Rochdale

I was in Rochdale anyway, and had a short time to look around. Not sure if I really did it justice. I am counting this as near Preston; it is only 40 minutes away and used to be in Lancashire.

Rochdale is on the river Roch; curiously the river is pronounced "roach". Much of the river is culverted, but there is a 200' section that is open in the centre of town. This gives a nice starting point.

I think this has been deculverted; old maps indicate this area was the centre for Rochdale trams at one time.


The curved building at the back in HSBC bank. This seems to be a sole survivor in an area that had a lot of banks at one time. Across the river was the Union Bank of Manchester, now the Old Bank Karaoke Bar.


To the right of HSBC, and set back a bit was the Royal Bank of Scotland, now a Hogarths pub.


It is not just banks. The cinema has also become a pub. Built in 1938, the new name, Regal Moon, recalls the original name, Regal Cinema. Butts Mill stood on the site previously.


Southeast of the banks - pretty much behind me when I took that first photo - is the impressive town hall. This grade I listed building opened in 1871.


The original spire was destroyed by fire in 1883, and the currect one built in 1887, following the style of Manchester town hall. It stands 190' tall; the original was even taller at 240'.

North of the town hall is the General Post Office, which opened in 1927. The road in front of it covers the river, and I think from a similar date.


East of the town hall is the Flying Horse Hotel, built 1923.


South of the town hill, the land rises sharply up to St Chad's Parish Church.


It is 124 steps up to the church; this is the view looking back down, towards the town hall and Flying Horse.


The church was originally founded before 1170, but what we have today is mostly Victorian. Note the stocks just right of the gate.


A short walk south-southeast to the Catholic church, with its large dome, designed to resemble the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, and built 1925 to 1927. Not sure it quite pulls that off.


Across the road is Fireground, a museum about the fire service. This former fire station was built in 1933.


The drill tower is visible from some distance.


The Manchester tram runs along the road between the the church and the old fire station (you can see the wires in both photos); a station is just south of them. This is the interchange for the "big" railway station on the line from Manchester Victoria to Todmorden.

A short way south of that in the Rochdale Canal, which may sound like a local affair, but was an important canal crossing the Pennines. It runs from Castlefield in Manchester to Sowerby Bridge, and the Manchester end featured in this post.

This is looking towards Manchester, where it is crossed by Milkstone Road.


Rochdale's industrial past is well in evidence here.


This is Lock Bridge, where Oldham Road crosses over. The tow path crosses to the other side here.


There is a branch, the Rochdale Branch Canal, which originally extended 2500' feet towards central Rochdale. Today it is just 200' long.


The building on the other side has seen better days!

Another view of the junction to finsh with.

















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