Levenshulme

Friday 18 March 2022

The very early history of Levenshulme is so obscure as to be virtually non-existent as it did not develop into a village until very recently. According to East Lancashire expert Eilert Ekwall the earliest reference in 1246 is to "de Lewyneshulm". This probably means a tract of land belonging to Leven, which may be a derivation of the Saxon word "Leofne" meaning Lord or Master, or maybe it is a possessive version of a person's name, "Leofwine's". The "holm" part is a Viking term meaning island, either in a lake/river or as raised dry ground within a marshy surround. Over the centuries it has had many variations of spelling: "Lyvenis-holme" in 1320, "Lywenshulme" (1322), "Leysholme" (1556), "Lensholme" (1578), "Lensom" (1587) and "Lentsholme" (1635) before settling on Levenshulme. Note on pronunciation: The "Hulme" element in Manchester is pronounced "Oom", hence Levenshulme was traditionally "Levenzoom" to the residents.

Tonight we start by travelling along Cromwell Grove and after a short walk the thoroughfare merges with Barlow Road adjacent to the old Levenshulme library. Shortly, we come to the Blue Bell. Note: this is named after a blue campanile and not Hyacinthoides non-scriptus, the English Bluebell (confusingly, in Scotland 'bluebell' refers to harebell or Campanula rotundifolia). There has been an inn on this site for 700 years. The original Blue Bell was a cruck-framed building with a thatched roof. Legend has it that the famous highwayman Dick Turpin regularly visited the Blue Bell Inn on Barlow Road, which shares the name of his birthplace. This may have been the building that was destroyed by a Mr Hitler (not personally!) in the Second World War, or there may have been a rebuild in the early 20th century – sources are contradictory on this point. It passed into the hands of Samuel Smiths of Tadcaster after their take-over of Rochdale and Manor Brewery back in the 70s. After only around 50 year's service (as opposed to the 600 of the original structure) this intermediate building was reconstructed to give us the current layout in the early 21st century. Being a Sam Smiths pub, the only cask ale available is Old Brewery Bitter, brewed in Yorkshire squares and still delivered in wooden barrels so it is always on excellent form here in the Blue Bell (but can vary enormously in other establishments). The pub also forms the heart of its community, hosting a variety of activities. These range from a knitting club (disbanded the last I heard) to the infamous Bring a Pie night – a bit like a Bring and Buy, but with home-baked pies instead. At one time, the Blue Bell sold the the cheapest beer in Levenshulme but, after recent price rises, this accolade passes to Fred's Ale House – but only on a Thursday evening!

Retracing our steps back on to Stockport Road and turning right, a few doors north we reach the recently opened micro bar, the Station Hop. Located in former shop premises, the Station Hop was opened on 7 February 2018 by two local real ale enthusiasts. The frontage is narrow, but it goes back a long way and even has a small beer garden (yard?) to the rear. With two real ales and several shelves of bottles and cans (many being real ale in a bottle) this is a welcome addition to the Levenshulme drinking scene. For those wishing to partake, there are also ten keg fonts, but none of that tonight! With this outbreak of micro bars, I wonder how long before we see Parisian-style street drinking á la Chorlton/West Didsbury? On the busy A6 – probably never!

As you exit the Station Hop, glance slightly right to the opposite side of the road and Levenshulme's new library and leisure centre. This was the site formerly occupied by the Church (pub not religious). Going south towards Stockport on the opposite side of the road is Hennigans Sports Bar but without any real ale. Continuing south, tucked away down Chapel Street to the left, we espy the Horseshoe, but there is no real ale now available.

Finally, we encounter a real ale dispensing outlet, Fred's Ale House. Opened on 31 January 2015 in an area where the owner declared "Real ale will never sell", how wrong he was. The previous use of the premises was as a betting shop, but there is more history to it than this. Look carefully at the photo of the Union below and there to the left (first shop with blind pulled out) is Fred's Ale House in its previous incarnation, an outlet for United Cattle Products. Once ubiquitous all over Lancashire, UCP were famous for tripe and cow-heel and even have their own United Cattle Products supporters' site! As an aside, I wonder how all those bits of cows which were enthusiastically consumed by locals are now being used?

Back to Fred's Ale House. Spread over three floors it is not just an ale house, but it has space for an art gallery downstairs, where live gigs are held and sport on large TV screens is sometimes shown. Because of the narrowness of the premises the bar area is restricted to vertical drinking, but at the back and front are sheltered outdoor drinking areas, while upstairs a comfy lounge, complete with leather chairs, offers more relaxed accommodation. What of the beer? The three regulars (Wainwright, Taylor's Landlord and Blackjack's seasonal) are supported by up to three changing guest beers. Had we been here a day earlier (in fact any Thursday evening) the cask ale would have been a mere £2 a pint.

When leaving Fred's, not so many years ago we would have had a real ale marathon on our hands travelling south, but not today. We would immediately come upon the Union Inn (see photo above – a customer is stood in the doorway). I remember delivering Opening Times here, so it has sold real ale within living memory (okay I am an old codger, but Opening Times is a mere youth). Sadly there is no real ale tonight, so onwards.

Next we encounter Overdraft which is set up in former TSB Bank premises (the name reflecting that history). This keg-only bar adds to the Levenshulme drinking scene. There are no fewer than 30 keg taps – this may be the highest number in any bar in Manchester! It is rumoured that some of these may be dispensing key‑keg real ales, but without expert knowledge, on both the customer and the bar staff side, we will probably pass by.

On the opposite side of the road, next to the traffic lights, was probably one of Manchester's earliest Irish pubs, the long-lost Railway. "That doesn't sound a very Irish name", you may well say, but for many a year the whole area was referred to as County Levenshulme because of the concentration of Irish families, and this was the pub they all seemed to go drinking in. Now reopened as more of a night club, though drink can be taken, it is no longer a pub.

A few more doors along and we pass the closed Pack Horse (photo left). This large Wilsons pub closed in 2007 and it was planned to convert it into accommodation - then the recession hit. Recently, work has been carried out on the outbuildings (former stables?) around the back, which are now occupied, and shops have opened in the former front lounge.

A little further south and we come to the Fiddlers Green (photo right) on the corner of Alexandra Terrace and Stockport Road. By its appearance this was not built as a pub, but what its former use was I have failed to establish. What I do know is, there is no cask ale on offer - this is becoming a depressingly often-typed comment.

Just before we reach the impressive (for such a small community) Levenshulme Town Hall (now an antiques showroom), we come to the Levenshulme, or the Levy to locals. This has had periods of closure over the last few years; in fact it was assumed it was shut for good, but no, it has reopened and closed again in late 2021. Real ale has not been sighted for many a year, but we can press our noses to the window, Tiny Tim style, and hope one day for cask ale to return.

Set in a converted shop right opposite the Levenshulme Antiques Market/Town Hall is a modern microbar, the Talleyrand. Very much in the modern style, it has an uncluttered interior with bare floor boards, yet with a hint of class showing through in the wood-panelled bar wall. The unusual name is to honour Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand (his portrait occupies a prime spot on one wall), a very skilled diplomat who stayed in the area during his exile from France in the 1790s. It sells ten keg beers with, from time to time, a cask beer as well - so we will need to check it out.

A few doors further south we find the Nordie, another modern keg bar, so we won't be delayed here on our travels.

Anyone wishing to take the full tour of former pubs in Levenshulme should keep straight on along Stockport Road to its junction with Broom Lane. Here, in the crook of the two roads, stands the former Wheatsheaf. In its later days it was renamed the Golden Prague, and styled itself as a Czech bar, unfortunately without cask ale. It has been a double-glazing showroom for a number of years now.

To reach our ultimate destination, we turn left onto Crayfield Road. If, part way along, you were to divert on to the Fallowfield Loop you would enter Highfield Country Park. Nestled behind all the terraced houses to the right, there used to be a working farm, complete with Friesian cows. Sadly, the bovines are now lacking. The area has, however, been transformed into a nature reserve where the Friends of Highfield Country Park carry out valiant work (further information here).

Just before reaching tonight's finishing point on the left, take note of the new houses behind. These stand on a location that was once occupied by a factory owned by, of all people, United Cattle Products.

Finally, on our left, we will spy the Sidings, our ultimate destination of the evening. This was built by Holts in the 80s, as you can probably guess from its name, on the site of former railway sidings and coal yard (photo left). Internally, there are two rooms; a typical vault where darts, pool and live football are enjoyed and a lounge where karaoke and singers keep the company entertained (though not on the same night). Surprisingly, there are often three beers on offer, Bitter, Mild and Holts IPA. (If you are in the vault, ask, they are round in the lounge). This is the only establishment I would describe as a back-street boozer local because, well, it is off the main road and it is full of locals - what more can I say!

To return to Stockport Road as quickly as possible, bear left on leaving then turn right along Crayfield Road. On your left is the site of the former Levenshulme South Rail Station, opened on 2 May 1892 by the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway. The line was built, to allow trains from Sheffield via Woodhead and Derby via Millers Dale to enter Central Station. This resulted in both the Central and the Midland Railway's crack London expresses pounding their way through here. When built the station was in open country, but was soon swallowed up into the housing as Levenshulme grew. Passengers ceased to use the station in 1958, but the line remained open, being used by freight trains avoiding Manchester until 1987. It has since been converted into the Fallowfield Loop, allowing the sound of pounding transportation to again be heard, but this time from cyclists and joggers. If you wish to read more about Levenshulme South station follow this link.

- STOP PRESS Levenshulme South station is scheduled to open in early 2022 and will have a bar which may sell real ale. The shutters have been taken down [March 2] and lights seen inside, along with "Staff Required" notices in the window, so whether this extra stop will have to be shoe-horned in as the ultimate destination, we will find out on the night!

What will tonight's stagger show? Levenshulme was a place of many pubs where, due to the change in social activity, a large number have been put out of business. Most of the rest no longer serve real ale - Shame! With the current interest in real ale, new businesses are emerging and then, who knows, maybe a Chorlton/West Didsbury/Heaton Moor style gentrification of the pub scene is about to flower. [Though the image of French-style drinking down Stockport Road doesn't instantly strike as being the norm!]

Below, clicking on Map will call up a Google travel map with that location automatically set as the destination. Insert your current location (post code?) as the start and choose a travel mode (public, car, cycle or foot) and discover your travel options.

Following THIS LINK will take you to the Transport for Greater Manchester website for current travel information.

 

Levenshulme Stagger
Timing	Pub Name Real ale pubs highlighted	Address	Bus and Train	Notes
7:30pm Start point:	Blue Bell	170 Barlow Road M19 3HF	Map Levenshulme
8:30pm Mid point:	Station Hop	815 Stockport Road M19 3BS	Map Levenshulme
Then at	Hennigans Sports Bar	908 Stockport Rd M19 3AD	Map Levenshulme	No real ale
	Horseshoe	14 Chapel Street M19 3QA	Map Levenshulme	No real ale
	Fred's Ale House	843 Stockport Road M19 3PW	Map Levenshulme
	Union	845 Stockport Road M19 3PW	Map Levenshulme	No real ale
	Fiddlers Green	881 Stockport Road M19 3PG	Map Levenshulme	No real ale
	Levenshulme	959 Stockport Road M19 3NP	Map Levenshulme	No real ale Closed?
	Talleyrand	1030 Stockport Road M19 3WX	Map Levenshulme	Occasional guest beer
	Nordie	1044 Stockport Road M19 3WX	Map Levenshulme	No real ale
Finishing at:	Sidings	Broom Lane M19 3WU	Map Levenshulme

 

View Levenshulme Stagger in a larger map

 

Updated January 2022

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