So goodbye to Carlton House on High Lane ……… well almost

Carlton House is that building on High Lane and Acres Road.

Carlton House, 2022

For well over a century, it has been in the business of education, starting out as a convent school and then becoming the Islamic High School for Girls.

But all that is about to change as the Islamic High School is relocating to West Didsbury and the site is about to be redeveloped.

Cube Homes propose to build “22 high quality, energy efficient and sustainable new homes comprising 14 four bedroom townhouses, 6 two-bedroom apartments, and the retention and refurbishment of Carlton House, which will be converted into 2 homes”.*

We are at the early stage where Cube Homes have bought the land, had preliminary discussions with the Planners at the City Council and have floated a “Preapplication” statement and consultation.

The Convent, 1959

All of the details are available online and make for an interesting read, particularly because the developer amended the plans in the light of conversations with the City Planning Department.

One of which was the retention of Carlton House.

It is a building I have passed countless times but never once gave it much thought.

For most of the time I have lived in Chorlton it was the Convent School before becoming the Manchester Islamic Grammar School For Girls.

But it started as the home of Thomas and Catherine Harrison who I suspect were pleased with their impressive property which consisted of 10 rooms with a garden which stretched down towards Beech Road and included stables, a greenhouse and heaps of ancient fruit trees.

I have written its story and always intended to go back.  That first story set off a heap of memories from those who attended the convent school and no doubt the second will bring forth more from its time as the Islamic High School.**

Carlton House and garden, 1894

Now the historic records offer up heaps of possible avenues of research including the cottage which  stood on the site in the 1840s and 50s, when this strip of land was owned by William Brundrett.

But also highlight just how twisty turny historical research can be, because I came across Carlton House almost by accident as I was looking for the story behind 97 Beech Road which if I have got it right dates back to 1886, and has in its time sold many different things

Carlton House dates from 1866 and may have been sold in 1898 when Mrs Harrison died.  Either way sometime between 1903 and 1909 her grand house became the Convent. The 1911  census records it was home to the Principal, six teachers, one pupil teacher and the house keeper.  

Walking the garden wall, 2020

They ranged in age from 49 down to 18 years old, all were single, and were drawn from across the country and beyond.  So, while four were from Ireland, one was from Dorset and the remaining three had been born in Woolwich, Hackney and London.

And now that link with education has come to an end.

I could at this point reflect on the proposed plans, or the bigger issue of new homes in Chorlton but I won’t, suffice to say the proposals recognises that despite real  environmental concerns provision has been made for more than one car per house hold, which in turn may prevent the squeeze on on road parking.

Added to which Acres Road is to be widened, which clearly makes sense.  The historian in me acknowledges that this will alter the historic character of what was popularly known as “Acres Crack” and originated as a small watercourse covered over sometime before the 1880s, but the trade off is the retention of Carlton House.

That said the scale of the development does seem over large for that corner of Acres Road.

So, the rest are stories yet to come.

Location; High Lane

Pictures; Carlton House, and the line of what was once the garden, 2022,  from the collection of Andrew Simpson, Carlton and house and grounds 1894, from the OS map of South Lancashire, 1894, courtesy of Digital Archives, https://digitalarchives.co.uk/  and Convent of the Sisters of the Christian Retreat, 1959, A.E. Landers, m17917, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

*Cube Homes High Lane Consultation, https://www.cubehomeshighlaneconsultation.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0RpY4WJSNMpEm-cSD6fIFNrQfHjnh9M1Dhccez1k9WCISxdPBYZTNpfyA

**Carlton House …… the convent on High Lane and …….. the trail that led back to a Beech Road bar

https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2022/10/carlton-house-convent-on-high-lane-and.html