Every place should have a History Wall.
And I am pleased to say Chorlton has its wall of historical stories, which runs along High Lane and round on to Stockton Road, and consists of six panels which include original paintings by Peter Topping, period photographs and maps with stories by me.
Together they tell the story of Denbigh Villas which was built in 1871, briefly became a private school and is now being converted into apartment by Armistead Property Ltd, who have painstakingly restored the exterior.*
And in the process have brought the two houses out of the shadows, along with some of the occupants.
These include Josiah Slugg who lived at no. 59 was well known in Chorlton. He had arrived in 1830, to start an apprenticeship and became a leading manufacturer of microscopes.
But he is also remembered for his book on the history of Manchester, which was written in 1881, and describes the city of his youth, a full half century earlier.
It is a fascinating account of Manchester, which neatly juxtaposes stories of the horse drawn stagecoaches, which were still the main form of long distance travel, with a detailed account of the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway which terminated in its fine new railway station on Liverpool Road.
Mr. Slugg’s residency was but a short one, and while many of those that lived in Denbigh Villas have been lost to us, we do know something about the two who ran schools from the property at the turn of the last century.
The panels also feature the surrounding area, offering up views of neighbouring fields at ploughing time, the old village school on the green and examples of 18th century wattle and daub cottages.
Armistead Property Ltd** paid for the Wall and it is part of the new Chorlton Arts project*** and will remain until the restoration of Denbigh Villas is complete.
That said the Wall is not the first. Back in 2012, Peter and I produced an 80-meter installation along Albany Road, which told the story of Chorlton from the sixteenth century to the present, while in shops and bars across the township there are smaller boards focused on the area in which they are located.
All of them are predicated on those simple idea, that history is not just to be found in a book, and the most interesting accounts of the past are the “stories behind the doors”.
The Denbigh Villa/ High Lane Wall is an exciting and unique partnership between a developer, local artist and historian.
In the week that it has been up it has already attracted a lot of attention and may yet become a tourist attraction.
And as befits a tourist attraction, the Wall was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Manchester who was accompanied by our own Chorlton elected representatives, Cllr Eve Holt and Cllr Matt Strong, along with invited guests, the staff of Armistead Property Ltd, and Peter and Deborah Armistead.
Location Chorlton
Pictures; one of the six wall panels, The Lord Mayor and Cllr Holt, courtesy of APL, The History Wall, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson and and Peter and Deborah Armistead, 2019, from the collection 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/
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| One of the panels of the History Wall |
Together they tell the story of Denbigh Villas which was built in 1871, briefly became a private school and is now being converted into apartment by Armistead Property Ltd, who have painstakingly restored the exterior.*
 |
| The History Wall |
These include Josiah Slugg who lived at no. 59 was well known in Chorlton. He had arrived in 1830, to start an apprenticeship and became a leading manufacturer of microscopes.
But he is also remembered for his book on the history of Manchester, which was written in 1881, and describes the city of his youth, a full half century earlier.
It is a fascinating account of Manchester, which neatly juxtaposes stories of the horse drawn stagecoaches, which were still the main form of long distance travel, with a detailed account of the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway which terminated in its fine new railway station on Liverpool Road.
 |
| The Lord Mayor of Manchester and Cllr Holt unveil the Wall |
Armistead Property Ltd** paid for the Wall and it is part of the new Chorlton Arts project*** and will remain until the restoration of Denbigh Villas is complete.
That said the Wall is not the first. Back in 2012, Peter and I produced an 80-meter installation along Albany Road, which told the story of Chorlton from the sixteenth century to the present, while in shops and bars across the township there are smaller boards focused on the area in which they are located.
All of them are predicated on those simple idea, that history is not just to be found in a book, and the most interesting accounts of the past are the “stories behind the doors”.
The Denbigh Villa/ High Lane Wall is an exciting and unique partnership between a developer, local artist and historian.
 |
| Deborah and Peter Armistead with the Lord Mayor |
And as befits a tourist attraction, the Wall was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Manchester who was accompanied by our own Chorlton elected representatives, Cllr Eve Holt and Cllr Matt Strong, along with invited guests, the staff of Armistead Property Ltd, and Peter and Deborah Armistead.
Location Chorlton
Pictures; one of the six wall panels, The Lord Mayor and Cllr Holt, courtesy of APL, The History Wall, 2019, from the collection of Andrew Simpson and and Peter and Deborah Armistead, 2019, from the collection 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/
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