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Tilshead Road, MANCHESTER, M18 8DJ

A new housing development on the former industrial land between Gorton Monastery and the railway. This site was first used as a Chemical works in the late 1800s alongside housing and a school and then In the 1900s a gas works was added to the site. In 1907, the chemical works was replaced by Crossley Motor Works, which expanded over time across the whole site. These works had also then closed by 1960, and replaced by warehousing (http://goo.gl/muxoVY planning application).

The Great Nave is the main space at Gorton Monastery. The large, open room features stunning architecture and beautiful partially-restored original features. Amongst the many striking features and artefacts are the twelve canopied statues of saints standing 40 feet up on their pedestals below the clerestory windows. The figures were installed when the monastery was built and spent 133 years looking down on the aisles but were removed in the early 1990s by the developer when the building was to be converted into flats. They were spotted on an auction list at Sotheby’s in 1994 by local historian Janet Wallwork and bought by Manchester council after Gorton MP Gerald Kaufman negotiated their withdrawal from the auction. After a short period on display at Manchester Town Hall, the works had been kept in storage in the city centre but were eventually re-installed at the Monastery in May 2012 after being carefully cleaned, restored and re-gilded. Made of French limestone, each statue is eight foot in height and weighs half a ton. Some of the replacement parts were carved in wood (http://www.themonastery.co.uk/THE-SAINTS-RAISED-UP-ONTO-THEIR-PLINTHS-AT-THE-MONASTERY.html The Monastery, Manchester http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/saints-go-marching-in-twelve-870434 Manchester Evening News). Saint Louis was King of France, patron of prisoners, builders, sculptors, soldiers, hairdressers, and Franciscan Tertiaries.

In March 2012 the land adjacent to the Monastery car park Image was a mountain of sand. I was informed then that whilst the monastery wanted to the buy the land for additional car parking it was going to be developed for housing. Passing by today on a bus it appears that the land has been levelled and will indeed be part of an extended car park.

In the land next to the car park at Gorton Monastery land is being prepared for the building of new houses. A digger is driving up and down on top of a mountain of what looks like sand. Update July 2013: Image

The ‘Spirit of Love’ Sculpture in memory of Ilir Caka and dedicated to Mother Teresa was unveiled outside Gorton Monastery in August 2007.

Large red-brick building in 13th century Gothic style with a steeply-pitched slate roof. The thirteen-bay nave makes a very tall, narrow building of simple regularity. By contrast, the gabled south front with three flying buttresses to the full height of the nave is an elaborate demonstration of Gothic features and decoration with a strong vertical emphasis.

Used now as an Events Centre. It is currently only open for general viewing on most Sundays from 12 to 4pm.

Sign on the gate at the southern entrance to the courtyard/garden at Gorton Monastery.