Features
STOCKPORT MARKET
1260 - 2010
Stockport was granted a Market Charter in AD1260 by the Earl of
Chester, later to become King Edward the First, Hammer of the Scots. It
is possible, however, that there had been a market there since before
the Roman occupation.
MARKET HALL. The glass roofed Market Hall was built in 1861. Until then
the market had been an open space since the granting of the Charter. It
initially cost £4,423 and was open on all sides. It was known locally as
the ‘Umbrella on Stilts’. In 1898 Ephraim Marks, a co-founder of Marks
and Spencer, asked if his corner stall could be enclosed, other traders
followed and by 1924 the hall was entirely closed. It originally had 9
bays but in 1912 one was removed to allow trams access through the
market.
ST MARY’S CHURCH. It is believed that a church existed on the present
site in 1190, the incumbent being ‘Mattheus, cleric de Stockport’. In
1310 a much larger church replaced the original, of which only the
chancel remains. The church bells were rung for several days in
succession to celebrate Lord Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar. This
weakened the already unsafe church tower and in 1810 it was decided that
the tower should come down. It was also decided that a new church should
be built, and the first sermon in it was preached by the curate, the
Reverend Edward Hewell, in 1817.
STAIRCASE HOUSE. The remains of one of Stockport’s medieval buildings
still survive within Staircase House. Tree ring dating shows that
surviving crucks are from timber felled in the winter of 1459-60. The
building is now a museum and is a major tourist attraction in central
Stockport. Rooms are displayed depicting various centuries and include:
Cold room, Kitchen, Linen chamber, Tallow room, Counting house, Dowry
room, Parlour (17th century), Bed chamber, Dining room (18th century),
Parlour (19th century) and a Bedroom of 1940. The Stockport Story
follows the history of Stockport from prehistoric times the 21st
century.
CASTLE YARD. Is, perhaps, the most historic site in the town. It was
previously known as Castle Hill and is thought to be the site of
Stockport Castle. As it overlooked a ford of the river, the only one for
miles, it was a good place to build such a fortification. It is believed
the Romans may have built a fort there, one of six that guarded the
approach to Manchester. Historians think that the Normans built a motte
and bailey castle there around the 12th century. With the keep on Castle
Hill and the bailey covering what is now the Market Place. In 1775 it
was decided to build a muslin mill in the shape of a crenellated tower
and this is sometimes mistaken for the castle when shown in old prints.
In 1827, to celebrate the Battle of Waterloo, the first balloon ascent
in Stockport was made from Castle Yard. Unfortunately for the paying
spectators the balloon soon disappeared into cloud, descending at
Wentworth in Yorkshire, during a fair.
BOAR’S HEAD. Vernon Street, where the pub stands, was originally known
as Pig Market Brow and it is claimed that a post in the main room was
where patrons tied their pigs rather than leave them outside and risk
them being stolen. In 1851, firemen of the West of England office were
holding their annual meeting and had just sat down to dine when news
arrived that the boiler at a nearby mill had blown up, and their
services were required. It wasn’t, however, recorded if they were able
to return and finish their meal. In 1988, artist Brian Phillips gave a
painting demonstration to pupils of a local primary school. The painting
showing the Boar’s Head and entitled ‘It Rained the Last Time We Came
Here, Said Betty,’ was hung at Stockport Art Gallery during an
exhibition of his work.
BAKER’S VAULT. Took its name from the family who owned it and was
originally the George and Dragon. In the mid 19th century the then
proprietor, Charles Baker, was elected Mayor of Stockport and the
Stockport Advertiser commented: ‘Is it not disgraceful that the chief
officer of the town should be the keeper of a gin palace?’ Needless to
say they didn’t support the political party he represented.
ROSTRON’S BROW. This is a brow that certainly went down hill. In the
early 19th century it was noted for its professional men but by the end
of the century its reputation was very unsavoury. Early maps name it as
Rosen Bank, after the family who farmed the land. The name then changed
to Rowstern Braw and finally, in the 1820s, Rostron Brow. In the 1850s
there was an eating house at the top of the Brow, owned by Owen Owen,
who had a reputation as a Socialist. He would leave dinners in the
churchyard for ‘Poor folk who conna afford to buy ‘em.’ On the brow was
an inn called the Hare and Hounds, a place that had a bad reputation
towards the end of its life. There was also a beer house, the Dust Hole,
which may have been part of the inn, and that had an even worse
reputation. The inn was demolished in 1897 and a grocery warehouse built
on the site. In the 1860s it was muted that a bridge should be built
there to connect the western part of the town with the market, but the
bridge was eventually built at St Petersgate.
MEALHOUSE BROW. The brow is named after an old mealhouse and has been
previously called Wynn-banke (the winding bank) and Dungeon Brow (there
was a dungeon at the top where prisoners were held before they appeared
before the Court Leet). To celebrate the opening of Vernon Park in 1858
there were illuminations and a balloon ascent in the Market. About
30,000 people had congregated to watch and afterwards six people died in
a crush when descending Mealhouse Brow. 15-year-old Letitia Wilson died
in hospital the following week. At the inquest a juryman attempted to
introduce an amendment to the verdict to ensure a similar thing didn’t
happen again. The amendment was defeated.
THE OLD RECTORY. The Rectory, which overlooks the Parish Church, was
built in 1744. Early maps show a ‘parsonage’ on the site, so the town’s
rectors must have occupied the site for centuries. It is currently a
hotel and restaurant. The rector held an important position in the town
being the religious leader and one of its two magistrates. During the
Luddite Riots of 1812 it was the rector, the Reverend Charles Prescot,
who read the Riot Act in Edgeley before a detachment of cavalary with
drawn sabres, and infantry with fixed bayonets, dispersed the crowd. The
Rector’s living included the tithes of Stockport, Brinnington, Bredbury,
Romiley, Werneth, Hyde, Dukinfield, Marple, Offerton, Torkington,
Norbury, Disley and Bramhall. The power of the Rector/Magistrate can be
illustrated: when striking weavers refused to return to work the
Reverend Prescot gave them each a month’s hard labour.
LANCASHIRE BRIDGE. The bridge stands at the bottom of Bridge Street Brow
but can no longer be seen because of the buildings on either side. There
has been a bridge at this point since at least 1372 and in 1374 there
was an oratory there where travellers could place gifts to give thanks
for their safe crossing. The bridge was in constant need of repair as
one end was in the Township of Heaton Norris and the other in the
Township of Stockport. Neither would accept responsibility for the
repairs. In December, 1745, four officers of the Manchester Regiment
were sent ahead of the retreating Jacobite army to recruit more men.
When fording the river at Stockport (the bridge had been blown up), they
were shot at by the townspeople. Several town notables were marched off
to Manchester by the angry Regiment, including the Constable, who had a
noose put round his neck. They were later discharged.
Celebration of the Market Charter
poem by Anne Knight
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