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Hard Times Farm

Today we come out of town to the countryside and the North-West corner of Hyde.

We are standing on Hobson Moor looking across the fields at Hard Times Farm which lies on Dewsnap Lane.

In the valley beyond is Hollingworth and the River Etherow at Woolley Bridge forming the boundary between Hyde, Tameside, Great Manchester and Glossop, High Peak, Derbyshire.

Croft Street Terraces

This row of modernised terraced properties on Croft Street is very typical of town housing throughout the North of England.

Built originally in the Victorian era they would all have had open coal fires with smoke billowing from the chimneys.

Now they have gas-fired central heating and the main purpose of the chimney-stack is a perch for the birds and somewhere to attach the TV aerials which are all pointing in the direction of the Winter Hill transmitter.

Broadbottom Scarecrow

Today's picture is by guest photographer, Tom Wigley and first appeared on his blog Wigger's World.

It is of one of the entries in last month's competition run by the Broadbottom Community Association.

You can view all 58 entries on the Broadbottom Village website.

Football Fixture Notice

This notice, attached to a lamppost outside the market, is advertising the (then) latest football fixture at Ewen Fields.

Hyde United FC play in the Nationwide Conference North League.

This match against Workington was back in April and a gate of 333 people saw them lose 1 - 2, although earlier in the season, away at Workington, they won 2 - 0.

The next home match is a pre-season friendly on Monday against Manchester City.

Beware of Stinging Nettles

If you venture down this footpath, look out for nettles. I'm not one for walking out in shorts; bare legs don't often go with the British climate; so I'm usually not bothered.

I expect there is a clump of dock leaves growing somewheres about.

Skywatch: Joel Lane on a Quiet Day

This is Joel Lane on a quiet day with a nice blue sky, and the Grapes Hotel still decked with scaffolding.

It wasn't quiet last Sunday when the Adamson Band led the 2008 Gee Cross Welldressing Ceremony.





They marched up to Slateacre Well and then proceeded down Joel Lane.

More about the history of the ceremony can be found on the Tameside Local History Forum website.

I have also published some photographs of the 2006 Well Dressing.

To view different skys around the world visit Skywatch Friday.

What's the odds on it raining?

In a post last September I showed you the ground being cleared by The Court.

In April I showed the building work nearly completed.

The businesses that have moved in are a news kiosk and a betting shop aka bookies aka turf accountants.

Not being a gambler I don't know whether they actually take bets on the weather, but I wonder what the odds are for predicting how many days rain we'll have this so-called summer.

This was taken a week or so ago. Yesterday was actually a very warm day, but how long will it last?

Potter Gravestone

Here in the grounds of Hyde Chapel lie the parents and grandparents of Beatrix Potter.

See Old Hyde for a better view of the inscription.

Lonely Tree

When I posted a picture of the 2008 exhibition by Gee Cross Art Group, I mentioned that one of the paintings had been seen in a previous display and could anyone spot which one and the difference between then and now?

This painting by Pat Smith also appeared in the posting for 14th April 2007. The artist tells me she has changed the colour of the background and reframed it.

Gee Cross Well Dressing 2008

Yesterday was the Well Dressing Ceremony.

Despite the blustery conditions, there was a large crowd gathered outside the Grapes Hotel and Hyde Chapel waiting for the Adamson Band to lead the procession around to six sites. At each there is a blessing, followed by a verse and chorus of Onward Christian Soldiers.

This year Booths Well was decorated by members of the W.I. to celebrate 300 years of Hyde Chapel.

You can see pictures of five of the six wells or displays on Ackworth born, gone West.

There is also a short video of the band leading the parade up Joel Lane.

More about the history of the ceremony can be found on the Tameside LH Forum website. Also photographs of the 2006 Well Dressing are on my website. One special photo of the band Reflection in Silver is on my photoblog and I'll be publishing some additional photographs from today at a later date.

Hyde Chapel Roof

Last week I posted a closeup of the East Window of Hyde Chapel.

This week I am following that up with a close-up of the vaulted roof above it.

Packhorse Inn Sign

Last week I showed you the Packhorse Inn at Mottram in Longdendale.

Here now is a close-up of the inn sign.

July path 2008

I posted a picture of this path in July 2006. The angle is slightly different and the older picture includes some dog walkers.

I've learnt a lot more about this path in the last two years. Frequent visitors will be aware that it is a section of the old Godley to Woodley railway line. It is now part of the TransPennine Trail from Hornsea and Hull to Liverpool and Southport.

Sweetie Corner

Last week when I published a picture of Rock Street, I asked if anyone could guess what was written on the sign of the house on the right.

SWEETIE CORNER - I think there was a confectioner's shop here at one time.

I doubt though if it was ever as popular as Hett's Sweet Shop

Zeenath

Zeenath is a little domestic spares shop on the corner of Port Street and Market Street.

It is one of those old-fashioned shops that is stocked to the gills with all those relatively inexpensive but essential gadgets that you could spend hours hunting for in more modern DIY superstores.

To visit more ABC-Wednesday Z posts go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

Gee Cross Art Group 2008

As in previous years, the Gee Cross Art Group held an exhibition in the Methodist Church on the day of Gee Cross Fete.

One of the paintings here was seen in a previous display shown here. Can you spot which one and the difference between then and now? Answer will be revealed a week today.

Construction on King Edward Avenue

This was taken several weeks ago from the top of Treacle Brow.

At one time there was a quarry here, and in more recent times a timber-yard.

Now new apartments are being built.

East Window

Hyde Chapel was possibly the first nonconformist chapel to be built to resemble a traditional parish church.

One way it differed was in the internal arrangements of the various parts. In a conventional Anglican church the chancel and main window are in the West. Here it is the East Window.

This is not the original window but one erected in 1917 to commemorate the 50th year of the ministry of Henry Enfield Dowson.

Packhorse Inn

The Packhorse Inn at Mottram in Longdendale.

As its name implies, this was once an important coaching inn on the route from Sheffield to Manchester.

Market Stall Roofs

Regular viewers will be familiar with the bright coloured roofs of the stalls on Hyde Market.

Here is a close-up of the underside of a stall roof. As you can see, it is well insulated, illuminated and loved by the local pigeons.

Rock Street

This is Rock Street off Stockport Road, Gee Cross, opposite the newsagents.

For the benefit of viewers unfamiliar with UK road markings; the double-yellow lines on the side of the road indicate no parking at any time and the reason why the white line down the middle of the road has changed to a zig-zag is to indicate the presence of a pedestrian crossing ahead.

There is a little name-sign on the house on the right. Next week I'll tell you what the name is. Meanwhile you are welcome to make a guess.

Ye Olde Village Fish & Chip Shop

This is Ye Olde Village Fish & Chip Shop on Back Lane, Mottram in Longdendale.

It was closed down when I took this photo some weeks ago. Hopefully it will re-open, probably under new management, at some time.

To visit more ABC-Wednesday Y posts go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

Not a Takeaway Then

When I earlier showed a picture of the shop to let on Market Street next to Long Meadow Passage, fears were expressed that it would end up as yet another fast food takeaway.

In fact it has become an undertakers or, as they are called here these days, a funeral directors.

Hattersley Viaduct

Hattersley Viaduct takes the A560 over the Glossop to Manchester railway line.

It is from the other side that I took a picture of the approach to Hattersley Station and another zooming in on Hattersley Station.

You can see part of the viaduct on this picture looking east from Hattersley Station, and it can also be seen on this view from the top of Werneth Low.

This post is our contribution to Broer som Binder [Bridges between]. More details and links to other participents can be found on Runes TX-Blog

Henry Enfield Dowson

This bust of Henry Enfield Dowson is to be found in Hyde Chapel.

He was born November 23rd, 1837 and died August 20th 1925. He became the minister of Hyde Chapel in 1867 and served for 51 years.

He gave his name to Dowson Road as well as other places in the town.

So revered and respected was he that he lies buried not in the graveyard but inside the chapel. You can see his tombstone on Old Hyde.

A Close-up on Time

Hyde's Town Hall Clock is a prominent feature.

With my zoom lens this is about as close as I can get.

The large bell in the clocktower is known as "Owd Josh", after former mayor Joshua Bradley.

This poem is from Gleams Of Sunshine by James Leigh

Opening Of Hyde Town hall Clock And Bells
October 18th 1884
Presented By Mr. Joshua Bradley, Of Godley.

Hark! To those sounds of jubilee
In honour of our friend J.B.;
Hark! To those sounds -
Loud cheers are heard on every hand,
Whist with the music of the band,
The town resounds.

With joyful step and hearts elate
This noble gift we celebrate
With demonstration:
Our hearty cheers this day we raise,
The givers worthy of all praise
And emulation.

But now's the time, and now's the hour
J.B. ascends the Town Hall Tower
To play his part, -
He starts the Clock, the Bells chime out,
And with the sounds, a mighty shout
Doth thrill the heart.

And now they're off - the Town Hall Bells,
Each listening heart with pleasure swells,
To view the scene;
Strains of sweet music fill the air,
Whilst joyful faces everywhere
With pleasure beam.

As to the clock our eyes we lift,
We thank the donor for his gift
With loud acclaim.
And others will in future times,
When listening to those mellow chimes
Pronounce his name.

That grand old spinner's played his part,
For he with large unselfish heart
Doth noble give;
Then let this mighty concourse sing
The words that in my ears now ring
Long may he live

Long may he live to view with pride
The gift he has bestowed on Hyde
For many years;
And when this generation's gone,
Those Town Hall Bells may still chime on
For other ears.

On Old Hyde today you can see the Town Hall under the limelight in 1937.

Skywatch: Hyde Chapel

Two weeks ago there was a Beatrix Potter Exhibition at Hyde Chapel.

Andrew Parker led us on a tour of the grounds, and pointing my camera to the sky, I captured this image.

Another skywatch view from the same afternoon is on Ackworth born, gone West

Visit Wigger's World for more contributions to Skywatch Friday.

Footpath through the woods

I suppose I could tell you exactly where this is, where I'd been before I got here and what I found further along my walk.

Or I could just let you look at the view.

If you really want to know then look here

X marks the spot

Do you remember when I showed the statue of R S Lowry on a bench at Mottram in Longdendale?

On the left of that photograph you'll see a canopied shelter over an illustrated map of the village. It shows places of local interest such as churches, inns, the house where R S Lowry lived and ...

The photograph above only shows the top half and you'll need to click on it to see it with any clarity, but perhaps the most (or least, depending on your view) interesting feature is the inclusion of the X which marks the spot of the home of the leader of the local council.

You can probably imagine the debate/discussion occasioned in the local press when that inclusion was first revealed.

My other ABC-Wednesday X posts this week are ~~ X-country running at Old Hyde ~~ Xercise blocks at Ackworth born, gone West ~~ X-stiles at Sithenah

To visit more ABC-Wednesday X posts go to Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

Dewsnap Lane

The theme for City Daily Photobloggers, this first of July, is Signs that say "No".

Here the "No Through Road" sign carries the additional threat/warning "No Turning Point". With two large farms down the lane, I would doubt the actuallity of the case, but if you were a stranger in a car, would you take the chance?

This is the end of Dewsnap Lane. To the left is Lumb Farm and to the right is Rabbit Lane.

To view thumbnails for all 170+ participants to the theme visit the CDPB portal