Rochdale Rambles Part 1

This is the statue of John Bright (1811-1889) a native of Rochdale. Bright was firstly the Liberal Mp for Manchester and, in 1858, he became the member of Parliament for Birmingham. He was a reformer and also a major campaigner for the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1839. Also, he was a member of The Society of Friends (Quakers) and was a mill owner in Rochdale (his father had earlier set up this very same mill). This very fine statue of Bright, a local landmark, stands proudly at the western side of Broadfield Park overlooking the esplanade and close to Rochdale Town Hall.

Just a short distance further back up the path overlooking the esplanade at the western side of Broadfield Park stands another interesting monument called 'The Dialect Writers Memorial' made of a red granite pedestal topped by an obelisk that was erected here in 1900. This tall granite monument stands in memory of the four Rochdale dialect writers, Edwin Waugh who died in 1890, Oliver Ormerod died 1879, Margaret Lahee died 1895 and John Clegg who died in 1895. However, the most famous of these undoutedly was the renowned poet Edwin Waugh born in 1817 and died 1890 the renowned Rochdale-born dialect poet and author. The monument is very carefully inscribed with the various poems and information on each of the writers' - along with their carved faces. It is well-worth having a much closer look at - and, also perhaps taking rather more time to read those interesting inscriptions. The photo shows the side pertaining to Edwin Waugh with related information.

From here go on into Broadfield Park - passing close to the statue of Alderman George Leach Ashworth (1823-1873), a former mayor of Rochdale. Opposite the bandstand and close to the St Alban's Road (Ordnance Survey grid reference SD.896 130) entrance where there is a curious round-shaped boulder, made of andecite, that is thought to weigh somewhere between five and seven tons. This is actually a relic of the last Ice-Age about 11,000-13,000 years ago. Apparently it used to lie in a field at Cown Top farm, on the moors above Rochdale, but it was given as a gift to the park. The glacial erratic boulder was transported to the Rochdale area in a retreating ice flow moving south from Borrowdale in the Lake District and scraping along the western sides of the Pennines.

Continuing our ramble around Rochdale head out of Broadfield Park and to Sparrow Hill where the beautiful Gothic ediface of St Chad's parish church can be found. There was a church, of sorts, here back in the 1100s on what was perhaps a Saxon site. Part of the square-shaped tower is thought to date back to that period. But what we see today is a Gothic revivalist restoration of the late 19th century. The building is though quite stunning. Above the main entrance there is an imposing statue of Saint Chad, who is looking down.

This very fine statue of St Chad, bishop of Lichfield (d 672) looks down, imposingly, from his splendidly carved niche above the main entrance to the church.

Close to St Chad's parish church we can see the railed-off grave of Tim Bobbin (John Collier) 1708-1786. He was born at Urmston near Manchester and spent much of his life in and around Rochdale, indeed he was a teacher at Milnrow. But Collier became a well-known Lancashire caricaturist and satirical dialect poet. He would sell his drawings and poems in the inns of Rochdale; his portraits of the folk who frequented these ale houses were often of a comical nature. Many of these drawings and dialect poems are still known to us today. Collier's gravestone with its worn epitaph is a pilgrimage site for many Lancashire poets. The worn epitaph can just be made out and has, apparently, a number of references to his wife Mary who he referred to as Moll.

And now the final part of our ramble takes us down 'Church Steps' 122 or 124 steps that lead down from St Chad's churchyard to the Town Hall. On descending the steps you will see on your left 'Packer Spout' where long ago packhorses paused for a cooling drink. At the bottom go through the carpark and there in front of you stands Rochdale Town Hall in all its splendour. Opened in 1871 it was built in the Victorian Gothic style by architect William Henry Crossland. It is a fine example of a Victorian municipal building. The clock tower, a local landmark. dominates the skyline and stands at 190 feet high and was opened in 1888. Locally, the tower is called "Little Big Ben". The stained-glass windows in the town hall are delightfully outstanding, in fact, the whole building is quite stunning with its gilded lions and other features. The interior is just as nice - if not better than the outside. It is certainly worth spending some time and having a closer look at the building - both inside and out.

Rochdale Town Hall clock tower is a local landmark that can be seen for miles around. Locally it is referred to as "Little Big Ben"