Anyway, the following is the view to my right showing the Monton bridge itself, though admittedly taken from the footpath on the opposite bank where the Victorian origins of the bridge can be more clearly seen, and the Victorian post railings on the right hand side border the previously mentioned footpath down to the canal bank.
On the other (south) side of the bridge the canal opens up into a bend, and that's where you can see a modern day 'Folly' in the form of a lighthouse!
This is still only a couple of minutes walk away from where I live but in a slightly different direction, the Monton bridge over the Bridgewater Canal is still clearly seen on the left - but unfortunately the Victorian ironwork of the bridge is obscured on this side by the more modern cladding enclosing our utilities pipework. However, this photo was taken from outside one of the many very pleasant eating establishments in Monton village, Salford - The Waterside Restaurant:
Now I have to hastily add that I have no connection with this establishment whatsoever, but it is only a couple of minutes walk round the corner from me and I have very occasionally had the odd bar meal there washed down with a half o'lager! (Note that the 'Waterside' is now actually based around an expensive but full 'A La Carte' menu in the restaurant, but during the summer they do get many narrowboat hollidayers on the Canal and so normally serve meals over the bar as well).
Anyway, I must end with this next photo. The first time I walked southwards from here on the canal towpath towards Patricroft on the western side of Eccles, where there are still many reminders of our industrial past, just around a slight bend I took one of my most favourite photo's ever:
Well, what more can I say?
Anyway, I must end with this next photo. The first time I walked southwards from here on the canal towpath towards Patricroft on the western side of Eccles, where there are still many reminders of our industrial past, just around a slight bend I took one of my most favourite photo's ever:
7 comments:
It looks a very pretty place
In Hinckley we have a relatively new pub (you may not know it) but there is a full size windmill as part of it.
Originally it was going to be called "The Mill Stone" when it was commisioned, but the brewerys publicity dept had all the promotional leaflets and menus etc printed with the name "The MILE Stone"! Even the pub name was put up as "The MILE stone". I think somebodys head must have rolled over that clanger.
Anyway the windmill was switched off (Yes, it was electrically powered, silly sods!) and the sails tied down because the WIND was blowing them round (What the f**ck?)).
Some mothers do have them, eh?
Wasn't the folk song "Dirty Old Town" originally written about Salford?
Yes, Salford has some really nice scenery to the point where sometimes you can't believe that you actually are In Salford. It's an area of such contrasting extremes, and that's what makes it so interesting to me. For example if we take that last photo: off the picture to the left is the derelict remains of a part demolished mill warehouse, yet off the picture to the right is a nice modern housing estate!
I'm sure I saw something on the Hinckley Times website (just before they stopped updating it!) about that pub and the windmill. Wasn't it something about the wind catching the sails and converting the driving motor into a generator, thus creating a potential fire hazard? I can't remember where it was - on the A5 maybe? - a conversion to the Three Potts, or the LimeKilns maybe???
Oh yes! - "Dirty Old Town"! (And some parts of it still are!). I know it was Ewan McColl who wrote it inspired in his youth by I think Wartime Salford (doesn't the song hint that he lost his virginity behind the gasworks?). He was supposedly born in Lower Broughton (these days a very rough area on the other side of Salford from here).
Regarding my comment above that the Hinckley Times website had stopped updating. Apparently, unknown to me, the site had a total revamp a while ago and is now very much improved. They are also updating on a very regular basis. Sorry if I mislead anyone, I know there are many 'Old Hinckleyians' (or 'Tinhatter's') out there.
Many thanks to the person who emailed to inform me. Lesson to me - check my facts before making a statement like that again!
Hi Kevin ~ I found your site by a link from Keith's. What lovely scenery ~ I'm really impressed with the views and the high quality of your photos.
I was born in Whalley Range back in '47, and moved to the Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall Park area when I was 5. Secondary education in Leeds, Reading & Guildford, and then med school in Leeds, followed by GP jobs in Nottm. Now retired and occasionally a Victor Meldrew myself.
I recall the grime and smogs of industrial Lancashire of my youth, though it looks like a much better area to live in now, from your photos.
Hi Justin, and welcome! Interesting background, I used to have occasional contact with Nottingham Queen's when I worked handling pharmaceutical clinical trials computer data back in the mid 1990's. (Their clinical laboratory was well above NHS standards and often helped the clinical trials laboratory I worked for then with volume clinical analysis).
Yes, the grime and smog of industrial Lancashire have indeed long since gone. Unfortunately so has much of the old traditional industries, though what does remain now is very lean and extremely efficient. I gather it was the service industries that kept us going, and in fact many of the top IT jobs in the UK can still be found north of Bolton (just north of Salford) around the Blackburn area.
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