Cowhill, Greater Manchester facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids Cowhill |
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 Cowhill
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| OS grid reference | SD 90950 04701 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OLDHAM |
| Postcode district | OL9 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Cowhill is a small area in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, England. It's sometimes called Cow Hill.
You can find Cowhill about 0.5 miles (0.8 km) southeast of Chadderton town centre. It sits near the border with Oldham. Cowhill is next to areas like Block Lane, Stock Brook, and Butler Green. It also touches Freehold and Westwood in Oldham.
Long ago, Cowhill was a small village. It grew into an industrial area. Today, it is mostly a place where people live. A big housing area called Crossley Estate is here. It was built in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2014, the estate was updated. This included 87 new houses and a new community centre.
Next to the Crossley Estate are the Crossley Playing Fields. These fields have five football pitches. They also have changing rooms for players. The playing fields were updated in 2015. Oldham Council helped with this work. The Premier League and the FA Facilities Fund also supported it.
Cowhill used to have its own post office. It was called Cow Hill sub post office. This post office closed in 2008–09. Christ Church (Church of England) Primary School serves the area.
Contents
Cowhill's Past: A Look Back
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Cowhill was first mentioned in the mid-1500s. It was known as Coohill or Cohyll. In the 17th century, a serious illness affected Chadderton. Many people in Cowhill died during this time.
By the early 1800s, Cowhill had grown. A local historian, James Butterworth, described it in 1826. He said Cowhill was a "small village." It had two pubs and many homes. Before 1810, Cowhill was part of the main road. This road connected Chadderton and Oldham to Middleton.
Cowhill was known for its coal mining. It once had many pubs. Today, only two remain. The Dog Inn opened in 1750. It is one of Chadderton's oldest pubs. The Crown pub opened in the early 1870s. People sometimes call it The Sump Hole.
The Peterloo Massacre Connection
In 1819, a group from Chadderton marched to Manchester. They were going to a big political protest. This event became known as the Peterloo Massacre. The Dog Inn was one of their meeting spots.
John Ashton from Cowhill was one of the people who died there. He was a 41-year-old weaver. He was hurt and trampled by the crowd. John Ashton was a father and may have been a soldier. He carried a banner with important words. It said, 'Taxation without representation is unjust and tyrannical. NO CORN LAWS'.
Railways and Mills
The first railway line to Oldham came through Cowhill. It opened in 1842. A second line, the Oldham Loop Line, opened in 1880. These two lines met near Alder Root.
The Crossley Playing Fields have an interesting history. A stream once ran through them. A coal mine called Stockfield Colliery opened nearby. It closed in 1932. Later, the land was used for landfill. It was fully restored in 1980.
Several cotton mills were built here in the 1800s. These included Alder Root Mill and Glenby. Chadderton Mill was built in 1885. It is still standing today. It is a special building, listed for its history. Chadderton Mill stopped making cotton in 2000. It was the last cotton mill in Chadderton.
In 1907, there was a train accident in Cowhill. It happened near the Walsh Street railway bridge. Wagons rolled out of control. They crashed into the street below. This event was called the 'Cow Hill Accident'.
Cowhill used to have a school, churches, and farms. It also had a Conservative Club. An annual fair called 'Cowhill Wakes' was held here. But in the 1970s, many of these old buildings were removed. Cow Hill Lane was renamed Denton Lane.
Places of Worship in Cowhill
The Wesleyan Methodist movement started a church nearby in 1790. John Wesley, a famous preacher, spoke there. Two workers from that church came to Cowhill. They started a small group here.
At first, this group met in homes. They also met in the 'National School'. But the group became smaller over time. The work started again in 1847. The Methodists held outdoor services. They also had prayer meetings in homes. Sometimes, these meetings were dangerous. People would try to trip them or throw things at them.
In 1854, people asked for help to build a new school. The foundations for Cowhill Methodist Church and School were laid in 1855. The church opened in July 1855. It was on Block Lane, near The Dog Inn. This church closed in 1966. It joined with other churches to form South Chadderton Methodist Church.
In the 1880s, Christ Church started a mission in Cowhill. This mission was in a small house. People called it "Cowhill Cathedral." It later moved to Walsh Street. The "Cowhill Mission" continued its work for many years.
Cowhill Council School
A temporary school was first built in Cowhill in 1814. Sir Thomas Horton paid for it. It was on the opposite side of Cowhill Lane (now Denton Lane). The main school building's foundation stone was laid in 1818.
This school was used as a Sunday school. It was also sometimes a day school. It was not linked to any church at first. The Methodists in Cowhill started their own Sunday school in 1828. They held services there. But these stopped around 1835. The school was rebuilt around 1876. This was because of the railway line being built.
In 1894, the school could no longer pay its bills. The Chadderton School Board took over the building. The school closed in 1905. The building was too old for teaching. Most students moved to the new Stanley Road Council School.
Cowhill Wakes: A Local Fair
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The Wakes was a special holiday. It happened in late August. Cotton mill workers got time off. Many went to the seaside for a week. Funfairs became part of this tradition. The Wakes became a time for fun.
In Chadderton, the Wakes became even more special. In 1886, Samuel Kay, the owner of The Dog Inn, started a fair. He held it on land near his pub. He wanted to sell more drinks. The fair was very popular. Cowhill Wakes became an annual event in August. It continued until about 1960.
Getting Around Cowhill
Several bus services help people travel in Cowhill.
- Stagecoach Manchester operates bus service 415. It connects Cowhill with Oldham and Middleton.
- Stotts Tours (Oldham) runs bus service 159. This goes to Oldham and Middleton. They also have service 396. It links to Ashton-U-Lyne and Middleton.
Freehold Metrolink station is on the border of Cowhill. It is on Block Lane. This station offers tram links. You can go directly to Manchester. You can also reach Rochdale Railway Station and its town centre. The station opened in 2012. It was one of many new stations on the Oldham and Rochdale Line. Other names for the station were thought about. These included Cowhill and Block Lane. But the local council chose Freehold.
