A SPRING??? STROLL

For a number of months now we have been writing in the 'Community News' about parts of Marple's history that you may (hopefully) find interesting. As a logical step we thought that you may also wish to go out and actually experience some of the heritage that you have been reading about 'in the flesh'. The following is a brief walk (less than 1 mile) around the area of Marple's Memorial Park pointing out, and giving a little background to, some of the things of interest that can still be seen. Originally this article was intended as a 'Spring stroll', however due to foot & mouth restrictions we had to postpone. Undaunted we can now present you with 'An Early Summer Walk'.

If you are visiting by car you will need to park on one of the centre's main car parks. Please respect local residents and do not park on side streets.

Access: Although every effort has been made to make the whole of this walk accessible to the physically disabled the topography of the land means that the section from Oldknow's Warehouse to the Possett Bridge may be unsuitable for wheelchairs.

The starting point for the walk is outside the Regent Cinema, Stockport Road.

1. Regent Cinema (The Union Rooms)
In 1878, Thomas Carver, partner in the Hollins Mill, had a disagreement with the Deacons of the Congregational Church, Hibbert Lane, a church that he had help to found. As a direct result the Union Rooms were built as a place where men of all denominations could worship. But it was more than just a place for religious worship, it was a Working Men's Club and a Library. Carver was a fanatical teetotaller and incorporated a coffee tavern to encourage the citizens of Marple away from hard drink, he even formed The Union Mission Rooms Army, based on the Salvation Army, with himself as General. The building continued to be used by various organisations including the Congregational Chapel until 1932. In that year Walter Stott obtained the premises and put in for permission to clear the site and to build a brand new cinema called "The Rialto". The plans for this new cinema were drawn up by William Thornley who was the architect of Stockport's impressive "Plaza". For whatever reason this plan never came to fruition and, instead, a conversion of the original building plus three adjoining cottages into a 500 seat cinema by 'The Marple Cinema Company' went ahead and 'The Regent' was born. The cinema suffered in the way many did with the increase in television ownership in the 1960's and on 3rd August 1968 it was closed and put up for sale. An application for use as a Bingo Hall was thankfully refused and Marple U.D.C. were planning to issue a compulsory purchase order when, in 1969, it was purchased and re-opened as a cinema once more. With a virtually complete renovation, which included the introduction of Pullman seats, the cinema has since gone from strength to strength. (Compare the picture here with the real thing and notice how the appearance of the original building can be clearly made out).

To the left of the cinema you will find the entrance to the Memorial Park, beyond is the Hollins Parade with Hanbury's supermarket on the corner. This was the former site of:

2. The Hollins Mill.
The Hollins Mill was built by Charles Warmsley in 1830 but later, in 1859, it came into the possession of the Carver family who were to have a huge effect on the development of the Marple area. The Carver twins, John and Thomas bought the mill in partnership with Samuel and Edwin Hodgkinson, using a loan of £15000 from their father William Carver, who believed that the family should diversify from their carrying business. It would appear that the Hodgkinsons had experience in the yarn business and indeed for the first six years the business was known as 'S. Hodgkinson Company'.

The mill originally stood on land that is now occupied by the Hollins Shopping parade, and the Coop Superstore and in its heyday it dominated the skyline of Marple from whichever direction you cared to look. The main body of the mill stood 5 storeys high but the weaving sheds and offices more than trebled this area. It even had its own arm of the canal which was used to deliver raw materials and ship out the finished products. The mill was demolished in stages over a number of years. The spinning area, the 5 storey portion which fronted Hollins Lane, was demolished in 1957, the chimney being spectacularly brought down by 'Blaster Bates' in October of that year. The final part of the mill, the weaving sheds, survived in one form or another until 1988 when they too were demolished to make way for the present Coop Superstore.

All that is left of the mill is a partially submerged bridge at the rear of the cinema under which canal boats used to shuttle to and fro with their cargoes, the canal arm long since filled in.

Enter the Memorial Park between the cinema and Hanbury's (watch for the remains of the canal bridge on the right) and take the first path on the right. Approximately 75 meters on the right you will find:

3. The Marple Hall Sundial
This Sundial, dated 1658, formerly stood in the grounds of Marple Hall, one time home of John Bradshawe (1602-1659). Bradshawe became famous as the President of the High Court of Justice who, in 1649, tried King Charles I and sentenced him to death.

The demolition of Marple Hall was a tragedy of short-sightedness. Its owner, Richard Isherwood, was struggling to keep the house in order and in 1954 offered Marple Council the opportunity to buy the property for a nominal amount. Isherwood claimed that he "would be truly thankful to feel that the lovely old house was in the hands of those who would not only appreciate it, but would also protect it from vandalism", the council passed the opportunity by. Having been left unoccupied it became the target of vandals and in one short year a building that had been for centuries the jewel in Marple's crown was reduced to a ruin. When the council finally purchased the property in the late 1950's it was only fit for bulldozing.

At around the time of the demolition the sundial was placed in the park acting as a reminder of Marple's loss.

Continue along the path and almost opposite the Sundial you will see the remains of :

4. The Stocks.
At one time every town and village had its own stocks. These were devices that allowed for a person's wrists, ankles or both to be manacled as a punishment for some minor wrongdoing. It would have been common for people being punished in this way to be left, sometimes for days, in all weathers and with the respectable citizens throwing all manner of unpleasant things at them.

The Marple stocks were originally situated on Church Lane, outside the Ring O Bells public house and were moved to the park in 1959.

A few yards further on and you will see:

5. Oldknow's Shuttle Stone.
The Shuttle Stone is actually a date stone from Oldknow's 'Mellor Mill'. In 1787 at the age of 30, Samuel Oldknow had already established himself as the leading manufacturer of muslin (a fine quality cotton product) in this country. The wealth he had accumulated enabled him, in that year to purchase the Bottoms Hall Estate in Mellor and in 1790 work began on Mellor Mill, (near, what is now, the Roman Lakes), which was to be, at that time, the largest cotton mill in Europe. The mill provided employment for, at any given time 300-350 people until a disastrous fire in 1892 reduced it to rubble.

The achievement that Oldknow will best be remembered for, however, is for the part he played in the construction of the canal network in and around Marple which will be detailed later in the walk.

Opposite the Shuttle Stone you will be able to see:

6. Marple War Memorial.
Between 1857 and 1921 the area now known as the Memorial Park was the private land of the Carver family, 'Hollins House' , now the council offices, was one of their homes. Thomas and John Carver were partners in the Hollins Mill, like Oldknow before them they were to invest large parts of their fortune in the building of Marple's facilities and infrastructure. Following the horrors of the Great War the people of Marple were discussing how to best remember the 141 men from the village who had made the ultimate sacrifice. Amongst the suggestions made were the founding of a cottage hospital or the granting of a scholarship in memory of the men. The Carver's had themselves lost four sons to the war and eventually a deal was struck whereby they would give a large part of their land and sell the rest at a penny an acre to enable a War Memorial Park to be created.

The Memorial was eventually dedicated on 22nd July 1922 when 10,000 people attended, an astonishing amount considering that Marple's population at that time was only around 6,500. The memorial was extended after the Second World War when a further 50 names were added. It is still the focal point of the Remembrance Day services each year.

Continue along the main path and where it forks take the right hand path. Upon reaching the canal you will see to your left:

7. Oldknow's Warehouse.
Built in around 1805 by Samuel Oldknow, this lovely building, due to its picturesque setting, must be Marple's most painted and photographed. Following the completion of the locks and the subsequent connection of the local canal network, trade on the waterways was brisk and Oldknow had this warehouse positioned alongside Station Road which was then a busy thoroughfare. Boats could enter the building through an archway and, by using an ingenious chain hoist system, goods could be loaded or unloaded inside and outside the building.

From the warehouse head back up the towpath towards Marple.

8. Marple Locks.
Situated on the Peak Forest Canal the locks were completed in 1805 and linked up a canal network that had been completed 5 years earlier. From top to bottom there are 16 locks which raise the water level 209 feet over a distance of 1.5 miles. Just below lock 10 (adjacent to where you joined the canal from the park) if you look carefully you can see the grooves where the tramway (discussed by Mark in a previous edition) crossed the canal. When you reach Posset Bridge where Stockport Road crosses the canal you will see on the left the blocked tunnel that used to give access to the now in-filled Strines Road arm. The small, oval shaped, tunnel on the right was designed to enable the horses, which were used for pulling the barges, to cross under the road. Look at the edges of the opening and you can see where the tow ropes have worn grooves.

Posset Bridge allegedly derived its name from the 'possets of ale' that were given to the navvies building the canal in order to "expedite its completion". The Oxford dictionary explains Posset as: "A drink composed of hot milk curdled with ale, wine or other liquor, often with sugar, spices etc. formerly much used as a delicacy and as a remedy for colds."

Climb the steps by the horse tunnel and turn right. this will bring you back to the starting point by passing the site of the former Marple Liberal Club. The plaque seen on the wall was rescued from the rubble of the club.

Remember to get in touch with Peter or Mark using our contact us page if you have any interesting photographs or other items to share with readers.