A "GOLDEN CLUSTER" OF HERITAGE
I hope you had a pleasant Christmas. Today, Boxing Day, has been an industrious one for me. Although I did allow myself a brief distraction at lunch time for a visit to MAS HQ – The Olde Boar’s Head for lunch and a pint (or two). However, much of the day has been spent creating…
The Edgar Wood Society is liaising with Ediciones Polígrafa, a prestigious publishing house based in Barcelona specializing in books on Art, Architecture and Design, printed in English and Spanish. Here is their web site. Ediciones Polígrafa are currently working on, The World Atlas of Art Nouveau Architecture, edited by Ivan Bercedo and Jorge Mestre. It will…
Thursday evening could not have gone better for organisers Emma and Nick of the Edgar Wood and Middleton THI team. Not only did forty to fifty people visit the candle-lit church but one of those visitors was Middleton’s MP, Liz McInnes. Liz came to express her support for the THI project and conserving Middleton’s heritage. …
The cotton had gone, the ship canal had gone, the money had gone. In episode 4 Jeannette takes an unexpected turn by delving into the last 50 years of Manchester pop music. From Herman’s Hermits to Joy Division and The Smiths, making music that moved beyond the stereotype of the northern practical man. In the…
Our final Locality workshop, let by Lindsey and Chris, was a lively and good humoured discussion about how best to develop the potential at the Long Street School. Building on the previous two sessions, we agreed a dual approach where some of the buildings, principally the main hall, would be best used for commercial functions…
Jeanette Winterson’s series on Manchester continues with Episode 2 concentrating on the industrial revolution and Episode 3 on the resulting politics. She is particularly good at moving through the big themes of the day, precisely touching the most important issues of the time. Episode 3 mentions the Free Trade Hall, Peterloo massacre, Chartists and establishing…
The second Locality workshop was taken by Zoe Goddard on Thursday 4th December. Eight people came, the same folk as last time, so the team seems to be shaping up. It was an excellent session where we began to ‘get down to business’ regarding what social enterprises are, how they differ from one another and…
The Arts & Crafts Church conservation surveyor, Alan Gardner, recently attended the re-opening of the magnificent All Soul’s Church, now converted to multi-faceted community uses. Alan was responsible for the conservation of this enormous Paley and Austin church. Can you spot him in the team photo? (back row third from right). Another, Arts & Crafts…
Don’t miss this, it’s superb… Jeanette Winterson presents her personal exploration of Manchester, from its Celtic roots to the present day and beyond. She takes to the streets of the city to tell the stories of the disparate groups and events which formed this combative and insubordinate urban centre. Jeanette was born and works in…
“What they know of Middleton, who never heard The Nowster [bell] toll in 1890? The clatter of lock bolt and bars at the last knoll, or the croak of the corncrake in late summer, the larks in the long grass, the cuckoo floating over the Coppice and whippets hunting hares.” Extract from Robert Howarth Hilton…
A unique 17th century map of Lancashire found at John Rylands Library has been placed on display for the first time in 400 years. The Elizabethan hand-drawn document, which shows towns and villages including Diddsbury (Didsbury), Garton (Gorton), and Stopford (Stockport) – provides a fascinating glimpse into centuries past. The map was created by cartographer…
The turn out for yesterday’s talk was amazing, standing room only, the best indoor event so far. Professor Colin Richards of Manchester University, gave an excellent and thorough decription and explanation of Thor Heyerdahl’s famous 1955 expedition to Easter Island. The audience went through stages of admiration for Thor but then the opposite – even deep…
Edgar Wood Society and Greater Manchester Building Preservation Trust are looking into the history of Jubilee Park Fountain and whether it is possible to restore it. The fountain with its staircase and curved ‘exedra’ was donated by Thomas Broadbent Wood in 1906. He was a greatly regarded Middletonian and father of Edgar Wood, who designed…
Peter Ryder is a true expert on medieval churches. He is the author of books and papers, has advised dioceses on their churches, has visited every medieval church in Yorkshire, has turned previously turned history on its head, e.g. discovered a 7th century church when it had always been thought to be of much later…
This evening I had the honour of presenting to the Middleton Civic Association on behalf of Middleton Archaeological Society at their monthly meeting at the Olde Boars Head. The talk I presented was about the formation of the Middleton Archaeological Society and detail of our recent investigation at Clarke Brow / St. Leonard’s Square. What…
Arts and Crafts Awakening is being set up as a social enterprise to promote Middleton Heritage, including Edgar Wood, the Parish Church and Long Street Methodist Church and School. This evening we met our advisors for the next few months, Zoe, Lindsey and Chris from Locality, the nationwide network for community-led organisations. We had a…
Kerry Beeston gave over twenty members of Middleton Archaeological Society a detailed insight into what it is like working in the finds hut of excavations. She gave practtical advice on the different types of finds and how to clean and date them. She brought different types of finds and tools for the audience to handle…
At the AGM on Saturday 25th October, the Friends of the Edgar Wood Centre changed their name, after a year or so deliberating. The use of the name Edgar Wood Centre for Long Street Methodist Church and School never really took off. There was also a bit of confusion between the Manchester Edgar Wood Centre…
Tonge Hall and Hopwood Hall have been added to the national Heritage at Risk Register, as well as Long Street Church. Click to read the MEN report Three major buildings at risk for one medium sized town… it’s a bit much…
Yesterday was one of those special days…. With just a few hours notice, BBC Radio and TV turned up to film the church and school. Why? Because English Heritage has just added the Long Street buildings to the national Heritage at Risk register, which is updated and published every year. First off, was BBC Radio…
