ARDWICK
Atheriswyke, (copy of) Inq. of 1282; Ardewyke,
1357.
The bounds of Ardwick extend from the Medlock
on the north to somewhat beyond the Cornbrook
on the south. The south-west boundary is for the
most part the Stockport road, but at one point includes land to the west of the road. From this road
Hyde Road runs eastward; and to the north of it
Ashton Old Road also crosses the township in an
easterly direction. There are numerous cross streets,
the greater part of the area being urban; the centre
and east are occupied by railway land and various
works. The township contains 509 acres. The
population of Ardwick, West Gorton, and Rusholme
together was 113,843 in 1901.
Proceeding from Manchester by the London road,
Ardwick Green is soon reached; the open space on
the north side, transferred to the corporation in 1867,
is called Ardwick Green Park; the area is about 5
acres. The town hall stands at the north-east
corner. Beyond Ardwick Green the road is called
Stockport Road. On the north side of Hyde Road
is Nicholls' Hospital, behind which is the cemetery,
opened in 1838. On the south side a public readingroom was opened in 1888 in a building formerly a
Primitive Methodist chapel. Further to the east is the
Manchester City Football Ground. To the south of
Ashton Old Road is a cricket ground, while some
little distance to the north is a public recreation
ground. The Mayfield Baths are by the Medlock,
and there are other baths on Hyde Road. There are
two drill halls in the township.
The London and North Western Company's line
from London Road Station to Stockport crosses the
township in a south-east direction. From it the
Lancashire and Yorkshire Company has a branch going
north to Miles Platting. The Great Central Company has a line running parallel with the first-named
till Ardwick Station is reached, when its line runs east
and has a second station called Ashbury's, just on the
township boundary. The Midland Company has
lines connecting with the former and with the Ancoats Goods Station.
There are many factories, including india-rubber
works and dye works, by the Medlock, and saw mills,
boiler works, iron foundry, chemical works, and pottery in the south-east. The corporation has its
tramcar sheds and works here.
To the hearth tax of 1666 thirty-four hearths were
liable. The largest house was that of Samuel Birch,
with seven hearths. (fn. 1) A dispensary was founded in
1829. Ardwick Green was in 1830 described as 'a
pleasant approach to Manchester, being well planted
and ornamented with elegant houses on the border of
a canal.' (fn. 2) It was then a fashionable residential district for Manchester merchants.
James Heywood Markland, an antiquary, was born
there in 1788; he died in 1828. (fn. 3) Another native
was Martha Darley Mutrie, a flower painter, born in
1824; she died in 1885. (fn. 4) Samuel Reynolds Hole,
Dean of Rochester 1887–1904 and famous as a rosegrower, was born at Ardwick in 1820.
In 1825 an Act was obtained for the better government of the township. (fn. 5) On the incorporation of the
borough of Manchester in 1838, Ardwick was included; together with Beswick it formed a ward. It
was merged in the new township of South Manchester in 1896.
A mock corporation held its meetings from 1764
onwards, a mayor and other officers being elected.
MANOR
There was, properly speaking, no manor
of ARDWICK, which was a hamlet in
the demesne of Manchester. In 1282
the farm of 10 oxgangs and 9 acres of land in bondage amounted to 43s., and there was a plat of land
there called Twantirford, rendering 6s. 8d. (fn. 6) The
tenants had turbary on 100 acres of moor in Openshaw, and were obliged to grind at the Irk Mills to
the sixteenth measure. (fn. 7) In 1320–2 Richard Akke, a
'native,' held 2 messuages and 2 oxgangs of land in
villeinage at a rent of 8s., performing also certain services; (fn. 8) the other land, 8¾ oxgangs, was valued at
45s. 6d. (fn. 9) The hamlet was, with Bradford and other
lands, given by Roger La Warre in 1357 to Thomas
de Booth of Barton, (fn. 10) and descended in this family
till the partition at the end of the 16th century,
when, like Bradford, it became part of the share of
Dorothy, youngest daughter of John Booth. The
'manors of Over and Lower Ardwick,' with messuages,
lands, and common rights, were in 1636 sold by
Thomas Charnock and others to Samuel Birch. (fn. 11)
A Birch pedigree was recorded in 1664 (fn. 12) in which
it is stated that Samuel was the son of Ambrose Birch
of Openshaw. He was a friend of Henry Newcome's, (fn. 13) and, dying in 1668–9, left all lands to his
son John, of Whitbourne in Herefordshire. (fn. 14) John
Birch, born in 1616, was a
carrier and trader of Bristol;
afterwards he entered the army,
and was a colonel in 1644,
when he was serving for the
Parliament against the king, (fn. 15)
and greatly distinguished himself in the war. He was a
Member of Parliament, (fn. 16) showing himself a moderate Presbyterian, and being in December
1648 excluded by 'Pride's
Purge,' was for a time imprisoned. He was thereafter one
of Cromwell's opponents, and took part in the negotiations for the restoration of Charles II. (fn. 17) He continued to represent Weobley till his death in 1691.
His association with Lancashire is slight; but he
acquired Ordsall, which remained in his family for
some time. (fn. 18)
Birch of Ardwick. Azure three fleurs-de-lis argent, a canton or.
Ardwick appears to have been acquired by the
colonel's younger brother Samuel, who also took part
in the wars and was known as Major Birch. (fn. 19) He
died in 1693, leaving a son and heir John, who by
his will left a messuage and lands in Upper and Lower
Ardwick to his wife Elizabeth, with remainder to his
son Thomas; a younger son, Samuel, also had lands
in Lower Ardwick. (fn. 20) Thomas Birch, on succeeding in
1728, rebuilt the manor-house, but died without issue
in 1753; by his will he divided his estates, Ardwick
lands going to his brother George, with remainders to
his nephews Samuel and George, sons of his brother
Samuel. He left money for a school at Ardwick. (fn. 21)
Samuel Birch of Lower Ardwick promoted the building of Ardwick Chapel, giving the site in 1740; he
was high sheriff in 1747. (fn. 22) He died in 1757, leaving
three sons—Thomas, who died without issue in 1781;
Samuel, who served in the American War and died in
1811; and George, of Ardwick, who died in 1794,
leaving issue Thomas and Maria. (fn. 23) The manors of
Upper and Lower Ardwick were left by the will of
Thomas Birch, dated 1780, to his brother, MajorGeneral Samuel Birch, who sold them in 1795 to
William Horridge. (fn. 24) They changed hands several
times, and in 1869 were purchased by Alderman
John Marsland Bennett of Ardwick. (fn. 25)
A considerable portion of Ardwick was sold by
Thomas Charnock to the Mosleys. (fn. 26)
Other families formerly had estates in the township
—Byrom, (fn. 27) Booth, (fn. 28) Entwisle, (fn. 29) and Strangeways. (fn. 30)
The land tax return of 1787 shows that the principal contributors were named Birch, Hyde, Ackers,
and Tipping. (fn. 31)
Ardwick was recognized as a township in 1622,
when Richard Hudson contributed to the subsidy
for goods. (fn. 32)
For the Established Church St. Thomas's, Ardwick
Green, (fn. 33) was built in 1741, as above-mentioned, and
has been enlarged; St. Silas's, a century later, in
1842; (fn. 34) St. Matthew's, 1868; (fn. 35) and St. Benedict's,
1880. (fn. 36) The patronage of the first of these churches
is vested in the Dean and Canons of Manchester, of
the others in different bodies of trustees. The incumbents are styled rectors. There are mission rooms
in connexion with St. Thomas's and St. Matthew's.
The Wesleyan Methodists, the Primitive Methodists, and United Free Methodists, also the Welsh
Calvinistic Methodists, have places of worship. The
Presbyterians have a preaching station, opened in
1904. The Congregationalists formerly had a chapel
in Tipping Street. (fn. 37)
The Roman Catholic church of St. Aloysius was
opened in 1885; the mission was begun in 1852.