Walking Withington ……. on a grey indifferent June day ….. and throwing in a bit of history

I had hoped that the sun would being cracking the paving stones today.

Withington chimney's, the Red Lion, 2023

But June in Manchester can be as variable as any box of chocolates, and the hot sunny weather of last week has given over to one of those grey, grim days with just hint of rain.

That sort of rain which arrives without warning, trickles rather than falls and is never enough to warrant putting up the umbrella.

But in truth had Sammy sunshine chosen to brighten up Withington it would have been a distraction from a pleasant hour with David Rydeheard who shares with me a fascination for the history of Withington. 

David is a member of Withington Civic Society and as well as exploring a bit of the township’s story, we got an invite by Cate and Elizabeth to sample a bit of cake, at the weekly drop in at St Paul’s Church.*

St Paul's 2023, 

St Paul’s is I believe one of the only churches to have a war memorial to those who survived and came home as well as plaques recording those who died.  All three contain the names of those who left Withington to fight, and I think it shows originality of thinking to celebrate the living alongside the dead.**

Looking into the graveyard at St Paul's, 2023

At which point I could wander offer into a detailed story of the church but its web site says it much better than I could, leaving me just to offer up the link.***

And reflect that we had arrived too early to slip into the Red Lion which was a pub I frequented a lot in the 1970s and 80s and which saw the inquest in 1838 of Chorlton’s own Mary Moore who was brutally murdered on her way home from the Manchester Markets to Dog House Farm.

But that’s a story which has already featured on the blog.

Location; Withington

Pictures; wet days in Withington, 2023, from the collection of Andrew Simpson

Withington shapes, 2023

*Withington Civic Society, https://sites.google.com/view/withington-civic-society

**St Paul’s Withington, https://www.stpaulswithington.org.uk/

***St Paul’s Withington Church History, https://www.stpaulswithington.org.uk/church-history/