Walking Middleton's Golden Cluster of Heritage

Now, I have Andy Robertson to thank for reigniting my interest in Middleton, and in particular its Golden Cluster of Heritage.

Old Boar, 1632

It started with his picture of the timber framed Old Boar, which appears to date from 1632 but has bits that go back into the 15th century.

And from there Andy wandered across a mix of Middleton’s past, which he duly recorded.

So, having got the pictures I then discovered the site Middleton’s Golden Cluster of Heritage, which I instantly plundered.

Jubilee Library

“The Golden Cluster is an area of outstanding heritage focused on Middleton, Greater Manchester.  They are vivid reminders of the area’s fascinating history and the outstanding people who came from there, figures such as Cardinal Thomas Langley, Julia Schwabe, Ashton Lever, Samuel Bamford and Lydia Becker. 

Capping it all off, is the Arts & Crafts heritage of Edgar Wood, the pioneer of art deco architecture.”

Added to which are the  “historic buildings in the Golden Cluster, including the Samuel Bamford obelisk in the Old Burial Ground, the National School on Long Street and the old Police Station on Market Place. There are also many Edgar Wood designed buildings including Manchester & Salford Bank, Market Place, Redcroft and Fencegate, Rochdale Road and 36 Mellalieu Street”.*

So that’s it.

Location; Middleton

Picture; the bandstand Jubilee Gardens, 2020, from the collection of Andy Robertson.

*Middleton Heritage,  https://middletonheritage.co.uk/