When 400 years of history becomes a chance to meet someone who grew up around the corner

Now the history walk from Hough End Hall to the Lloyds was a success.

Fifty four people joined us at Sir Nicholas’s old family home and having wandered across Chorlton delving into the stories of the people who lived here we finished up with a chance to show off the exhibition on the Hall and introduce people to the book, Hough End Hall The Story.

I always like running these history walks because you get to know people who have fascinating stories which expand your knowledge.

But what made it all  the rewarding this time round was that I got to meet Phil and Chris and by one of those odd bits of chance Phil and I grew up not far from each other in south east London, added to which his brother had a house just around the corner from  our home.

And in the course of the conversation we discovered we had more in common which pretty much sealed a good day for me.

So that just leaves me to remind everyone about the book and the second walk next Sunday on the 24th.

The book tells the story of many of the people who crossed the threshold of the hall since it was built in 1596 from the Mosley family to the tenant farmers along with those who ate under its Tudor beams and celebrated everything from a wedding to a birthday.

And I have every expectation that next Sunday will offer a fresh collection of interesting people and more than a few new history stories.

Which just leaves me to say that the next history walk will set off from Hough End Hall at 1 pm on Sunday May 24, and make its way through the history of Chorlton to the Lloyds, offering plenty of stories a few dark deeds and a fair bit of our past, all in just under two hours.

Picture, Sunday May 17th from the Hall to the Lloyds from the collection  of Peter Topping