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| The town of Failsworth lies
north-east of Manchester on the main road to Oldham. The centre of the
town is dominated by the Failsworth Pole (note the Maypole on top of the tower)
and St. John's Church. Also, in this conservation area are five pubs and the
Rochdale Canal, which is being restored for leisure traffic. The oldest pub is
"The Pack Horse" which is reckoned to be about 400 years old.
The Lancashire poet and author Ben Brierley was born here and his birthplace is marked by a blue plaque. Not far away is Daisy Nook Country Park, named after one of Brierley's literary sketches. Before that, the area was known as Waterhouses and today a Garden Centre stands on the site. |
Although surrounded by cotton mills, Failsworth became well known for hat manufacture. The "Failsworth Hats" company started in 1892 and during World War 2 made 90 per cent of the flying helmets used by the armed forces. The company no longer exists and the site of the factory is currently undergoing redevelopment.
| Here is a brooding picture of Crime Lake at the head of Daisy Nook. Legend has it that the lake area is haunted by a "Boggart". |
The pictures below are details from the town centre. On the left is the Rochdale Canal which is currently being restored. The building is now a wine bar but was once Walmsley's warehouse and is a Grade 2 listed building. In the centre is Ben Brierley's memorial situated over a shop near the canal bridge. The right-hand picture is The Pack Horse Inn.
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