Photo-a-Day (Tuesday, 8th October, 2024)
The Rec, Squires Hey, Standish
Now just a simple field of grass but with an interesting history once being part of Malt Kiln Farm. The field was part of a much larger enclosure known as Squires Hey with the farm buildings and malt kiln to the right of the picture.
Henry Standish, Lord of the Manor agreed to rent the land for £5 per year to Standish UDC in 1909 for the sole purpose of providing a Recreation Ground for local children to play on.
Henry died in 1920 leaving his estate to his widow Helene De Perusse Standish, they had been unable to have children meaning that after over 800 years the Standish line came to an end. Helene subsequently gifted the Recreation Ground to the children of Standish.
Helene was a significant historical figure descended from an esteemed French noble family and a close friend of King Edward Vll and Queen Alexandra. She died in Paris in 1933.
Photo: Colin Traynor (iPhone)
Plans were proposed to turn this into a car park but many on Southlands Avenue objected.
They also objected to a much needed car park being built on the land at the back of Chadwick’s on the High Street and what they got instead when Chadwick’s eventually sold the land was large blocks of flats overlooking their back gardens.
Be careful of what you wish for.
Now that the pitch down the line opposite the high school has gone this is one of the few places that kids can go and play football now other than Ashfield. Be a great shame if it was turned into a car park like Standish Voice were trying to a while ago
A tough uphill second half . It was always a dilemma which way to play if you won the toss .
I do not have a solution to the parking issues in Standish but I know that you can’t just conjure up one.
Apparently 1,300 people signed a Standish Voice petition in 2016 demanding more parking spaces but I bet the same people would have signed another one saying ‘as long as it’s not in my back yard’.
Not as much of a not in my back yard, more of a not wanting it on some of the only green space near the centre of the "village" when are far better places such as the large swathe of wasteland opposite bargain booze
I was going to ask the question T, what's happening to the land at the side and the rear of Tommy Walsh's ? Are there plans for it, could it be used as off road parking ? There didn't seem a lot wrong with the building that stood there before it was demolished. Anyone know ? Good photo Colin, sad to think it's not used regularly by one of the local football teams.
T, I do keep wondering what is happening with that large plot, no doubt a speculative chunk of land for more houses or flats.
I am not advocating building a car park on Squires Hey but it is under used. Not when you can park on Aldi for one 90 minutes for free.
I bet if you stood on the High Street or School Lane and asked anyone passing by where it or the football field was they wouldn’t have a clue, let alone have any knowledge of its history.
Back in 2004, Dave Whelan gave £8.8 million for the remaining intestate estate of the last of the Standish family, Mr. Thomas Standish. This included the Orrell rugby club ground and much land surrounding it, along with much more in Wigan and Standish.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that name cropped up somewhere along the line.
Thank you Mr Ghandi for your insight.
Sorry not been online for a couple days Colin so only just seen your comment.
I'm not sure to be honest what is happening with it. Rumours seem to circulate about a supermarket every few years but nothing seems to happened thus far. I'd imagine it will be something of that ilk as can't see it getting planning for more houses that close to the centre. Ideal case scenario, a section of it at least could should be bought with a CPO and turned into parking. If Aldi ever started to enforce their "shoppers only" policy we would be in an even worse way.
On the housing front, it's nice to see that sense has prevailed for now and the application for more houses down Pepper lane has been rejected.
That plot got planning permission for a supermarket but nothing happened. Plans are on the council website still. Parking in Standish is fine , 90 mins at Aldi is ample for shopping. There were more folks than residents of Southlands that objected to Standish (so called) Voice trying to tarmac over this precious piece of land gifted to local children for recreation. So glad we succeeded and put the unelected SV in it's place with its tail between its legs.