A "GOLDEN CLUSTER" OF HERITAGE
Golden Cluster Post
Heritage Open Days got off to a busy start on Friday 11th September with over 45 visitors to the Arts & Crafts Church and Edgar Wood Centre, just one of the four Middleton Golden Cluster buildings open. Mr. and Mrs. Wild walked from Norden (most of the way) to visit the buildings! Nick Baker, Edgar…
Barry Noble the Quality Assurance Assessor for ‘Visit England’, made his unannounced inspection visit this afternoon. Maureen, a guide for the afternoon, at the Arts and Crafts Church impressed Barry with her knowledge and friendliness. He was complimentary about the visitor experience and made a few helpful suggestions as to how we could improve. We…
The very first visitors to ‘A Grand Day Out’ were Shirley and Roaf who arrived 5 minutes early, at 12.55pm… but there wasn’t a queue! Later on we had visitors from Didsbury, Worsley, Macclesfield, Stockport and a couple from Plymouth who discovered the event from their camp site info. Our youngest visitor was Jennifer, who…
The first day of the Golden Cluster openings is only 24 hours away and the final touches are being made. We hope to see many visitors new and old throughout the month and also on the Heritage Open Days. Nick Baker, the curator has done a great job putting together the exhibition titled: ‘Middleton’s Arts and…
Thirty members of the Clitheroe U3A Architectual Buildings Group visited the Arts and Crafts Church today followed by a walk around a selection of the Edgar Wood houses. In the image Christine is pointing out something skyward. It is more likely to be a slipped roof stone than a passing bird!…
This year’s Middleton Archaeological Society summer ‘archaeology walk’ (on 30th July) was a great success. Around 35 people were led through the estate of Hopwood Hall by historian Geoff Wellens, as dusk quietly settled over the woodland and parkland. Hopwood estate is historically coherent and interesting, with many layers of interest. It now forms part…
Twenty members of the Saddleworth Civic Trust spent Saturday doing the full tour, lead by Geoff Wellens at the Parish Church and by Christine Grime at the Arts and Crafts Church. This was followed by a conducted tour of the Edgar Wood trail. Christine led – the rest followed! In the fore ground are Christine…
Milton Street Independent Labour Club is featured in Historic England’s newly published 2015 Designation Yearbook. It is, perhaps, one of the most interesting buildings highlighted, despite its modesty. Click here to download the ILP entry. Arts and Crafts buildings generally feature strongly with two areas receiving special research for listing – West Cambridge and Minchinhampton,…
Seventeen members of the Art section of the Oldham University of the Third Age visited the Arts and Craft Church (Long Street Methodist Church and School Rooms) this afternoon. Following a introduction about the building and the importance of Edgar Wood to the Arts and Crafts movement, they set off to explore other buildings by…
On Sunday 17th May, seventeen members of the public turned up for a guided walk around Middleton’s Edgar Wood buildings. They were led by an official Manchester tour guide and Edgar Wood enthusiast, Elizabeth Sibbering (Sibby). The group visited the Arts and Craft Church (Long Street Methodist) as part of the tour. For more information…
Alkrington Hall, Middleton was built by Giacomo Leoni (1686 – June 8, 1746), an Italian architect born in Venice. He was an enthusiastic pioneer of the eighteenth century Palladian style which swept the English speaking world. Due to numerous demolitions over time, his buildings are now extremely rare. Tragically, one of the best, Clandon House,…
In 1912 Edgar Wood built his final pair of semi-detached houses, 165–167 Manchester Old Road, Middleton, adjacent to his very first pair, West Lea of 1887. In doing so, he created one of the most unusual semis of his career – a striking building that fascinates everyone who takes time to look at it. The…
The Middleton Archaeological Society weekend excavation adjacent to Grade II* listed Tonge Hall is underway. The dig is exploring the area once covered by the Hall’s farm buildings. Follow the blog here…
On Thursday the 12 March a group from Manchester Age UK visited the Arts and Crafts Church for a tour followed by lunch at the Old Boar’s Head P.H. next door. They particularly liked the small rose windows in the porch doors. As they were visiting the Parish Church in the afternoon, Christine told them…
Friday (20th Feb) saw around 30 surveying and property management students from Salford University visit the Arts & Crafts Church, led by Simon McLean, Lecturer in Building Surveying. Conservation surveyor Rupert Hilton, who set up the trip, explained to students the repair and conservation issues being tackled, Christine Grime took them on a walking tour…
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…
Great news for Middleton’s heritage – the Government and English Heritage have listed the Independent Labour Party Club on Milton Street as Grade II. This followed the submission of a scheme to convert it into flats. The listing specifically protects the inside as well as the outside of the building as being of special historic…
Golden Cluster Month has had another successful year with hundreds of people enjoying four heritage buildings open to the public and various events laid on. Things were brought to a close by Middleton Heritage Film Group’s ‘Enlightenment Middleton’ film, directed by Anthony Dolan. Over 80 people came to the premiere. This is a great documentary…
Middleton Heritage Film Group have worked all year on their fourth film about Middleton’s impressive heritage. Don’t miss the premiere coming up next Tuesday! Admission is free, thanks to money from the Heritage Lottery funded Edgar Wood and Middleton Heritage Initiative. Enlightenment Middleton covers the area’s history of the 1700s and early 1800s. You will…
Middleton’s Milton Street Family Centre was closed and sold a few years ago but not before it was lovingly restored by Middleton Township and Rochdale Council’s building repairs team. New owners want to convert it into ten flats, something which would destroy the interior spaces, replace the lovely windows and install rooflights into the prominent…
