The new Chorlton tourist attraction .............. from Thursday

Installing the panels, 2019

During the summer there will be a new tourist attraction along High Lane, which tells the story of two Victorian houses and the project to renovate them.

Now if you wanted two houses which between them offer up a lot of the story of Chorlton, Denbigh Villas must rank in the top league.*

They were built just before the big housing boom transformed the Township, were home to several eminent Chorlton residents and for a time were one of the foremost private schools in the area.

They were built in 1871 by Thomas Alker, who lived in number 57, and rented 59 out to Josiah Thomas Slugg who is best remembered for his book, Reminiscences of Manchester, published in 1881 which is a wonderful description of the city in the 1830s.

Restoration work in progress, 2018

But time had not been kind to Denbigh Villas, and by the beginning of this century they needed care and attention.

This has been lavished on them by Armistead Property, who have restored the frontage, converted the interior into modern apartments and added a communal roof garden.

And in the course of the restoration, Armistead Property commissioned a “history wall” which told the story of Denbigh Villas and the surrounding area.  The wall stretches to six large panels, which include original paintings by local artist Peter Topping, along with period photographs and maps, and stories by me.

One of the panels

It has been designed as a walk-through time, running along High Lane, and round on to Stockton Road, and will remain insitu until the renovation is complete.

The installation is one of the first projects of the new Chorlton Arts Festival*** and was funded by Armistead Property and represents an exciting new partnership between a developer, historian and artist.

And we are confident that it will draw people down to 57 & 59 High Lane to follow the history of the two houses and celebrate their contribution to Chorlton’s history.

Pictures; the history panels being installed, 2019, and the restoration work in progress, 2018, courtesy of Peter Topping


*Denbigh Villas, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/search/label/Denbigh%20Villas

**Armistead Property, http://www.armisteadproperty.co.uk/

***Chorlton Arts Festival, http://chorltonartsfestival.org/about-chorlton-arts-festival/