Sky Watch: Council Offices

It is quite difficult (in my opinion) to argue that Tameside Council's offices on Wellington Road are situated in an attractive building. In fact, when it was first constructed it was widely referred to as "The Dustbin"!

So how do I take an attractive-looking photo of the building? My answer was to show it in silhouette against a colourful evening sky. It doesn't make the building look any prettier but it does distract the eye!

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!

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St Ann's Church

St Ann's Roman Catholic Church on Burlington Street was opened in 1859 replacing a temporary chapel opened in 1852.

Much of the money for the building of the church was raised by Father William Crombleholme but, as Ashton fell victim to the effects of the "Cotton Famine", he was left with huge debts. The "Murphy Riots" of 1868 had resulted in considerable damage being done to the building, adding to the financial disaster.

There was no way the impoverished parishioners could raise the money needed, so in 1873, Father Crombleholme was given permission by the bishop to go on a five-year missionary tour of America to raise funds. Sadly, he died during his second missionary trip in 1884.

It was intended that the church should have a tower and spire (on the right hand corner, as seen in the photo) but the lack of money meant that these were never built. In 2003 the parish was amalgamated with that of neighbouring St Mary's when that church was demolished.

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The Ladysmith Centre

The Ladysmith shopping centre has had another facelift. The new look is tied in with major work such as the refurbishment and re-opening of the multi-storey car park, and the building of small sales booths along the side of Marks and Spencer. I showed a photo of the new-look Warrington Street entrance last month.

Compare today's photo of the entrance from Old Street with last year's photo of the same location. Personally I prefer last year's appearance, which looked smart and modern. However, both are better than the faded sixties look the centre had back in the days when it was simply referred to as "The Precinct".

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Mossley on Monday: Lych Gate

This picture shows the Lych Gate at the entrance to St George's Church in Mossley. Behind it, across the road, is St George's Vicarage.

Compare this photo with the more urban setting of the Lych Gate at Christ Church in Ashton.

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Sunday Stroll: Woodland Wander

Last week's stroll took the footpath from Mossley Cross to Knott Hill Reservoir. We saw a photo of the stile from the golf course into an area of woodland called New Covert.

Today's photo takes you further along that path into the wood, looking back in the direction the stile, which can no longer be seen through the trees. On the left is the stream that flows into Knott Hill Reservoir and then Greenhurst Clough.

In future weeks we shall see photos of the path that runs around Knott Hill Reservoir.

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Saturday in Saddleworth - Dobcross Square

This is the centre of picturesque Dobcross village, part way up the side of the steep valley of the River Tame in Saddleworth.

The memorial which stands in the square has a lantern on its top. Double decker buses go up and down the narrow street behind it.

Dobcross Square was one of the main locations for the film "Yanks".

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Sky Watch: Bovine Sunset

Never mind telling me to get out of the way because you're trying to photograph a sunset - where's my other leg gone?

This photo was taken from Back Lane, near Hartshead Pike, with Winter Hill, more than 20 miles away, visible in the distance.

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!

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

Crowhill Shops

Today's photo shows the shops on Crowhill Road. It is looking from the junction with Ambleside Avenue towards Keswick Avenue.

Apart from Richmond Street and Crowhill Road itself, most roads on the Crowhill estate are named after places in the Lake District.

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The Albion

The Albion on Penny Meadow has been a fully licensed public house since 1837. It was used as a venue for Coroner's inquests and also for more pleasant functions such as workmen's dinners.

In 1858 Mary Hinds was given three months hard labour for stealing items from the landlord's wash room.

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Mossley on Monday: Old Pack Horse

The Old Pack Horse pub was at Mossley Cross, at the northern end of Luzley Road. It was sometimes claimed to have been the oldest pub in Mossley but, although the building dates from around 1750, it was not always a pub.

The first licence for a pub at Mossley Cross was for the Hope and Anchor in 1831, at which time there were already seven other pubs in Mossley. Then there was a gap of a few years during which there was no pub at Mossley Cross and then the Pack Horse was licensed in 1841. It is not known whether this was the same building as had been the Hope and Anchor. In 1864 the name was changed by the addition of the word "Old".

At the side of the Pack Horse was a barn which could offer stabling for three horses.

After a number of unfavourable reports by pub inspectors, including water running into the cellar, floorboards that were rotting and difficulty in supervising the rooms, the pub was closed in 1915. The stable at the side gradually became a ruin.

In the last year or so, the building has undergone substantial repairs and improvement. What appears to be a new extension on the right hand side is a careful re-building of what had been the stable, keeping to the original size and shape, and the same layout of doors and windows (except that the barn doors are now a picture window).

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