Heaton Moor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Heaton Moor | |
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  Heaton Moor shown within Greater Manchester |
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| Population | (2001 Census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Metropolitan borough | Stockport |
| Metropolitan county | Greater Manchester |
| Region | North West |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STOCKPORT |
| Postcode district | SK4 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| European Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament | Stockport |
| List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester | |
Heaton Moor is one of the Four Heatons located in Stockport. It borders on Heaton Chapel, Heaton Norris and Heaton Mersey. Heaton Moor is characterised by the affluent Victorian Housing built between 1852 and 1892 along tree lined streets which follow the field patterns of a former agricultural economy.[1]
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[edit] Governance
Heaton Moor is in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, and is in two local government wards: Heaton Moor Ward (which also includes Heaton Chapel) and Heaton Mersey Ward. It was originally in the township of Heaton Norris, in the Salford hundred of Lancashire. Following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act it was administered by Heaton Norris Local Board as part of the Stockport Poor Law Union. In 1913, Heaton Moor, as part of Heaton Norris was absorbed into Stockport, in the county of Cheshire.[1]
[edit] Geography
Heaton Moor is predominantly flat with no rivers or streams, the soil is black and fertile as expected from land that was previously peat moor. Heaton Moor has little public open space with the exception of Heaton Moor Park and Thornfield Park, but because of its tree lined roads and the building line set well back from the street, it gives the impression of having more, and of Victorian affluence.[1]
Heaton Moor is bounded by the railway line, and centred on Heaton Moor road.
In recent years, Heaton Moor's house prices have risen drastically due to its desirable location for commuting to Manchester. Heaton Moor always was the most prestigious of the Four Heatons.
[edit] History
Before the opening of the railway, Heaton Moor was agricultural land in Heaton Norris. The land supported pigs cattle and cereal. Heaton Norris was part of the Manchester barony of the Grelley family, but between 1162 and 1180 it belonged to William le Norreys.[1] In the early 13th century, Heaton Norris was a sub manor of Manchester, it encompassed all of the Four Heatons. It was escheated (i.e. reverted) to the manor of Manchester around 1280. In 1322, there were 32 dwellings suggesting a population of 150, the ten freeholders of the escheated manor had the right to graze on common pasture and to cut wood.[2] Evidence of this pre railway existence can be seen from the name Shaw Farm, Shaw fold farm, and the road pattern Heaton Moor Lane, Shaw Lane, Shaw Fold Lane, Pin Fold, Green Lane. Parsonage Road and Cranbourne Grove follow the lines of ancient tracks.[1]
The opening of Heaton Chapel railway station changed everything. Land was acquired, and street were planned. The houses and new buildings along Heaton Moor Road were of a grandiose scale with generous gardens. They were set back from the road, and have imposing stone gate posts. The new residential roads such as Broomfield Road, Derby Road Peel Moat Road which were built when agricultual land was acquired, have the same characteristic. The building and infilling continued into the Edwardian era. There were a wide range of sporting facilities, such as crown green bowling, tennis and golf. A substantial terrace of shops was built on Heaton Moor Road,with glass and cast iron awnings. Intellectual life was provided for when the Reform Club was built in 1886 by Alfred Darbyshire.
The Savoy Cinema opened 1923, built in the Baroque Style in red brick with white terracota dressings.[1] The Savoy Cinema has recently announced its closure due to low audiences.[3] This caused an uproar amongst locals, especially when it was announced it could be replaced by a Varsity bar - though, much of the uproar was concerned around the owners of Varsity, the Barracuda Group.[4] A campaign entitled 'Save Our Savoy' was launched. Although the plans for the Varsity were thrown out[5], the cinema is still on the market on a "to let" basis.
A second hub was built around Thornfield, the former town hall at Moor Top.
[edit] Education
Tithe Barn Primary School is located in Heaton Moor. The Heaton Secondary Special School is available for students with disabilities, and the Heaton Moor campus of Stockport College can be found on Buckingham Road.
[edit] Religion
- St Paul's Church - low anglican built 1876 by Bird and Whittenbury, extended in 1896 and the octagonal tower added in 1900 by EP Oakley.
- Methodist Church - now Virgin St Mary and St Mina Coptic Church - built 1896 by Derbyshire and Smith.
- Heaton Moor Evangelical Church, Green Lane - also known as Church on Green Lane.
- United Reformed Church.
[edit] Transport
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway Company built the line from Manchester to Crewe, the Manchester to Heaton Norris section opened in 1840. Heaton Chapel Station opened in 1852. Heaton Moor is built along Heaton Moor Road, a road leading from Reddish to Didsbury. [1]
[edit] Sport
The Heaton Moor Rugby Club has been representing the area in the Rugby fraternity for over 100 years. After a number of years of decline from near top level status pre league structures, a steady improvement in form in recent years has led to a re-emergence of the club in the local leagues. It has some of the best facilities in the region due to a unique sporting set up featuring Rugby, Cricket, Lacrosse and Tennis facilities in a multi million pound development.
[edit] Popular Culture
In the section closest to Heaton Chapel railway station, The Elizabethan, The Plough and The Crown pubs all reside on Heaton Moor Road in the centre of Heaton Moor's nightlife along with cafe-bars The Bakery (now a "Kro" bar), The Orangery and Town bar.
Shaw Road is another socially active part of Heaton Moor and is home to a number of restaurants; the longest serving restaurant being the legendary Kushoom Koly (est. 1971) which over the years has served a number of celebrities. Also to be found are the Spanish tapas restaurant, La Casona, and an Italian restaurant, Amillio's. Bo Ho and Mhariam are popular take-aways which provide Chinese and Indian food respectively. The Blue Cat Café plays host to local and international bands and artists, and Cassidy's bar provides live entertainment and karaoke. Neighbouring this is Pokusevski's delicatessen. The Heatons Tandoori further down the road also provides Indian cuisine.
[edit] Personalities
Heaton Moor was the birthplace of cricketer Charles Marriott and dramatist Ronald Gow, as well as novelist and broadcaster Joan Bakewell.
Dominic Monaghan, who plays Merry in the film trilogy of Lord of the Rings and Charlie Pace in the television show Lost was born in Germany but raised in Heaton Moor.
The crime author Val McDermid also currently resides there.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Heaton Moor Conservation Area Appraisal
- ^ Medieval and early modern Manchester, G.H.Tupling in Manchester and it's region, pub The British Association and Manchester University Press 1962
- ^ Payne, Eileen. "Savoy cinema faces last picture show", Stockport Express, Guardian Media Group, 2 August 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-15.
- ^ Payne, Eileen. "Campaign to save the Savoy is stepped up", Stockport Express, Guardian Media Group, 23 August 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-15.
- ^ Payne, Eileen. "Plan to turn Savoy into pub rejected", Stockport Express, Guardian Media Group, 11 October 2006. Retrieved on 2006-10-15.
[edit] External links
- Heaton Moor Council link
- Heaton Moor Conservation Area Appraisal
- heatonmoor.com - All the Moor - A community site for Heaton Moor and the surrounding areas.
- onthemoor.com - Local Community Website - News and events for the Four Heatons.
- On the Moor - Heaton Moor blog of news and gossip.
