Heaton Moor

Heaton Moor is in the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, mainly within the Heatons North 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 the County Borough of Stockport.[1]

The land in 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 space, and a Victorian business class style.[2]

Today the conservation area roads including Clifton Road and Mauldeth Road make up what is locally known as "Millionaire's Row".[3]

Shopping arcade with wrought iron and glass canopy

Ticket office, Heaton Chapel Station

Mauldeth Hall

The Reform Club

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. 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.[4] Evidence of this pre-railway existence can be seen from the name Shaw Farm, Shaw Fold farm, and the road pattern Heaton Moor Road, Shaw Road, Shaw Fold Lane, Pin Fold, Green Lane. Parsonage Road and Cranbourne Avenue follow the lines of ancient tracks.[1]

The opening of Heaton Chapel railway station marked a turning point in development of the area. Land was acquired, and streets were planned. The houses and new buildings along Heaton Moor Road were of a grandiose scale with generous gardens. They are set back from the road, and have imposing stone gate posts. The new residential roads such as Broomfield Road, Derby Road, and Peel Moat Road which were built when agricultural land was acquired, have the same characteristics. 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] When in 2006 the cinema announced its closure due to low audiences,[5] there was uproar amongst locals. It was announced it could be replaced by a Varsity bar.[6] A Save Our Savoy campaign was launched.[7] Plans for the bar were rejected.[8] It has new owners, has been refurbished and reopened in 2015.[9]

A second hub was built around the former council offices in Thornfield Road, in the area known as Moor Top. The main thoroughfare is now home to wine bars, boutiques, florists and upmarket restaurants.

Mauldeth Road

Mauldeth Hall is a large Greek Revival villa, built in 1832-60, for Joseph Chessborough Dyer; extended in 1880-82 by Charles Heathcote so that it could become a "hospital for incurables". After it became derelict in the late 20th century the hall was converted to offices; most of the park and gardens of the hall have been taken over by Heaton Moor Golf Club. On Mauldeth Road is a classical lodge (probably also by Heathcote).[10] It has been a Grade II listed building since 1975.[11]

The original owner was obliged to sell the hall in the early 1840s and it was acquired by Edmund Wright (1781-1852) as his residence. It was then named Leegate Hall but Wright renamed it Heaton Hall; since there was also a Heaton Hall at Prestwich he renamed it again as Mauldeth Hall. On the death of Edmund Wright in 1852 the hall was acquired by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners as the residence of the first Bishop of Manchester. The bishop was James Prince Lee, bishop since 1848, who lived in the hall until his death in 1869.[12] In 1915 the Hospital for Incurables at Mauldeth Hall and Walmersley House had accommodation for 125 inpatients.[13]

After its restoration in the 1990s, the hall became the residence of the Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Manchester.[14]

Tithe Barn Primary School, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, is located just over the border in Heaton Mersey. Heaton Moor is home to Charnwood Nursery, which provides inclusive education for children with and without Special Educational Needs, and is also rated Outstanding. The Heaton Secondary Special School is available for students with disabilities. The Heaton Moor campus of Stockport College was on Buckingham Road. This is now demolished and is being converted into new homes.

The district had for many years a boys' boarding school called Heaton Moor College. Boys mainly from the Middle East stayed in the main school building, a large detached Victorian villa house, on Heaton Moor Road. Its large rear garden harboured other classroom buildings as well as a playground. It was at its height in the early to mid 1950s. In 1953 there were 202 pupils and a teaching staff of 12. A block of flats now stands on the site.

St Paul's and the war memorial

• 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.
• Heaton Moor Congregational Church - later Heaton Moor United Reformed Church - now Virgin St Mary and St Mina Coptic Church - built 1896 by Derbyshire and Smith.
• Heaton Moor United Church (Methodist & United Reformed - united in 2010) (formerly Heaton Moor Methodist Church) - corner of Heaton Moor Road and Stanley Road.
• Heaton Moor Evangelical Church, formerly on Green Lane, is now known as Emmanuel Community Church and meets on Sundays at Houldsworth Mill, Reddish, though youth and other clubs still meet on the Green Lane site.
• United Reformed Church (See Heaton Moor United Church above).[1]

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] Various bus routes run through Heaton Moor. Bus 364 runs between Stockport and Heaton Moor, via Woodbank Park and Bosden Farm.

Heaton Moor is affluent, and in the Victorian era had an equal residential status to Alderley Edge and Bowdon.[2] Today, this moneyed reputation continues as the SK4 postcode is typically characterised by high disposable incomes.[15] The estimated household weekly income for Heaton Moor in 2001 was significantly above the average for Greater Manchester.[16]

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 multimillion-pound development.

The lacrosse team has been part of Heaton Moor since 1879, with Heaton Mersey Lacrosse club, going under the name Heaton Mersey, but playing in Heaton Moor on Green Lane at the Heatons Sports Club.

West Heaton Bowling, Tennis and Squash Club was established in 1873 and provides six all weather tennis courts (six floodlit), two squash courts and a bowling green.

Heaton Moor Golf Club was founded in 1892 and is an 18-hole undulating parkland course.

• Listed buildings in Stockport

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heaton Moor.

• Heaton Moor Council link
• Heaton Moor Conservation Area Appraisal
• heatonmoor.com - All the Moor - A community site for Heaton Moor and the surrounding areas.