Withington history

Old Moat is an area immediately to the west of Withington Village, taking its name from the moat of the 14th-century Withington Old Hall. This Hall became a farm house, Old Hall Farm, in the 18th century (sometimes called Chorlton's Farm, after the family-name of the local owners), but the moat remained. There is nothing to be seen of the moat now, but its location is marked with a plaque on Eddisbury Avenue. The area to the west of Withington Village remained as farmland until the early 20th-century. See the demesne map (1758) for an early view of the area as a rural landscape and the location of the moated buildings. Since the First World War, the area between Withington Village and Princess Parkway was developed as publicly-owned housing.

Old Moat is now an area with a variety of house styles and some modern developments. The influence of the 'garden city' movement in the design is clear - houses are well-spaced, surrounded by gardens and hedges, and arranged among attractive green areas and trees.

Here are some typical views of original houses and green areas. Click on the pictures for full-size images.

The Old Moat plaque

One of the features of Old Moat is the recently restored plaque on the wall between two of the houses in Eddisbury Avenue. It marks the site of the old moat around Withington Old Hall. Notice the engraved map at the bottom of the plaque showing the location of the old moated house relative to Eddisbury Avenue. (Click on the image below to expand it.)

Old Moat Primary School: Old and the new (2012)

Old Moat Primary School was opened in 1929 to provide a local school for the large number of families that moved into the Withington area in the 1920s. The site was shared with Whalley Range High School until the 1980s and the site has a rich & varied history including being bombed during World War II. The old school building which was used for 83 years served the community well but reached the end of its life. Over two years (2010-2012), work on site lead to a new state-of-the-art, modern and environmentally sustainable £7.75 million 2 form entry primary school built on the Old Moat School site. This new school building opened on February 22nd, 2012. The old school building was demolished in April/May 2012 and the rest of landscape works were completed by the summer of 2012.

Pictures of the previous Old Moat Primary School, its demolition and the new school are below. Click on the pictures for larger views.

The old school (early Feb 2012).	A mural on the wall of the old school.
Demolition (early April, 2012).	Old and New (April 7th, 2012).
The new school rising like a phoenix from the rubble of the old! (April 10th, 2012).	The entrance to the new school (July, 2012).
The new building (July, 2012).	The green area opposite the school (July, 2012).

Goodbye party for the old school

Advert for the Goodbye Event: "The school will hold a goodbye open afternoon for all current staff and pupils, and any ex-staff, ex-pupils and the wider community on Friday 3rd February from 2pm until 5pm. Displays of archive materials from the school some of which date back to the 1920s will be on show. There will be musical performances from the current pupils and opportunities for a final tour of the old building. There will also be opportunities for local people to record and share their memories of the School to ensure that as the school moves forward into its new building, it remembers the wonderful years it has had in its current building. All the local community are welcome to attend and see the excellent learning and work that is currently taking place in the School, which will only be more enhanced and increased by the the move to the new premises after half-term." School website: www.oldmoatschool.net

Below are some pictures, all contributed by Gavin White, of the goodbye party for the old school (3rd February, 2012). Click on the images for larger views.

The cake!	From L to R: The Deputy Head (Mrs. Hackland), The Head (Mrs. Lamb), and Mrs. and Mr. Middleton. Mrs. Middleton is a former teacher at the school and was presented with flowers on the occasion.
Visitors at an exhibition of the history of the school.	"Green Heroes" - some members of the school's ecological group which helps with green projects, including a community garden.
"Green Heroes" - members of the school's ecological group selling plants.	Creating art.

New plantings in Old Moat

In 2009-10, some new garden areas were created in Old Moat. Here are a few pictures.

	Doncaster Avenue - trees include Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and a fastigiate Cherry (Prunus x hillieri 'Spire') with soft pink flowers & good autumn colours.
	Ridsdale Avenue - the birches are Betula utilis jacquemontii.

Old Moat Park

Old Moat Park covers 5.6 acres between Rippingham Road and Hill Street. It was a recreation ground (picture below) with a bowling green and bandstand recorded as far back as 1916, and then called the "Rippingham Road Recreation Ground". It was originally bordered by agricultural land with fields on two sides.