The Manor of Clifton
Clifton Manor although over the border in Salford has had an influence on the history of Prestwich for over eight centuries. Clifton Hall after being rebuilt in the 18th Century. First reference to the Manor of Clifton was in 1183 when the sheriff collected 8 shillings in rent from a tyrant and outlaw Hugh Putsell a.k.a. Hugh the Hunter. The house fell out of his family line when, through a lack of a male heir in 1276, it became part of estate of the Trafford family after a marriage to Alice de Clifton. Later William de Holland came into possession of the Hall and the Hollands kept the residence for over 300 years. 1444 saw a young Ralph de Holland charged with trespassing in the woods of Sir John Pilkington and taking three hawkes. After the CIvil War Thomas Holland and son William, suffered for choosing to fight the Royalists cause, Ralph Slade married a daughter of the Holland family and gained the ownership of the Hall, but the couple died without child. Read more about the Hollands in Prestwich in the Middle Ages and during the Tudors and Stuarts and also as Lords of the Manor of Prestwich, as patrons of the Rector of Prestwich , and their coat of arms in St. Marys After several changes, the Hall and some land in Clifton, came into the hands of the Gaskell family in 1652. In the 18th Century it was most likely that Nathaniel Gaskell had the hall rebuilt. His daughter Rebecca, was to become the mother of Robert Clive, a.k.a. Lord Clive of India . Rebecca's sister married Daniel Bayley of Hope Hall, which Lord Clive would visit during his childhood...no doubt calling at Clifton Hall too see History of Whitefield for more on Clive and Clifton.  Bradley Ford The crossing point over the Irwell between Clifton and Prestwich was at Bradley Ford. This met with the lower reaches of Clifton Road which lead down from the North of Prestwich, as well as the lower reaches of Prestwich Clough. 1796 saw the building of an aqueduct (listed) that carried the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal across the river Irwell at Clifton. The curious history of the house continued as it became a private lunatic Asylum, before coming into the possession of Benjamin Arthur Heywood in 1825, the founder of the influential Heywoods Bank in Manchester, then followed ownership by the Fletcher family and the Corrie family. Benjamin also purchased Claremont, a Georgian residence in Salford, and went on to represent South Lancashire in parliament, and was later created a baronet by the queen. The 19th Century saw the spread of the Railway - also - and this saw the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway take possession of the Hall for the purposes of office space and a canteen. Railway branched off over the great viaduct (listed) - also - known locally as the 13 arches, that crossed the river Irwell near Philips Park - also - joining the East Lancashire line to Clifton Junction site of the Battle of Clifton Junction. Read an article ( HTML ) ( MS Word ) on The Battle of Clifton Junction kindly donated (and copyrighted) by Malcolm Borrowdale. In 1936 the Hall was demolished after becoming neglected, and the present day Magnesium Elektron Ltd. Works now occupies the site. Aerial map showing the railway to the left of the Irwell and the site of clifton Junction. |
