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Last additions - Historic Buildings

Marple Hall Rear DoorThe rear entrance door from Marple Hall, installed in Brook House, 1 Padden Brook, Romiley in the 1960s. Provided by Allan Walker.Apr 12, 2020

Marple Hall Rear DoorThe rear entrance door now at 1 Padden Brook in Romiley superimposed on the empty doorway of Marple Hall taken in 1958 by Gordon Mills after it was removed. Apr 12, 2020

Marple HallA familiar scene but the only photo with seating outside Marple Hall. Maybe from when it was open to the public. Provided by Janet Holmes.Apr 02, 2020

BMH Nurses and Casualties 1914Nurses and Casualties at Brabyns Military Hospital on 4 November 1914. From Flora Buck's scrapbooks. Flora is the nurse 2nd from right, see comments for all names.Feb 19, 2020

BMH Brabyns Hall - God SpeedA card signed by Fanny Hudson to Mrs Robinson, acknowledging her service at Brabyns Military Hospital between 31 October 1914 to 26 May 1919. Donated by Mrs. Crossley.Feb 19, 2020

BMH Brabyns Hall - God SpeedA card signed by Fanny Hudson to Nurse Flora Buck, acknowledging her service at Brabyns Military Hospital between 31 October 1914 to 26 May 1919. From Flora's scrapbooks.Feb 19, 2020

BMH Nurse Flora BuckRed Cross Nurse Flora Buck, who while serving at Brabyns Military Hospital from 1914 to 1919 compiled two amazing scrapbooks. Click here to read more about them.Feb 19, 2020

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Brabyns HallBrabyns Hall was built by Doctor Henry Brabin in 1749. The hall and estate were purchased by Nathaniel Wright in 1800 and he erected the historic Iron Bridge in 1813. The estate passed to the Hudson family in 1866 and on the death of Fanny Hudson, in 1941, was purchased by Marple Urban District Council. The estate opened as a park in 1949 and the hall was demolished in 1952. Click to read more about the Brabyns Estate.

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Brabyns Hall & Estate

During the Great War Brabyns Hall was used as a Military Hospital. Sadly, plans to turn the Hall into an Art Gallery, Museum, Reference Library or Assembly Hall, as a memorial to the local men who died in the war, were to fail, and it was demolished in 1952. The estate was turned into a public park in 1949 and today is owned by Stockport Metropolitan Council, and is a thriving asset, extensively used and highly valued by the people of Marple.

98 files, last one added on Feb 19, 2020
Album viewed 2863 times

Marple's Iron Bridge

Although the hall did not survive the destructive period in the 1950s and 60s when many of Marple's historic buildings were demolished, the Iron Bridge did. Today the bridge is the subject of a community driven restoration campaign that has successfully raised £556,000 to restore the bridge to its former glory. Click here to read more about the Iron Bridge.

57 files, last one added on Dec 30, 2018
Album viewed 2636 times

Iron Bridge Restoration

This new album will become a photographic record of the restoration of the Iron Bridge in Brabyns Park. The Iron Bridge Restoration Project is a partnership between the Marple Website, Marple Local History Society and Stockport Council. For more information about the Iron Bridge and the campaign for its restoration visit The Iron Bridge Project Diary.

299 files, last one added on Dec 23, 2011
Album viewed 1540 times

Scroll Bridge Restoration

The Scroll Bridge was orginally built a few years before the Iron Bridge, in 1804. That's around the same time that the Marple Locks were being completed. The bridge was badley damaged and partially demolished in 1991, when the Bailey bridge was installed. These photos chart its restoration in 2007.

18 files, last one added on Dec 16, 2007
Album viewed 765 times

4 albums on 1 page(s)

Marple HallMarple Hall was initially constructed in 1658. Its most famous (infamous?) resident was Judge John Bradshawe, (1602-1659) who presided over the Court of Justice that sentenced Charles I to death. The Bradshawe family continued to live there until it was inherited in 1940 by Christopher Isherwood, who almost immediately passed ownership to his younger brother, Richard. He was ill prepared and financially unable to look after the Hall and when the caretakers retired in 1953 it was left empty and became the target of thieves and vandals. This ultimately led to its demolition in 1959. These galleries show this magnificent home at its best and, sadly, its derelict worst. Click here to read more about Marple Hall.

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Marple Hall and outbuildings.

Photographs of Marple Hall and its outbuildings, from the heydays to the decay days. What might have been if these wonderful old buildings had been preserved just a few more years until people began to understand the value of our heritage?

149 files, last one added on Apr 02, 2020
Album viewed 2469 times

The interior and furnishings.

Interior shots of Marple Hall, including images from the catologue of the auction of the hall's contents in 1929. Click here to read more about the items sold at auction.

43 files, last one added on Mar 09, 2014
Album viewed 1715 times

The Jack Wilkinson Album - decline and demolition.

An album full of the saddest photographs but we're very grateful to have them to preserve the memories. These images were loaned by the family of the late Jack Wilkinson who recorded for posterity the final demise of Marple Hall.

40 files, last one added on Apr 16, 2006
Album viewed 2016 times

Commemoration, relics and souvenirs.

This album includes the commemorative date stone and plaque erected by Marple Civic Society and Marple Antiquarian Society (now Marple Local History Society). There are also a few other remnants of this once great Hall still to found and we have photographed and recorded as many as we can.

40 files, last one added on Apr 12, 2020
Album viewed 3020 times

4 albums on 1 page(s)

Mellor MillSamuel Oldknow constructed Mellor Mill in 1790 on the bank of the River Goyt. The main mill building was an imposing structure with a central section six storeys high, 42 feet wide and 210 feet long. In order to supply water to the mill Oldknow literally reshaped the landscape and the Cheshire / Derbyshire border formed by the river. Click here to read more about Oldknow and Mellor Mill.

Mellor Mill

Photographs, etchings and paintings of Mellor Mill in its glorious prime and unfortunate decline after the horrendous fire that destroyed it in 1892.

37 files, last one added on May 17, 2016
Album viewed 1563 times

Mellor and Marple Lodge and other Buildings

Oldknow built many other buildings near his mill, including a home for himself, Mellor Lodge, and another for the Mill Manager, Marple Lodge, on the opposite bank. Marple Lodge had a extensive ornamental garden running alongside the river, of which there are still a few traces if you look very closely.

36 files, last one added on May 17, 2016
Album viewed 1513 times

Mellor Lodge Plans

These are photographs of plans of Oldknow's home, Mellor Lodge, which he built for himself on the Mellor side of the River Goyt. They can't be originals, because they have a telephone number on them. We know nothing of their history but if anyone knows where these are now we'd love the opportunity to take them again without the flash!

6 files, last one added on Jul 09, 2006
Album viewed 631 times

3 albums on 1 page(s)

Listed Buildings ExhibitionIn 1993 Marple Civic Society held an exhibition featuring the Listed Buildings of Marple & District. The first album in this category contains all the photographs that were selected for display in the exhibition. New albums will also be added to include many others taken during the same period. This category is under construction.

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Civic Society Photos Exhibited in 1993.

This album contains 139 photographs that were exhibited by Marple Civic Society in 1993. The photos were taken over a period of approximately two years leading up to the exhibition. If you can tell us anything more about them, please get in touch.

139 files, last one added on Dec 31, 2009
Album viewed 1636 times

1 albums on 1 page(s)

Most viewed - Historic Buildings

Sketch of Marple Hall from the ornamental lake.4371 viewsThis view is from Marple Dale, where there was an ornamental lake with steps leading down the bank from the hall. Updated from Marple Local History Society Archives 15 August 2010.

Brabyns Hall3829 viewsA view of the rear of Brabyns Hall from across the pond, which is still there.

Brabyns Hall3365 viewsAnother view of the rear of Brabyns Hall from across the pond.

Marple Hall from the main driveway.3099 viewsThe hall's decline is not yet apparent in this shot from the main drive at the front.

Water Meetings Cottage2943 viewsWhere the Rivers Goyt and Etherow meet in Brabyns Park.

Marple Hall Layout2846 viewsHere's a plan view of the layout of Marple Hall to help orientate yourself when looking at some of the photos in this album. Updated on 22 August 2010 with a version showing more buildings.

Marple Hall2842 viewsA full-on view showing the sundial and the balcony above the front door.

Marple Hall2823 viewsA shot of Marple Hall from the front provided by Betty Longmate, daughter of Betty Tunstall who lived there from 1923 to 1932 with her parents, the caretakers.

Random files - Historic Buildings

2008-04-02 Gas Main Rerouting / First SHS InstallationThe first SHS (Steel Hollow Box Section) arrives. Notice the complicated notched detail here. Getting this right was one of the reasons for the delays.

BMH Duchess of Westminster visits Brabyns HallDignitaries, staff and casualties at Brabyns Hall Military Hospital on 15 June 1916 during a visit by Katherine, Duchess of Westminster. Click image for a larger version. From Marple Local History Society Archives.

Marple Hall in ruins 7.The entrance hall collapses.

070a - Lock No. 1, Peak Forest CanalLock number 1, Peak Forest Canal.
From the 1993 Marple Civic Society exhibition of Listed Buildings.

2007-10-01 Grit blastingThe cast date at the apex. Removing the paint has revealed the flush heads of the bolts holding the two rib sections together and it is interested to see that each hand-made bolt was numbered with pock-marks during trial assembly. This was so that they could be put back in the same location when erected on site.

The Garden HouseThe Garden House stood near Mellor Lodge, off Lakes Road. In 1881 it was home to unemployed Engine Driver William Smith, his wife Sarah and their 8 children between the ages of 3 and 18.

07 - Scroll BridgeScroll Bridge, Brabyns Park. Looks much better since the bridge was restored! From the 1993 Marple Civic Society exhibition of Listed Buildings.

Oldknow's StablesOldknow's stables on the banks of the river Goyt taken from the Goyt Cliff by Arthur Hulme. From Marple Local History Society Archives.

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A Virtual History Tour of Marple and District

With The Marple Website and Marple Local History Society