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Deanroyd
can be seen clearly from the valley bottom at Walsden, perched part
way up the eastern slopes with a long, steep but straight path leading
up from the canal. It is still standing and is occupied as a private
house, surrounded by green fields and hills. |
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This
is an ancient farm, with records in existence dating from 1430.
The earliest date stone to survive says 1675 IAG and was above a farm building. The present house was built to replace an older one on the same
site, and has a date stone over the main doorway inscribed I.G.M.G.
1715 (John and Mary Greenwood). This branch of the Greenwood family
held the land over many generations as yeoman farmers and cloth
manufacturers. The last Greenwood known to have farmed there was
James who married Betty Law, daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Crossley)
in 1789. |
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the early days of Wesleyan Methodism in Walsden, James allowed his
home to be used for meetings and services. The main Sunday school
was at that time at Bottomley Farm, but as Deanroyd was larger and
more conveniently located, larger gatherings and anniversary parties
were held there. |
Deanroyd
about 1900 |
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James
and Betty moved to Woodbottom about 1813, leaving the lease on
the farm to Betty's brother, Thomas Law. Thomas became known widely
as Tummy O' Deanroyd.
Deanroyd
was a substantial farmhouse with cottages and other buildings
attached to it. The house was known as a genteel family residence
and was much admired at the time Thomas and his wife Alice were
there. Alice was known to be "a kindly woman who kept a good and
clean house." At the time Thomas moved to Deanroyd, he was a partner
with two of his brothers in the Smithyholme Mill at Copperas House
in Walsden. He combined farming with developing the cotton business
and became very successful.
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Whilst
he lived at Deanroyd, Thomas bought a plot of land and built four
cottages on it, together with a stable, designed so that it could
accommodate a fully laden lorry. Many such lorries used this as
an overnight resting place as they returned from Manchester and
other places. The stable barn can be seen in this photo. |
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The
area of land at Deanroyd was quite substantial and contained a
lot of heavy timber, which again was a lucrative source of income
for Thomas. In 1843, Woody Bank was 34 acres, and Deanroyd Wood
was over 6 acres. The land was in the ownership of James Taylor
of Todmorden Hall.
In
1820, Thomas and his brothers built a new much larger and more
modern mill at Ramsden Wood, selling their interest in Smithyholme
Mill to the Fielden Brothers. The rearing dinner for the new mill
was held at Deanroyd on 6th February 1820.
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| The
railway works in this part of the valley gave a great boost to the
pub trade, and John Thomas, who had formerly been a farmer at Inchfield,
occupied two of the houses at the end of Deanroyd Lane as an inn,
and for a time he did a roaring trade amongst the navvies; the village
constable being frequently occupied at this place. There was also
a block of 4 or 5 cottages on Deanroyd land built before the canal,
known as Light Bank. |
Deanroyd
from the rear, showing the old packhorse trail leading from Bottomley
to North Hollingwood. |
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Living
with Thomas and Alice at Deanroyd was William Southwell. He was
a young man who endeared himself to the whole extended family and
worked for the brothers as a carter for many years. |
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