Freehold, Greater Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Freehold |
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 Freehold
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| OS grid reference | SD911041 |
| 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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Freehold is a neighborhood in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It is part of the Werneth area. Freehold is located in the western part of Werneth, right on the border with Chadderton. It is surrounded by other neighborhoods like Werneth, Cowhill, Block Lane, and Butler Green/Washbrook.
The main street in Freehold is Oxford Street. The area is generally bordered by Manchester Road, Edward Street, the old Oldham Loop Line railway, Block Lane, and Suffolk Street.
Some parts of Freehold were redeveloped through a government plan called the Housing Market Renewal Initiative. This plan aimed to improve housing in the area. However, some parts of Freehold have remained empty since the early 2000s because the funding for this plan stopped.
Freehold tram stop opened in 2012. It is located on the border between Oldham and Chadderton at Block Lane. This tram stop serves both the Freehold area of Oldham and the Cowhill/Block Lane areas of Chadderton.
History of Freehold
In the early 1860s, a man named John Platt (MP) bought the land that is now Freehold. John Platt was the son of Henry Platt, who started Platt Brothers. This company made machines for the cotton industry.
John Platt was the Mayor of Oldham at the time. He started building many houses in Freehold. This allowed workers from Platt Brothers and other local factories to become "forty-shilling freeholders." This meant they owned their homes and had the right to vote. Platt Brothers was once the biggest maker of cotton machinery in the world, employing about 15,000 people.
A path connecting Manchester Road and the old road of Block Lane was turned into Oxford Street. Once Oxford Street opened, many smaller streets were built. These streets connected to Manchester Road and Block Lane. By 1914, the Freehold area was full of rows of terraced houses.
Freehold used to have several pubs. Today, only one remains: The Royal Oak, which opened in 1825 on Manchester Road. The area also had its own cinema called The Gem Cinema on Suffolk Street. It opened in 1920. The cinema closed in the early 1960s. Later, it became a club, but it was demolished by 2009. The site was then cleared for new housing.
Hartford Mill is a Grade II listed building in Freehold. This means it is a historically important building. It was built in 1907. Cotton production stopped there in 1969, and the mill became empty and rundown. In 2015, permission was given to remove its listed status and demolish it.
Another Grade II listed building in Freehold is Werneth Lodge. This building was once a coach house, built around 1790. Today, it is used as a private care home for older people.
Freehold Community School was built in 1982. It stands on the site of Blackridings Mill, which was taken down in 1975. The school itself has a long history, dating back to 1880. It was originally located on Derby Street.
Places of Worship
Freehold is part of the Christ Church parish. Christ Church is a Church of England church on Block Lane. It was built in 1870. This church is still active today and runs many community projects. It also has a primary school.
In the mid-1800s, more people moved to Freehold. Cowhill Methodist Church decided to build a new chapel in Rutland Street, Werneth. In 1861, the foundations were laid for Brunswick Wesleyan Methodist church. It opened in 1862 and was one of the largest churches in Oldham. This church closed in 1954.
The church members later moved to Edward Street Methodist Church. This church also closed in 1967. Its members joined with other local churches, including Cowhill Methodist Church, to form South Chadderton Methodist Church at Butler Green.
Freehold is home to a large Muslim population. Three mosques serve the area. These are the Werneth Jamia Masjid on Manchester Road, the Markazi Mosque on Suffolk Street, and Jamia Islamia Ghausia Mosque on Warwick Street.
Werneth Jamia Masjid was the first mosque in the Werneth area of Oldham. The building was bought in 1976 and was originally a grocery store. The local community raised money through donations to buy the property and turn it into a place of worship.
Getting Around Freehold
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Several bus services operate in Freehold. First Greater Manchester runs bus services 81 and 83. These buses connect Freehold to Oldham town centre and Manchester city centre. They pass through Moston and Failsworth. In the evenings, the 81 service continues to Derker.
Stotts Tours (Oldham) operates bus service 159. This service goes to Oldham via Chadderton town centre. It also goes to Middleton via Hollinwood, Woodhouses, Failsworth, and New Moston. Stotts Tours also runs service 396. This service links Freehold to Ashton-U-Lyne and Middleton via Chadderton town centre.
Freehold Metrolink station provides direct tram links. You can take a tram from here to Manchester and beyond. You can also travel to Rochdale railway station and Rochdale town centre.
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Cowhill | Cowhill | Westwood | |
| Nimble Nook |  |
Werneth | ||
 Freehold  |
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| Butler Green | Block Lane | Top of Hollinwood |
