ROOM NAMES

Room 1 - James Farrar -Saddleworth's last Lord of the Manor ? Died 1791

The deeds to the sale of his estate are displayed in the Tap Room of the Brasserie along side the original deeds to the White Hart Inn at Lydgate.

Room 2 - John Buckley

Built the Parish Church ? Lydgate St Anne?s, The Parish Hall and the White Hart at Lydgate

He was a poet from Saddleworth and wrote mainly about Saddleworth. A statue of Ammon stands proudly in Uppermill.

Room 4 - John Newton - 1st Licensee of The White Hart

Room 5 - Canon Pat Airne - Vicar of Lydgate 1958 ? 1984

Canon Charles Clement Wallace Airne was both vicar and historian. He published ?St Anne?s, Lydgate ? The Story of a Pennine Parish 1788 ? 1988? from which much of the history on this page was acquired.

Room 6 ?Lord Lydgate of the Shire

An elusive character still being researched.  We understand he lived around the time of 1350 - 1408.  A local historian is finding out more for us.

Room 7 - Gilbert de Quick, Lord of Quick, c 1290

An early Saddleworth settler, effectively Lord of Quickmere, farming his estate from his house located at Quickwood. He is mentioned in several early charters and was listed as one of the wealthiest residents in the taxation survey of 1297.

Room 8 - Adam de la Lyed, 1297

The Yorkshire Archaeological Society?s Record Series quotes that in 1297 Lay Subsidies were paid, amongst others, by Adam atte Lidyate or Adam de la Lyed, who was assessed on a farmstead and two cows valued at 45/- and other goods and chattels valued at 18/-. This is the earliest record of any habitation at Lydgate though it is probable that some one had lived here from the very earliest times. Probably a sheep farmer and vassal of Gilbert de quick.

Room 9 - Sir George Booth of Dunham Massey (1566-1652)

The Booths owned large areas of Quickmere including Grotton, Stonebreaks and Lane. Sir George Booth held these estates throughout the early 17th Century. A Presbyterian, Booth was initially closely allied with the Parliamentary cause, but the family later became royalist and were prime movers in the restoration of Charles 11, and act for which they were subsequently created Earls of Warrington. In 1625, a dispute between Sir George and other landowners in Saddleworth over exploitation of commons in Quickmere resulted in the enclosure of great tracts of Highmoor, Whamton and Strinesdale, and the additions of much of the enclosed lands to the Warrington?s estates. A portrait of Sir George Booth hangs in Dunham Massey.

Room 10 - Sir John Ramsden (1594-1646)

The Ramsdens were Lords of the Manor of Saddleworth from the end of the 16th Century, adding to their holdings in Lordsmere by the purchase of additional land in Shawmere and Quickmere. Lydgate formed part of their Quickmere purchases in 1606. Sir John Ramsden was a staunch royalist and his regiment fought at the battle of Marston Moor in 1644 and were defeated by the parliamentary army. Ramsden was tried for high treason and was imprisoned in the Tower of London, but subsequently released. He was one for the commanders of Pontefract castle during the siege by the parliamentary forces in 1645 and died the following year during the siege of Newark. The commonwealth period were hard times for the Ramsdens and his son sold their Saddleworth estates in 1645 to their Yorkshire neighbours, the Farrers. Sir John Ramsden was the main protagonist with Sir George Booth in the disputed ownership of Quickmere commons in 1625. Like Booth he received large tracts of Quickmere as a result of the subsequent enclosure. There is a portrait of Sir John Ramsden in royalist armour still the possession of the family.

Room 11 - John Radcliffe ? of Stonebreak, Merchant (1756- 1840) an early Saddleworth Industrialist

Between 1740 and 1820, production in Saddleworth was to expand from 8,500 to 60.000 pieces of manufactured cloth. Transport was the key to this progress; the Austerlands to Wakefield Turnpike being constructed in 1768; Oldham Mumps to Stanedge Turnpike by 1792.

John Radcliffe was an original subscriber and on the committee of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal Company which arrived at Wool Road, Dobcross in 1799; the Stanedge Canal Tunnel opened in 1811.

When James Farrar sold the Manor of Saddleworth in 1791, John Radcliffe assumed the duties of Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, keeping the minutes for 32 subscribers intending to purchase the Manorial Rights of Saddleworth for their farms and tenant-held lands. In 1800 he gave evidence in Parliament representing Yorkshire woollen interests against woollen exports.

By 1806 he built two water-powered mills at Woodbrook for dressing and dyeing pieces of cloth. Active in all local affairs, he was a churchman and a magistrate in 1828. Living until 1840, with four daughters and a son, named John. his was a full life of endeavour reflecting the industrial achievements of Saddleworth. Built Radcliffes Mill at Springhead and active in the movement to build the Huddersfield Canal and the Turnpike Road through Lydgate. Married Mally Andrew, daughter of John Andrew Foulrakes, another wealthy Saddleworth merchant and mill owner.

Room 12 - Edmund Buckley of Ardwick, Merchant (1780-1867)

Born in Lydgate in 1780, son of John Buckley, innkeeper, founder of The White Hart Inn. Following his father?s bankruptcy, and his move to Stalybridge to become a wharfinger on the newly built Huddersfield canal, the young Edmund joined the firm of John Rooth and Co. Canal carriers, rising to become a partner and later owner of the company. His business interests expanded to include trading in iron, coal, moulders sand and copperas. He was also chairman of Manchester Royal Exchange 1856-61 and chairman of the Manchester Fire and Life Assurance Company, Bart MP of Dynas Mawddwy, Merioneth.