ABC Wednesday: Kings Road

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is K for "Kings Road" and the photo shows a section of this thoroughfare just east of the junction with Queens Road at Hurst Cross.

Many years ago, before the area became built-up, this was known as Cross Acre Lane. When these houses were built it became Upper King Street. Then Upper and Lower King Street became Kings Road.

The terrace of houses has architectural interest, with six of the houses in the whole of the terrace having a roof gable facing the road (three of these being visible in this photo). The windows all have arched lintels. The semi-circular fanlight windows above the doors show that these houses have hallways (the fanlights left the daylight in to these hallways) unlike the less-posh terrace houses where the front doors opened straight into the parlour.

In the distance, beyond the traffic signals, is the spire of St John's Church.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Kings Road" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "K" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Not the Church Inn

This is not the Church Inn at Hurst Cross. It used to be, but no longer. Like several other former pubs in Ashton, it has been converted into a convenience store.

The building originally opened as a pub around 1850 and it is not difficult to see why it was named the Church Inn. It stood just a few yards from St John's Church on Kings Road, or Lower King Street, as it was called at that time.

At least the building survives and has been put to new use, unlike the Miners' Refuge pub almost opposite, which was simply demolished a few years ago.

See Google Street View of this location which at the time of posting, still shows the Church Inn as a pub..

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"Not the Church Inn" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

Cedar Street

Today's photo shows a row of houses in Cedar Street, in the Hurst district of Ashton.

The houses are typical of the many brick-built terraces of houses built in Ashton and other Lancashire towns. The windows have plain stone lintels and cills while the doorways have a decorative arch above a semi-circular fan-light window.

The fanlight over the door indicates that the houses have porches or hallways inside, and these windows provide daylight for these. By contrast, the more basic style of house had its front door opening directly into the front room and so had no need of a fanlight. Another feature of these houses is that the lower courses of the wall are built from stone, now painted.

See Google Street View of this location.

"Cedar Street" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

ABC Wednesday: King's Road

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is K for "King's Road".

The photo shows part of King's Road in Ashton, which runs from Hurst Knoll, through Hurst Cross towards Hazelhurst. This section of the road was once a busy shopping street with a wide range of small shops, from grocers to clothing shops. There are still quite a few shops here and the area is still quite busy, which cannot be said for all small local shopping areas in this era of supermarkets.

The vacant plot of land on the right was, until recently, occupied by the Miners' Refuge pub, which can still be seen on the Google Street View (link below).

This stretch of road has undergone a few name changes over the years. At one time it was Hurst Knowles Lane, then Hurst Knoll Lane. Then it became Lower King Street and finally Kings Road! One common factor is that all of these names have elements beginning with K, making this a particularly suitable subject for today's "K" post!

See Google Street View of this location.

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"King's Road" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "K" 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!

Roxy Shops

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows you this row of shops on Queens Road at Hurst Cross.

They are known as the Roxy Shops because they stood opposite the Roxy Cinema. The cinema has long-since gone and a small Asda store now stands on the site. However, the name of the cinema lives on with Roxy Angling Supplies.

The shops were built with a surprisingly attractive frontage, featuring mock timbered gables. However, this is marred by the metal roller shutters that are probably a necessity for shops all over the country these days.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Roxy Shops" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

A New Supermarket

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows the newest supermarket to open in Ashton.

This is a mini-Asda store that has opened a week ago on Queens Road, Hurst Cross. The building was originally a Co-op supermarket and I showed this picture of it in 2008.

The Co-op kept it's "Late Shop" open round the corner on Kings Road, which may have reduced the profitability of the store on Queens Road. The store was bought by Netto just before Asda took over all of Netto's UK stores, which is why it has now become an Asda, even though Asda have a large superstore on Cavendish Street.

When I took this photo last week the car park was pretty full suggesting that the new store is attracting a lot of interest. I have a feeling the Co-op may regret having sold the shop, as the Late Shop seemed pretty quiet that day.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"A New Supermarket" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

Pie Shop

Today's photo from the world of Ashton under Lyne shows the pie shop on Kings Road at Hurst Cross.

Right in the middle of this block of terraced houses in the Hurst Cross area of Ashton is Bradley's Bakery. Not only do Bradleys sell bread, cakes and the most delicious pies, but they also bake them on the premises. You can catch a glimpse of the wonders of the bakery through a doorway behind the shop counter.

This photo is unusual in that it shows some parking spaces available in front of the shop. There is usually a queue of customers inside the shop, several of them people who were passing by on their cars. At ;unchtime the queue can be out of the door. That has to say something about the products on sale!

The family business began in Oldham in 1960, moving to the present location in 1981. The delicious range of pies on offer include Pork, Beef, Steak & Cowheel, Cheese & Onion and Pork & Bury Black Pudding! If you want to see photos of these pies, they why not indulge in a little food porn by visiting the Bradley's Bakery web site?

See Google Street View of this location.

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"Pie Shop" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.

The Hillgate

Today's glimpse at the world of Ashton under Lyne shows the Hillgate pub in the Hurst Brook area of Ashton.

The Hillgate stands on Pot Hill, which was once Hillgate Street, a densely-packed area of Victorian terraced housing. Apart from 4 houses on Union Road, the pub was the only building left standing when the area was re-developed in the 1960s.

It is a splendid brick building with stone banding, constructed in 1899. It replaced an earlier pub on the site called the Old Original Colliers Arms, which was build some time before 1812. The name reflects the history of small-scale coal mining that had taken place in the area. The re-built pub was still known as the Colliers until 1973. The building was sold recently and appears to be no longer a pub.

See Google Street View of this location.

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"The Hillgate" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.



I apologise to regular followers of this blog that I am currently not able to post images as frequently as normal.

Oddfellows Arms

"O" is for "Oddfellows Arms" and today's photo shows the pub of that name on the corner of Kings Road and Alderley Street in the Hurst Knoll area of Ashton.

The pub opened in 1827 as the Banksmans Arms but changed its name to the Oddfellows ten years later. It originally occupied half of the building but later expanded into the two neighbouring houses.

The Oddfellows was (and still is) a Friendly Society, a sort of pre-runner to the welfare state, offering social benefits to members. Local Oddfellows societies often held their meetings in pubs so that would seem to be the likely reason for the change of name. There was another Oddfellows Arms in Ashton, on Kenyon Street, as well as the Oddfellows Hall on the corner of Booth Street and Stamford Street.

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See Google Street View of this location.

"Oddfellows Arms" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "O" posts from around the world please follow this link.
Please leave a comment below.

Old Man

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"0" is for "Old Man" and today's photo shows the grave stone of a former resident of Ashton under Lyne who would have been considered very old in his time!

The stone, in the church yard of Ashton Parish Church, was carved with the words:
"Here Resteth the Body of John Leech of Hurst Buried the 16 day of October 1689 aged 92 years whereby Anne his wide has issue 12 Children and in his Lifetime was Father to 12 Grandfather to 75 Great Grandfather to 92 Great Great Grandfather to 2 in all 181 Persons"

The grave stone has been moved at some stage from its original location to this upright position near the churchyard entrance and someone has added the word "Near" above the words "Here Resteth..."

These days attaining the age of 92 does not seem to be such a remarkable achievement but it certainly was back in the 17th century, when he lived through the period of the Great Plague. Even at the time of his death the average life expectancy in England was only around 39! There must have been something in the ale in Hurst!


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See Birds Eye View of this location.

"Old Man" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "O" posts from around the world please follow this link.
Please leave a comment below.

Kings Road

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"K" is for "Kings Road" and today's photo shows part of Kings Road in the Hurst Cross area of Ashton.

Kings Road was originally called Hurst Lane and was the route from Ashton to Hurst Cross and Higher Hurst. From Hurst Cross travellers could head eastwards towards Mossley and Yorkshire or northwards along a maze of lanes towards Park Bridge and Oldham.

On the right is the much re-branded Co-op "local" store, once the Co-op "Late Shop" but now "Co-operative Food".

On the left, behind the former Church Inn (now itself a shop) is the spire of St John's church.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

See Google Street View of this location.

"Kings Road" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "K" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Union Road

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"U" is for "Union Road" and today's photo shows the view looking down Union Road in the Hurst Brook area of Ashton.

The road was originally called Hurst Lane at a time when it led across open fields from the small town of Ashton to the neighbouring village of Hurst.

The houses behind the trees on the right are known as Ormonde Street.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

See Google Street View of this location.

"Union Road" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "U" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Hurst Cemetery

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Cemeteries can be places where you find yourself at moments of great sadness. But cemeteries can also be beautiful and restful places. A cemetery is often an oasis of green and peace away from the bustle of life that goes on outside the gates.

Hurst Cemetery is the main cemetery serving Ashton, situated in the eastern outskirts of the town.

"Hurst Cemetery" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.


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Door Shop

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This shop on Whiteacre Road sells doors. It probably sells other things as well, but I have only ever seen doors on display outside.

I seem to remember this shop having a display of doors outside for at least the last 30 to 35 years! It is looking a little sorry for itself these days, however and could do with the benefit of a little DIY itself.

Although I have known this shop for many years and have passed it thousands of times, I have never set foot inside, but then - I don't buy doors very often.

The building looks as if it might originally have been one of Ashton's many Co-op shops. Does anyone know whether this is the case?

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch: St John's Church

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St John's Church in Hurst is one of the churches within the boundaries of Ashton to have a steeple. Its position on the ridge that runs from Hurst Cross to Hurst Knoll means that the spire is clearly visible from miles away.

The church is set back from Kings Road in a grassy churchyard. The building to the right is the thriving parish centre.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch is a regular weekly feature on this photo blog. It links with websites all over the world with the general theme each week of looking upwards. Please take the opportunity to visit some of these other sites. I hope some new visitors have found their way here today, watching the skies!

Brickwork

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"B" is for "Brickwork" and there are plenty of examples of interesting brickwork around Ashton.

When these basic terraced houses were constructed on Kings Road, Hurst, a hundred years or so ago, the builder decided to distinguish them by including this banding of decorative brickwork. The photo below shows that the band runs around the tops of the doors and windows of all three houses in this terrace.



Rows of terraced houses were built in all parts of Ashton during the Victorian period to house workers for the cotton mills and other factories of the town.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

"Brickwork" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "B" posts from around the world please follow this link.

Sky Watch: Communications Centre

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Look up towards the sky at Hurst Cross and you see the centre of communications here - this telephone pole! It has an array of cables radiating out to the houses on both sides of the road.

It is situated on Kings Road, close to the junction with Queens Road at Hurst Cross, in the north-eastern suburbs of Ashton.

The moody clouds somehow form a satisfying backdrop to the image.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Sky Watch is a regular weekly feature on this photo blog. It links with websites all over the world with the general theme each week of looking upwards. Please take the opportunity to visit some of these other sites. I hope some new visitors have found their way here today, watching the skies!

Water Street Hat Works

Today's photo is of Water Street Hat Works.

Pardon? Many people who are familiar with Ashton will look and the photo and say "But that's Hurst Laundry in Holden Street!" And they would be right, for this is indeed the building that for many years has been home to Hurst Linen Services, now Tibard Laundry Services.

However, a closer look at the building will reveal a clue to its past. High on the wall, above the taking-in doors, is this stone plaque bearing the words "Water Street Hat Works".

This may seem rather mysterious but the section of what is now called Holden Street between Union Road and Hillgate Street was at one time called Water Street, while the part between Hillgate Street and Whiteacre Road was called Church Street. They were re-named to avoid confusion with the streets of the same name in central Ashton.

The hat making part is still a bit of a mystery as hat making was generally carried out in Denton and Stockport. I can't find any mention in any of the local history book that I have of a hatting industry in Ashton, but clearly hats were made here! Also, you may recall in a post here a couple of weeks ago that the son of the landlord of the Napoleon Inn, around the corner in Botany Lane, worked as a hatter before taking over the job of landlord.

The funny thing is that I have walked past here hundreds of times and had never noticed this plaque before!

See Birds Eye View of this location.

Napoleon Inn

The Napoleon Inn is on Botany Lane in the Hurst Brook area of Ashton. It is a fairly typical English "local" - a homely back street pub (public house) serving a local area of a town.

Botany was originally a small area of miners' houses, separated from Ashton and Hurst by farmland. By the 1850s it had become merged with the growing Hillgate area.

The earliest records of the Napoleon Inn are from 1861, at which time it was licensed as a beer house (meaning it could sell beer, but not wines and spirits). The records show that James Hague and then his widow and two sons were the licensees for 74 years. The dirt road that runs alongside the pub is called Hague Street, but I don't know whether that is just co-incidence.

James was also a grocer but it is not clear whether he operated that business from the same premises. His elder son worked as a hatter before taking over the pub. I will say some more about hatting in the Hurst Brook area in a couple of weeks.

The pub acquired a wine licence in 1888 and became fully licensed in 1961.

"Napoleon Inn" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.


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Miners' Refuge

This photograph showing the boarded-up Miners' Refuge public house on Kings Road at Hurst Cross in Ashton, was taken in 2007. The pub was demolished a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure exactly when but just noticed one day that it wasn't there any more.

There were plenty of other pubs in the area competing for trade, including the Church Inn almost opposite and the Hare and Hounds a few yards further along Kings Road (seen in the photo).

Hurst Cross can also just be seen in the photo, along with the Co-op store on the left.

The Miners' Refuge was a plain-looking building that was opened as a beerhouse in 1860. It only became fully-licensed in 1961. It was originally a Shaw's pub and was later run by Rothwell's and eventually Marston's breweries.

The name refers to the nearby Broadoak Colliery which was in operation at the time the pub was built so, no doubt, many of its original customers were indeed miners.

See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.