Currier Lane (2)

A further visit to Currier Lane, after our look two weeks ago. These cottages are roughly half way along the lane, opposite the junction with Grafton Street.

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Stalybridge Saturday: Armentieres Square

In busy Armentieres Square in Stalybridge is this quiet corner. Behind the flower bed and the benches is an acknowledgement of Stalybridge's town twinning with Arementieres in France.

This corner is seen looking from the Lock Gates Sundial sculpture seen here a month ago.

In the background is Rose Terrace and to the left is Holy Trinity Church.

Anyone in this area today (3rd October) should pop into the old Market Hall to see the History Fair that will be taking place between 10 am and 4 pm.

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York House

York House Hotel was a feature of Richmond Street, Ashton, for many years. In recent years it has stood empty and boarded up. At one time it would have been an impressive and attractive building.

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Blandford Street

Blandford Street is typical of many of the streets of terraced brick houses in Ashton. The houses in this area were built in the late 19th Century on streets which formed a grid pattern.

The photo looks eastwards towards the town centre from close to the junction with Richmond Street. Assheton House, a block of flats, is prominent in the distance.

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Photographing the Sunset

When I went up to Hartshead Pike a couple of weeks ago, I found that I wasn't the only one who had gone up there to photograph the sunset. In fact there were at least three others there with cameras pointing westwards!

The others had much fancier cameras than me, with filters and so on. I found that, although the sunset was colourful, the limited amount of cloud made it too dull as a subject by itself. So, being a bit devious, I decided to photograph the photographer (or one of them, at least). He is using the stone pillar, a few yards north of Hartshead Pike tower, to steady himself as he gets his shot of the sunset.

This was the same evening that I took last week's photo of the two figures silhouetted against the sky.

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!

Currier Lane

This is the view looking down the western end of Currier Lane towards Scotland Street, with the tower of Ashton's Parish Church in the background.

Now a quiet backwater, Currier Lane is an ancient highway and was the main route towards Stalybridge and Mottram before the present A635 Stamford Street East was built.

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Henrietta Street

Looking north up Henrietta Street at Lees Field, with Lord Street to the left and Canterbury Street a short way ahead on the right.

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Mossley on Monday: Toll House

Today's photo shows the former toll house on Manchester Road in Mossley.

Manchester Road was built in 1825 by a private turnpike trust who charged tolls for users of the road. A gate or bar blocked the road, which was opened on payment of the toll. The toll gate keeper lived in the cottage so that he was available throughout the day.

Before 1825 there was no road running along the valley bottom. The earlier turnpike roads, Stockport Road and Huddersfield Road had run high up along the valley sides.

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Sky Watch: Walking along the Skyline

While out for an evening stroll with my camera at Hartshead Pike last Saturday I noticed this gentleman and young girl walking along the top of the ridge. They made wonderful silhouettes against the dying sky so I started to take photos. The gentleman apologised for getting in my way!

I hope you spot this, sir, and thank you for being in the right place at the right time! Another image may well appear here in a few weeks.

The distant outline of Winter Hill can be seen in the background on the right.

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!

Stamford Street West

Stamford Street West looks very different today than it did when I first saw it nearly 40 years ago. At that time the main A635 road from Barnsley to Manchester ran down Stamford Street westwards, with eastbound traffic going up up Old Street. The building on the right was Ashton's swimming baths and the street was lined with shops that were still quite busy, although fading a little.

In today's view, looking eastwards from Henry Square, this section of the street is nearly deserted. The shops are gone and replaced by the area's health offices on one side and car parking on the other. The old swimming baths has stood empty for over 30 years. The area is still in the process of being regenerated and life brought back to it.

In the distance the tower of the Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels can be seen, with the Pennine hills in the distance.


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