ABC Wednesday: Odd Whim

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is O for "Odd Whim". The plain-looking cream-coloured building is the former "Odd Whim" public house, just off Mossley Road.

The odd whim in question was that of John Wroe, known as Prophet John Wroe, the founder of the Christian Israelite Church.

It was Mr Wroe's notion that Ashton under Lyne was the New Jerusalem, where the chosen would gather at the Apocalypse. His plan was to build a wall around the town, with four gatehouses. This building, built in 1825, was to have been one of these gatehouses. Another of these gatehouses, which stood on Manchester Road, was demolished to make way for the motorway.

In 1831, Mr Wroe fled from Ashton following a scandal that involved seven virgins. He ended up in Australia, where the Christian Israelite Church is still active.

In 1837 the building became the Odd Whim pub, and many extensions were built over the years. When nearby Stamford Park was opened in the 1870s, the pub was re-named Stamford Park Hotel. The name was returned to "The Odd Whim" in 1971. When the pub eventually closed, the extensions were demolished but the original building was retained and converted into apartments.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Odd Whim" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "O" posts from around the world please follow this link.

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