Altrincham

Altrincham
Altrincham Old Market Place
Population	40,695  (2001 Census)
• Density	10,272/sq mi (3,966/km2)
OS grid reference	SJ765875
• London	161 mi (259 km) SE
Metropolitan borough	Trafford
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ALTRINCHAM
Postcode district	WA14 & WA15
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
UK Parliament	Altrincham and Sale West

Altrincham (/ˈɒltrɪŋəm/ OL-tring-əm) is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of Manchester city centre, 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest of Sale and 10 miles (16 km) east of Warrington. As of the 2001 UK census, it had a population of 41,000.

Historically a part of Cheshire, Altrincham was established as a market town in 1290, a time when most communities were based around agriculture rather than trade, and there is still a market in the town today. Further socioeconomic development came with the extension of the Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765 and the arrival of the railway in 1849, stimulating industrial activity in the town. Outlying villages were absorbed by Altrincham's subsequent growth, along with the grounds of Dunham Massey Hall, formerly the home of the Earl of Stamford, and now a tourist attraction with three Grade I listed buildings and a deer park.

Altrincham today is an affluent commuter town, partly because of its transport links. The town has a strong middle class presence; there has been a steady increase in Altrincham's middle classes since the 19th century. It is also a centre for sport, home to Altrincham F.C. and an English Premier League ice hockey club, Manchester Phoenix.

History

There is evidence of human activity in the area during prehistoric times in the form of two Neolithic arrowheads. Aside from a concentration of artefacts around Dunham, there are few finds from the prehistoric period in Trafford. There are the remains of a Roman road running through the Broadheath area of the town. It is part of one of the major Roman roads in North West England, and is linked to the legionary fortresses of Chester (Deva Victrix) and York (Eboracum). It was in use for a considerable period of time, as it shows signs of having been repaired. After the Romans retreated from Britain in the early 5th century, the Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain. The name Altrincham first appears as "Aldringeham", probably meaning "homestead of Aldhere's people". The name evolved into the modern spelling, but as late as the 19th century, it was spelt both Altrincham and Altringham.

A milestone along the Barton Bridge and Moses Gate turnpike road near Eccles. Note the spelling of 'Altringham'.

Until the Norman invasion, the manors surrounding Altrincham were owned by the Saxon thegn Alweard; after the invasion they became the property of Hamon de Massey. Altrincham was not mentioned in the Domesday Book. The earliest documented reference to the town was in 1290, when it was granted its charter as a Free Borough by Baron Hamon de Massey V. The charter allowed a weekly market to be held, and it is possible that de Massey established the town to generate income through tolls, dues, and taxes from trade, suggesting that Altrincham may have been a planned market town. That would have been unusual during the Middle Ages, when most communities were agricultural. Altrincham was probably chosen as the site of the planned town, rather than Dunham which would have been protected by Dunham Castle, as it had good access to roads, allowing ease of trade.

Altrincham Fair became St James's Fair or Samjam in 1319 and continued until 1895. Fair days had their own court of Pye Powder (a corruption of the French for "dusty feet"), presided over by the mayor and held to settle disputes arising from the day's dealings. On the extinction of the Massey family in 1340, the lands of Altrincham passed to the Earl of Stamford. By 1348, the town had 120 burgage plots – ownership of land that can be used as a measure of status and importance in an area – putting it on a par with Macclesfield and above Stockport and Knutsford. The earliest known residence in Altrincham was The Knoll, on Stamford Street near the centre of the medieval town. An excavation in 1983 by South Trafford Archaeological Group on the demolished building discovered evidence that the house dated from the 13th or 14th century, and that it may have contained a drying kiln or malting floor. During the English Civil War, men from Altrincham fought for the Parliamentarian Sir George Booth. During the war, armies camped several times on nearby Bowdon Downs.

Seamons Moss Bridge over the Bridgewater Canal

The extension of the Bridgewater Canal to Altrincham in 1765 stimulated the development of market gardening, and for many years Altrincham was notable for its vegetables. By 1767, warehouses had been built alongside the canal in Broadheath, the first step in Altrincham's industrialisation and the development of Broadheath as an industrial area. When the canal was completed in 1776, it provided a water route from Manchester, through Altrincham, to the Irish Sea. In July 1845, the Act of Parliament allowing for the construction of the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) was passed. At 8:00 am, 20 July 1849, the first railway train left Altrincham, carrying 65 passengers. The MSJAR had two stations in the town: Altrincham on Stockport Road, and one called Bowdon – though not actually in Bowdon – on Lloyd Street/Railway Street. They were both closed in 1881, and replaced by Altrincham & Bowdon station on Stamford New Road. Broadheath Railway Station, at the northern edge of the town, on the London and North Western Railway line, was opened in 1854. The Cheshire Midland Railway (later the Cheshire Lines Committee) opened from Altrincham to Knutsford on 12 May 1862.

In the late 19th century Altrincham became a base from where professionals and industrialists commuted to Manchester. A notable early commuter was the calico printer William Neild, who travelled daily by coach from High Lawn in Bowdon in the 1840s; however the less well–to–do would commute by express or "flyer" barges from Broadheath. With the coming of the railway the areas in and around Altrincham became very desirable places for the middle classes and commuters to live. Between 1851 and 1881 the population increased from 4,488 to 11,250.

The industrial area of Broadheath, spanning an area of 250 acres (1.0 km²), was founded by Harry Grey, 8th Earl of Stamford, in 1885 for the purpose of attracting businesses. By 1900, Broadheath had its own docks, warehouses and electricity generating station. The site's proximity to rail, canal and road proved attractive to companies making machine tools, cameras and grinding machines. The presence of Tilghmans Sand Blast Co Ltd and the Linotype and Machinery Company established Broadheath as an industrial area of national standing. By 1914, there were 14 companies operating in Broadheath, employing thousands of workers. One of those was the Budenberg Gauge Company. A direct result of the industrialisation of Broadheath was a population boom and the creation of 172 workers' homes by Linotype near the factory; between 1891 and 1901 the population of Altrincham increased by 35% from 12,440 to 16,831.

There was little change in Altrincham from the turn of the 20th century to the start of World War II. Although experiencing some bombing as part of the Luftwaffe's raids on Greater Manchester, the town emerged from the war relatively unscathed and, along with the rest of Britain, experienced a boom period shortly after. This manifested itself in the construction of new housing and the rebuilding of the town centre in the 1960s. However, the boom period was followed by a depression in the 1970s, during which time employment at Broadheath fell by nearly 40%. In 1974, Altrincham became part of the newly formed Metropolitan Borough of Trafford.

Governance

Arms of the former Altrincham Municipal Borough Council

Altrincham became a Free Borough, a self governing township, when it was granted a charter in June 1290 by the Lord of the Manor, Hamon De Massey. The charter allowed for the creation of a merchants' guild, run by the town's burgesses to tax people passing through the borough. Burgesses were free men who lived in the town. The borough was ruled by a Court Leet and elected a mayor since at least 1452. Amongst the court's responsibilities were keeping the public peace and regulating the markets and fairs.

The borough was not one of those reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835, and continued to exist under the control of the Lord of the Manor and the Court Leet until its final abolition in 1886. Altrincham's growing population led to unsanitary conditions in the town and the Public Health Act of 1848 led to the creation of Altrincham's Local Board of Health in 1851 to address this problem, ahead of the rest of Trafford. The local board was reconstituted as an urban district council in the administrative county of Cheshire under the Local Government Act 1894.

Altrincham Urban District was expanded in 1920 when parts of Carrington and Dunham Massey Civil Parishes were added. A further expansion took place in 1936; Timperley Civil Parish was abolished and most of its area incorporated into Altrincham UD. At the same time, there was a minor exchange of areas with Hale Urban District; a minor addition from Bowdon Urban District; and a further substantial portion of Dunham Massey Civil Parish was added. In 1937 the urban district was granted a charter of incorporation and became a municipal borough. The new borough was granted armorial bearings which featured heraldic references to the Masseys and Earls of Stamford. With the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, the administrative counties and municipal boroughs were abolished and Altrincham became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester on 1 April 1974.

Altrincham was in the eponymous parliamentary constituency which was created in 1885. This lasted until 1945 when it was replaced by Altrincham and Sale. In 1997, this in turn became part of the newly created constituency of Altrincham and Sale West. Since its formation, Altrincham and Sale West has been represented in the House of Commons by the Conservative MP, Graham Brady. This is one of a small number of seats in the North West held by the Conservative Party, and one of only two Conservative seats in Greater Manchester.

The town is within Trafford Metropolitan Borough; Trafford Council is responsible for the administration of local services, such as education, social services, town planning, waste collection and council housing. The area is divided into seven electoral wards: Altrincham, Bowdon, Broadheath, Hale Central, Hale Barns, Timperley, and Village. These wards have 21 out of the 63 seats on the Trafford Council; as of the 2007 local elections seventeen of these seats were held by the Conservative Party and four by the Liberal Democrats.

Geography

Further information: Geography of Greater Manchester

The Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, highlighting Altrincham in red.

At 53°23′2″N 2°21′17″W (53.3838, −2.3547), Altrincham is on the southwestern edge of the Greater Manchester Urban Area, immediately south of the town of Sale, 8 miles (13 km) from Manchester city centre. It lies in the northwest corner of the Cheshire Plain, just south of the River Mersey. The Bridgewater Canal passes through the Broadheath area of the town. Altrincham's drinking water is supplied by United Utilities. The local bedrock consists mainly of Keuper Waterstone, a type of sandstone, and water retrieved from those rocks is very hard and often saline, making it undrinkable.

The climate of Altrincham is generally temperate, with few extremes of temperature or weather. The mean temperature is slightly above average for the United Kingdom; whereas both annual rainfall and average hours of sunshine are slightly below the average for the UK.

Divisions and suburbs

Altrincham is one of the four major urban areas in Trafford, the other three being Sale, Stretford and Urmston. The Altrincham area, as defined by Trafford MBC, comprises the south of Trafford. In addition to the town of Altrincham, it includes the villages of Timperley, Bowdon, Hale and Hale Barns. The Broadheath area of the town was a light industrial centre until the 1970s, but is now a retail park. The most densely populated part of the town is around the town centre, with the less populated areas and more green space further from the centre of town in villages such as Bowdon and Hale. The Oldfield Brow area lies on the outskirts of the town beside the Bridgewater Canal and close to Dunham Massey.

Demography

Altrincham compared
2001 UK Census	Altrincham	Trafford	England
Total population	40,695	210,145	49,138,831
White	94.4%	91.6%	90.9%
Asian	1.3%	4.1%	4.6%
Black	0.5%	2.0%	2.3%

As of the 2001 UK census, the town of Altrincham had a total population of 40,695. Of the 27,900 households in Altrincham, 38.7% were married couples living together, 30.4% were one-person households, 8.2% were co-habiting couples, and 9.0% were lone parents.

The population density is 10,272 inhabitants per square mile (3,966/km²) and for every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. Of those aged 16 to 74 in Altrincham, 21.7% had no academic qualifications, similar to the 21.3% in all of Trafford and lower than the 28.9% in England. There is a low proportion of non-white people (4.6%). The largest minority group was Asian, at 1.3% of the population.

In 1931, 14.6% of Altrincham's population was middle class compared with 14% in England and Wales, and by 1971, this had increased to 28.8% compared with 24% nationally. Parallel to this increase in the middle classes of Altrincham was the decline of the working class population. In 1931, 30.3% were working class compared with 36% in England and Wales; by 1971, this had decreased to 18.6% in Altrincham and 26% nationwide. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers. The change in social structure in Altrincham was at a similar rate to that of the rest of the nation but was biased towards the middle classes, making Altrincham the middle class town it is today.

Population change

According the hearth tax returns from 1664, the township of Altrincham had a population of about 636, making it the largest settlement locally; this had increased to 1,692 in 1801. In the first half of the 19th century, the town's population increase by 165%, higher than 89% across England and 98% in the Trafford area. The growth of the settlement was a result of the Industrial Revolution, and although Altrincham was one of the fastest growing townships in the Trafford area, but paled in comparison to new industrial areas such as Ashton-under-Lyne, Hyde, and Manchester. In the second half of the 19th century, Altrincham's population grew by 275%, higher than the 235% for Trafford and 69% nationally in the same period. This was due to the late industrialisation of the area and the introduction of the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway in 1849. The table below details the population change since 1801, including the percentage change since the last census.

Population growth in Altrincham since 1801
Year	1801	1811	1821	1831	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891	1901	1911	1921	1931	1939	1951	1961	1971	1981	1991	2001
Population	1,692	2,032	2,302	2,708	3,399	4,488	6,628	8,478	11,250	12,440	16,831	17,813	20,450	21,356	39,940	39,789	41,122	40,786	39,693	40,042	40,695
% change	–	+20.1	+13.3	+17.6	+25.5	+32.0	+47.7	+27.9	+32.7	+10.6	+35.3	+5.8	+14.8	+4.4	+87.0	−0.4	+3.4	−0.8	−2.7	+0.9	+1.6
Source:A Vision of Britain through Time

Economy

Altrincham compared
2001 UK Census	Altrincham	Trafford	England
Population of working age	29,397	151,445	35,532,091
Full time employment	45.7%	43.4%	40.8%
Part time employment	12.7%	11.9%	11.8%
Self employed	8.9%	8.0%	8.3%
Unemployed	2.2%	2.7%	3.3%
Retired	13.2%	13.9%	13.5%

Altrincham Market

Historically, Altrincham was a market town and the two main areas of employment were agriculture and market trade. Although the town went into decline in the 15th century, it recovered and the annual fairs lasted until the mid-19th century and the market still continues. During the Industrial Revolution, Altrincham grew as an industrial town, particularly the Broadheath area, which was developed into an industrial estate. In 1801 there were four cotton mills in Altrincham, part of its textile industry, although they had closed by the 1851 census. The decline of the textile industry in Altrincham mirrored the decline of the industry in the Trafford area as a result of a lack of investment and the development of more established industrial areas such as Manchester, Ashton-under-Lyne, and Oldham. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, heavier industries moved into Broadheath, providing local employment. The area steadily declined during the second half of the 20th century, with employment at Broadheath falling from 8,000 to 5,000 between 1960 and 1970. Despite the presence of retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer in the town, and redevelopment schemes costing over £100 million, Altrincham's 15.5% level of employment in retail is below the national average of 16.9%. Altrincham, with its neighbours Bowdon and Hale, is said to constitute a "stockbroker belt", with well-appointed dwellings in an area of sylvan opulence.

The historic market town developed as a residential area in the 19th century although it retains its retail heritage in the Old Market Place (a conservation area) and a new pedestrianised shopping centre. The retail districts of the town have more recently fallen victim to decline due to competition from the nearby Trafford Centre and a regenerated Manchester city centre. In 2006 Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council unveiled plans for a £1.5 million face lift for the town centre. The redevelopment will create 146,000 square feet (13,600 m²) of new retail space and 203,000 square feet (18,900 m²) of refurbished space, providing 349,000 square feet (32,400 m²) in total.

Another development, costing £150m and nicknamed "Station Location", is scheduled for completion in 2011. The 4.5-acre (18,000 m²) site, bordered by Oakfield Road, Moss Lane and the railway station platform, will include an extreme sports centre, an ice rink (the home of Manchester Phoenix ice hockey club) with a 3,000-seat capacity, an 85-bedroom hotel, two new public squares, restaurants, shops, flats, 25,000 square feet (2,300 m²) of office space and a 960-space car park. A temporary ice rink was opened in February 2007, near to the site, to house Manchester Phoenix until the new, larger rink, is completed. A 2010 survey found that despite being in one of the country's most affluent areas, nearly a third of the shops in Altrincham were vacant; Trafford council attributed the high number (78) to the effects of the recession and plans to refurbish Stamford House, which left most of its shops unused.

According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents in Altrincham was 18.4% property and business services, 16.0% retail and wholesale, 12.1% manufacturing, 10.7% health and social work, 8.3% education, 8.3% transport and communications, 5.8% finance, 5.7% construction, 4.2% hotels and restaurants, 4.2% public administration and defence, 0.8% agriculture, 0.8% energy and water supply, 0.2% mining, and 4.6% other. This was roughly in line with national figures, except for the town's relatively high percentage of workers in property and business services. The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 5.3% looking after home or family, 4.3% permanently sick or disabled, 3.2% students without jobs, 2.2% students were with jobs, and 2.4% economically inactive for other reasons. The 2.2% unemployment rate of Altrincham was low compared with the national rate of 3.3%.

Culture

Landmarks and attractions

Dunham Massey Hall

On the outskirts of Altrincham is the 18th-century Dunham Massey Hall and its 250-acre (1 km²) deer park, both now owned by the National Trust. The hall is early Georgian in style, and it, along with its stables and carriage house, are Grade I listed buildings. Another of Altrincham's attractions is the historic market, set up over 800 years ago when the town was first established.

Stamford Park is a 16-acre (65,000 m²) park designed by landscape gardener John Shaw. It was opened to the public in 1880, as a sports park with areas for cricket and football and is now owned and run by Trafford Council. The land was donated by George Grey, the 7th Earl of Stamford. The park is listed as Grade II on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, as well as having won a bronze award from the Greenspace award scheme. Trafford council intend to build a £7,000 skate park in Stamford Park as part of a scheme to reduce crime by providing youths with activities. CCTV will be installed to monitor the skate park.

The clock outside the main transport interchange was built in 1880, and has been a Grade II listed building since 1985. Royd House was built between 1914 and 1916 by local architect Edgar Wood as his own residence. It has a flat concrete roof and a concave façade and is faced in Portland red stone and Lancashire brick. It is regarded as one of the most advanced examples of early 20th-century domestic architecture, and is referenced in architectural digests. The house has been a Grade I listed building since 1975, one of six such buildings in Trafford.

The Old Market Place is thought to stand on the site of the original town settlement. Now a registered conservation area it consists of a series of part timber-framed buildings echoing the wattle and daub constructions of the original houses and burgage plots. The cobblestone paving was replaced in 1896. The Buttermarket which stood in the area near the Old Market Place from the 17th century until the late 19th century was also the site for dispensing early local justice. A courtroom, stocks and whipping post saw public floggings take place there until the early 19th century. The whipping post and stocks were restored as a tourist attraction by local traders in the 1990s. However the Buttermarket area was also a site of religious importance, since prospective brides and grooms are thought to have declared their intentions here. In 1814 Thomas de Quincey described the Old Market Place in his Confessions of an English Opium Eater while travelling from Manchester to Chester. He noted how little the place had changed since he had visited 14 years earlier, when he was three, and that "fruits, such as can be had in July, and flowers were scattered about in profusion: even the stalls of the butchers, from their brilliant cleanliness, appeared attractive: and bonny young women of Altrincham were all tripping about in caps and aprons coquettishly disposed".

Cultural events and venues

Altrincham has two theatres, the Altrincham Garrick Playhouse and the Club Theatre. The Altrincham Garrick group was formed in 1913. The Garrick held the world stage premier of Psycho in 1982. In 1998, it received a grant of £675,000 from the National Lottery as part of a £900,000 redevelopment of the theatre, which was completed in 1999. The Club Theatre group began in 1896, as the St Margaret's Church Institute Amateur Dramatics Society. It provides a venue for the Trafford Youth Theatre production each year, and it runs the Hale One Act Festival, an annual week-long event started in 1972. The Club has received awards from both the Greater Manchester Drama Federation and the Mid-Cheshire Theatre Guild. Altrincham also had Greater Manchester's only Michelin starred restaurant, the Juniper.

Sports

Altrincham F.C., nicknamed "The Robins", were founded in 1903 and play home matches at Moss Lane. The club plays in the Football Conference, the highest level of English non-league football and the fifth tier overall. In the 1970s and 1980s Altrincham F.C. built a reputation for "giant-killing" acts against Football League teams in FA Cup matches. The club has knocked out Football League opposition on a record 16 occasions, including a 1986 victory against top-flight Birmingham City. Altrincham won the forerunner of the Football Conference in its first two seasons, but was denied election to the Football League on both occasions, falling a single vote short in 1980. Altrincham has since had mixed fortunes. Relegated to the Northern Premier League in 1997, the club earned promotion two years later, but suffered a second relegation after a single season in the Conference. In the 2005–06, 2006–07, and 2007–08 seasons, Altrincham avoided relegation only as a result of other teams being deducted points, or being expelled from the Conference.

Altrincham is one of the few towns in North West England with an ice rink, and has had an ice hockey team since 1961, when Altrincham Ice Rink was built in Broadheath. The Altrincham Aces (later renamed the Trafford Metros) existed from 1961 until 2003, when Altrincham Ice Rink closed. The town then had a three year period without a rink or ice hockey team, until construction of the 2,500 capacity Altrincham Ice Dome was completed. Manchester Phoenix, a professional team in the Elite Ice Hockey League, relocated to the Ice Dome during the 2006–07 season, having withdrawn from competition two years earlier due to the high cost of playing matches at Manchester's MEN Arena. When not being used by Phoenix the Altrincham Ice Dome is open to the public for ice skating.

Founded in 1897, Altrincham Kersal RUFC plays rugby union in North One, the competition below the National Leagues, and is amongst the top 80 clubs in England. Altrincham has been promoted five times in the past ten seasons. The club has produced England and Sale Sharks players Mark Cueto and Chris Jones and continues to produce players for the Sale Jets. Altrincham and District Athletics Club was founded in 1961, and provides training facilities for track and field, road running, cross-country running and fell running. Seamons Cycling Club was formed in 1948, in the area of Altrincham known locally as Seamons Moss.

Education

See also: List of schools in Trafford

As Altrincham was part of the parish of Bowdon, children from the township may have gone to the school that was established at Bowdon in the 16th century; however, before then there was no formal education in the town. A school was founded at Oldfield House, endowed by a salt merchant from Dunham Woodhouses, intended for 40 boys aged 8–11 from the surrounding area. Sunday schools run by were set up in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The increasing population in Altrincham necessitated the need for more schools in the early 19th century. In 1856, there were 9 schools, 1 college, and 23 teachers. The introduction of compulsory education in the second half of the 19th century meant there was a need for more schools, and in 1886 there were 12 church schools and 8 private schools.

Cheshire County Council became responsible for education in the town in 1903, and Loreto Convent, the County High School for Girls, and Altrincham County High School for Boys were founded in 1909, 1910, and 1912 respectively. These schools are still open and known are called Altrincham Grammar School for Girls, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys, and Loreto Grammar School. The schools were built after the First World War due to a population boom caused by a post-war housing programme. Altrincham received evacuees during the Second World War, and it was in this period that St. Ambrose College was founded.

There are 18 primary schools, one special school, and 8 secondary schools in the Altrincham area, including 5 grammar schools; the Trafford district maintains a selective education system assessed by the Eleven Plus exam. Several of the secondary schools in the Altrincham area have specialist status: Altrincham College of Arts (arts); Altrincham Grammar School for Boys (language); Altrincham Grammar School for Girls (language); Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College (maths and computing); Loreto Grammar School for Girls (science); and St. Ambrose College (maths and computing). Altrincham Grammar School for Girls was described in its 2005 Ofsted report as "outstanding with an outstanding sixth form". Loreto Grammar – a Voluntary Aided, Catholic grammar school – was also described in its 2005 Ofsted report as "outstanding with an outstanding sixth form". Brentwood Special School is a mixed school for 11–19 years olds who have special needs or learning difficulties.

Religion

See also: List of churches in Greater Manchester

St George's Church was built in 1897 and is a Grade II listed building.

During the medieval and post-medieval period, the township of Altrincham was part of the Bowdon parish. Altrincham did not have a church until the late 18th century because of a low population density in the area. A growing population in led to the Anglican church establishing a chapel of ease in the town in 1799. Nonconformists were also present in Altrincham, Methodists set up a chapel in 1790 Baptists built one in the 1870s. Irish immigrants in the 1830s and 1840s brought Roman Catholicism back to the area, and the first Roman Catholic church built in Trafford was St Vincent's in 1860 Altrincham.

There are five Grade II listed churches in Altrincham: Christ Church, the Church of St Alban, the Church of St George, the Church of St John the Evangelist, and Trinity United Reformed Church. All these churches have been listed buildings since 1985. There are three Grade II* listed churches in Altrincham out of only nine Grade II* buildings in Trafford: the Church of St Margaret, the Church of St John the Divine, and Hale Chapel in Hale Barns. As of the 2001 UK census, 78.8% of Altrincham's residents reported themselves as being Christian, 1.1% Jewish, 1.1% Muslim, 0.4% Hindu, 0.2% Buddhist and 0.1% Sikh. The census recorded 12.1% as having no religion, 0.2% with an alternative religion, and 6.1% not stating their religion. Altrincham is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury, and the Church of England Diocese of Chester. The nearest synagogue, belonging to Hale and District Hebrew Congregation, is on Shay Lane in Hale, and there are plans to build another close by to cater for Jews of Sephardi origin.

Transport

In 1754, a stretch of road south of Altrincham, along the Manchester to Chester route, was turnpiked. Turnnpikes were toll roads which taxed passengers for the maintenance of the road. Further sections were turnpiked in 1765 from Timperley to Sale, and 1821 from Altrincham to Stockport. The maintenance of roads passed to local authorities in 1888, although by then most turnpike trusts had already declined.

Construction on the Bridgewater Canal began in 1759, and on its completion in 1776, it provided a link by water between Manchester and the Irish Sea, via Altrincham. Canals were a quicker and more economical means of travel than roads. The Bridgewater Canal is still in use, although now by leisure craft rather than commercial.

Altrincham station in 2010

After a bill was passed in Parliament in 1845, construction of the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway began. It was opened in 20 October 1849 and ran services from Manchester London Road via Sale to Altrincham. In 1931, the MSJAR line was electrified (1500 V DC OLE), one of the first electrified railway lines, supplied by overhead current, in Great Britain. At the same time a further Altrincham station was opened on that line, at Navigation Road, to serve the housing developments in the area. By 1937, there were 130 train services daily between Manchester and Altrincham. The line was renovated in the early 1990s and is now part of the Metrolink. Broadheath railway station served the northern part of Altrincham between 1853 and 1962, on the line from Manchester, via Lymm to Warrington.

Altrincham railway station is the southern terminus of one of the lines of the Manchester Metrolink light rail system, which connects it with the centre of Manchester and locations in Greater Manchester such as Sale and Bury. The Metrolink service also serves Navigation Road railway station. Metrolink services leave around every six minutes between 7:15 and 18:30, and every 12 minutes at other times of the day. National Rail services link Altrincham and Navigation Road stations with Chester via Northwich, and with Manchester via Stockport. Altrincham Interchange, next to the railway station, is a hub for local bus routes. Manchester Airport, the largest in the UK outside London, is 4 miles (6 km) to the southeast of the town.

Notable people

Altrincham has been home to notable people, both past and present. Helen Allingham lived in Altrincham and then Bowdon as a child. Alison Uttley wrote the Little Grey Rabbit books while living in Bowdon. The dramatist Ronald Gow lived in Altrincham in his youth and later taught at the local grammar school. It was the birthplace of the actress Angela Cartwright.

Ian Brown and John Squire of The Stone Roses both attended Altrincham Grammar School for boys. In addition, Paul Young from Sad Café and Mike and the Mechanics lived in Altrincham until his death in 2000 Cricketer Paul Allott was born in Altrincham and played Test cricket for England. Allott played for Lancashire between 1978 and 1991 and played his 13 tests between 1981 and 1985 Altrincham born Bill Speakman received the Victoria Cross for valour in 1951 in the Korean War. Sir Michael Pollock, an officer in the Royal Navy who rose to the position of First Sea Lord, was born in Altrincham.

See also

• List of people from Trafford

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopedia of British Railway Companies. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-049-7.
• Bamford, Frank (1991). The Making of Altrincham, 1850–1991: from market to megastore?. Altrincham: Frank Bamford. ISBN 0-9517225-1-4.
• Bayliss, Don (1992). Altrincham: a history. Altrincham: Willow Publishing. ISBN 0-946361-33-9.
• De Quincey, Thomas ([1994] 1821). Confessions of an English Opium-Eater. Wordsworth Editions. ISBN 978-1-85326-096-4. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
• Dore, R N (1972). A History of Hale, Cheshire: From Domesday to Dormitory. Altrincham: John Sherratt and Son Ltd. ISBN 0-85427-030-2.
• Frangopulo, N J (1977). Tradition in Action: The Historical Evolution of the Greater Manchester County. Wakefield: EP Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7158-1203-7.
• McNeil, R (2000). A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Greater Manchester. Association for Industrial Archaeology. ISBN 0-9528930-3-7. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Nevell, Mike (1997). The Archaeology of Trafford. Trafford Metropolitan Borough with University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. ISBN 1-870695-25-9.
• Nickson, Chas (1935). Bygone Altrincham. Didsbury: E.J. Morten. ISBN 0-901598-30-5.
• Taylor, B J; R H Price and Frederick Murray Trotter (1963). Geology of the Country around Stockport and Knutsford. Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

• Altrincham History Society.