ABC Wednesday: O is for Oaklands Hall

Oaklands Hall was built in 1838 as a residence for local business men and was once occupied by Daniel Adamson – an engineer, involved with the digging and opening of the Manchester Ship Canal.

For more about Daniel Adamson, see Old Hyde.

In 1881 it was occupied by Deane Stanley, who ran his father's Turkish Towel business in Gas Street, Hyde. He was married to Flora, who is believed to be their resident ghost. There are occasional sightings of Flora, when she is regarded as a being friendly and to be a good omen.

Deane Stanley was also a mining engineer. Unfortunately, he was reputed not to have a good head for business and he eventually lost his fortune. He died in 1894 after falling off a horse whilst working in the South African Transvaal.

Oaklands Hall was purchased in October 1924, for use as a Masonic Hall. The building, now run by Oaklands Masonic Club, is a place for Weddings and Celebration parties and an approved venue for Civil Marriages. Website: http://www.oaklandshall.co.uk/.

For old photos of Oaklands Hall see Hyde Cheshire.

Oaklands Hall is reached via Beech View off Oaklands Road. See photos of Oaklands Road and Oaklands Wood on Hyde DP Xtra.

For the letter O at ABC Wednesday.

Mellow Yellow Monday: Mottram Road, Godley

A brief traffic-free moment on Mottram Road looking towards Hyde just down the road from Godley Arches.

It is normally a busy road, hence the double-yellow lines all along each side. In the UK double-yellow lines mean strictly NO PARKING.

It isn't as busy as it would have been before the building of the M67 bypass around Hyde in the mid 1970s. Before then this was the main road (A57) running from Lincoln to Liverpool by way of Worksop, Sheffield, Glossop, Hyde, Manchester, Irlam and Warrington.

A contribution to Mellow Yellow Monday.

Lindley House

A red-brick Victorian property on Mottram Road in contrast to its modern neighbours.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Camelot Where You Are, #14

We're back to the contest! Details after the row of asterisks below.

From Gerald of Hyde Daily Photo comes this bit of history and charm:

"This  castellated folly castle overlooking Godley Brook lies in the back garden of Brookbank House. The house was built in 1837 by Joseph Hibbert, the sixth of fourteen children of Randal Hibbert. The Hibbert family of Godley played an important part in the history of Hyde and its neighbourhood, figuring amongst the pioneers of the cotton industry.

"The castle folly was probably built around the mid part of the 19th century. In the mid-1990s there were plans by the then owners to restore the building and open it up to the public.

"Now it belongs to the Brookbank Day Nursery and public access to the folly is not permitted. It can however be viewed from the footpath on the North side of the Godley Brook."

Thank you, Gerald!

**************

WELL.

Way past coffee time, sorry about that. Long story.

Drum roll....

 And last week's winner is lucky #13, Virginia, with Quinlan Castle in Birmingham, Alabama! Virginia wins a free copy of my new novel, Camelot & Vine, as soon as it's published. Thank you, Virginia, and thank you all, for your wonderful entries!

Here's the poll:

Today is also theme day at City Daily Photo, but I decided to continue the Camelot Where You Are photo contest because it's going so well. If you're planning to enter, now's the time! Send in a photo of the Camelot you find in your life. It can be a toy. It can be a building or an event, a shield, a maiden, a sword...anything! (I found Avalon cream rinse in my shower the other day). Contest details are here.

Each weekly winner receives a free copy of my new novel, Camelot & Vine, which is coming out this month. I think! I hope to have more specific news about that very soon.

Track off Halton Street

The track off Halton Street leads to Bonehill Dam.

The Godley Brook flows through the valley on the right.

Note: I'll be away in St Annes all this week and probably without internet access so will not be tweeting.

I've scheduled a post each day to go live at midnight BST and Julie Storry of Sydney Eye will be posting a notice to the CDPB Facebook page which is also where CDPB members can go to vote for September's theme day.

A Glimpse of Godley Brook

A glimpse of the Godley Brook through the thick vegetation on Halton Street.

Note: I'll be away in St Annes all this week and probably without internet access so will not be tweeting.

I've scheduled a post each day to go live at midnight BST and Julie Storry of Sydney Eye will be posting a notice to the CDPB Facebook page which is also where CDPB members can go to vote for September's theme day.

ABC Wednesday: E is for Ewen Villa

The house at the top of Villiers Street is dated 1878.

The view is from the car park at Ewen Fields football ground, home of Hyde FC.

In the background is St John's church, Godley.

For ABC Wednesday.

Note: I'll be away in St Annes all this week and probably without internet access so will not be tweeting.

I've scheduled a post each day to go live at midnight BST and Julie Storry of Sydney Eye will be posting a notice to the CDPB Facebook page which is also where CDPB members can go to vote for September's theme day.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Brookbank Folly Castle

The castellated folly castle overlooking Godley Brook lies in the back garden of Brookbank House. The house was built in 1837 by Joseph Hibbert, the sixth of fourteen children of Randal Hibbert. The Hibbert family of Godley played an important part in the history of Hyde and its neighborhood, figuring amongst the pioneers of the cotton industry.

The castle folly was probably built around the mid part of the 19th century. In the mid-1990s there were plans by the then owners to restore the building and open it up to the public. See Hyde Cheshire.

Now it belongs to the Brookbank Day Nursery and public access to the folly is not permitted. It can however be viewed from this footpath on the North side of the Godley Brook.

Another view of the folly can be seen on Hyde DP Xtra and a larger monochrome view can be seen on my photoblog sithenah.

A contribution to Shadow Shot Sunday.

Shadow Shot Sunday: Steps to Godley Station

Last week I showed you shadows on Godley Station.



Here now are the shadows on the first set of steps leading up to the station.



There are two sets of steps to climb up to get to the platform and it would have been nice to have been able to sit down whilst waiting for the train but I only had a couple of minutes to wait.



More shadows can be found at Hey Harriet.

Friday Bench: Vincent Park

Last week I showed you the entrance to Vincent Park at Godley.



Just inside are these benches.



Another Friday Bench can be found on Ackworth born, gone West.

Sepia Scenes: Vincent Park

This is the entrance to Vincent Park off Sheffield Road, Godley and when was it taken? The answer is yesterday afteroon.



For more sepia scenes visit Sepia Scenes.

Steep path to Godley

Yesterday I showed you the path to Mottram Road from the
little bridge over Godley Brook.

From a there a steep cobbled path leads up to Godley. This view is about half way up. You can see the bottom of the path and a couple of shots looking down on Hyde DP Xtra.

Path to Mottram Road

The other day on Hyde DP Xtra I showed you the little bridge over Godley Brook near its confluence with Werneth Brook. On Hyde Daily Photo I showed you the view looking upstream.

Today's view on Hyde DP Xtra is looking downstream from the bridge, whilst here I am showing you the pathway from the bridge up to Mottram Road. Werneth Brook as it flows into Godley Brook is just over the wall on the left.

The coloured version of this can be seen on Geograph.

Weekend Reflections: Godley Brook

Reflections in Godley Brook taken from the little bridge that crosses the stream near to its confluence with Werneth Brook not far from Brookbank Nursery.

You can look back towards the little bridge on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more reflections visit Weekend Reflections.

Godley Off Licence

Godley off licence and convenience store is on the corner of Mottram Road and Leech Street.

The faded writing on the end wall suggests it has been a grocers for many years. I'll try and get a closer look at it when I get the chance.

An "off licence", for the information of our foreign readers, is a shop licensed for the sale of alcohol (beers, wines & spirits) solely for consumption off the premises.

Weekend Reflections: Puddles on Green Lane

Trees are reflected in the puddles on Green Lane.

See how it looked in May 2009.

Visit other Weekend Reflections.

Brookbank Nursery

Brookbank Nursery on Mottram Road is based in a grade II listed house that was built in 1837 by the local Hibbert family.

Skywatch Friday: St Giles Drive

St Giles Drive is off St Pauls Hill Road. I was walking down the latter one sunny morning early this week and stopped to take this quick photograph.

As I did so, that black cloud loomed closer and drops of rains started hitting my neck.

By the time I reached the bottom of St Michaels Road it was raining stair-rods as we say around here.

Visit Skywatch Friday for more sights.

Skywatch Friday: Godley Hall Inn

A Grade II listed building dating from 1718. It stands on the site of an earlier Manor House at Godley Hill.

See how it looked in 1999 on Old Hyde.

See its inn sign and two further views of the inn on Hyde DP Xtra.

For more sky views around the globe visit Skywatch Friday.