Keeping up appearances has always mattered in Knutsford, the model for Elizabeth Gaskell’s affectionate portrait of gossipy, genteel life in Cranford. Cosy and comfortable it remains, nestling in Cheshire’s sweet spot south of Manchester — avoiding inner-city bustle or a long commute. Interlinked high streets, Princess Street (known as Top Street) and King Street (Bottom Street, of course) flutter their eyelashes with beautiful bow-fronted and half-timbered buildings. How can aspirational families, upwardly mobile young professionals and downsizing couples resist?
The Royal Cheshire County Show, Knutsford Royal May Day celebrations and, once every decade, a penny farthing bike race bring everyone out. Tatton Park, which Gaskell wrote about before it came under the auspices of the National Trust, hosts the northern version of the Chelsea