History
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| Monton
Bridge Queen Victorias private barge, in which she used it during a state visit to Manchester, 1851. The bridge was built in the year 1760 and modernised in 1905. The people in the boat are staff from the Earl of Ellesmere's house. (from the collection of Brian Bennett) |
Monton
Road This is the residential part of Monton, c1920 - looking West towards Monton village. (from the collection of Brian Bennett) |
The name Monton indicates a Saxon origin.
Conservation Area
The Conservation Area contains Monton Green; the Unitarian Church and a
former school with caretaker’s house; a lodge, built in 1875 to the Earl of
Ellesmere’s former estate, and a club-house with bowling green. The Green, once
used as common land, is now formally laid out as gardens and lawns. In 1895 the
use of Monton Green was conveyed to Eccles Corporation with the condition that
the Corporation “would not permit or suffer the land to be used in a manner
that public worship or religious instruction in Monton Church or the Sunday
School attached to it should be in any way restricted, disturbed or interfered
with”. In addition, Eccles Corporation was bound to maintain the roads
around and across the Green, which were dedicated to public use to remain
forever thereafter open. The character of the open area is defined by the group
of high quality buildings referred to earlier, that are complemented by the
mature trees on the Green.
Monton Church
The Unitarian Church, built between 1873 and 1875, replaced Monton
Chapel, built in 1697. The tower and steeple are separate from the main body of
the church as they were an afterthought and not part of the original plan. They
house the bell from the original chapel. Despite being offered a peal of new
bells, it was considered more appropriate to retain the old bell and thus the
link to the chapel; and its worshipers. The church was listed Grade II* on 19
July 1979. The Lychgate was erected in 1895 in memory of Henry Leigh. It was
given a Grade II Listed status on 16 July 1987.
The church schools
An infant school was opened in 1848 and the principles on which it was
managed led to it taking a high place amongst local educational institutions,
especially after it became a school for infants plus older children. The present
Memorial Schools were built circa 1864 in memory of Mr & Mrs J Booth and of
Silas, Lucy and Esther Leigh who had done so much for the children of the
church. The Memorial Schools were given Grade II status on 16 July 1987.