Barton Hill Heritage Trails
Barton Hill has a unique heritage that was once dominated by the Great Western Cotton Works. The growth of the cotton factory led to the development of rows upon rows of terraced houses. During the 1950’s and 1960’s the built environment and community was ripped apart by so called Slum Clearance. Houses, pubs and churches were knocked down and replaced with high rise flats.
Just a fragment of the old Barton Hill heritage is left. The Barton Hill History Group has been instrumental in getting the community to identify what buildings are of heritage value. A list of over 30 key heritage assets have been created. In 2022 a small group of volunteers, with the support of Bridging Histories, planned and produced four high quality very informative Heritage Trails. By working together, we created an important community heritage project that we are very proud of. We wanted to make sure that heritage of Barton Hill is better looked after, managed, understood and shared. The Heritage Trails will help people make sense and improve their experience of local heritage.
Heritage Trail 1: Work, Rest & Pray
HERITAGE TRAIL NUMBER ONE: WORK, REST AND PRAY. Thursday June 8 at 2pm from the Wellspring Settlement in Ducie Road.
This walk will be led by Garry Atterton. It is a circular walk, which takes about one hour and includes three of the most important buildings remaining on Barton Hill. The University Settlement, St. Luke’s Church and the old cotton works.
Heritage Trail 2:
HERITAGE TRAIL NUMBER TWO. DOWN THE BRILLAS. Wednesday May 10 at 2pm. From the green at Marsh Lane bridge.
This walk will be led by Dave Cheesley. It is a short walk that takes in two former major industrial sites, the Netham Chemical Works and the Cotton Works. This area was the first part of Barton Hill to be demolished in the so called Slum Clearance of the 1950s and 1960s. Many rows of terraced houses in Bush, Barton and Aiken Streets were lost for ever and replaced by high rise flats, such as the iconic Barton House.
Heritage Trail 3: Rhubarb & Royalty
HERITAGE TRAIL NUMBER THREE: ROYALTY AND RHUBARB Thursday 27 April at 2pm from the top of Goulter Street and the junction of Queen Ann Road.
This walk will be led by Alexander Smith. It is a short walk of about one hour. The key Heritage Assets are the Adult School in Salisbury Street, The old Infant School and the Rhubarb Tavern in Queen Ann Road and the Day’s Road railway bridge at the end of Jarvis Street.