B l o g
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"F" is for "Fireplace" and today's photo shows the rather grand fireplace in the Mayor's Parlour inside Ashton's Town Hall.
The Mayor's Parlour is a plush room that is used by the Mayor for entertaining guests, including important visitors to the town, or humble citizens such as myself when I was part of a group invited by the Mayor.
The fire guard is embellished with Ashton's Coat of Arms.
"Fireplace" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "F" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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"C" is for "Council Chamber" and today's photo shows the council chamber used for meetings of Tameside Council.
The chamber is situated upstairs in Ashton Town Hall. The Mayor, the Council Leader and the Cabinet members, who have responsibility for Council departments, sit on the raised seats facing the camera, while the other councillors sit on the seats arranged in a curve.
"Council Chamber" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "C" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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The Pantonic All Stars Steel Band paid another visit to Ashton today to entertain shoppers. The youngsters, from nearby Stockport, are regular visitors to Ashton Market.
When they play at venues across the area, they raise money for their chosen cause, the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital Bone Marrow Trust Fund.
I am captivated by steel bands and love their infectious sound. I find it hard to understand how some people were able to walk straight past without stopping to listen! Most of the crowd watching were out of sight to the right of the photo. The picture was taken from the Town Hall steps to get a good view of the steel drums.
The name "Pantonic" refers to the steel drums, which are also known as "pans".
You can find out more about the Pantonic All Stars on their website or you can see several of their performances on YouTube, my favourite being their version of Bohemian Rhapsody.
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The Old Gatehouse stands guard alongside the entrance to Mossley Hall. Originally built as Whitehall, the home of wealthy mill owner George Mayall, Whitehall became Mossley's Town Hall. It is now known as Mossley Hall and is a private residence again, although the grounds form Mossley Park.
This is the grander of the two gate houses, the other being at the Old Brow entrance. This gate house stands on Stamford Road, looking out across the valley, with the entrance to the hall being on the left. (Check out the view by following the Google Street View link below!)
The building is interesting in its own right but the photo is made all the more interesting by the unusual cloud formation that appears behind it, neatly framing the shape of the roof!
See Birds Eye View of this location.
See Google Street 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. You are most welcome!
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A familar location seen from an unusual angle this week. The view is looking down onto the steps of Ashton Town Hall from the window of the Tameside Council Chamber.
You can see one of the two canons that stand beside the steps. We are looking straight up Penny Meadow towards the distant hills that are sporting patches of snow. To the right is the Market Hall.
"Town Hall Steps" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.
See Birds Eye View of this location.
Only a mile away from the centre of Ashton is the Town Hall of Ashton's near neighbour Dukinfield.
Dukinfield, across the old county boundary in what was Cheshire, developed much later than Ashton. Its late Victorian Town Hall was opened in 1901. The tower has five bells from the famous bell-makers Taylors of Loughborough and the clock was made by Joyce of Whitchurch, the same manufacturer that made the clock at Stalybridge Station.
The Town Hall is built of Accrington Brick with stone banding, the colours of which can be seen in this photo which appeared earlier.
See Birds Eye View of this location.
This image is a contribution to Monochrome Weekend. Please follow the link to visit other sites taking part.
I know that all the snow has now melted, but here is a reminder of how Ashton Market looked about a week ago when the snow was falling. The stalls were still selling Christmassy things.
In the background is Ashton Town Hall.
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"Christmas Market" 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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Here is a photograph of the Christmas Tree next to the Town Hall steps, facing the open market.
In case you are wondering where all the snow has gone, I should point out that this photo was taken before the arrival of the snow. There were several Christmassy photos that I intended to show you last week, but were postponed so that I could share the snow pics with you.
Ashton has turned white this week with several snowfalls over the weekend. The first picture, taken on Sunday afternoon, shows the busy Wellington Road that runs through the town centre. On the left of the picture is the Market Hall and in the centre the Town Hall.
The photo shows a bus heading out of town. Less than an hour later, First Bus recalled all its buses to the depot, leaving shoppers to get home as best as they could. Luckily for many the Stagecoach buses continued to run.
See Birds Eye View of this location.
The second photo shows nearby Cowhill Lane and St James Church. There is plenty of room to park but you might have a problem knowing where the yellow lines are!
See Birds Eye View of this location.
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"White World" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.
This night-time view shows the seats below the Victorian-style shelter on Wellington Road in the centre of Ashton. On the left, behind the red Royal Mail pillar box is the side of Ashton Town Hall.
The building on the right was originally the town's Fire Station but is now an estate agent and pub.
The line of lights in the distance are on the platform of Ashton's railway station.
On the opposite side of the road a solitary passenger waits for the bus home.
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"Night Shelter" is my contribution to this week's "My World" feature. Please check out the other blogs participating in this week's My World.
See Birds Eye View of this location.
One of Ashton's landmarks is its Town Hall with its grand steps running down to the Market ground.
The original part of the building, seen here with its Corinthian columns, was opened in 1840. Inside the main entrance was the Mayor's Parlour to the left and the Committee Room to the right. Upstairs was the large hall for formal occasions such as banquets. There was originally a Police Station in the back of the building.
Parts of the building now accommodate the Museum of the Manchesters.
See Birds Eye View of this location.
After the rainy shots of Ashton in the last few weeks, a return to the usual sunshine this week!
Tameside Council, as it does every year, makes a good job of brightening the town up with colourful displays of flowers. These florally-enhanced lamp posts are on Ashton's Town Hall steps and this photo, taken on Monday, is looking towards the Market Hall.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.
This week's sky watch shows the view looking across Ashton's open market ground from the Town Hall steps, with the Market Hall on the left. This photo was taken in the evening, after all the stall holders and shoppers had gone home. The Market Hall tower is lit up by a low sun breaking through the clouds.
Sky Watch is the regular Friday feature on this photo blog. It will link 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!
Today's photo is of Stalybridge Town Hall - or, at least, what's left of it!
The building, which dates from 1831, was demolished after it was found to require major repairs, but the portico surrounding the main entrance was left standing, looking like some sort of folly or monument.
There are two blue plaques on the structure. One commemorates the First General Strike or "Plug Riot" of 1842, which began in this area. The other remembers Joseph Rayner Stephens, a 19th Century philanthropist who lived in Stalybridge and campaigned against the Poor Law and for factory reforms.
See Google Aerial View of this location.
See LiveSearch Birds Eye View of this location.
It's not always sunny in Ashton, although you might think so from looking through the photos on this blog. Naturally, when I go out to photograph a location, I usually wait until the weather is reasonable, so that the picture looks passable.
However, there are days when the weather itself is the subject of the photo. That is the case with today's image, looking from Warrington Street along Bow Street towards Ashton's historic Market Hall, with the open market on the left and the Town Hall looming in the background.
It's a dull and drab day but the mist adds a little touch of mystery that makes me want to share it with you!
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