Leek

Leek, a manufacturing and market town of Staffordshire, on the Churnet, 13½ miles SSE. of Macclesfield, and 24 NNE. of Stafford. The parish church, dating from 1180, but mainly Decorated in style, was restored by Street in 1867-75. There are also a grammar-school (1723), a cottage-hospital (1870), and, 1½ mile distant, the ruined Cistercian abbey (1214) of Dieulacres (De la Croix). Leek manufactures sewing and embroidery silks, and is the chief English centre for dyeing silk (see SILK). The Nicholson Institute comprises a Free Library, and Art School, &c. Pop. (1851) 1877; (1891) 12,760. See Sleigh's History of Leek (2d ed. 1884), M. H. Miller, Old Leek (Leek, 1891).