The Victorian Society in Manchesterregistered Charity No

The Victorian Society in ManchesterRegistered Charity No. 1081435 Registered Charity No.1081435 Spring Newsletter 2015 Waterhouse, which is arguably more EDITORIAL Holloway Sanatorium in Surrey, and has a fine, little altered Gothic successful than the original. Revival exterior and some remarkable THE FUTURE FOR ROCHDALE Victorian interiors. Rochdale Development Agency, TOWN HALL on behalf of Rochdale Council, The Town Hall was designed for a commissioned The Architectural There are ambitious plans to revitalise range of functions including a court, History Practice to research the history Rochdale’s famous Town Hall which assembly hall, council chamber, and architecture of the building in ranks among the very best of Victorian library and fire and police stations. 2012, to inform discussions about the Town Halls built in Britain and is, Crossland’s tall tower collapsed after future of the building. At the same deservedly, Grade I listed. In 2013, the a fire in 1883 and was replaced with a time, art historian Julian Treuherz majority of Council staff and functions new, slightly detached tower by Alfred advised on the rich, well-preserved moved out of the Town Hall to a new purpose-built Council Office at Number 1 Riverside, leaving much of the Town Hall under-used. Whilst the Town Hall remains open to visitors and for functions, there is an opportunity for new uses which will allow more people to enjoy the building’s magnificent Victorian architecture and history. The Town Hall was designed in the 1860s by W.H.Crossland and opened in 1871, as a statement of Rochdale’s civic pride, economic prosperity and radical politics. The building shares some characteristics with Crossland’s slightly later monumental designs for the Royal Holloway College and interiors including wall paintings and decoration executed by some of the best artists and designers of the period such as Heaton, Butler and Bayne and Henry Holiday. Rooms used for entertaining, such as the Mayor’s Parlour, are decorated with depictions of birds, flowers and animals, which were popular themes for Victorian interiors. In contrast, rooms designed for council business such as the Reception Room and Small Exchange are decorated with realistic paintings of great rarity and significance depicting contemporary tradesmen and textile machinery. Other rooms are treated in a plain manner to reflect their functions or have been substantially altered in the 20th century. These less significant areas offer scope for change, although Above right - wall painting, former Council Chamber. Above left - detail there is also potential to restore the of the ceiling in the Mayor's parlour; both by Heaton, Butler and Bayne decoration in one or two rooms. 1 The area surrounding the Town Hall crests have now disappeared under was improved in the late 19th century layers of varnish. NEWS to provide a suitable landscape setting, with a new river-side road and Mark Widdup, Director of Economy landscaped parks on the hill behind. and Environment at Rochdale Borough The setting was also altered in the Council, said: 'Rochdale Town Hall is a 20th century; the Memorial Gardens spectacular building which has played with Lutyens's cenotaph were laid out a large part in the civic life of Rochdale A Railway Sesquicentenary north of the river Roch, but the most and stood as an important landmark in This year marks the 150th damaging change was the culverting the region for the last 144 years. As its anniversary of the railway line of the river before the Second World proud custodians we want to ensure its through Marple to New Mills, which War. The Council is awaiting the future for generations to come so that was extended from the Guide outcome of a bid to the Heritage it can continue to be used and loved Bridge - Romiley line by the Marple, Lottery Fund to uncover part of the another 144 years from now. It’s clear New Mills and Hayfield Junction culverted river in the town centre, that this magnificent building is a star Railway and opened in 1865. There which may increase impetus for further attraction and doesn’t need wholesale will be exhibitions in the waiting improvements, such as reopening the change. What we are seeking to do is rooms of both stations to mark culverted section of the river in front of enhance what is already there to make the occasion. New Mills Central the Town Hall. this fantastic building even better.' still has its original building on the down platform, designed by Louis The Council is also developing plans The proposals have been progressed Edgar Roberts, the chief architect for the Town Hall itself, following the with the Friends of Rochdale Town Hall of the Manchester, Sheffield and completion of a feasibility study. BDP who are passionate about securing Lincolnshire Railway. Unfortunately were commissioned to undertake the a vibrant and sustainable future for the attached stationmaster’s house study by the Rochdale Development the building and have already begun has been unoccupied for several Agency. Emerging proposals include fund-raising to aid restoration work. years, despite the existence of a the restoration of the vast Magna They have recently established a community rail partnership covering Carta fresco by Henry Holiday which Facebook page to share stories of the line; CRPs often succeed adorns the east wall of the Great Hall. the history of the Town Hall as well as in finding alternative uses for They also seek to bring sections of present activities which have included redundant station buildings. For the building, previously closed to the abseiling from the clock tower and those who do not know New Mills, it public for a number of years, back observing the Town Hall’s own family is worth visiting in its own right. The into use as public and commercial of peregrine falcons. To find out more railway follows the River Goyt, which space. Improvements to the area in about the history of the Town Hall and at New Mills enters a gorge known front of the building to make it more the work of the Friends of Rochdale as The Torrs. Just beyond the station attractive and inviting will complete Town Hall contact Pam Haigh on the line is carried by a massive the scheme, which would be delivered 017706 868092. The Council will be stone retaining wall, best seen from in phases over a five-year period. consulting with the wider community the Millennium Walkway below, Detailed ideas for consideration on their plans over the coming months. after which it plunges into a tunnel include creating a new hall with a high through the rocky side of the gorge vaulted ceiling in the old library space Tours of Rochdale Town Hall take and crosses the River Sett before by removing mezzanine levels. This place on the last Friday of each month reaching easier country further up area, which was previously subdivided at 2.15pm and last approximately 2 the valley. to create offices for council staff, could hours. To book call 01706 924797. accommodate a seated audience of https://www.facebook.com/ Marple station is also situated on about 80 people or be used for smaller friendsofrochdaletownhall/info the steep side of the valley, giving events, complementing activities in the it a cramped site. This did not stop Great Hall. Marion Barter: (The Architectural the Sheffield and Midland Joint History Practice) and Kerrie Committee (MSL and Midland Other unique features of the Town Melrose (Turley Heritage, previously Railways), which had taken over Hall, such as the old police cells, last Conservation Officer at Rochdale the line, from adding extra tracks on used more than 30 years ago, would Council) December 2014 the opposite side of the platforms also be restored for new uses. And and installing a goods yard and there are plans to create a new version The Manchester Victorian Society warehouse in 1875. All this was of the Roche Suite that would host c/o Portico Library swept away in 1970, allowing an wedding ceremonies in an improved 57 Mosley Street approach road and car park to be setting. Manchester M2 3HY provided. Unfortunately this entailed relocation of the station building There is also a desire to restore much The Victorian Society is the champion for from the down to the up platform, of the historical artwork in the Town Victorian and Edwardian buildings in England adjacent to the car park. A polite Hall, including the roof panels in the and Wales description of the new building is Great Hall whose images of royal that it is devoid of architectural 2 merit. Also lost were the remarkable Perth. Locke was in partnership Worthington in his 1858 extension. glass and iron canopies on both with John E. Errington, and Brassey He added a squat crenellated tower platforms, also dating from 1875, with John Stephenson and William with a corner turret, a feature he which were over 1300 feet long and Mackenzie, while one of Tite’s included when he rebuilt Tebay in contained 1600 panes of glass. The assistants was Thomas Worthington, 1863. Tite’s Penrith station, in local last structure to remain was the who did most of the detail work. red sandstone with lighter dressings, footbridge, dismantled one night in Later Worthington opened his own had a fine large mullioned window August 2012 and taken to Peak Rail practice in Manchester, where he giving on to the lofty booking hall. at Matlock. A local photographer was responsible for a number of Tite excelled himself at Carlisle, stayed up to record the operation. notable buildings, including the adopting a collegiate style that took On the Romiley side of Marple is the Albert Memorial in Albert Square.

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