Prince of Orange

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows the Prince of Orange pub on the corner of Warrington Street and Wellington Road, in Ashton.

A public house by that name has existed in this location since before 1817. However, a quick look at the building's architecture will tell you that the building is more modern than that. Indeed, it was rebuilt in 1926, after the pub was taken over by Robinson's Brewery. Its design features mock-Tudor timbered gables, which were fashionable in that period.

The Prince of Orange pub is near Ashton Railway Station that was featured here last week.

See Google Street View of this location.

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

Hello, I'm on the Skyline...

Hello dear. I'm on the skyline! No, the skyline. You know - the horizon.

Yes, I'm just taking the dog for a walk up near Hartshead Pike. Would you believe it - there's some bloke crouched down in the grass over there taking a photo of me. Or maybe he's trying to photograph the sunset. I'd better get out of his way, otherwise I might spoil his photo by making an interesting silhouette against the colourful sky.

Okay dear, I'll be back home in about ten minutes....

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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!

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!

ABC Wednesday: Bridge

Today's post for ABC Wednesday is B for Bridge.

Like last week's photo, this is another image showing the Ashton Canal. This location, on the boundary between Ashton and Audenshaw, shows a disused railway bridge crossing the canal.

In the background is Guidebridge Mill, the largest cotton mill to have been built in Ashton. The photo was taken last year before the trees shed their leaves!

See Birds Eye View of this location.

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"Bridge" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "B" 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!

Railway Station

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows Ashton under Lyne railway station. Some of you will be pleased to note that I haven't followed the trend of calling it the Train Station!

The train that has pulled up at the platform is heading for Manchester Victoria.

There were at one time three railway stations around Ashton's town centre. This station was originally known as Charlestown station, while the two that have closed now were Park Parade and Oldham Road stations. The station has two platforms on an island between teh tracks. The ramp leads down to the subway that leads out towards Wellington Road.

The building visible in the background is Tameside Council's administrative office block, which was also seen in the background of the photo that appeared here two weeks ago.

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

Mill Chimney

You can't help but look up towards the sky as you pass the subject of today's Sky Watch image, the Junction Mill Chimney in Ashton.

Junction Mill itself has now gone and has been replaced with blocks of apartments overlooking the canal. However, the unusual octagonal chimney has been retained as a reminder of Ashton's industrial past.

The chimney is 210 feet high and was built in 1867. Instead of being round in profile, it has eight flat sides and is topped with a crenellated crown.

This photo was taken from the same spot as this photo of the Ashton Canal which appeared here a couple of days ago, but looking in the opposite direction.

See Bird's Eye View of this location.

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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!

ABC Wednesday: Ashton Canal

We're back with ABC Wednesday after a break. Another round is starting and the subject of today's post is A for Ashton Canal.

When it was opened in the 1790s, the canal was officially known as the Manchester, Ashton under Lyne and Oldham Canal, but these days it is simply known as the Ashton Canal. The main part of the canal ran the 6 miles eastwards from Manchester to Ashton. There were several branches of different lengths leading off the canal, including one to Stockport and one to Hollinwood in Oldham, but the branches are now closed. These canals were built to carry coal from the area around Ashton down into Manchester.

The elegant stone arch on the right carries the towpath over a junction which leads to the Peak Forest Canal. The Ashton Canal continues ahead for a further half mile to to Whitelands, where it joins the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. The wide area of water on the left is known as Portland Basin. The old cotton mills that once stood on each side of the basin have now gone and have been replaced with apartment blocks.

See Birds Eye View of this location.

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"Ashton Canal" is a contribution to ABC Wednesday. For more "A" posts from around the world please follow this link.
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Ashton Infirmary

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows the former Ashton under Lyne District Infirmary building.

The building, which is on Darnton Road, was built in 1861. Behind the Infirmary was Ashton's 1847 Workhouse. The parts of the Infirmary and Workhouse buildings that still stand are now part of Tameside General Hospital, along with a number of large, modern buildings.

No longer being suitable for medical purposes, the Infirmary building now houses administrative offices. The building had large wings containing wards on each side which have been demolished in recent years as part of the modernisation of the hospital site.

See Google Street View of this location.

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

Market Place

Today's view of the world of Ashton under Lyne shows some of the stalls on Ashton Market.

Even on a Winter's day there is plenty of colour to be seen on the stalls of the open market.

In the background are the unloved council offices. Rumour has it that the council may be contemplating the idea of redeveloping the site of these offices as much of the office space is now empty.

Ashton has had a market since the year 1284!

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

The Bird Tree

Today's Sky Watch image looks up into the branches of a tree in Warrington Street, at the side of Ashton Market Ground.

The tree may not have many leaves left - I can see only around a dozen - but it more than makes up for this in birds! In fact, the tree is so popular that one bird has found itself a perch on a pole that is used for floral displays in the warmer months!

The birds are nearly all looking the same way. My guess is that they are watching the pictures on the large display screen above the entrance to the Ladysmith Centre!

Fans of Roald Dahl might wonder whether Mr Twit has passed this way recently!

The photo was taken on one of the bright but cold days that Ashton has had in between the wet and windy days.

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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!