Christmas Trees

"Wanna Christmas tree? Pot plant, perhaps? A bit of greenery to brighten up the home on these dark and cold December evenings?

"What's that? No, sorry - that big one with the lights on over by the Town Hall isn't for sale. Besides, you'd have a job to get it into the taxi. Now - how about this nice one at the front?"

This week's view of My World shows a cold Ashton Market with only a few hardy shoppers braving the wind while others take refuge in the Market Hall or the Arcades mall. However, I'm sure that, when Christmas gets closer, the tree trade will become brisk!

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Mossley Station

Mossley Station is just two stops up the line from Ashton, but the area surrounding it is very different. The railway runs along the side of the Tame Valley and Mossley os surrounded by the steep Pennine hills.

A damp December evening provides the atmospheric setting, as the lights reflect on the wet car park and platform, and the darkening outline of the hills forms the backdrop.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Hamilton Street

The City Daily Photo theme for the beginning of December is "My Street". The photo shows Hamilton Street in Ashton's West End.

This is not the street where I live (stalkers, please take note) but I have chosen it for today's theme as it is so typical of the streets in Ashton under Lyne.

Like most of the housing built in the town 100 to 150 years ago, the street is made up of neat terraces of red brick houses. Even so, the houses are not all the same - those on the left have small front gardens. Those on the right have decorative stonework over the windows and doors.

The many rows of similar houses throughout Ashton were built to accommodate the workers of the cotton manufacturing mills that had sprung up around the town. The houses of Hamilton Street would have been built for the workers of Ryecroft Mill, seen in the background.

These days the cotton spinning machines have gone and the mill produces Weetabix rather than cloth.

See Google Street View of this location.

"Hamilton Street" is a contribution to the City Daily Photo theme day "My Street". Click here to see other streets from around the world.

Ashton Parish Church

This week's view of My World shows a view of the interior of Ashton's historic Parish Church. This is the parish church of St Michael and All Angels and there was a church on this site before the Norman Conquest. The earliest parts of the present building date back to the 15th Century although most of what you see in the photo only dates back to Victorian times, when the church was given a major update.

The altar is at the far end, below the ancient flags and the huge east window. The church has boxed pews which all face the unusual three-tiered pulpit which can be seen half-way down the nave on the left hand side.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Ashton Market Again

This week's Sky Watch shows another view of Ashton's open market. It was taken a little earlier in November, before the trees shook off the last of their leaves.

In the background, the Town Hall can be seen. To the left of that is part of the Tameside Council offices which are apparently doomed to disappear.

The thinning trees, along with the empty hanging-basket frames on the lamp post, frame the pleasant autumn sky.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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!

Albion Church

This week's Sky Watch shows Albion Church on Stamford Street East.

Ashton was a hotbed of non-conformist and independent worship in the 18th and 19th centuries, with a wide variety of churches attracting congregations. Albion United Reform Church opened in 1895 as a Congregationalist church, but it had its origins in a room in a house as early as 1780. A Refuge Chapel was opened on Penny Meadow in 1817, enlarged and rebuilt as Albion Chapel in 1834. When the present magnificent building was constructed, the congregation insisted that it be called a church rather than a chapel, as they refused to think of themselves as in any way inferior to their Anglican neighbours. This spirit of rivalry resulted in the spire being built two feet taller than the tower of the Parish Church!

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!

St James' Church

This week's Sky Watch shows St James' Church on Cowhill Lane, which punctuates the sky with its twin spires.

The church of St James the Apostle, opened in 1865. The land was given by the Earl of Stamford and most of the £3,500 cost of building was met bt mill owner Oldham Whittaker.

There is a plaque commemorating John Bradford of Manchester, a Christian martyr burnt at the stake in 1555.

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!

Ashton Market

This week's view of My World shows Ashton's open market. As you can see, it was very sunny for a November afternoon but, not surprisingly, it wasn't too warm.

In the background, the market hall has Christmas lights fitted to the walls, as have the lamp posts around the market, in readiness for the season ahead.

I hope my brief absence has not caused withdrawal symptoms for regular visitors!

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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

Hartshead Pike

This week's Sky Watch is a return visit to Hartshead Pike. This pointed tower is situated on the prominent hill called Hartshead Pike about 3 miles north-east of the centre of Ashton and is one of my favourite places to photograph. As we saw a couple of weeks ago, it is not the highest hill in the area but its prominent position means it can be seen from many places. In turn this means that the Pike is a splendid viewpoint. It is also a fabulous place to come and watch the sun setting.

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!

Albion Church

This week's view of My World shows Albion Church seen from the tower of Ashton Parish Church. Albion Church was the largest Congregationalist church in the north of England.

In the foreground is Ashton's telephone exchange and behind the church is Tameside College. Behind that is Ridge Hill, covered with houses and dwarfed by the bulk of the Pennine hills in the background.

(Click photo for larger version. Press Back button to return here.)

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