GREAT AND LITTLE HEATON
Heton, 1212—usual; Heiton, 1226; Hetun,
Heethon, c. 1250; Heetun, 1319; Holton, Hoton,
1331–2 ; Hey ton, 1447; Heaton (xvi cent.).
Faefeld, c. 1280; Faghefeld, 1331; Faufeld, 1344;
Fawfeld, 1368; Falefelde, 1447; Faughfyld, 1586;
Fallowfield, modern. Pronounced Fawfield.
These townships, mostly on high ground, which
slopes away to the south-east to the River Irk, have
areas respectively of 875 and 532 acres. Great
Heaton has two detached portions lying on the
border of Middleton, and Little Heaton has a small
isolated part, occupying the extreme north-east corner
of the townships. Formerly the district was called
Faghfield, and the places were Heaton upon Faghfield, but in time the present Great Heaton became
known as Over Heaton or Heaton Reddish, from the
lords of the manor, while Little Heaton was called
Heaton Fallowfield. The population in 1901 was
not returned separately, but partly with Prestwich and
partly with Middleton.
The surface is undulating, varying from 200 ft.
to 350 ft. above sea level. The most prominent
feature is the large park around Heaton House, now
the property of Manchester. The chief road is that
from the north of Manchester to Middleton, along
the right bank of the Irk. From it roads branch off,
making a circuit of the park, and another great highway leads to Heywood. The Lancashire and Yorkshire Company's railway from Manchester to Bury
passes through the southern corner of Great Heaton,
mostly by a tunnel under the park.
The townships have ceased to exist as such.
In 1894 the greater part of the area was added to
Prestwich for purposes of local government; the
small urban district on the east, known as Rhodes,
together with the detached portion of Little Heaton
above mentioned, were taken into the borough of
Middleton. (fn. 1) A further change was made in 1901,
Heaton Park being added to Manchester, on its
purchase by the Corporation.
Fifty years ago silk-weaving gave prosperity to the
villages of Simister and Bow Lee, but the industry
has long been extinct. (fn. 2)
There is a well called the Danes' Well in Simister
in Little Hulton. (fn. 3) A place called Clark's Cross is
on the highest ground, 350 ft., in Corday Lane in
Great Heaton. A curious inn sign, 'The Same Yet,'
was noticeable at Great Heaton. (fn. 4)
In 1666 there were fifty hearths in Heaton liable
to the tax; William Holland's house had thirteen,
and Edmund Heywood's six. In Heaton Fallowfield,
out of thirty-five hearths in all James Pilkington's
house had six. (fn. 5)
Manors
Heaton, held in thegnage of the king,
had before 1212 become divided into
two portions, held by different families
at different rents. One moiety, GREAT HEATON,
as 4 oxgangs of land, was then held by Adam de
Prestwich, and of him by Adam de Heaton, by a rent of
10s. The other moiety, LITTLE HEATON, also
4 oxgangs, was held by William de Radcliffe, and
of him by Gilbert de Notton, of Barton, by a rent of
6s. 8d. (fn. 6)
It is difficult to trace the descent of these separate
portions. Of the Prestwich moiety (fn. 7) one portion
seems to have been acquired by the Hultons, (fn. 8) and thus
passed to the Reddish family, being held by a rent of
6s. 8d.; (fn. 9) the other 3s. 4d. may have been due from
Rooden Lane in Prestwich, which seems anciently
to have been charged with that rent, (fn. 10) or from lands
purchased by Adam de Prestwich and given to his son
John, (fn. 11) whose descendants sold it to the Hollands of
Denton. (fn. 12) This family also acquired a moiety of the
Radcliffe part of Heaton, (fn. 13) the other half apparently
descending with Radcliffe; (fn. 14) thus in 1346 Richard de
Radcliffe and Thurstan de Holland held Heaton Fallowfield in socage by a rent of 6s. 8d., paying double as
a relief; puture also was due. (fn. 15) In later inquisitions
the tenure is called knight's service. (fn. 16)
The Heaton family appear throughout the 13th
century, but sold their lands to the Prestwiches and
others; and part was obtained by the Hollands. (fn. 17)
This family became the principal one in the two
townships. Their original house, known as the Old
Hall, was in Little Heaton, but about 1750 the
present Heaton Hall in Great Heaton was built, and
remained the seat of the family until its purchase by
Manchester. A junior branch of the family was
seated at Rhodes in Pilkington. (fn. 18)
At the beginning of the 17th century the Hollands
of Denton seem to have acquired the inheritance of
the Reddish family in Great Heaton, (fn. 19) and from that
time chose Heaton for their principal residence. (fn. 20) In
1684 Elizabeth, sister and heir of Edward Holland,
married at Prestwich Sir John Egerton of Wrinehill, (fn. 21)
and her son Holland, born two years afterwards, (fn. 22) inherited the manors of Heaton and Denton. (fn. 23) He
was succeeded in turn by his sons, Sir Edward and Sir
Thomas Grey Egerton, (fn. 24) and his grandson Sir Thomas
Egerton, created Earl of Wilton in 1801. (fn. 25) His
daughter and sole heir Eleanor married Robert, Earl
Grosvenor, afterwards Marquis of Westminster, and
the Heaton estates went to her second son, Thomas,
born in 1799, who by a special remainder succeeded
his maternal grandfather in 1814 as second Earl of
Wilton. He assumed the name of Egerton, and
dying in 1882, (fn. 26) was succeeded by his eldest surviving
son, Arthur Edward Holland Grey Egerton, who
died without issue in 1885. His heir was his brother,
Seymour John Grey Egerton, fourth earl. He died
in 1898, and his son, Arthur George Egerton, in
1901 sold Heaton Park and some adjacent lands
to the Corporation of Manchester, the price being
£230,000. All rights, such as minerals, &c., were
included in the purchase. The park was opened to
the public on 24 September, 1902. (fn. 27)
Heaton House stands on an elevated situation in
Heaton Park, and was built in 1772 by Sir Thomas
Egerton (afterwards first Earl of Wilton), James
Wyatt being the architect. It is a low classic structure facing south with a circular projection in the
centre surmounted by a dome, and east and west
wings connected with the main building by colonnades. (fn. 28) There is a circular temple to the south-east
of the house, and later extensions were made on the
east side by the addition of conservatories. The
building, in which the Ionic order is used, is a good
specimen of the early work of Wyatt, and is now
used by the Manchester Corporation for exhibition
and other purposes in connection with the park.
The land tax returns of 1787 show that Lord Grey
de Wilton paid about half the sums collected from
Great and from Little Heaton. (fn. 29)
In 1852 the whole of the land in Great Heaton
belonged to the Earl of Wilton, except one cottage
with its garden plot; 'this cottage, situated at Catty
green, is claimed by the township as the representative
of its former owner, who upwards of a century ago,
mysteriously disappeared, leaving no traces of his
destination, and, what is more remarkable, no heirs
to succeed to his property.' (fn. 30) This lies on the edge
of a detached portion of Great Heaton, as also do
parts of Bow Lee and Rhodes. (fn. 31) Of Bow Lee, however, it is said that the cottages built there about 1800
stood on neutral ground, no decision being given as to
whether they were in Prestwich or in Middleton;
hence they escaped local rates, and no relief was given
by either parish. (fn. 32)
In Little Heaton the hamlet of Simisters Lane takes
its names from James Somister, who about 1730 purchased a small farm there, and prospering, afterwards
added three others, his estate reaching 52 acres. He
died in 1780. (fn. 33)
From a feoffment of 1681 it appears that Robert
Lever of Alkrington owned the old hall of Heaton,
with its demesne lands. (fn. 34)
For the worship of the Established Church All
Saints' was built at Rhodes in 1864; the rector of
Middleton is the patron. There is attached the
school church of St. Thomas, Bow Lee.