Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the City of Manchester, in North West England.
Wythenshawe, which has been referred to as the largest housing estate in Europe,[1] comprises nine areas; Baguley, Benchill, Peel Hall, Newall Green, Woodhouse Park, Moss Nook, Sharston, Northern Moor and Northenden.
Geography and administration
History
The name of Wythenshawe seems to come from the Old English wiðign = "withy tree" and sceaga = "wood" (compare dialectal word shaw).
This name originally referred only to Wythenshawe Hall or its site.
For many centuries the Tatton family owned Wythenshawe Hall and much land in what is now Wythenshawe. Manchester Corporation, who were in desperate need of land to house the city's rapidly increasing population, pressured Mr. Tatton to part with the land in 1926. What was once farmland was transformed into one of the largest housing estates in Europe. Wythenshawe and Sale East is now a parliamentary constituency with five wards in Manchester and three in Trafford.
Immediately south of Wythenshawe is Manchester Airport, formerly called Ringway Airport. Before Manchester's Barton and Ringway Airports were laid out, three farm fields lying between Rackhouse Road and Wythenshawe Park in what is now the north edge of Wythenshawe were used as a temporary municipal airfield between April 1929 and early 1930.
Economy
Many houses previously owned by the council are now under the control of local housing associations, such as Willow Park in Benchill. Responsibility for the housing stock continues to be transferred from the local council to housing associations in other areas of Wythenshawe as well. The housing associations have invested a great deal into the area and have improved the quality of the local housing stock.[citation needed]
Several greenfield and greyfield sites have been opened up to developers and there are a great deal of new housing developments within the town.
Recently, between 1999 and 2002, the town centre was renovated to include new stores and other new features. The main street now features gates that are locked at night to prevent the vandalism that was seen in previous years. The tunnel going between the multi-storey car park and the large supermarket building now features a mosaic displaying various aspects of the town. The Forum centre, which houses a library, swimming baths and theatre (amongst other things) has also been renovated in a more youth-centric, modern style.
Notable residents
- [Phil Lauder] - Hero to many
- Caroline Aherne - Actress, Mrs Merton and The Royle Family
- Edmund "Ed Banger" Garrity - Singer, Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds
- Nicholas Cochrane - Actor, Coronation Street
- Harry H Corbett - Actor, star of Steptoe and Son
- Jamie Draven - Actor, Ultimate Force, Billy Elliott, Messiah, Mobile (TV series)
- Lewis McKenzie - Actor, There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
- Lorraine Cheshire - Actress, Early Doors, Life On Mars, Tittybangbang, Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise
- Melissa Porter - Television Presenter, To Buy or Not to Buy, Escape to the Country
- Joshua Thurston - Child actor
- Simon Gregson - Actor, Coronation Street
- Johnny Marr - Guitarist, The Smiths
- Jason Orange - Singer, Take That
- Lyn Paul - Singer, New Seekers
- Tony Wilson - TV presenter, journalist, nightclub owner, record label owner
- Paul Young - Singer, Sad Café, Mike & the Mechanics
- Vini Reilly, Singer and guitarist with The Durutti Column
Images
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papyrus etc in tropical room in Wythenshawe Park Horticultural Centre greenhouses
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ferns in fern room in Wythenshawe Horticultural Centre
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start of water feature in Wythenshawe Park Horticultural Centre
External links
- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/10/world/europe/10britain.html NY Times article about Wythenshawe youth.
- http://www.wfmradio.org/ Wythenshawe FM Community Radio Station
- ^ Derick Deakin. "History of the Estate". Wythit.
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