homes. Each home will take advantage of the elevated position and will enjoy outstanding uninterrupted views across the Cheshire countryside.