look at Lymm

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A SHORT WALK THROUGH HISTORY

Published October 2017 by Leckonby Press on behalf of Lymm Heritage Centre www.lymmhic.co.uk

The right of Alan Williams to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Act
1988 Sections 77 and 78. . All rights reserved.

Picture acknowledgements and thanks to Alan Taylor ( 2,3,4,6,7,8a,9,10,10inset,14,16,17,) Enid Edwards ( 5,13,18) Andy Rich-
ardson (20) Lymm,&District History Society (1) Jeanne Artingstall (11) Dorothy Brazier( 12) Canal & River Trust Archive (19and
19inset) , Sheila Yoxall(12 inset) David Taylor (13 inset) Carol Kerry (8b) Unknown (15) and to the memory of Pel Ardern.

A short walk through history

Welcome to “A short walk through We will see change, as the cart is replaced
history” that will take us on a dis- by the car. We will spot Brown’s the Gro-
covery trail around the centre of the village cers who proudly boasted the telephone
of Lymm. number Lymm 1. We will even capture the
moment when electricity cables were laid
The whole route is probably no more than for the first time.
eight hundred metres, but it is also a jour-
ney through time from 1860 to 1960. And at the heart of it all, for perhaps the
last four hundred years, Lymm Cross, which
Along the way you will have the chance to has been the village focal point for the cel-
stop and compare each picture with the ebration of so many historic events, both
scene today. A few have changed radically. local and national.
The corn mill for example is long gone. But
much remains, even where a building’s use The last part of our journey introduces us
may have changed. to the Transport Revolution by way of the
Bridgewater Canal. This waterway was the
One hundred years ago the population of catalyst for national “canal mania”. It also
Lymm was around 5,000 compared to over changed Lymm forever as we will discover.

12,000 today but there were many more Enjoy your stroll.
shops and traders including 6 butchers

and 20 grocers.

1 Down the slope from the Heritage Centre entrance ; then left up the short road with setts,
They are laid out to accommodate carts. You will quickly arrive at the site of this activity.

When the Duke of Bridgewater drove his canal the contour that would provide a lock-free access to
through the heart of Lymm in the 1760’s, he had little the sea. Nevertheless the canal had a huge impact
interest in the village. Lymm just happened to be on on local life as an outlet for produce while also
bringing new trades like fustian cutting.

2 Walk a few yards with the canal on your right then cut diagonally across the car park ( once a
coal yard) and follow the road round to the left, till you reach the corner of busy Eagle Brow.

Lymm Morris ing of rushes on the church floor dates back to a
time when there were earthen floors. The Lymm
You have just walked down the slope from the left. The Morris men led the procession to St Mary’s
Lymm Morris are stood outside Pel Ardern’s corner Church. There was a Lymm dance. In the mid
shop, now replaced. The “Morris” was closely bound 19th century Rushbearing lasted many days with
up with another local tradition, Rushbearing. The lay- fairs, sports and much alcohol consumed.

3 Facing you is a sandstone outcrop—typical of Lymm. Now turn and look down the hill.
Ardern’s is gone but much else is recognisable. The post card below is from 1903.

Pel Ardern office too. Most importantly he was a local histo-
rian and photographer, who was well placed to
C.E. Ardern and his wife ran the business on this take advantage of the huge popularity of post
corner. He described himself as a bookseller, sta- cards at the start of the 20th century.
tioner and printer. He ran the servants registry

4 Wander down Eagle Brow until you have this viewpoint. There is a theory that the name sug-
gests the Romans may have passed this way. Ahead of you used to be called Post Office Place.

Alan Taylor everything in this picture is recognisable today
except the Mill Manager’s house that overlooked
Once the chief photographer on the Cheshire Guardian the dam. There were no car parks in Lymm then
group Alan has been documenting changes in the village and no yellow lines either! Remember prams?
scene since the 1950s, when this was taken. Almost

Carry on to the corner then look back up the hill to imagine yourself part of the throng

5 watching the May Queen parade in 1910 as you can still do to this day….. In June !

May Queen drawing crowds from far and wide. Can you spot the
car disappearing up the hill? A2291 was registered in
The poster on the wall leaves us in no doubt what the London in 1904. And what about the couple viewing
event is. Originating in 1889 as the Band of Hope Fes- from the comfort of the their horse and trap? proba-
tival, May Queen soon became a major attraction, bly local gentry. Is that a servant standing by?

6 Just look across the road for this next one !

The Spread But it was still big enough to house the village court
house. The “cave” in the wall of the sandstone cliff
..as it is affectionately known locally has been a part of behind the building, now the pub garden, was report-
Lymm Life for over 250 years. Originally it was much edly used as the lock-up .. So best behave!
smaller (Today’s dining area was once three shops).

7 And turn to the left again. Hilton’s Booteries is facing you at the entry to Bridgewater
Street . You can still recognise it from its exterior.

When they weren’t writing out price labels Hilton ‘s village. There were over 60 retailers in a village with
actually made boots too! In 1900 they were just one a population of around 5,000—less than half of what
of several shoemakers and repairers in the it is today. Far left you can just spot two telegram
boys from the Post Office next door.

8 Now cross the road and stand outside the Spread so that you can look up Bridgewater
Street. These pictures are on the site of what was once Barclays Bank on the left corner.

Shuttleworths stayed on. In 1902 there were around 20 grocers
shops in and around Lymm village as well as 6
We think this is actually William Pearson stood out- butchers, so plenty of competition. There were
side a business that used to be his. Shuttleworths no restaurants or nail bars though.
stepped in and took over at some point but William

9 From the same point of view a wider, much later view up Bridgewater Street. The door-
way on the left had once been Shuttleworths.

Two Banks and a Post Office. years. At the end of the road you will see the
aqueduct ,designed by James Brindley, which has
.. so this definitely is a historical photograph. stood for 250 years. Gray’s shop managed to
Bridgewater St, named after the Duke who advertise 8 cigarette and tobacco brands at once.
brought the canal has seen little alteration in 100

10 Just walk on a few yards toward the lower dam. You may want to use the railing and
the building marked THRELFALL’S ALES tin the picture to get your bearings.

All Change

Today’s picturesque scene at the Lower Dam is barely recognisable.
The row of cottages can just be glimpsed behind the mill manager’s
house. The corn mill itself was demolished in the 1930s removing a
dangerous corner. The Millstone building remains.

Walk on to the far end of the lower dam to the area where the mill manager’s house and

11 shop once stood (by the red post box) so that you can look up the hill.

Victorian Lymm three-storey cottages, (now gone) with open plan
top storeys were typical of fustian cutting work-
One of the oldest views of the village centre, but if shops that sprung up round the village in the mid
you look up the hill toward the cross (just out of 19th century. In 1863 720 people in Lymm worked
sight) the scene is very recognisable. On the right the in the trade including many young children.

12 Walk up the hill keeping the right, until you have reached the cross. Then look back
down the hill.

Post War Revival

It’s 1948. Lymm is just picking itself up after the war. One very
important way of doing this was to restart the Lymm May Queen
which had been discontinued in 1939. Dorothy Greenhalgh was
the elected May Queen and she in turn was crowned by the
very first Band of Hope Queen from 1889. (shown left)

13 From almost the same place swing round to look at the cross and the corner of
Pepper Street.

MCFreuomnsesorraiglaool ipfnrEgoducwepasEsraidognVleIfIrBormowth-e 1918

Probably not the Armistice but earlier in the year. The cross
was the focal point for many events. Its exact history is
uncertain. It was possibly built in the mid 17th century .
Was it a market cross or was it religious? Whatever its ori-
gins it is a great vantage point. Photo: Pel Ardern.

14 You would need to cross the road to near the post box on Pepper Street to recreate this
viewpoint exactly .

The Diamond Jubilee cross to mark the occasion. On the day it was
adorned with a huge “God Save The Queen “ and
Queen Victoria’s that is, in 1897. The council, support- other emblems that were illuminated at night by
ed by public subscription, had already made a major no fewer than 6,200 jets of fire.
investment in the village’s heritage by refurbishing the

15 Back down the hill just a little. Cross at the zebra crossing and then almost immediately
you can look across and up the road to the corner of Pepper Street.

Change, everywhere you look Trafford Park. A car and a bus are parked hap-
hazardly while Cadmans “Italian Warehouse”
In many ways this picture represents the beginning of speaks of a new sophistication in retail.
a new era in village life. Electricity cables are being
laid for the first time.– supplied by Glover’s of Probably taken in the early 1920s

16 Just a few yards further on to get this view of the cross. It was taken from an elevated
position so you won’t see quite the same view. Hopefully not as cold either!

Winter coats on In the centre background is the old lodge with a
small entrance leading to Lymm Hall which still
This photograph shows Lymm’s only car park in the stands, a reminder of an era when local gentry
bitter winter of 1957 when even the cars wore coats. were a dominant influence on village life.

17 Walk up past the Golden Fleece and look back for one last glimpse of the Cross.

Jubilee Day June 22 1897 tradesmen’s band . There were sports, featuring
races for old ladies and old men, plus the chance
A day of great celebration for Queen Victoria’s 60 to climb a greasy pole for a ham. The day was
year reign. There was a huge procession around rounded off with a giant firework display.
the village through triumphal arches, featuring
the local schools and sunday schools and even a No wonder that man is having a sit down.

18 If you cross the bridge you will find just an empty space where Hazlehurt’s once stood.
From the bridge spot “The Square” and the house that is missing a corner.

Window Shopping

Hazlehurst’s was popular with boatmen. It was on the
towpath side of the canal, making it simple to pop in
for provisions while the horse walked on, pulling the
boat. Pel Ardern was the photographer.
A chance for some Edwardian window shopping here.

19 Come back over the bridge and turn right along the path just before the Golden Fleece. At
the one time the bridge was painted white so boats would see it at night.

So how deep is the canal ?

A common question ..and now we know. Notice the crane on
the right. It was used to drop the planks in place that allowed
the canal to be drained in sections. Lymm’s most photo-
graphed cottage was once home to three families. Many
worked on the canal.

20 Almost done .. Continue along the side of the canal until you can see the view along
Bridgewater Street.. Then we’re done !

A View from the Bridge for the Diamond Jubilee. Brazendale’s yard be-
came the Post Office. Legh St, just out of sight
This view, from Brindley’s aqueduct onto Bridge- and where the Heritage Centre now stands, was
water St has always been a favourite one for pho- also home to families of boatmen.
tographers. This is 1897 again and the flags are out
Your journey ends ! We hope you enjoyed it.

he Cheshire village of Lymm This photograph of the cross, taken in around 1861, is the oldest
outdoor image in the Heritage Centre’s archive .
T has a fascinating and varied
Published by the Leckonby Press
to the Trades, Transport and Tradi-
tions that define it.

The booklet is a valuable record in
itself, but by following the short
trail the reader can also under-
stand better how Lymm has evolved
and adapted to the 21st century
while still managing to retain its
essential character .

Discover more about Lymm.

Visit Lymm Heritage Centre.
or go to our website
www.lymmhic.co.uk.

Have you heard about LYDIA ?

The Lymm Digital Image Archive is
a Heritage Centre project. Its aim is
to scan, catalogue, secure and
share images of Lymm from a
wide range of sources for the bene-
fit of the whole community including
schools, researchers, residents and
visitors.
More at lymmhic.co.uk/Lydia
Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund