Man About Town - Doomsday Book

Go Local Sandbach - May 2025

By Greg Hall

While Sandbach is famous for many things, such as our Saxon Crosses, weekly market, and that pothole on Bradwall Road which is now so vast it was recently twinned with Luxembourg, our civil parish actually contains four settlements: the town itself, plus the neighbouring villages of Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock.

The latter, Wheelock, is first mentioned in the Doomsday Book [published in 1086 by William the Conqueror and available from all good bookshops] as 'Hoilek' or 'Hoiloch', but this name developed at the end of the 13th century to Quelock, then again towards the conclusion of the 14th century to Whelock, Welock and finally Wheelock in 1390. It was around this time locals realised they were by the River Wheelock, and it made sense to name the town after the river to save on printing costs for postcards and souvenir t-shirts.

Interestingly, 'Wheelock' means 'winding river' in olden day Welsh and is not, contrary to popular belief, anything to do with the nearby tyre place or the stage fright men sometimes experience at public urinals.

Writing about the river in 1778, local wordsmith Daniel King said: "The Wheelock is engendered of three small rivers, which spring not far from Mowcop Hill… like as the water which falleth down on the west-side of Mowcop engendereth the Wheelock, so doth that which falleth on the east-side make the very head of the famous river of Trent." Ok, it wasn't exactly a page-turner, but apart from Jane Austen most of the stuff around that time was equally dull, and it would be another two hundred years before Stephen King burst onto the literary scene with Carrie.

The Wheelock we know today, which has seen its population almost double in the last ten years, from just under 1,300 people to nearly 2,200, boasts a thriving primary school, four churches, three eateries, a pub, various amenities and a farm with shop, café and play area. There used to be a railway station (where the garage and cottages now stand) on the Kidsgrove to Sandbach line, but this closed in 1930. The old line now serves as the beautiful Wheelock Rail Trail, stretching from Ettiley Heath towards Malkins Bank.

The most famous Wheelockian (a phrase I almost certainly just invented) is Wallace 'Wally' Oakes, who tragically – but heroically – died on 12th June 1965 at the age of just 33, when the train he was driving caught fire near Winsford.

Wally remained in the cab to bring the train to a stop, sacrificing himself to save multiple lives. For his bravery, Wally was posthumously awarded the George Cross, and a memorial plaque is erected at Crewe station in his memory.

All information accurate as of May 2025.