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Withington
Withington centre.jpg
Withington village centre viewed from Wilmslow Road
Withington is located in Greater Manchester
Withington
Withington
Area 2.7 sq mi (7.0 km2)
Population 13,422 (2011 Census)
• Density 5,218/sq mi (2,015/km2)
OS grid reference SJ848929
• London 160 miles (257 km) SE
Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town MANCHESTER
Postcode district M20
Dialling code 0161
Police Greater Manchester
Fire Greater Manchester
Ambulance North West
EU Parliament North West England
UK Parliament
  • Manchester Withington
List of places
UK
England
Greater Manchester
53°25′59″N 2°13′44″W / 53.433°N 2.229°W / 53.433; -2.229

Withington is a suburb of Manchester, England. Historically part of Lancashire, it lies 4 miles (6.4 km) from Manchester city centre, about 0.4 miles (0.6 km) south of Fallowfield, 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north-east of Didsbury and 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Withington has a population of just over 14,000 people, reducing at the 2011 census to 13,422.

In the early 13th century, Withington occupied a feudal estate that included the townships of Withington, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Moss Side, Rusholme, Burnage, Denton and Haughton, held by the Hathersage, Longford and Tatton families, and within the Manor of Manchester and Hundred of Salford in historic county boundaries of Lancashire.

Withington was largely rural until the mid-19th century when it experienced rapid socioeconomic development and urbanisation due to the Industrial Revolution, and Manchester's growing level of industrialisation. Withington became part of Manchester in 1904.

Today, the residents of Withington comprise a mixture of families, university students and affluent "young professionals"—often themselves former students. This is in a large part due to its education links—particularly the proximity to the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University. As a consequence, Withington is predominantly an area of mixed affluence. It is also a centre for clinical excellence with one of the largest cancer treatment centres in Europe—Christie Hospital—and Withington Community Hospital.

History

Middle Ages

In Anglo-Saxon times the area was sparsely settled by Mercians and Danes and Didsbury may have been established in King Edward the Elder's reign as a fortification against the Danes. Following the Norman Conquest the lands of south Lancashire were granted to Roger of Poitou and by the early 13th century the Manor of Withington appears to be a sub-manor of the Manor of Manchester. The first recorded description of Withington dates from 1186 , calling the area a willow-copse farmstead, and giving rise to the Anglo-Saxon name Wīðign-tūn, with withy meaning "willow branch used for bundling". In the early 13th century, the Manor of Withington covered a wide area including Withington, Didsbury, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Moss Side, Rusholme, Burnage, Denton and Haughton. The first Lord of the Manor of Withington is thought to have been William, son of Wulfrith de Withington.

Withington red lion
The 17th-century Red Lion pub, meeting place of the Court Leet

Withington was one of the townships of the ancient parish of Manchester in the Salford Hundred of Lancashire, and a sub-manor of the Manor of Manchester. In the 13th century, Robert Grelle (sometimes Grelley), Lord of the Manchester Manor, granted free warren in Withington to Matthew de Hathersage (or Haversage), son of William, in exchange for one knight's fee. Little is known of the Hathersage family, except that they descended to the Longford family, and are connected with the manors of Hathersage and Longford, both in Derbyshire. The lordship of Withington remained in the Hathersage/Longford family for over 300 years.

Tudor, Stuart and Georgian periods

At the end of the 16th century, Nicholas Longford sold Withington to the Mosleys (originally 'Moseley'), an influential Anglo-Irish family of wool merchants who subsequently became wealthy landowners in Staffordshire: Nicholas Mosley later became Lord of the Manor of Manchester. Hough End Hall was built by Sir Nicholas Mosley in 1596 as the new Withington manor house—the original medieval manor house was situated south-east of the modern junction of Mauldeth Road West and Princess Road, which was surrounded by a moat. In 1750 it was demolished to make way for a farm building, but some of the moat was left. An Ordnance Survey map of 1845 shows it as "Withington Old Hall", and it later came to be known as "Chorlton's Farm" or "Old Hall Farm". Today, the site is occupied by Eddisbury Avenue and no trace remains of the old house. There are still today some remnants of this moat underneath Old Moat Primary School, on Old Moat Lane. In the early 18th century, the Withington Manor was once again sold, this time to the Egertons of Tatton.

Withington as a village developed around Wilmslow Road, a Turnpike Road, administered by the Manchester to Wilmslow Turnpike Trust which was the only direct route between Manchester and Wilmslow at the time. Farming still dominated the area, although there is evidence in maps of a substantial cotton house on Cotton Lane, which later appears to become Withington Hall. Some historians dispute the cotton house as there is little record of it, and claim "Cotton Lane" comes from land in the area which was jointly held by the townships of Withington, Didsbury and Burnage (a relic of the medieval open field system). This area was the old village centre however, although the only relic of its former importance is the small flower display on the corner of Wilmslow Road and Cotton Lane.

Victorian and later periods

Withington milestone
Withington milestone

The trade in Withington, and consequent traffic on Wilmslow Road, increased steadily as the city of Manchester flourished in the early 19th century. Turnpike roads subsequently became increasingly unpopular, and were abolished completely in 1881. Wilmslow Road as a turnpike road would have been abolished as soon as 1861 had the Manchester to Wilmslow Turnpike Trust not agreed to build a new turnpike road to Northenden, named Palatine Road. Cheaper transport in and out of Manchester became an important factor in the growth of the area. In 1880 a tramway was built along Wilmslow Road and Palatine Road to the newly opened Withington and West Didsbury railway station, run by the Midland Railway. The horse trams ran until 1 December 1902 when the first electric trams came into operation. The train service from Withington and West Didsbury railway station to Manchester Central railway station operated until Didsbury railway station closed in 1961.

Withington's Parish Church of St Paul was built in 1841, and many other chapels and churches proliferated, including Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic. (The architects of St Paul's Church were Hayley & Brown and it was extended in 1864.) Withington has also been home to Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Jews: synagogues opened in the late 19th century.

Aviation

A large aerodrome was built in 1917-18 on the westerly edge of Withington, to the southwest of the junction of Mauldeth Road and Princess Road, on what is now the site of Houghend Playing Fields. The official name was Alexandra Park Aerodrome, but it was also variously referred to as "Withington" and "Didsbury". Closure came in autumn 1924 when Lord Egerton of Tatton would not agree to the site's continued use for flying. The large hangars were then demolished and Princess Road extended southwards through the eastern edge of the site.

On 28 April 1910, French pilot Louis Paulhan landed his Farman biplane in Barcicroft Fields, Pytha Fold Farm, on the borders of Withington, Burnage and Didsbury, at the end of the first powered flight from London to Manchester, with a six-hour overnight stop near Lichfield, Staffordshire. Paulhan beat the British contender, Claude Grahame-White, winning a £10,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail. Two special trains were chartered to Burnage railway station to take spectators to the landing. Paulhan's progress was followed throughout by a special train carrying his wife, Henri Farman and his mechanics. A house in Paulhan Road is marked by a blue plaque to commemorate his achievement.

Demography

Withington compared
UK Census 2001 Withington Manchester England
Total population 14,134 392,819 49,138,831
Foreign born 11% 10% 6%
Over 75 years old 5% 6% 8%
Unemployed 44%* 9% 5%
*Disproportionate figures explained by full-time student population

According to the 2001 census

  • White British – 74.13%
  • White Irish – 5.05%
  • White other – 3.60%
  • Mixed race – 3.25%
  • Black – 2.34%
  • Asian – 9.76%
  • Chinese or other – 1.86%

Geography

At 53°25′59″N 2°13′44″W / 53.433°N 2.229°W / 53.433; -2.229, Withington is located immediately below the midpoint of the Greater Manchester Urban Area, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Manchester city centre.

Landmarks

White Lion, Withington
The White Lion pub
ChristieHospital
The Christie Hospital is one of largest cancer research and treatment centres in Europe.

Withington today retains some grade II listed buildings, including

  • Hough End Hall (1596), Nell Lane, Chorlton-cum-Hardy – Withington Manor House.
  • Manchester and County Bank (1890), Wilmslow Road – now a National Westminster Bank.
  • St Paul's Parish Church, Wilmslow Road (1841).
  • The Red Lion Inn (17th century).
  • The Victoria public house.
  • The White Lion public house, Wilmslow Road (1841), now a Sainsbury's Local.

Other places of historical interest in Withington include:

  • Christie Hospital – founded in 1892, the hospital moved to Withington in 1932. It is one of the largest cancer research and treatment centres in Europe. Christie's pioneered the therapeutic use of X-Rays in 1901, and in 1944 the world's first clinical drug trial was carried out here.
  • The Scala Cinema (1912–2008), Wilmslow Road – this was the oldest cinema in Manchester. Later renamed Cine City, it is now demolished and the site is awaiting redevelopment.
  • Milestone, Wilmslow Road – outside the fire station, inscribed "8¼ miles to Wilmslow / 4 miles to Manchester to centre of St. Ann's"
  • The Old Forge, Wilmslow Road (1881) – now private flats.
  • St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Church, Wilmslow Road (1881).
  • The Water Trough (1876), now on Copson Street – a stone drinking trough for horses, inscribed with an Old Testament passage: "that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle, and your beasts." (II Kings III:17).
  • Withington Library (1927), Wilmslow Road, designed by Henry Price.
  • Withington Methodist Church, Wilmslow Road (1865).

Transport

Wilmslow Road, Withington
Wilmslow Road bus corridor
Withington Metrolink station
Withington tram stop opened in 2013.

Buses

Withington has bus links into the Manchester city centre, partly because of its position on the Wilmslow Road bus corridor which is served by very frequent buses and has been said by some analysts to be the busiest in Europe. The majority of services are operated by Stagecoach Manchester and First Greater Manchester. Other bus routes run along Burton Road and Old Moat Lane to the city centre; there are also bus routes crossing Withington East-West.

Railway

Until the 1960s, Withington had a railway station on Palatine Road, Withington and West Didsbury, on the Midland Railway's Manchester South District Railway. This station was closed in 1961 by British Rail; today the nearest railway station to Withington is Mauldeth Road, located to the east in Ladybarn.

Metrolink Trams

In 2013, the old Midland Railway line was reopened as a light rail line as part of the Manchester Metrolink network. Today, Metrolink trams provide a direct tram link to Manchester city centre on the South Manchester Line, serving West Didsbury, Burton Road and Withington tram stops. The name of Withington tram stop has been called into question as it is located on Princess Road, approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the centre of Withington.

The Metrolink line through Withington was first proposed in the early 1980s but funding was not secured until the 21st century. The project was then put on hold due to escalating costs; new funding was sought through the Manchester Congestion Charge, but this was rejected in a public referendum in 2008. The project was revived in May 2009 with a new funding package from local and national government. Clearance work began on the line in 2011 and it was completed in 2013.

Economy

Manchester

Sport

Education

St Paul’s Primary School (1896) Withington 17 07 59 173000
Wall memorial outside the old St Paul's Primary School building commemorating Lord Egerton

Withington Girls' School was established in 1890 and provides private education for girls aged 7 to 18. Notable alumni include Judith Chalmers.

In the 1930s, the Manchester Grammar School moved to new premises in Fallowfield, from its original position near the site of the present Manchester Cathedral. Although seen to be in Fallowfield, its location could be argued to be within the boundaries of the Withington locality. The school has been attended by actors such as Ben Kingsley and Robert Powell, cricketer Mike Atherton, and writer and broadcaster Martin Sixsmith.

Withington is served by the following local primary schools:

  • Ladybarn Primary School
  • St Cuthbert's Roman Catholic Primary School
  • St Paul's Church of England Primary School
  • Mauldeth Road County Primary School
  • St Kentigern's Roman Catholic Primary School, Fallowfield
  • Old Moat School, Withington

There are nearest secondary schools, including The Barlow RC High School, Didsbury High School and Parrs Wood High School.

Notable people

Noted Withington residents
Ernest Rutherford
Ludwig Wittgenstein
John Mahoney
Robert Donat
Actor Robert Donat (pictured with Greer Garson)
  • Lindsay Bury, a footballer who helped the Old Etonians win the FA Cup in 1879 and made two appearances for England in the 1870s, was born in Withington on 9 July 1857.
  • Academy Award-winning actor Robert Donat was born in Withington in 1905, making his most acclaimed starring role in the 1939 film Goodbye, Mr. Chips.
  • The film critic C.A. Lejeune was born here in 1897.
  • In 1911, the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein was known to have lodgings at 104 (now 154) Palatine Road while he was a student at the Victoria University of Manchester.
  • Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, who was a Conservative councillor for Rusholme for 26 years and a post-graduate of the University of Oxford, was born here in 1912.
  • Ernest Rutherford, Nobel Laureate, who pioneered the orbital theory of the atom, and was Head of Physics at Manchester University, lived in the village between 1898 and 1910. He is commemorated with a blue plaque on the house in which he lived on Wilmslow Road, now called "Rutherford Lodge".
  • Alan Erasmus, co-founder of Factory Records and the Haçienda with Tony Wilson, has lived on Palatine Road for over 30 years.
  • Actor John Mahoney, who became known for his role in Frasier, lived here until 1959.
  • Richard Madeley and his wife, Judy Finnigan, lived on Old Broadway during the 1990s.
  • Frank Whitcombe Jr, Rugby Union player for Bradford and Yorkshire, was born in Withington.
  • Martin Lewis, the financial broadcaster who is known for his MoneySavingExpert.com website, was born in Withington.
  • Kate Richardson-Walsh, the gold medal-winning Team GB hockey player, was born in Withington.
  • Oliver Cookson, the entrepreneur who is best known for founding Myprotein, was born in Withington hospital in 1979.
  • Lee Marland, cricketer, was born in Withington.

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