The Pattern of Streets

Over Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week – with the generous support of Bury Art Museum – I led tours around the buildings and streets of Bury and Ramsbottom. Together we explored the pattern of streets and the clues hidden in architecture and place-names that offer a richer understanding of where we come from.

I’m an architectural photographer, and I’ve worked within the historic environment for more than twenty years. In that time, I’ve discovered that with a little informed knowledge – and a curious eye – we can see the places we live in differently. Buildings reveal hidden stories that often never make it into print.

A sketch I made of the Bronze Age Cinerary Urn

In Bury, we began outside the magnificent St Mary’s Parish Church. There, kerbside, we traced the spot where two navvies uncovered a Bronze Age cinerary urn in the early 20th century.

The Minton Mosaic Floor - a real hidden gem

From the thumb-pressed patterns on that 3,000-year-old vessel, we moved to the heady geometry of the Minton mosaic floor inside the church – itself inspired by the Renaissance Cosmati pavement at Westminster Abbey. From there, we drifted to Venice via the Venetian Gothic and Palazzo-style buildings of Silver Street, before meeting the Georgians along St Mary’s Place, with their fine batwing fanlights.

In Ramsbottom, our journey reached back to the Ice Age, recalling its memory in the names of Whittle Hill and Whitelow Hill. We then traced the town’s evolution forward to the farm that once stood at its centre. Through curiosity and close observation, we pieced together a theory that parts of Mr Schofield’s original farm might survive in the surrounding buildings on Crow Lane – their hoodmoulds and watershed stones reused in later walls.

From there, we uncovered the remarkable quirks of Ramsbottom’s built heritage: a vernacular dialect laced with a Scottish accent, thanks to the Grant Brothers’ influence.

It was heartwarming to meet so many people with a passion for their own communities. My thanks go to everyone who joined me, and to Bury Art Museum for making the tours possible.

It feels right here to share some of the feedback – a reminder of how much people value connecting with place and history. Comments from the tours spoke of discovery, belonging, fresh perspectives, and pride in our towns. I haven't included the names of the people for privacy - but the feedback form has been left with Bury Art Museum.