Bowdon, Greater Manchester
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bowdon | |
|
  Bowdon shown within Greater Manchester |
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| Population | 8,806 (2006 Ward Profile)[1] |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan borough | Trafford |
| Metropolitan county | Greater Manchester |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ALTRINCHAM |
| Dial code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
Bowdon is a village in the Altrincham area[2] of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.
Contents |
[edit] Geography and administration
Bowdon is located at the southwest edge of Greater Manchester. It is situated on a ridge which rises above the Cheshire Plain.
[edit] Civic history
From 1894 to 1974, Bowdon formed an Urban District local government district in the administrative county of Cheshire.
Since April 1, 1974, Bowdon has formed a an electoral ward and component area of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford. Prior to this Bowdon formed:[3]
- Bowdon Local Board (1864-75);
- Bowdon Urban Sanitary District (1875-94);
- Bowdon Urban District (1894-1974);
The records of Bowdon Urban District Council are held at the Trafford Local Studies Centre.
Bowdon has formed part of two Poor Law Unions: Altrincham (1837 to 1895); Bucklow (1895 to 1930).
[edit] Divisions and suburbs
There are four distinct neighbourhoods of Bowdon:[4]
- Dunham Massey
- Warburton
- Bowdon
- Bowdon Vale
[edit] History
Both Bowdon and Dunham Massey are mentioned in the Domesday Book.
- The Domesday Book cites the existence of a church and a mill in Bowdon as follows Bogedone: Hamo de Mascy. Church, mill. Part of Altrincham and Hale. The current online version comments that Bowdon Church has fragments of Norman stonework.
- Dunham Massey is identified in the Domesday Book as Doneham: Hamo de Mascy.
Both areas came under Hamo de Masci in Norman times. His base was a wooden castle at Dunham. The last Hamo de Masci died in 1342. The Black Death came to the area in 1348. In 1494 the ruins of the castle at Dunham were acquired by Robert Booth. In 1750, the estate passed to the Earl of Stamford. The last Earl of Stamford died in 1976.
The Altrincham History Society Tour highlights historical facts about Bowdon
- The listed Altrincham/Dunham boundary stone of 1840 is in the garden wall of number 1 High Downs at the bottom right. This indicates the boundary of the ancient (1290) Borough of Altrincham with Dunham Massey.
- The area from the Devisdale across to The Downs was known as Bowdon Downs until about 1750 and was used as a common. 10,000 of Prince Rupert’s troops camped here and on Knutsford Heath in May 1644 on their way from Shrewsbury to Marston Moor during the Civil War. In December 1688 Lord Delamer, later the Earl of Warrington, rallied forces here from his tenants in support of the Prince of Orange, afterwards William III, who had arrived in England.
- The Altrincham Show used to be held on The Devisdale, Bowdon until 1966. Farmers came from as far afield as Scotland, Cornwall and Norfolk to show cattle.
The lower part of Bowdon is known as Bowdon Vale. It earned the nickname of "Soapy Town" in relation to the washing taken in from the residents of Bowdon.[citation needed]
[edit] Notable Past Local Residents
Altrincham Local History Society provides biographies for notable local residents in Bowdon.
- Thomas Coward, ornithologist was born at 6 Higher Downs in 1861. He wrote The Birds of Cheshire in 1900.
- Alison Uttley moved in Bowdon in 1924 and wrote the Little Grey Rabbit books while living in Bowdon. There is a Blue Plaque at Downs House, 13 Higher Downs, Bowdon, where she lived from 1924 to 1938.
[edit] Demographics
According to a Trafford Metropolitan Council report,[5] the population of Bowdon in 2001 was 8,806. 1730 were under 16 and 1699 were 65 and over. In 2004, the majority of residents (8,343) described themselves as white. Out of 8414 wards in the United Kingdom, Bowdon ranks as 8,235th in terms of deprivation indicating that only 2.2% of UK wards suffer less deprivation
[edit] Present day
Bowdon is the largest ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, and comprised of several small, rural villages surrounded by open countryside, including Dunham Massey Country Park and other more densely populated residential areas.
It has been described as an affluent and attractive place to live.[6]
The majority of the ward is owned by the National Trust as part of the Dunham Massey Estate, which serves as a significant communal asset for the residents of the local and wider areas. The Estate includes Dunham Massey Hall and a deer park. Bowdon is a semi-rural ward and has a low population density.
[edit] Schools
Bowdon contains both state and independent schools.
[edit] State schools
- Bollin Primary School
- Bollin CE Primary School
- Altrincham Grammar School For Girls, Cavendish Road, Bowdon. The school has a website.
[edit] Independent schools
- Altrincham Preparatory School, Marlborough Road, Bowdon.
- Culcheth Hall School, Ashley Road, Altrincham.
- Bowdon Preparatory School, Stamford Road, Bowdon.
[edit] Leisure and recreation
- Dunham Massey - a National Trust property. This was formerly the home of the last Earl of Stamford and was acquired by the Trust in 1976. It was built on the site of the original Tudor house. The current property is described as "a Country estate including mansion with important collections and 'below stairs' areas, impressive garden and deer park"
- Bowdon Cricket, Hockey and Squash Club
- Bowdon Vale Cricket Club was founded in the early 1870s and is a member of the Cheshire Cricket League.
- Bowdon Rugby Union Football Club - HQ is actually in Timperley.
- Bowdon Croquest Club - founded in 1873
[edit] Churches
[edit] Bowdon Parish
Bowdon Parish is part of the Archdeaconry of Macclesfield within the Anglican Diocese of Chester. The Parish covers a number of churches in the south west part of the Greater Manchester conurbation (namely Altrincham St George, Altrincham St John, Ashley, Ashton upon Mersey St Martin, Ashton upon Mersey St Mary Magdalene, Bowdon, Broadheath, Dunham Massey St Margaret, Dunham Massey St Mark, Hale, Oughtrington, Partington and Carrington, Ringway, Sale St Anne, Sale St Paul, Timperley and Warburton
Registers of Baptisms 1628-1964, Marriages 1628-1964 and Burials 1628-1973 have been deposited at the Cheshire Record Office.[7]
[edit] Anglican chuches
- Bowdon Parish Church, Church Brow, Bowdon WA14 is an Anglican church which can be seen very clearly from the Cheshire Plain.
[edit] Crematorium
Altrincham Crematorium is located in Dunham Massey.
[edit] References
- ^ Bowdon Ward Profile, Trafford Council Working Document, 2006. URL accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ Altrincham, www.trafford.gov.uk. URL accessed January6, 2007.
- ^ Bowdon Genuki - England and Ireland Genealogy - URL accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ Bowdon Ward Profile, Trafford Council Working Document, 2006. URL accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ Bowdon Ward Profile, Trafford Council Working Document, 2006. URL accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ Bowdon Ward Profile, Trafford Council Working Document, 2006. URL accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ Bowdon Genuki - England and Ireland Genealogy - URL accessed February 19, 2007.
