Gatley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gatley |
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 Gatley
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| Area | 3.27 km2 (1.26 sq mi) |
| Population | 9,000 approximately |
| • Density | 2,752/km2 (7,130/sq mi) |
| Metropolitan borough |
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| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CHEADLE |
| Postcode district | SK8 |
| Dialling code | 0161 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Gatley is a suburban town in Greater Manchester, England. It's about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Manchester Airport. Around 9,000 people live here.
Contents
History of Gatley
What's in a Name?
Back in 1290, Gatley was called Gateclyve. This old name means "a place where goats are kept" in Middle English. So, it was probably a place for goats a long, long time ago!
Gatley's Early Days
For many years, until the 1900s, most people in Gatley were farmers or worked with materials. There used to be a system where farmers shared land, but this changed when people could buy their own plots.
Gatley Carrs was a marshy area near the River Mersey. Long ago, people used to grow willow trees there to make baskets or fences for their homes. In the 1800s, someone even planted 1,000 poplar trees there! It was once described as a very beautiful and unique place.
Over time, Gatley Carrs became much smaller. Parts were drained for farming, and a railway line was built across it in 1864. Later, some land was used for a refuse tip, and houses were built. Today, it's a much smaller area, managed as a nature spot.
Gatley's Working Life
In the 1600s and 1700s, making buttons was a big business in Gatley. People called "button men" sold them. Many people also worked as hand loom weavers, making cloth in their homes. Their cottages often had special rooms with good light for their looms.
Around 1750, a small factory was built near Gatley Hall for hand weaving. It wasn't a huge cotton mill like some others. But as big machines became more common in the 1800s, the smaller industries in Gatley faded away.
Old Houses and Halls
Some important houses in Gatley include Stone Pale Hall, which was rebuilt in 1714. Gatley Hall and Gatley Hill House were likely built in the mid-1700s by people who made cotton. Today, Gatley Hill House is used by different community groups.
Times of Trouble
During the English Civil War (1642–1651), many people in Gatley supported the King. Three men from Gatley even helped defend Wythenshawe Hall against the Parliamentarian forces.
Later, in 1745, about 55 Jacobite soldiers from Bonnie Prince Charlie's army marched through Gatley on their way to Stockport. They were trying to take over England but eventually turned back.
In 1818, some Gatley residents joined the Luddite protests. These were people who were angry about new machines taking their jobs. They tried to get weapons from soldiers in Stockport but didn't succeed. The next year, soldiers came to Gatley to arrest the protest leaders, and some had to hide!
Churches and Faiths
Gatley has a long history of different religious groups. In 1777, the Gatley Congregational Church was founded, and a chapel was built. Today, this church is known as Gatley United Reformed Church.
Before 1875, Gatley didn't have its own parish church, so people had to travel four miles to Stockport. A new church, St. James', was built in Gatley in 1881.
In 1968, the Yeshurun Hebrew Congregation, a Jewish synagogue, opened in Gatley. Today, Gatley is home to St. James' Church (Church of England), Bethany Church (Elim Pentecostal), and Gatley United Reformed Church.
The Medical Centre Site
The place where Gatley Medical Centre stands today on Old Hall Road has a very interesting past! In the late 1500s, a local court was held there, probably in an inn. It later became the site of Gatley's first church in 1777 and was also a schoolroom. The grassy area next to the surgery was even used as a graveyard for many years.
Gatley's Location
Gatley is the most western part of Stockport and sits right on the border with Manchester. It's about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Manchester Airport. To the west, it borders Wythenshawe, and to the north, Didsbury. The M60 motorway and River Mersey separate it from Didsbury. Gatley is generally 130–200 feet (40-60 meters) above sea level.
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Sharston | Didsbury | East Didsbury | |
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Cheadle | ||
 Gatley  |
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| Peel Hall | Heald Green | Cheadle |
How Gatley is Governed
Long ago, Gatley was part of an area called Etchells. Over time, different families owned the land, until the Tatton family became the main lords of the manor in the 1560s. They held courts to manage the area.
Later, Gatley became part of the Cheadle and Gatley Urban District in 1894. An "urban district" was a local government area responsible for things like roads and public services. From 1894 until 1974, Gatley was in Cheshire.
In the 1930s, both Manchester and Stockport wanted Gatley to join them. But nearly all the residents voted to stay independent!
In 1974, Gatley became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport in Greater Manchester. Some parts of Gatley were actually in Manchester until the early 1990s, when residents successfully asked for all of Gatley to be part of Stockport. Today, Gatley is part of the Cheadle and Gatley local ward.
People of Gatley
Gatley's population is currently around 9,000 people.
Population Changes Over Time
A very old stone found in Gatley suggests people lived here even in the Stone Age! In 1286, Gatley was a small village with at least six families. The area grew a lot between 1921 and 1939, with many people moving from Manchester to Gatley and nearby areas.
Different Faiths
Gatley and Cheadle have a good mix of different religions. There's a higher number of Jewish people here compared to the average for England and Stockport, which is why Gatley has an Orthodox synagogue. There's also a notable Muslim population, similar to nearby Didsbury.
Where People Are From
Most people in Gatley were born in England. There are also people from other parts of the UK, Europe, and outside Europe, making Gatley a diverse place.
Shops and Jobs
Gatley has a busy main shopping area with over 40 shops, places to eat, hairdressers, and other businesses. You can find everything from cafes to a bike shop! There are also smaller groups of shops in other parts of Gatley. Several office buildings in the area house different companies.
Getting Around Gatley
For a long time, crossing the River Mersey to Didsbury was hard because there were no bridges until 1745. People had to cross the river by walking through shallow parts or using a boat.
Main roads through Gatley were improved in 1820, making travel easier. By 1822, you could even take a fast coach from Stockport to Liverpool and back in one day!
Gatley didn't have public transport until 1896, when a postmaster started a cab service. Horse-drawn buses began in 1898, and electric trams arrived in 1904. Trams were replaced by buses in 1931. Today, the 11A bus runs through Gatley, connecting Altrincham and Stockport.
A railway station opened in Gatley in 1909, making it easier to travel by train. Later, in 1974, the M56 motorway and M60 motorway were built, which helped traffic bypass Gatley. In 2014, the Manchester Metrolink tram system was extended to Manchester Airport, with a stop about a mile from Gatley.
Schools in Gatley
Gatley has three nurseries, two primary schools, and one secondary school, all part of the state education system.
Gatley Primary School
This school is on Hawthorn Road and has about 460 students aged 5 to 11. It received an "outstanding" rating from Ofsted (the school inspection body) in 2010.
Lum Head Primary School
Located on Troutbeck Road, Lum Head Primary School opened in 1965. It has about 200 students aged 4 to 11 and was rated "good" by Ofsted in 2011.
The Kingsway School
The Kingsway School is a mixed secondary school that opened in 1983 after two other schools merged. It specializes in math, computing, and science. The school has two sites, one in Gatley and one in Cheadle, connected by a pedestrian subway. It was rated "good" by Ofsted in 2013.
Places to See and Parks
War Memorial and Clock Tower
Gatley's war memorial is on Gatley Green. The original memorial for the First World War is the clock tower at the corner of Northenden Road and Church Road. After many years of not working, the clock tower was fully repaired and restored in 2012, and the clock now works perfectly!
Tatton Cinema (Frontage)
The front part of the old Tatton Cinema is still standing. This cinema was built in the 1930s and was once very popular. It closed in 2001 because of new, larger cinemas nearby. The back part of the building was knocked down in 2005. After many years of being empty, a new Co-op supermarket finally opened on the site in November 2020, keeping the old cinema's art deco front.
Gatley Recreation Ground
Gatley Recreation Ground, also known as Gatley Park, is a small park between Church Road and Northenden Road. It has a bowling green, a tennis and basketball court, a children's playground, and a skateboarding area with ramps. A local group called SPRING helps to raise money to improve the park.
Walter Stansby Memorial Park
Walter Stansby Memorial Park is a peaceful, tree-lined park near the Recreation Ground. It has nice lawns, plants, and benches, perfect for a quiet walk.
Scholes Park
At the southwest end of Gatley is William Scholes Park, which has large playing fields and small wooded areas. It's much bigger than Gatley Recreation Ground. This park was developed in the 1960s with money from William Scholes, a Gatley resident. The fields are used for many Gatley events, like the annual Gatley Festival, and by local sports teams for cricket and football. A children's playground was added in 2011.
Gatley Carrs Nature Reserve
Gatley Carrs is a special local nature reserve in the northwest part of Gatley. A local group, the Gatley Carrs Conservation Group, helps to look after this natural area.
Gatley's Culture
Gatley Festival
The Gatley Festival is a fun event held every summer. It celebrates village life with a carnival parade and a family fun day, usually on the first Sunday in July. The festival is thought to have started in the 1930s as the Gatley Rose Queen Parade. It still crowns a "rose queen" today!
Gatley Music Festival
The Gatley Music Festival is an annual event that brings live music to the village. It runs for one week each March and features different types of music, like classical, jazz, and rock. It also raises money for local charities. The festival started in 2005, growing from earlier concerts held at St James' Church.
Images for kids
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Styal Road, Gatley, 1913
See also
In Spanish: Gatley para niños
