Dunkirk Lane

With the wet weather predominating, I thought I'd delve into my archives and find an unpublished photo from September.

On the left is Frederick House,the Social Care & Health offices of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.

On the right is Newton Hall.

Ahead is the steeple of St Stephen's Church (1891-2011).

Behind us the lane leads past the home of Starchaser Rockets down to the Peak Forest Canal.

For Our World Tuesday.

Newton Hall after the dig

This photograph shows the grounds of Newton Hall restored after the archaeological dig in April and was taken at the recent Heritage Open Day where some of the finds were on show. Behind the fence lies the main road from Hyde to Ashton.

See the hall itself on Hyde DP Xtra.

Newton Hall, a Grade II listed building and one of Britain's earliest cruck-framed buildings, stands on the corner of Dukinfield Road and Dunkirk Lane in Hyde, Cheshire. It eventually became used as a barn for the farm that occupied part of the site. It was encased in a brick building having a blue slate roof. When the farm buildings were being demolished in the 1960s, to make way for industrial buildings, the contractor saw the ancient cruck-framed construction and, realising it was an important ancient building, stopped demolition immediately. The other farm buildings were later demolished but the original medieval hall was preserved. Sir George Kenyon, the Chairman of William Kenyon & Sons Ltd of Dukinfield, rescued it. Browns of Wilmslow undertook the restoration work and this was completed in 1970.

During the restoration work, a large glass panel was inserted into one side the purpose of this being twofold. It allows sufficient light into the hall so that it can be used for modern purposes such as holding conferences, seminars and meetings and it also allows the construction of the building to be viewed from the outside. It now has a stone flag floor with under-floor heating, whereas originally it would have had an earthen floor.

More information at http://www.pittdixon.go-plus.net/newton-hall/newton-hall.htm

In April 2012 Tameside History Forum in conjunction with Salford University undertook an archaeological dig at the site. Over 500 photographs of the excavation can be found on their Photobucket gallery.

A contribution to Friday Fences and Green Days on Raindrops & Daisies.

ABC Wednesday: F is for Fernbank Court

From the footpath by Gower Hey Woods between Smithy Fold and Clough Gate. Fernbank Court was built on the site of Fernbank Farm which was demolished in 2003.

For ABC Wednesday.

Storm Clouds over Gee Cross

This was taken at the same time as my recent photo of the Hare and Hounds.

It looks a little further West towards the trees below the trig point at the junction of Werneth Low Road and Cowlishaw Road.

I used a zoom lens to reach a distance of some two kilometres. The spire of Hyde Chapel is actually about a kilometre away although the cattle seem to be grazing close to.

To highlight the dramatic effect I've introduced a few painterly touches.

A contribution to Skywatch Friday.

Looking over Woodend Allotments

Many of the allotments on the side of Woodend Lane have been abandoned (mainly due to the work of vandals) and some of the trees have been felled. Now a view is afforded across the valley of the Gower Hey Brook. Some allotments half-way down the valley are still maintained. Werneth Low can be seen on the horizon.

Compare with the view in April 2011 and the one from the opposite direction about a century ago.

There is another view of the allotments on Hyde DP Xtra.

A contribution to Friday Fences.

Horses at Broomstairs

The CDPB theme for the first of February is "Animals" so last week I took this photograph of horses at Broomstairs.

Their stables are by grazing land in the flood plain of the river Tame. See their field on Hyde DP Xtra.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants to the CDPB theme.

Woodend Allotments

Although some of the smaller allotments on Woodend Lane at the top of the valley of the Gower hey Brook such as the ones I showed you in September 2007 have had to be abandoned, others lower down the valley are flourishing.

This one is home to several animals; see the goose in action on Hyde DP Xtra.

See the view from the opposite direction in this post from May 2008 and contrast it with the view a century ago.