Editing Stalybridge (section)

===Early history===
The earliest evidence of human activity in Stalybridge is a flint [[Scraper (archaeology)|scraper]] from the late [[Neolithic]]/early [[Bronze Age]].<ref name="Ref_a">Nevell (1992), p.&nbsp;38.</ref> Also bearing testament to the presence of man in prehistory are the Stalybridge cairns. The two monuments are on the summit of Hollingworthall Moor  {{convert|153|yd|m}} apart. One of the round [[cairn]]s is the best-preserved Bronze Age monument in Tameside,<ref name="Ref_b">Nevell (1992), pp.&nbsp;39–41.</ref> and is protected as a [[scheduled monument]].<ref name="Ref_c">{{PastScape|mnumber=78454 |access-date=1 February 2009}}</ref> A branch of the [[Roman road]] between the [[castra|forts]] at Manchester (''[[Mamucium]]'') and Melandra Castle (''[[Ardotalia]]'') is thought to run through Stalybridge to the fort of [[Castleshaw Roman fort|Castleshaw]].<ref name="Ref_d">Nevell (1992), pp.&nbsp;60–62.</ref>

[[File:Staleyhall.jpg|thumb|right|[[Staley Hall]] before refurbishment]]
[[File:View of Stalybridge.jpg|thumb|right|[[River Tame, Greater Manchester|River Tame]] flowing under Staley Bridge, constructed in 1707]]
The settlement was originally called Stavelegh, which derives from the [[Old English]] ''{{lang|ang|stæf leah}}'', meaning "wood where the [[wikt:stave|staves]] are got".<ref name="Dodgson 316-317">Dodgson (1970a), pp.&nbsp;316–317.</ref> The medieval Lords of the manor took ''de Stavelegh'' as their name, later becoming ''Stayley'' or ''Staley''. The [[Lord of the manor|lordship]] of [[Longdendale]] was one of the ancient feudal estates of [[Cheshire]] and included the area of Stalybridge.<ref name="Ref_e">Nevell (1994), p.&nbsp;86.</ref> [[Buckton Castle]], near Stalybridge, was probably built by one of the earls of Chester in the 12th century.<ref>Grimsditch, Nevell & Nevell (2012), pp.&nbsp; 82–85.</ref> William de Neville was the first lord of Longdendale, appointed by the [[Earl of Chester]] between 1162 and 1186.<ref name="Ref_e"/> The lordship of Longdendale included the [[manorialism|manors]] of Staley, [[Godley, Greater Manchester|Godley]], [[Hattersley]], [[Hollingworth]], [[Matley]], [[Mottram in Longdendale|Mottram]], [[Newton, Hyde|Newton]], [[Tintwistle]] and Werneth; the manor of Staley was first mentioned between 1211 and 1225.<ref name="Ref_h">Nevell (1998), p.&nbsp;38.</ref>

The first records of the de Stavelegh family as [[Lord of the Manor|Lords of the Manor]] of Staley date from the early 13th century. [[Staley Hall]] was their residence. The present hall was built in the late 16th century on the same site as an earlier hall of the Stayley family which dated from before 1343.

[[Ralph Staveley|Sir Ralph Staley]] (descendant of the de Stavelegh family) had no male heirs but an only daughter, Elizabeth Staley, who married Sir Thomas Assheton and united the manors of Ashton and Staley. Elizabeth and Thomas had two daughters and no sons. Margaret, the eldest of their two daughters, married Sir William Booth of [[Dunham Massey]]. The younger daughter Elizabeth was widowed and without children, and continued to live at Staley Hall until her death in 1553. In her will her share of the lordships of Staley and Ashton were left to the Booths.

The manor of Staley remained in the possession of the Booth family until the death of [[George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington]] on 2 August 1758. Upon his death, the Earldom of Warrington became extinct. His only daughter, Lady Mary Booth, the wife of [[Harry Grey, 4th Earl of Stamford]], inherited all the Booth estates. The manor of Staley was owned by the Grey family until the extinction of the Earldom of Stampford on the death of [[Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford]] in 1976. At this point, the family estates were dispersed. Stamford Street, Grey Street, Groby Street, Stamford Park, Stamford Golf Club and the two Stamford Arms public houses in Stalybridge are all named after the Grey family.