Knutsford Town Council has now backed proposals to add the name of Mrs Gaskell's last, and possibly most famous, work - Wives and Daughters - to the inscriptions on the tower.

The tower was built in 1907 by famous architect Richard Harding Watt.

It is believed that he may have missed off Wives and Daughters because it was left incomplete when the Knutsford author died.

But a popular BBC adaptation of the novel recently raised its profile, which led to the Knutsford-based Gaskell Society seeking council permission to add the missing novel to the list.

On Friday, society secretary Joan Leach met conservation officers from Macclesfield Borough Council.

She now plans to contact businesses for a quote for the carving.

But because of the nature of the job, there will be no council funding for the inscription.

"The Gaskell Society will be directly or indirectly funding the inscription - depending on cost," said Mrs Leach.

The conservation team will, however, perform restoration on the gold medallion on the tower, which will be funded by the council.