streetsofbowdon.co.uk
Bollin Avenue (incl. Bollin Court)
Bollin Avenue is an inverted L-shaped cul de sac at the southern limits of Bowdon. It comprises neat, semi-detached houses with well-tended front gardens.
Bollin Court is the U-shaped block of flats at the northern end of Bollin Avenue.
OS grid ref.: SJ 758 860
what3words ref.: ///excuse.deal.fluid
Views of Bollin Avenue
It could be called typically suburban.
Date of photography: November 2021
A great example of imaginative planning. There's probably no real need for this archway, but it makes a striking feature when turning into the ginnel.
There are several of these enclosed green spaces in the area. They are overlooked and hence a safe play space for children.
Here's a shot of the block of flats called "Bollin Court" that's located at the NW end of Bollin Avenue.
Bollin Square
Where is it?
Where is it?
Where is it?
Bollin Square is a small square at the northern end of Bollin Avenue.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7585 8615
what3words ref.: ///adopt.foster.also
Date of photography: November 2020
Where is it?
Where is it?
This image shows Apsley Grove Park ("the rec") with St Mary's church on the hill in the distance. The square itself comprises two enclosed green spaces (as on Bollin Avenue), which, surrounded by bungalows and small semi-detached houses, are safe spaces for children.
Where is it?
One of the enclosed green spaces.
Click the button if you want to add something.
The square taken from the SW corner. There's a green space behind the hedge.
A view across Apsley Grove park towards the children's play area.
Let's visit...
Bow Lane
Bow Lane curves around the southern edge of Bowdon to connect Bow Green Road to Priory Road. Most of the land to the south and west of the road is farmland.
I hope you enjoy the photos and captions. Drop me a line if you'd like to add anything.
Views of Bow Lane
This is the point where Bow Lane joins Priory Road (and the local bus stop). The housing on the N. side of the road is a mainly semis; the properties to the south are detached.
Bow Lane Farm, located in the N-E bend in the road, dates back to c. 1660 and is the sole remaining farm still operating in Bowdon today.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7543 8581
what3words ref.: ///ranged.beans.eggs
Some of the semi-detached houses on the N. side of the road.
Date of photography: February 2021
Open fields - but for how much longer? - to the south of Bow Lane. Sights like these are the stuff of a developer's wet dreams.
The junction with The Gorse. If you look closely you might be able to see where I've cloned out a person against the hedge on the S. side of Bow Lane. They gave me a tirade of foul-mouthed abuse for taking their photo without asking permission. To be fair, I thought they were far enough away and I wasn't even taking a photo of them; they just happened to walk into the scene. The perils of modern journalism.
The former West Bank farmhouse on the N-S section of Bow Lane. Bowdon once had 17 farms, most of which were located along Langham Road and Bow Lane.
Mrs Chester, the present owner.
This image looks east along Bow Lane and was taken from close to the junction with Bow Green Road in December 2020. Behind the hedge on the right is a substantial detached property.
This is...
The Gorse
The Gorse is a L-shaped cul de sac on the north side of Bow Lane. If you know when the area was developed, please get in touch using the button below.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7572 8582
what3words ref.: \\\over.heads.when
Date of photography: Feb/March 2021
Views of The Gorse
This is the entrance to The Gorse off Bow Lane (see above).
Semi-detached houses on the east-west section of the road. Out of sight on the are the back gardens of properties on Bow Lane.
Taken from opposite the black car in the previous photo, looking east. Modest housing right at the southern limits of Bowdon.
Brick Kiln Row
Where is it?
Where is it?
Where is it?
Brick Kiln Row runs from Vicarage Lane towards the Sunny Bank estate, but is a dead end. As its name implies, there were numerous kilns in this part of Bowdon, all taking advantage of the boulder clay on which the area rests.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7612 8611
what3words ref.: ///wallet.lowest.lines
Date of photography: December 2020
Where is it?
Where is it?
Primrose Cottages, showing the main entrances. These are some of the oldest properties in the area.
Where is it?
Desperately seeking status? Tiny little houses but ludicrous, oversized vehicles (except the one in the middle).
Hoskyth? Terrace, close to the junction with Vicarage Lane.
At the far end of Brick Kiln Row, down a path next to an open green space. These properties back onto Birch Tree Close for vehicular access.
The New Bowdon Take-Awa.
Edale Close
Where is it?
Edale Close is a cul de sac on the northern side of Brick Kiln Row. The properties appear to be relatively recent (C20) and are arranged in blocks of terraced or linked houses.
OS map ref.: SJ 761 862
what3words ref.: ///awake.tile.amused
Date of photography: Decemeber 2020
These are the backs of the houses shown in the photo on the right.
The front entrances.
Unrendered brickwork on another row of houses.
The fronts of the unrendered brickwork houses, in the same style as the rendered ones.
Primrose Bank & Robinsway
Primrose Bank is a short residential street that provides access to the Sunny Bank estate from Brick Kiln Row.
Robinsway is the cul de sac (not named on this map) branching off the west side of the road.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7614 8606
what3words ref.: ///clouds.shack.person
Date of photography: December 2020
Views of Primrose Bank & Robinsway
The residential properties on both sides of the road consist of rows of four C20 terraced houses. None of the properties appears to have a garage.
I'm assuming both roads (and Bailey Walk?) were developed at about the same time. If you have any information you'd like to share, please get in touch using the link at bottom right. Your contribution will be acknowledged!
The Robinsway cul de sac, showing the same pattern of four terraced houses. Susan Parkes tells me that despite their similar appearance, some of these properties have two bedrooms, others three.
Robinsway from the junction with Primrose Bank. This photo was taken in the summer on the day after England defeated Germany in the Euros 2020 football championship (actually held in 2021...)!
Looking south along the eastern side of Primrose Bank.
Looking north-west with Robinsway in the background.
Welcome to...
Bailey Walk
A short cul de sac overlooking the football ground. The houses were originally built as council housing. They were of white concrete with wooden windows - but no central heating. In 1999, the council sold them to the Irwell Valley Housing Association, which replaced the concrete with brick and added CH & new windows.
Priory Road
Where is it?
Priory Road is at the southernmost end of Bowdon, running north-south from the Vicarage Lane/Bollin Avenue junction towards the River Bollin and The Priory, which is still a private residence (and not to be confused with the Priory Mental Health Hospital in Hale: thanks to Jonathan Brennan for correcting me on this one).
OS grid ref.: SJ 759 860
what3words ref.: ///codes.lists.venue
Date of photography: a sunny day in November 2020!
Views of Priory Road
The eastern side of the road, looking north-east. If you know anything about its history, e.g. when the houses were built, please drop me a line using the link at bottom right. Your contribution will be acknowledged!
Delightful archway in a ginnel between Priory Road and Bollin Avenue.
A general view north up the road with St Mary's church on the hill in the distance.
A grander semi-detached house. Note the grand piano in the bay window.
Looking north onto Priory Road from the access road leading to the Priory.
Priory Street
It's here
It's here
It's here
Priory Street is in the area of Bowdon formerly known as "Soapy Town" because of the amount of laundry from the "posher" houses that used to be sent down here.
It's here
It's here
A general view of the street, looking north.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7604 8605
what3words ref.: ///tone.shade.straw
Date of photography: November 2020
It's here
The Bowdon Vale Methodist Church.
If you have any information about the history of this street, or any interesting trivia, please get in touch by clicking on this button.
Looking south towards the sports pavilion (see below).
This photo and the following ones were taken in February 2021.
Off-street parking on Priory Street!
The pavilion and cricket ground at the southern end of the street. This marks the limit of the built-up area.
From the ginnel leading through to Priory Road.
Where are they?
Sunnybank Road & Birchtree Close
These two "streets" are basically a collection of cul de sacs. The properties are quite imposing, but the only access to the "estate" is along the unremarkable Primrose Bank. Click the button below if you know more about the development.
Views of Sunnybank Road & Birchtree Close
Sunnybank Road
This shot, taken during the summer, shows the rather unprepossessing entrance to the Sunnybank estate. The house just visible on the left is on Primrose Bank.
As mentioned above, the properties are quite imposing and aimed at executives and their families. Presumably developed in the late C20/early C21, the estate seems to have been dropped in by parachute – the only vehicle access being remarkably modest – and bears a closer affinity to the adjacent Fletcher Drive development.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7626 8595
what3words ref.: ///hedge.voices.ocean
Looking east along the road. The Fletcher Drive development is behind the trees/hedges at the far end.
Inside one of the cul de sac "arms". Note the Christmas decoration - there seemed to be a disproportionate number of "deer" gracing the front gardens around here.
Looking north from another cul de sac.
Birchtree Close
This Is the longer, unnamed cul de sac on the above map. The properties are taken from the same template as those on Sunnybank Road.
Garage blocks probably serving the houses visible on the right at the end of Brick Kiln Row.
The view down the Birchtree Close cul de sac.
Late 2024 Update
Unsurprisingly perhaps, there's been a flurry of new visitors to the site since my presentation to the Hale U3A History Group on October 21st. If you're one of them - welcome! I hope you found the site and the talk interesting.
Instead of scrolling through all that boasting on social media, why not spend some time scrolling around your local area?
Click on the button below to start your exploration!