Life on the Edge

Year: 1955

Life on the Edge

I arrived in Alderley Edge in 1950, after spending my early years at Clockhouse Farm in Mottram St Andrew. I came to live in a house called Croston, previously the coachman's house for Croston Towers, a large castellated residence torn down at the end of the Second World War, due to damage by American troops billeted there. Croston Towers had been the home of the wealthy Schill Family, but Melland Schill had died in 1916, when a Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. His name is engraved on the village War Memorial. Croston Towers' plot comprised the land bounded by Tempest Road, Woodbrook Road, and Macclesfield Road; in the region of 6 to 8 acres. In 1950, the only buildings on the site were Croston with its stables, coach-house, and workshops, at the top of Tempest Road, and Croston Lodge at the junction of Tempest Road and Macclesfield Road. The drive to Croston Towers is now the private road into Croston Close, with houses costing up to 4,000,000. The difference between the standard of living of the 'owners' in residences like Croston Towers, and the 'workers' in the slums of the north-western mill towns is difficult to describe, even now. The book 'Manchester Made Them' shows one end of the scale. The only vehicle access to Croston was either through the main house drive or through a rear access gate halfway along Tempest Road. My parents built a new access at the corner of Tempest Road and Woodbrook Road and gradually broke-up the glazed yellow tiles that comprised the stable and coach-house floors, in order to construct a fascinating garden. As a small boy I had free run of the Croston Towers plot. The main house had been completely demolished and the site cleared by 1950, and the garden had become completely overgrown, with many hidden pathways and wild rhododendrons. It made for exciting and adventurous times, especially when playing Cowboys and Indians. In about 1954 the first new houses were built on the Croston Towers' plot, with the Porter's large family home being constructed right in the centre of the old garden. The Dick family built a new house on the foundations of the great house, and a third house was built between the Dick's house and Macclesfield Road. These were all large detached houses, and well away from the roads encircling the plot. Three more houses were built later, with access from Woodbrook Road. A gate at the top of the Croston Towers' plot connected with a footpath from Woodbrook Road that wound around the back of Penn House and passed by the Wizard's Well, well known for its legend "Drink of this and take thy fill, for the water falls by the Wizard's will"; and went on through the woods to Castle Rock and Stormy Point. Bollin Towers was occupied by the Sellars family at that time; Mr Sellars was an architect. His daughter Mariel and I used to be able to communicate at night by flashing our bedroom lights on and off. The house was later divided into two, with the Sellars family retaining the "tower" portion of the house. The division deprived Mariel and me of a long polished hall, where we could run a small wooden train. I remember going up some greasy wooden steps to the very top of the tower, and having one of the very best views in Cheshire. As a paper boy for the Edge houses, I not only had a lot of papers to deliver but a lot of miles to pedal along house drives. Houses like Franklynn (previously the Firs), had every Sunday paper available and at least three daily papers. Its plot was almost as big as Croston Towers, stretching from Franklynn Lodge on Macclesfield Road to a back entrance on the corner of Woodbrook Road and Underwood Road. It was only after 1956 that more houses were built on this plot. I also delivered groceries at week-ends and Christmas time for Fitchett's greengrocers in the village. Pedalling a fully laden delivery bike up Macclesfied and Congleton roads was no joke, especially when it was raining heavily or even snowing. Zooming back down to the village was much more fun. My sister, Ann, and I attended the Methodist Chapel at the time and I remember the annual parades on Whit Sundays, marching through the village behind the band and the Chapel banner. I still have a photograph of my sister with the Whit Sunday parade in 1959. The annual Sunday School garden parties took place at the Moxon's family house off Macclesfield Road. Adrian Moxon was afflicted with a hare lip, a condition corrected by routine surgery these days, but a permanent disfigurement some 50 years ago. Their garden was so large they even had a small train in it; very popular for the Sunday school parties. I have been fortunate in obtaining details from Estate Agents of the changes to Croston. A large reception room has been constructed from the double garage that was under my old bedroom, and what were almost derelict out-buildings and the coach-house have been changed into a most attractive residential property. One of my few regrets is that I never saw Croston Towers; so if any reader knows any of its details or even has a photograph or sketch of the house I would be very grateful to see it. The book 'Villas of Alderley Edge' by Matthew Hyde contains much fascinating detail about the large properties on the Edge and the lives of their owners and servants, but sadly has no photographs of Croston Towers. Graham Dilliway jgrahamd@aol.com