Lark Hill House, Manchester Road, Astley

The present Lark Hill House was built about 1910 in a district known locally as Lark Hill, Astley. Built on a greenfield site in the Arts and Crafts style, the house has a butterfly plan. Two wings set at right angles with the entrance set on the diagonal at their junction. Externally it features white painted pebbledash render on brick walls, battered buttresses, and wide overhanging eaves. The house was surrounded by extensive grounds containing a large glasshouse and fruit trees. The design appears almost identical to that of “The Homestead” in Victoria Park, Manchester (qv) and is, therefore, attributed to Arthur Henry Walsingham. However, the re-use of a design is most unusual and further investigation is needed to determine the circumstances.

It is assumed that the house was built by the Astley and Tyldesley Collieries for the accommodation of their colliery managers. Tom McGraths history of the building records that it was first occupied by John Walshaw (1847-1917) and his family. He was followed by Daniel Chadwick Smith (1892-1941) who occupied Lark Hill  between 1931 and 1939 and William Henry Richards manager of Astley Green Colliery and who moved to Lark Hill with his family. 1941 – 1947. In 1947 the Coal Industry was nationalised and ownership passed to that body which seemingly leased the property. By 1966 the house was being used as offices by the National Coal Board but later reverted to residential.

In 1997 plans to turn the property into a children’s nursery were approved and this use continues under the name of Astley Nature Kindergarten (2024)

Reference           https://ifthosewallscouldtalk.wordpress.com/2019/05/30/hidden-histories-lark-hill-astley/

Information        Richard Fletcher, Steph Boydell by email