IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Ivy Gardens, CONGLETON, CW12 4GA

The gentleman standing in the cherry-picker is changing the bulb in the street-light on Galbraith Close. He has gained himself a bit of an audience, and the small gentleman on the right looks as if he might consider this to be his future career- especially as steam engine drivers are no longer required very often.

Having reached the top of hill in Image the path descends to Astbury Street and Galbraith Close on the edge of Congleton. Astbury Mere was originally a sand quarry, in 1984 operations ceased and the quarry closed. For over 50 years the local residents had put up with a noisy major industry on their doorsteps, wildlife started to gain a foothold and it was thought that the area might become a local amenity. But a proposal was put forward to construct a major industrial complex on the site. Dismayed, the locals set up an action group to fight the proposals and intensive negotiations were started. After years of uncertainty the landowners agreed to sub divide their estate; half the site would instead be developed for housing whilst the remainder would be given over as open space and so began the creation of Congleton’s first Country Park. The action group then became the Astbury Mere Trust, a registered charity and a limited company whose main objectives are to: “Provide for the benefit of the inhabitants of Congleton and district a managed and maintained country park at Astbury Mere in perpetuity for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants”. Since its opening in 1989 the Country Park has become a valued recreational resource for the inhabitants of Congleton and beyond. In this time the Park has matured, not only in physical terms with the growth of trees and shrubs but also in its evolution as an important outdoor recreational and learning resource. Although still owned by the Trust, Astbury Mere Country Park is managed by Cheshire East Council ( http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure,_culture_and_tourism/ranger_service/countryside_sites/congleton_area/astbury_mere_country_park.aspx ). My thanks to Matthew Axford, Countryside Ranger, for providing a much more detailed history than there was space for here.

Entering Astbury Mere Country Park from the entrance at the end of Astbury Street. Astbury Mere was originally a sand quarry, in 1984 operations ceased and the quarry closed. For over 50 years the local residents had put up with a noisy major industry on their doorsteps, wildlife started to gain a foothold and it was thought that the area might become a local amenity. But a proposal was put forward to construct a major industrial complex on the site. Dismayed, the locals set up an action group to fight the proposals and intensive negotiations were started. After years of uncertainty the landowners agreed to sub divide their estate; half the site would instead be developed for housing whilst the remainder would be given over as open space and so began the creation of Congleton’s first Country Park. The action group then became the Astbury Mere Trust, a registered charity and a limited company whose main objectives are to: “Provide for the benefit of the inhabitants of Congleton and district a managed and maintained country park at Astbury Mere in perpetuity for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants”. Since its opening in 1989 the Country Park has become a valued recreational resource for the inhabitants of Congleton and beyond. In this time the Park has matured, not only in physical terms with the growth of trees and shrubs but also in its evolution as an important outdoor recreational and learning resource. Although still owned by the Trust, Astbury Mere Country Park is managed by Cheshire East Council ( http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure,_culture_and_tourism/ranger_service/countryside_sites/congleton_area/astbury_mere_country_park.aspx ). My thanks to Matthew Axford, Countryside Ranger, for providing a much more detailed history than there was space for here.

This George V post box is located opposite the end of Image

Looking the full length of Queen Street from its junction with Silk Street to the junction with Booth Street. Image is on the left and the end of Image on the right.

This date plaque is above entrance doors to the Image Although the date has been left black the letters above have been painted over, if we look carefully the words Methodist New Connexion can be made out- indicating that this was once a chapel. The Methodist New Connexion was formed in 1797 by a breakaway movement from the Wesleyan Methodists led by Alexander Kilham, a minister of a Methodist circuit in Sheffield. Kilham was an outspoken man who disagreed with the Wesleyan idea of putting the position of minister above that of the common member and that there should be free elections of class-leaders and stewards, and equal representation with ministers at Conference. They also contended that the ministry should possess no official authority or pastoral prerogative, but should merely carry into effect the decisions of majorities in the different meetings. The Connexion lasted until 1907 when it merged with the Bible Christian Church and the United Methodist Free Churches to form the United Methodist Church. At the time of the merger the Methodist New Connexion consisted of 250 ministers and 45,000 members.

Although it is now a garage, this building was erected in 1836. Although part of the date stone (Image) has been painted over it is still possible to see that it was originally a chapel for the Methodist New Connexion. The Methodist New Connexion was formed in 1797 by a breakaway movement from the Wesleyan Methodists led by Alexander Kilham, a minister of a Methodist circuit in Sheffield. Kilham was an outspoken man who disagreed with the Wesleyan idea of putting the position of minister above that of the common member and that there should be free elections of class-leaders and stewards, and equal representation with ministers at Conference. They also contended that the ministry should possess no official authority or pastoral prerogative, but should merely carry into effect the decisions of majorities in the different meetings. The Connexion lasted until 1907 when it merged with the Bible Christian Church and the United Methodist Free Churches to form the United Methodist Church. At the time of the merger the Methodist New Connexion consisted of 250 ministers and 45,000 members.

After climbing the steps in Image and Image we have a gentle incline to the top of the hill, eventually reaching Astbury Street and Galbraith Close on the edge of Congleton. Astbury Mere was originally a sand quarry, in 1984 operations ceased and the quarry closed. For over 50 years the local residents had put up with a noisy major industry on their doorsteps, wildlife started to gain a foothold and it was thought that the area might become a local amenity. But a proposal was put forward to construct a major industrial complex on the site. Dismayed, the locals set up an action group to fight the proposals and intensive negotiations were started. After years of uncertainty the landowners agreed to sub divide their estate; half the site would instead be developed for housing whilst the remainder would be given over as open space and so began the creation of Congleton’s first Country Park. The action group then became the Astbury Mere Trust, a registered charity and a limited company whose main objectives are to: “Provide for the benefit of the inhabitants of Congleton and district a managed and maintained country park at Astbury Mere in perpetuity for recreation or other leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants”. Since its opening in 1989 the Country Park has become a valued recreational resource for the inhabitants of Congleton and beyond. In this time the Park has matured, not only in physical terms with the growth of trees and shrubs but also in its evolution as an important outdoor recreational and learning resource. Although still owned by the Trust, Astbury Mere Country Park is managed by Cheshire East Council ( http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/leisure,_culture_and_tourism/ranger_service/countryside_sites/congleton_area/astbury_mere_country_park.aspx ). My thanks to Matthew Axford, Countryside Ranger, for providing a much more detailed history than there was space for here.

Spring of 2011 produced a very bright show of Hawthorn flowers and now Autumn is showing an extremely heavy crop of berries, an excellent food source for the birds in the coming Winter. The Common Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), often called May, is a native shrub to the UK and is often used as a hedging plant. They mostly grow from between 5 and 15 metres tall and have white, sometimes pink, flowers followed by red berry-like fruits (commonly known as Haws) produced on thorny branches. Ecologically, Hawthorns are very important in that they provide food and shelter for small birds and mammals, especially when grown as hedges. The flowers provide a nectar source for many invertebrates and a large number of Butterfly larvae feed on the shrub. During the winter the berries provide food for a number of species of birds, particularly thrushes and waxwings who eat the berries and disperse the Hawthorn seeds in their droppings. Hawthorn flowers are reputed to have magical properties, and are believed to bring about a death in the family if they are taken into the home. This may have something to do with the trimethlamine present in the flowers - this substance is one of the first products formed when body tissue starts to decay. Hawthorn is also said to have been the source for Christ's crown of thorns. During the First World War, the young leaves were used as a substitute for tea and tobacco, with the seeds being ground as a substitute for coffee

Looking up Elizabeth Street from its junction with West Street, part of Image is visible on the left.