Alderley Edge consists of a prominent ridge of land with a small village nestled against its western flank. Thousands of people visit the Edge each year having been drawn by the legends and history of Alderley Edge. There are many unusual sites nestled amongst the ancient trees and many of these are linked to the legend of the Wizard and his knights. It was this legend which inspired Alan Garner to write The Weirdstone of Brisingamen, a story about two children protecting a magical stone from the evil Morrigan and her followers.
Alderley Edge is located in the English county of Cheshire and a map of the area can be found here.
The sandstones of Alderley Edge represent a time 240 million years ago when ancient reptiles wandered across an arid desert. These sandstones have been periodically mined since the Bronze Age for copper and other economic minerals. Mining has long since ceased but the scars left behind are very conspicuous and play an integral part in the legend of the Wizard and The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.
Due to its elevated position Alderley Edge has been used for strategic purposes as indicated by place names such as the Beacon and Castle Rock. The Beacon also features in another of Alan Garner's books The Moon of Gomrath. The Edge has even been crossed by the Jacobite army and frightened locals hid their possessions in a deep ravine.
This web site consists of two parts: a section covering the legends and history of the Edge and also a section on the geology and mines of Alderley Edge.
(To the mines of Alderley Edge)
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