Over the next few posts, using the Cornerstones Guest House as a base,  I hope to take you on a journey using the existing Metro Network to see what you can hope to find around each Metro station.

Starting in the south of Manchester is the town of Altrincham, where the Metro ends or begins depending on your perspective. The town offers excellent accessibility, situated on the A56, a main arterial route out of Manchester and the national motorway network is just one mile away. This is complemented by an integrated rail, and bus interchange, providing easy access to the City of Manchester and its mainline rail stations. The interchange is soon to undergo a major refurbishment. Manchester Airport, the UK’s largest airport outside London, is easily accessible, being only 15 minutes away from the centre of Altrincham.

The name Altrincham comes from the old English meaning the homestead of Adhere’s people. Although there is evidence that a Roman road ran through Altrincham, there is no evidence that the Romans ever settled here and Altrincham is not named in the Doomsday Book. Altrincham as a medieval town was probably the creation of the Baron of Dunham Massey, the town was given a Royal Charter for a market by Edward 1 in 1290 and Baron Massey created his own Borough Charter a short time later. The Royal Charter gave the right to hold a Tuesday market and later Fridays and Saturdays were added at a later date and these market days still exist into the present.
Around 1340, the lands of Altrincham passed to the Earl of Stamford and the Stamfords were still influential within the town until the late 20th Century with the Stamford name found on a number of buildings and roads within the town today.
In the 15th century the town was administered by the Court Leet, they met every three weeks to administer a petty offenses court, they also monitored the well being of Altrincham, being the unpaid equivalent of the Police, council officials and health and safety officers of their day. The Court Leet also appointed the Town Crier and they are still active in the town today and can be seen in their ceremonial robes along with the Town Crier at special events around Altrincham.

This is the station in 1915, other than the tram everything is much the same as it was then.

From the Metro you step out of the station on to the main street Stamford New Rd, turn to your
left to reach the centre of town; Stamford New Rd changes it’s name to Railway Rd at Regent St, cross over the road but before you go down Regent St to the market on Market St, go up Railway St a little and you will discover County Galleries which as been dealing in artwork for over thirty years. The gallery is a large Edwardian gothic building, flooded with natural light, accommodating a vast array of paintings. Some galleries run one artist exhibitions, but they prefer to constantly display selections from all their artists. This creates a more vibrant, ever changing display of art work, and also prevents red sticker rage!  The staff are very friendly and love to talk to new comers.

Altrincham Market is one of the town’s oldest attractions and still maintains a loyal fan base today. For others it is a hidden gem yet to be discovered The Market offers good quality fresh local and specialty produce, a great range of other goods and individual products at competitive prices. Many of the traders have been at the Market over a long period of time, know their customers’ tastes and preferences and are happy to offer tastings and samples on a ‘try before you buy’ basis. They are able to provide good advice based on years of experience, sound knowledge and a belief in their goods and produce. Most stallholders have a great rapport with customers old and new and build up relationships over the years that keep them coming back. There are stalls on the Lower Market with its entrance on Shaws Road and in a Victorian Indoor Market Hall and adjacent glass canopied Market, both accessible from Greenwood Street and Market Street.

With its heritage, friendly, relaxed atmosphere and the enthusiasm of its traders, Altrincham Market’s setting in the Historic Market Quarter, gives visitors a shopping experience with a difference.

Producers Market

A new regular Sunday producers market is launching at Altrincham Market from Sunday 21 November 2010.

To complement the increasing number of businesses open on Sunday, the monthly market, which will be on the third Sunday of each month between 10am and 2:30pm. The market features some of the finest food producers and craft makers from the North West.

Building on the success of the producers market which has been held in Hale over the past two years and includes producers from the Greater Manchester region and Cheshire.

Food fanatics will be treated to an outstanding choice of locally-sourced food and drink from the North West’s top producers including:

Free-range chicken, beef, pork and lamb

Local fruit, vegetables, plants and herbs

Regional cheeses, butter, organic free-range eggs and apple juice

Artisan cakes, puddings, breads and pastries

Pâté and restaurant quality pre-prepared meals

Hand Crafted chocolates by master chocolatiers

Jams, pickles and preserves

Visitors to the market will have the chance to meet the producers and try before they buy.

Weekly Markets

Tuesdays & Saturday – 9am-4pm

General Retail with a variety of stalls selling a range of goods from fresh, local produce to its famed flowers, fruit and fish as well as household goods, gifts, plants and bags.

Thursday – 8am-4pm

Antiques and Bric-a-Brac & Taylor’s Fish Stall – now an established market.

Fridays – 9am-4pm

Smaller scale general retail market

Monthly Markets

First Friday of Every Month – 8am-2pm

Producers/Craft Market – A popular market that incorporates a farmers market as well as individual crafts.

If your looking for a good night out Altrincham Folk Club meets every Sunday night starting around 8pm at the Conservative Club on Market Street. They usually have a wide range of singers, musicians, poets and songwriters. From sea shanties to traditional folk songs, English, Scottish and Irish, Jacques Brel interpretations, blues, and jazz, modern songs and some unique original material . Each artist plays one or two songs. Occasionally a band turns up and plays three or four at a time.
Admission is usually only £1 unless we have a special guest!

Dunham Massey

On the edge of town is Dunham Massey hall which was initially built in 1616 by Sir George Booth, who was amongst the creations of Baronets by James I in 1611, but was later remodelled by John Norris for George, Earl of Stamford and Warrington between 1732 and 1740; it was also altered by John Hope towards the end of the 18th century and by Joseph Compton Hall between 1905 and 1908. The hall itself, the stables, and the carriage house of Dunham Massey are all Grade I listed buildings, three of six such buildings in Trafford.The site is moated and lies immediately west of the village of Dunham, with the deer park lying to the south. The hall was donated to the National Trust by the last Earl of Stamford, in 1976.  During the First World War Dunham Massey Hall was used as a military hospital.

Inside is a collection of Huguenot silver, the carving The Crucifixion by 17th century wood carver Grinling Gibbons, and a white marble bust of the Emperor Hadrian; the head is antique, but the neck and shoulders are 18th century, it was probably acquired by the 5th Earl of Stamford. A fine collection of paintings are also housed in the hall including Allegory with Venus, Mars, Cupid and Time by Guercino, The Cascade at Terni by Louis Ducros, and portraits by William Beechey, Francis Cotes and Michael Dahl.

The deer park at Dunham Massey is the only medieval park in Trafford to survive to the present day. The hall and grounds are open to the public and are a popular tourist attraction.

Entertainment

The Garrick Play House
The Club Theatre

All put on plays through out the year

Bars & Restaurants

The Belgian Bar
40 Greenwood Street,
Marvelous selection of Belgian beers, some on draught. Table service. Beers and glasses available to take home. Jazz, simple good food, day or night a lovely atmosphere .

Yara 23 Oxford Road
A family run restaurant selling traditional Lebanese and Syrian food, again simple food done well, bring your own wine if you like corkage is only £1 or
try the Chateau Musar at a very reasonable price.

Altrincham Fish Bar
42 Greenwood Street.
Fish and Chips.

Dilli Indian Restaurant.
60 Stamford New Road.
Regional specialties from the familiar Punjab to the less well-known Chettinad, Mangalore and Pondicherry states

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The concurring Romans claimed the fertile land on the West bank of the river Wyr at a spot where it was fordable, and where there was Romans there was trade and commerce and so the site became a crossing point and meeting place for local trade.

Some years later the crossing point was given status by a number of bridges being built on the site, however there’s only two remaining today one of them being the subject of many photographs is the 800 year old Five Arched Bridge.

In the early days of this towns long and fascinating history; the Saxon Edward the Elder ordered a fortified borough to be built here around 924; marked only by a mound now, known as Castle Hill. The growth of Badequella also merited a mention in the Domesday Book of 1085.

There seems no doubt that trading on the site has gone on since Roman times however it  only been, recorded from the 1300. The first recorded fair was held in 1254 and a charter was granted by King Edward III in 1330. For nearly 700 years the farming community has flocked from miles around for the weekly sale of livestock domestic goods and provisions. That tradition continues today with Markets held every Monday and, unlike most of the other local centres, there is a thriving livestock market at the Agricultural Centre and also a farm market once a month which is well worth a visit. The big event of the year is the annual Bakewell Show and this year is the 180th, which takes place on Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th of August 2010.

The river provides beautiful walks from the five arch bridge; up stream leads to Arkwright Mill, via Holme Hall and Holme Bridge dating back to the 1600.

Bakewell is a straight run from Cornerstones Guest House along the Manchester ring road and on to the A623 which go strait through the centre of the Peak District.

One of the annual Peak Districts events is dressing the well or well dressing which takes place in all the shrouding villages through out the year; each dressing there own well in competition with the whole of the Peak District; you will see the dressed wells with flowers and ribbons and everything you can imagine.

Bakewell has something for everybody a full range of shops, many historic buildings, pubs and restaurants, wonderful walks and numerous emporiums of excellence.

Great Food

We have been in each of these and highly recommend them.

Rowley Restaurant and Bar sits on the edge of the beautiful Chatsworth Estate in the pretty village of Baslow. The venue is under the ownership of Max & Susan Fischer of the one star Michelin restaurant at Baslow Hall and their Head Chef Rupert Rowley.

Well funnly enough the next one I was going to mention was Baslow Hall.
These are both just outside of Bakwell.

The Riverside at Ashford on the Water is a beautiful place and restaurant and is the closest to Bakewell.

And last but by no means least; what is this ancient medieval town special known for in the 21century.
The one and only Bakwell Pudding sometimes erroneously called a Bakewell tart, know world wide, well definitely in the north of England you must try one when you go.

The Cornerstones Guest House offers independent accommodation in Manchester is ideally situated for a day out in Bakewell in the Peaks and City Centre which is just 5 miles down the A56.

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Close the information bubble on the map and click on the minus sign to view the proposed area.

John Whittaker chairman of  Peel Holdings  as likened the development to the size of the Themes Gateway in London; emphasizing it’s not just for Peel Holdings but along with all other initiatives and developer within the Gateway region it will become a key source of new investment, jobs, development and environmental improvements. He has said it wont just be about real estate development and tall buildings but cover every aspect of our lives, The Environment, Transport, housing what he called ‘The Media Silicone Valley of Europe’, Energy from clean coal, Wind power, Tidal Power, Energy from waste, Utilities, Telecoms, Ship Building, Logistics in Ports, Airports, and what he called Supper Ports, as well as Hotels, Golf Courses, Races Courses.

The port developments would take place in Salford, Warrington, Ince and The Wirral.

Now I must admit he never mentioned anything about Guest Houses in Manchester but where here to do our bit, to house the architects and engineers that build it.

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All the English village amenities are in place, the grocery shop cum post office, The Smokers public house is an Elizabethan coaching house, and while where on the subject The Smokers boasts Queen Elizabeth II popping in for a swift half.

In a survey and valuation at the beginning of the 19th century the Smokers outbuildings and garden covered an area of one rod and 14 poles. It was valued at just over £27 kept by Richard Allen who’s farther was the village smithy.

Today the Smokers doesn’t have to many coach and horses calling, but it dose have a reputation for excellent food; prepared by head chef Philip Miller, who’s been there for 16 years.

There’s also the Golden Pheasant; over a hundred years old and accommodation to boot. The Hidden Nursery near Plumley is aptly named although it’s been there for fifty years, this massive gardeners Aladdins Cave is hidden by a huge edge and if it wasn’t for the sign outside you’d go straight pass it.

Holford Hall, just outside the village was bullit by Lady Mary Chomondly 300 years ago. Having once entertained James I has a guest at the hall Lady Chomondly acquired the nick name ‘The Bold Lady of Cheshire’ there’s a lot of speculation why but know body’s to sure; it may have been her hunting and horse ridding abilities or its said her wit when entertaining Jame I. How kind.

Lady Chomondly pursued a lawsuit for 20 years with her neighbours and cousins to decide who should sit where in Lower Peaover church and who should go first in processions. So it wasn’t this then, why she got her nick  name?

A wonderful community spirit

More Places to visit near a guest house in manchester

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“Hello” I shout back, she sound’s a little rough this morning, must have cold.

I switched on the kettle and went to ask Ms Lewis if she’d like tea or coffee, when I went in the dinning room Ms Lewis was sat in the large bay window only she’d turned her chair to face the side of the bay producing only her profile with the bright morning sun blaring in behind her so I only caught a glance of her when I asked if she’d like tea or coffee.

“Tea please” with a hint of royal Berkshire.

I was back out to make the tea, waiting for the kettle to¬†boiling I thought, I know I only caught a glance and it’s first thing in the morning but Ms Ann Lewis was looking decidedly rough.

The tea and toast where ready and Antony’o waiter of the year was gliding into the room as of thousands of times before, this time the sun was behind the clouds and Ms Lewis turned to face me, difference being in the short time I’d been out of the room to make the tea and toast she had aged 42 years, but the¬†same build as the young lady I let in last night.

I was in shock, dumbfounded

It was Dorian Gray after the mirror broke.

What could I say to her? I was stunned: Do yon realize your in a Guest House in Manchester.

Have you looked in the mirror because some ones really got in for you? Nooooo.

What ever make up and foundation you had on yesterday you want to patent it? Nooooo

Were you a make up artist on Star Wars? Ye, Noooo.

In the end I plumbed for.

“I I I I I I Ieeeee¬† never let you in here¬†last night did I”

“No that was my daughter” Smiling so sweetly.

“But she booked in and went up to the room” I said.

“Yes I was very late so she was going to stay here and I was going to stay at her house”.

“But she gave your name”

“We change our minds and she gave me the key”

“She never said anything to me”

“Hhhhhhmmm that would have been a good idea” Royal Birkshire.

Another day in the life of the Cornerstones Guest House Manchester.

Tariff

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Comedy by the Globe Theatre will brighten up your day, it’s fast and hilarious.

Tuesday to Saturday at 7pm; Sunday 3pm.

The performance lasts about two an a half hours bring your own seats or a rubber mat for your bum that could double as a large umbrella, yes Manchester it may rain.

Tickets: adults £15, children £10.

www.shakespeares-globe.org www.heatonpark.org.uk

27 JUNE / MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE
ARMED FORCES DAY in Manchester:

Manchester takes this opportunity to say a big thank you to the brave people who serve in our Armed Forces to day, with representations by veterans of all ages
The first ever national Armed Forces Day will take place in Piccadilly Gardens from 12 noon-4pm with, music from the Greater Manchester Police Band,
Military taster sessions with Civilian Military Fitness,
Army Climbing Wall,
Football shoot out with the Royal Navy,
And also at Exchange Square 12 noon – 4pm
With The Band of the King’s Division,
Information about the Royal British Legion and Veteran organisations and information on all are armed forces.

Armed Forces personnel and veterans will receive special offers on production of the Veteran Badge or Armed Forces ID card.

For more information go to www.manchester.gov.uk/armedforcesday

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We hope to see you all again soon!

Merry Christmas

Tony and Dee

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