ALTRINCHAM LIFE

Guide to Altrincham

Altrincham (pronounced "Oltringum") is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester , England. Situated within the historic county boundaries of Cheshire. Altrincham lies approximately eight miles south-west of the city of Manchester .

Geography and administration

Altrincham is located at 53°24'00" North, 02°21'00" West (53.4000, -2.3500)

Several villages lie within Altrincham including Timperley and the particularly wealthy suburbs of Hale and Bowdon . The town's population was recorded in the 2001 Census as 40,695. Altrincham is part of the parliamentary constituency of Altrincham and Sale West . This is one of only a small number of seats in the north-west held by the Conservative Party , and the only one in Greater Manchester. Its current member of Parliament is Graham Brady .

Etymology

The name Altrincham means "a town in a high position".

Early history

Altrincham was granted its Royal Charter as a Free Borough, to authorise the holding of a market (or fair), by Baron Hamon de Massey in 1290. The government of Altrincham consequently fell to a Court Leet and a variety of officials over the following centuries including constables , bailiffs , market lookers, bye law men, assessors, ale tasters, pump lookers and dog muzzlers. Women who gossiped too much or too maliciously were placed in a bridle known as a Scold's Brank. Altrincham fair became St. James's fair or Samjam in 1319 and was only abolished as late as 1895. Fair days had their own court of Pye Powder (a corruption of the French for 'Dusty Feet') which was presided over by the Mayor and held to settle disputes arising from the day's dealings.

In May 1644, during the English Civil War , Prince Rupert made the Downs the rendezvous for his army before he marched on Cheadle . Just over one century later, the troops of Bonnie Prince Charlie gathered in the Old Market Place on December 1st 1745 to demand lodging at the Red Lion and an onlooker was forced to surrender his new boots to the troops.

Later History

The development of the railways changed the prosperity of Altrincham improved and it became a very desirable place for rich business men to live. Adjoining Altrincham, the older village of Bowdon was the location of the grandest residences of the affluent. Neighbouring Bowdon Vale earned the nickname of "Soapy Town" in direct reference to the washing taken in from the residents of Bowdon. Altrincham became the provider of servants and housekeepers to its adjoining regions. Altrincham in the mid-19th century was clearly divided into three distinct regions:

1. Higher Town centred on the old Market Place where the wealthier denizens lived
2. Lower Town where the poorer tradesmen and labourers lived
3. Broadheath (which was isolated being cut in two by the Bridgewater Canal ) which had growing light industry including wharves to serve the canal and a saw mill.

Altrincham's borough council (corporation) was not reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , and was abolished under the Municipal Corporations Act 1883 in 1886. An urban district council for Altrincham was established under the Local Government Act 1894 , and it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1937.

Altrincham is now mainly residential. The historic market town developed as a residential area in the 19th Century and has an Old Market Place and a new pedestrianised shopping centre.

New Development

The town has more recently fallen victim to decline with shoppers abandoning the area for the nearby Trafford Centre and a regenerated Manchester City Centre . However the empty shop facilities and run down sections of the town will soon be subject to a large-scale regeneration plan with a makeover costing hundreds of millions of pounds.

The most noticeable current development is the £40m redevelopment of Altrincham's Stamford shopping centre. Manchester-based Park Lane Estates, the centre's owners, are transforming the 1970's precinct to bring a fresher, more contemporary look to the town's main shopping area. The plans for the site will bring in new retailers, allow existing retailers to expand and create a new streetscape. The redevelopment will create 146,000 sq ft of new retail space and 203,000 sq ft refurbished space, providing 349,000 sq ft in total. Construction works will be phased to ensure that Stamford shopping centre continues to trade throughout the development period. The first phase is due to be completed by the end of 2006 with completion of the entire project scheduled for September 2009.

A more prestigious development costing approximately £150m and nicknamed 'Station Location' is currently underway. The 4.5 acre site, boarded 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, apartments, 25,000sq ft of office space and a 960-space car park. The project is due to be fully completed by 2010 and a temporary ice rink is already close to completion (due to open in November 2006) near the site to house Manchester Phoenix until the new, larger rink is completed.

Construction is also underway on a development off Denmark Street which will include a £3.75m six-screen cinema for Apollo Cinemas , two restaurant units (Frankie and Benny's and Chiquito) and 30 luxury apartments. This development is due to be completed by November 2006.

Transport

Altrincham was a major transportation hub in the late 18th century with road connections to Stockport , Warrington , Chester and Manchester sitting as it was on the Manchester to Chester turnpike. The opening of the Bridgewater Canal in 1761 provided a water route from Broadheath in Altrincham to Castlefield basin in Manchester city centre.

In July 1845 the Act of Parliament for making the Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway (MSJAR) was passed. At 08.00, July 20th, 1849, the first railway train left Altrincham with 65 passengers running along the Bridgewater canal. In 1895, Altrincham had three separate but connected stations: Altrincham and Bowdon station in the centre of town belonging to the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway, Peel Causeway station on the southern extremity of the town on the Cheshire Lines Railway and Broadheath station at the north of the town on the London and North Western line. In 1831, the Altrincham & Manchester line was electrified making it one of the first electrified railway lines in Britain. (Even with the creation of the railways, horses were still a common transport between Altrincham and Manchester as was a passenger boat down the canal and new potatoes were still carried from Bowdon Downs to Manchester on worker's heads).

By 1937, Altrincham had five railway stations in the town and a daily service of 130 trains between Manchester and Altrincham.

Present day Altrincham is the terminus of one of the lines of the Manchester Metrolink light rail system, which continues to connect it with Manchester. The Metrolink service also provides stops at Navigation Road and Timperley. Altrincham is also a hub for many local bus routes.

Society and Culture

It was the birthplace of the actress Angela Cartwright . The dramatist Ronald Gow lived here in his youth, and he later taught at the local grammar school . The area is known primarily for its wealth, concentrated in a number of areas, such as Hale , Hale Barns and Bowdon , as well as some addresses in Altrincham itself. Many footballers (including several Manchester United and Manchester City players) and other sports stars (such as cricketer Andrew Flintoff ) live in the area. It is also home to several notable television personalities, particularly Coronation Street actors. Music stars such as former members of The Smiths , Starsailor , and The Stone Roses also reside there as well as more contemporary musicians such as Charles Swift and Joseph Daley.

The town is home to Football Conference team Altrincham FC , affectionately known as "The Robins", who play at Moss Lane . It's also home to the professional ice hockey team Manchester Phoenix (currently in the Elite Ice Hockey League ) who play at the Altrincham Ice Dome .

Courtesy of wikipedia - information correct at 10th November 2006