P h o t o B l o g

Tuesday 24 April 2012

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.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Please leave a comment below and please rate this photo using the 5 star system below. The highest-ranking photos will be considered for the Photo of the Year at the end of 2012!

11 comments:

  1. it's an odd looking building, for sure


    organize

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  2. Interesting story about the building and the "church."

    Leslie
    abcw team

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  3. Odd whim - fine choice for the O letter.

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  4. It's a nice old building, especially when set against the modern glass windows of the other building. It has character, but then againmaybe the new buildings will have character in about 50 years.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Odd name, but I like it.
    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  6. Fascinating but peculiar name.
    Glad the building is still there for history's sake.

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  7. Wow interesting story! Good "O"

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  8. "Odd Whim" for sure. I've been doing lots of study on the apocalypse and this is "ODD' that this house was going to be the place of santuary.
    Thanks for sharing this interesting story.
    Ann

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  9. Oh my goodness! How many towns have been chosen as "the new Jerusalem"? No many, I'd guess.
    Extremely interesting post for the letter O.
    K

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  10. Great to see this John Wroe was my Great Great Granddad Be nice to visit one day Thanks

    ReplyDelete

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