From Orphanage to Care Home

From the end of Penny Lane, looking across Lancashire Hill at what was originally Pendlebury Hall, an orphanage designed by architect J.W. Beaumont and erected 1881-2. It was founded through the bequest of Ralph Pendlebury who left £100,000 for the purpose. Pendlebury started his working life as apprentice to a handloom weaver, but later built and owned mills in Stockport.

This is the entrance from Dodge Hill. Previously known as Grosvenor Hall but now called Hilltop Hall Care Home, it has been fully refurbished to create a special environment where modern facilities blend in with the character and elegance of the grade II listed building. Wood panelling, stain glass windows, chandeliers and a bell tower are some of the features of the home, along with landscaped gardens in a quiet and elevated location. It is managed by Harbour Healthcare.

A contribution to Whimsical Windows, Delirious Doors.

A closer look at St Mary's Catholic Church, Heaton Norris

I've featured this church before on 28th May 2013 viewed then from across the M60 motorway which now isolates it from the town.

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Roman Road, Dodge Hill was designed by Pugin & Pugin,1897 and is a prominent local landmark. It is constructed of red brick with stone dressings and window tracery and a slate roof.

The west front has a tall gabled bellcote on a stepped base beneath which is a statue of the Virgin and Child. Stepped buttresses framing a large rose window are flanked by traceried windows with paired lights.

A contribution to Inspired Sundays.

Texting at the traffic lights

The lights at the bottom of Lancashire Hill were on red. I was on a bus, waiting to alight at the next stop, when I spotted this lady using her mobile phone and I couldn't resist using mine to take her photograph. Using a mobile phone when driving (even if stationary in traffic) is illegal in the UK. I didn't note her registration number so can't actually report her.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.

Dodge Hill

Dodge Hill was formerly Old Road. It still has much of its 16th century cobbled carriageway. It was part of the major north-south route for stage coaches through Stockport, prior to the opening of the Lancashire Hill turnpike road in 1794.

Now it is the centre of a conservation area.

For the letter D at ABC Wednesday.

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church

St Mary's Roman Catholic Church on Dodge Hill was designed by Pugin & Pugin,1897 and is a prominent local landmark. It is constructed of red brick with stone dressings and window tracery and a slate roof.

The west front has a tall gabled bellcote on a stepped base beneath which is a statue of the Virgin and Child. Stepped buttresses framing a large rose window are flanked by traceried windows with paired lights.

It is now isolated from the town by the M60 motorway which runs in a cutting below. The large retaining wall above the motorway is often targeted by graffiti artists, but it is regularly removed.

A contribution to Ruby Tuesday and Our World Tuesday.