The town in south Manchester has been named the second ‘most quintessential’ market town in a newly released ranking
A Greater Manchester town has been named one of the top five market towns in England. The spot, south of the city centre, is described as the second ‘most quintessential’ spot in a newly-released ranking.
The list devised by holiday booking site Independent Cottages has ranked Bridport in Dorset as the top spot, closely followed by our very own Stockport. Devizes in Wiltshire was third.
Fourth and fifth position goes to Beverley in Yorkshire and Bromley in Greater London, respectively.
To decide the ranking, the team at Independent Cottages analysed publicly available data on several factors that they felt were most relevant to market towns in England to find those that offer the most, deeming them the most ‘quintessential’.
Factors included the age of the town, to illustrate the extent of their history and deep-rooted heritage, as well as the number of retail and wholesale independent businesses, as a way of demonstrating how developed each market town is for purchasing from local shops and businesses, therefore supporting the local economy and community.
It also looked at the rating of each town’s main market on Google, plus the number of museums, showcasing the interesting history of the town itself or its surrounding landscapes, and the number of historic buildings, illustrating the architectural history of the market town, contributing to its character and beauty.
Just outside the top 20, the town of Bury also features in number 21, but they are the only places in Greater Manchester to feature.
Altrincham also finds itself on the list in 26th position, followed by nearby Macclesfield in 28th, Wigan in 47th and Ashton-under-Lyne in 63rd.
As part of the guide, Independent Cottages described Stockport as having a ‘rich industrial heritage’, and the role of its former hatting industry.
As it points out, Stockport produced more than half of Britain’s hats by 1900, which played a considerable role in shaping the town’s identity.
The listing also notes how its reputation expands beyond this though, and calls it a ‘significant historical and cultural destination’ in England with landmarks like Strawberry Studios where bands like The Stone Roses and Joy Division recorded also getting the nod.
On it’s main feature though, and why it finds itself so high up in the rankings, the guide notes: “Stockport’s busy market in the centre of its town is one of the biggest draws for visitors.
“Stockport’s main market thrives, with over 30 stalls selling edible goodies, clothing, books, and more in its historic Victorian market hall which is a landmark in itself.”
It adds: “The beautiful streets of Stockport are a testament to the town’s heritage and history as well, with its iconic St Peter’s Grade-II listed Anglican church dominating its skyline, and buildings from many eras – including Victorian, Georgian, and even Tudor – dotted around its streets.”
In November, Muddy Stilettos, with help from estate agents Knight Frank published the top 300 ‘Best Places to Live in 2025‘, combining their intel on the best city spots, towns and villages with highly regarded schools, shopping and pubs across the country.
Amongst buzzy market towns and peaceful villages to cities bursting with culture and community, Stockport was recognised in the ‘Best of the Rest’ category, and was dubbed the “gateway to the Peak District.”
Explaining their reasoning, Muddy Stilettos said: “Stockport combines the charm of a historic market town (since 1871) with the buzz of a vibrant urban centre. Named as “one of the most exciting towns around”, it’s just a stone’s throw from Manchester.
“But with the landscapes of the Peak District practically on your doorstep, it’s a perfect mix of city life and countryside. Stockport is renowned for its beautiful viaduct, its old town with cobbled streets and historic buildings that house a burgeoning new centre of independent shops.”
As expected, and reaffirming the new ranking from Independent Cottages, Stockport Market, one of the North West’s oldest and ‘best loved’, was also highly commended.
“It’s the kind of place where you can pick up fresh produce, snag a one-of-a-kind gift, and maybe even spot that rare item you never knew you needed until you saw it,” Muddy Stilettos said.