|
HISTORY
CLICK ON
IMAGES TO ENLARGE
Castle Hall takes its name from a building which stood
close to the edge of the river Tame on a
site which was close to the
present Market Hall.
The house was described as being a " castellated
mansion " and the style of architecture was Elizabethan.
The gardens and orchards belonging to the hall spread
from the building itself right to the
river's edge and were so beautiful
that they earned the name " Paradise ".
The hall was built by Sir William Dukinfield in the
18th century and re-sold to Mr Kenworthy, a later owner was
Mr John Lees
who was the founder of the firm " John Lees and Sons ".
He died at Castle
Hall in 1824 and presumably the Hall then passed to one of his sons It was
demolished in 1861.
Another building from
around the same era was Castle Hall Farm which stood on Grosvenor Street.
It was demolished to make way for the " new " Co-op buildings.
some
photographs of Castle Hall Farm
The period of the Industrial Revolution brought about
great changes for the village of Stalybridge.
Through unemployment in the
field of agriculture, families from rural areas began to seek employment
in
the factories and mills of this new industrial area.
Likewise many
Irish families also took up residence, believing wages would be better
here than in their own country.
By 1823 Stalybridge had 26 mills and a population of
5,500.
In the next two years the population jumped to 9,000 and seven
hundred houses were built
to accommodate this population growth.
The physical environment changed dramatically.
The
green hills and valleys gave way to factories, workshops and row upon row
of terraced houses.
Because of the speed of the growth of the population,
the latter were badly constructed. They were crowded together with
primitive drainage and sanitation and inadequate or even non-existent
water supplies.
This is how Castle Hall as we knew it began.
Overcrowding was a major issue
and often whole families could be found living in cellars.
It is interesting to look at the 1881 census and see just how many people
lived in particular properties.
One good example is 18 Chapel Walk, a tiny one bedroom cottage, where 8
adults shared the accommodation.
Kenworthy and Grasscroft
Streets |
Rooftops of Castle Hall |
1 Bowtons Yard - Outside View |
1 Bowtons Yard - Inside View |
The Priory, Cheethams Park
Demolished in 1931
|
Outside " Loos "
St Peter's Church in background |
Brierley Street
View One |
Brierley Street
View Two |
Forester Street |
Hassalls Yard on Grasscroft Street |
Kay Street |
Springbank Street
between Grasscroft Street and
Brierley Street
|
Springbank Street
between
Cross Leech Street and
Grasscroft Street
|
Looking down
Walmsley Street
from Astley Street
|
Kenworthy Street
looking up from
Forester Street |
Grasscroft Street
View towards Leeches |
Grasscroft Street from Kay Street
towards Kenworthy Street |
Grasscroft Street
Walmsley St separates the two blocks |
Grasscroft Street
Kay Street separates the two blocks |
A Castle Hall Backyard |
Forester Street |
Kenworthy Street |
Castle Hall Infants' School |
Forester Street |
Grasscroft Street |
Kirk's Buildings |
Kay Street looking down from
Grasscroft Street |
Another Castle Hall Backyard |
The " end " of Grasscroft Street |
A kitchen range,
found in many Castle Hall houses |
Chapel Walk - or more fondly known
as the " giggle-gaggle " |
Park Street
view one |
Park Street
view two |
BUILDINGS OF CASTLE
HALL
and many thanks to Mike
Duffy for most of these photographs
As the years went by conditions did begin to improve,
although most of these were probably only cosmetic rather than structural.
Small groups of houses still shared outside toilets and only a few of
these were of the modern " flushing " variety.
And it was incredibly rare
to find a house in Castle Hall which had a fitted bathroom.
As materials became more accessible, the inside decor
became much improved.
Outside steps were " donkey-stoned " and it was
usual to see white net curtains which had been soaked
in dolly blue hung
at the windows.
The issue of overcrowding also seemed to improve, at least
people did not live in cellars any longer.
Panoramic View 1956
So what was special about Castle Hall? And why is it so
fondly remembered?
You tell us.
CLICK
HERE TO CONTACT THE WEBMASTER
BACK TO TOP OF PAGE
|