streetsofbowdon.co.uk
Bowdon Road...
...is an ancient, narrow road connecting St Margaret's Road to Woodville Road. Much of the south-east side is occupied by the Altrincham Grammar School for Girls.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7617 8735
what3words ref.: cube.chips.spoil
Date of photography: January 2021
Views of Bowdon Road
A general view of the road from close to the junction with St Margaret's Road. The road is part of the medieval trackway to Altrincham from the Streethead hamlet at the junction of Bow Green Road and the A56 (the Roman road from Chester to Manchester).
Looking towards the Upper Room Christian Fellowship premises with part of AGGS on the right.
The quadrangle of AGGS. No pupils on the day of photography owing to Covid-19 lockdown.
Close-up of the Upper Room Christian Fellowship premises, formerly the lecture hall of the Bowdon Downs Congregational Church.
Another view of the Upper Room Christian Fellowship premises, this time looking down the road to the south-west. Beyond the Fellowship premises is part of the girls' grammar school.
A couple of imposing entrances on the south-west side of the road. Morrissey's late mother (d. 2020) lived in a property on Bowdon Road.
A close-up of part of the converted St Ann's TB sanatorium, now a development of town houses and apartments. The sanatorium was opened in 1885 to treat the increasing number of Manchester residents suffering from TB as a result of the squalid living and working conditions in the rapidly expanding city. The more salubrious air at an elevation of 65 m a few miles south-west of Manchester was deemed more conducive to a healthy recovery. It became St Anne's Home in 1932 before starting to specialise in ENT treatments from 1948. It eventually closed in 1994.
Where is it?
Delamer Road
A residential road running NE-SW from The Downs to Belgrave Road/Enville Road.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7634 8727
what3words ref.: ///supper.holds.laser
Date of photography: February 2021
Let's visit...
The Downs
The Downs is one of the area's oldest routes, running off the Bowdon ridge down towards Altrincham. It was one of the first areas to be developed as Altrincham expanded after the arrival of the railway.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7653 8748
what3words ref.: \\\clouds.tell.space
Date of photography: Jan/Feb 2021
Higher Downs, incl. Beechfield
Additional Information
Beechfield is the short cul de sac on the north side of Higher Downs.
For anyone curious about the history of Higher Downs, look no further than a publication entitled "Higher Downs Altrincham - A Short History", by the late Peter Kemp and published in 1985 by the Bowdon History Society. It can be downloaded in PDF format from https://www.altrinchamheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Higher-Downs-Altrincham-Peter-Kemp-1985-rev-2013-BHS-v25.pdf
At 54 pages it's not exactly short for just a single street and is full of interesting facts and trivia.
I'm therefore just going to confine this section to photographs taken in late 2020 and early 2021.
OS map ref.: SJ 7630 8734
what3words ref.: ///strain.unrealistic.asleep
St John's Road...
Runs W-E from the Higher Downs/The Downs junction down to Ashley Road. The eponymous church at the Ashley Road junction has been deconsecrated and is being redeveloped.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7651 8737
what3words ref.: ///before.exists.stable
Date of photography: January 2021
Views of St John's Road
Looking east down the road from close to the junction with Delamer Road. The entrance to Albert Square (see next section) is visible on the right.
The (former) church of St John the Evangelist, a grade II listed building. St John's Parish was dissolved in January 2017, at which point St John's church ceased to be an active Anglican Church. Its organ was moved to a new home in St Jakobus, Sogel, Germany in July of that year.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this was formerly associated with the church. It certainly looks like a church hall, but there again, so do the former premises of St John's Medical Centre (see next photo). It's now a private residence.
The former St John's Medical Centre premises
The medical practice is now located within the new Altrincham Health and Wellbeing building on Market Street, Altrincham. A planning application has been submitted to develop the building/site for multiple residential usage.
"Windlehurst", one of the private residences on the north side of the road.
Alderbank
The latest luxurious development on St John's Road. This was the site of an abandoned apartment block formerly used for social housing, so quite a change in use...
October 2021 - Another view of "Alderbank", looking down the hill to Ashley Road. Most of the apartments have now been sold.
October 2021 - From the same position as the previous photo, but this time looking west towards Delamer Road. Note the junction with Albert Square on the left.
A row of rather bland C20 town houses on the N. side of the road.
November 2021: Another shot of the former St John's Medical Practice. Work has now commenced on clearing the site prior to its redevelopment.
"Holly Bank", close to the junction with Delamer Road. Apparently used for filming some of the "Last Tango to Halifax" TV series.
The former St John's church (now deconsecrated) and St John's Medical Practice, both to be converted into apartments.
Albert Square
A T-shaped cul de sac on the S. side of St John's Road. Part of the early development of Bowdon and built in honour of Queen Victoria's husband. I hope you enjoy the site and take a moment to drop me a line.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7651 8727
what3words ref.: /// ready.office.left
Woodville Road...
...runs from a junction on the east side of St Margaret's Road down to the The Downs/Higher Downs junction. It forms part of the eastern boundary of Bowdon and is one of the oldest roads in the area.
"Hill Crest", without a doubt the shabbiest house on the road. I feel sorry for the tenants of this particular landlord, who appears to have no interest in maintaining the property in good order. I wonder what it's like inside?
Date of photography: 15 November 2020
OS grid ref.: SJ 7613 8752
what3words ref.: ///oven.forum.motor
Woodville Road runs from St Margaret's Road down to The Downs, making a sharp right turn at the junction shown here. If you missed the turn, you'd find yourself going down Bentinck Road towards Regent Road in Altrincham.
"The Downs Cottage" - probably the oldest house on the road, and one of the oldest in the area. It Is believed to be pre-C19.
Tell me something about...
Upper Downs
There's not much to say. It's a short, private road between Higher Downs and Delamer Road. One house has a front door facing onto the street. The other buildings are garages or the backs of other properties.
OS grid ref.: SJ 7634 8733
what3words ref.: ///issues.anyone.traded
Date of photography: January-March 2021
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!