The District of Bowdon

WE will never know when people settled in Bowdon for the first time, but the features of the area, that once included a fertile valley, suggests it would have been attractive to early settlers.

The oldest surviving landmark is St Mary’s Church, which was re-built for the first time in 1100 and most recently in 1858-1860.

The church attracted worshippers from most of the area we now know as south Trafford – Timperley only became a separate parish in 1852 and Altrincham in 1868.

Apparently, the initial size of the parish meant the position of vicar was considered a prestigious one, and an old Cheshire proverb reads: “Every man is not born to be Vicar of Bowdon.” Despite the prestige, the job also came with various occupational hazards, including drunken bell ringers and body snatchers.

One of Bowdon’s architectural gems was St Paul’s Wesleyan Church, which stood on Enville Road. Its eye popping architecture saw the building acquire another name, The Dome Chapel. The church was built in 1874 and was demolished in 1960, because it was considered too big and too costly to maintain. Another of Bowdon’s architectural gems is the imposing and grand Victorian house Denzell, built by the Manchester magnate Robert Scott. The house was lived in until 1936, when it was given to the old Bowdon Urban District Council.

Bowdon has two pubs, The Griffin, which has grade III listed status, and The Stamford Arms. The drinking fountain outside the Stamford was built in memory of Francis Marriott who founded the Altrincham Volunteer Company in 1859.

This picturesque and prosperous area has always been a magnet for people in high profile jobs, and one of the most fashionable roads has always been The Firs. One of its most famous residents was the conductor Hans Richter, a former musical director of the Halle Orchestra, who lived at number 27 from 1901 to 1911. The composer John Ireland was born in a house called Inglewood that stands at the junction of Woodville Road. Other interesting Bowdon residents included the philanthropist Henry Gaddum and one Jesse Haworth, backer of the Victorian Egyptologist Dr Flinders Petrie.

Staying with music, but on a very different note, the youth club in neighbouring Bowdon Vale witnessed a legendary rock gig in March 1979 when the band Joy Division, fronted by their charismatic lead singer Ian Curtis, played there.