Known for its beautiful landscapes and landmarks, the rich and picturesque village is located along the Bridgewater Canal. With its lush greenery and mock-up of Tudor buzzard-style homes, it’s truly a piece of rural life in urban Manchester.
Immersed in history, the village houses 48 listed buildings, including the mansion of the early medieval Wardley Hall, the courthouse, the fountain and a telephone booth. Worsley Delph former coal mine, is a planned monument.
Important parts of the village have now been designated conservation areas, such as Worsley Old Hall and the former Worsley Old Hall farm. Some areas are even considered World Heritage Sites. There are also 75 acres of beautiful woods that stretch from the canal to East Lancashire Road.
READ MORE: Manchester’s The French has been named one of the 20 best restaurants in the United Kingdom
But despite its stunning surroundings, some Worsley Green residents say there is one thing that “spoils” village life – traffic.
Steve Birch lived in Worsley all his life. The 63-year-old was just a kid living in Worsley Woods when the M60 was built.
Steve Birch (Picture: Paige Oldfield)
“It has changed dramatically over the years,” he told Manchester Evening News. “You can not move without sitting in motion. But it has good places, nice walks, nice people and a lot of history and nice real estate.
“It’s just a popular area, you have a lot of people visiting the village because of the canal and the walks. I guess it brings a little income to the small shops and cafes. But parking is difficult and adds traffic.”
Julie Miller, a resident, says green is often used as a rat run – with speeding cars causing concern to those with young children and pets.
“I’m just a little worried that a lot of people make a rat run in the green if the road is busy,” he says. a little worry.
“I do not think they have any respect for the people who live here. You’re used to being quiet. From the lockdown, everyone comes. Everyone has to share it, it’s a nice place. This is not a problem.
Worsley Green (Image: ABNM Photography)
“But I’ve noticed it from the lockdown and people park in front of the houses. I’m not valuable, he ‘s not as handsome as he used to be.”
Jaqui Pollock recently moved to Worsley from the Eccles. Although she enjoys the stunning views and the walks, she says the traffic is “probably the most annoying thing”.
“A few nights ago something must have happened on the highway, maybe road construction works and a junction were closed,” he told MEN “About 30 to 40 trucks passed through the house in one hour.
Read more related articles
“But the rest is great, it’s easier to be healthier here and it’s easier to enjoy the countryside. You have fewer excuses to go out.”
A woman, who did not want to be named, has lived in Worsley Green for about 20 years. He says the area has become busier since the opening of RHS Bridgewater.
“I have lived here for 20 years. It has not changed much, but it has changed a lot in a way,” he told MEN “I do not think much has changed in my immediate environment because no one is going to build in the green behind me. What has changed is beyond what I can see – it has become busier and we have RHS now.
Worsley Green (Image: ABNM Photography)
“My personal problem is the level of opportunists in the green. We have local businesses popping up. It is a residential area at the end of the day.
“It’s okay, I’m not trying to exclude them all. But I do not think every visitor to the green appreciates it.
“I do not think it is very safe. There is also a problem with people parking in the green. I think people will take the opportunity when they see it, but it is not always the best for the residents.
Read more related articles
“The reason it is so wonderful is because it is so virgin. “If it starts to spoil, it becomes a problem and it will no longer be beautiful.”
Barry Silvert, 77, described traffic in the area as “terrible” – fearing the chaos could lead to a serious accident one day.
Barry Silvert, 77 (Image: Paige Oldfield)
“It’s a wonderful place to live as you can see,” he says. “But the traffic is scary – rush hour early in the morning is chaos on this road. The roundabout is a living disaster. There will be a serious traffic light accident one day.
“The amenities are good; we have places to eat and lots of places to walk. This is not meant to be a public road and it is used as such. In the morning it is used as a run for rats.
“When people want to use the green, they park their cars here and we are not very happy about it. Food sellers attract a lot of people.”
Greg Skipworth moved to the area about seven months ago. He says Worsley has a “community feel” and is “perfect” in the summer.
“We love it. We moved from the corner to Ellesmere Park,” says the 33-year-old. “We always loved it because we walk the dogs here. It has a sense of community that is nice and is just perfect in the summer.
Greg Skipworth, 33 (Image: Paige Oldfield)
“It’s beautiful. We were very lucky to get it because I do not think homes are for sale here very often. We were excited.”
Rachel Jones has lived in Worsley Green for about 12 years. He believes the area has become more popular with tourists since the lockdown – but says that is not necessarily a bad thing.
“It’s just wonderful to live here,” says the 57-year-old. “You feel like you are on vacation. There is greenery, canal walks and forests and there is a real sense of community.
Rachel Jones (Picture: Paige Oldfield)
“You can not complain about travel links. It’s so fast on the freeway and the airports and in Manchester. It’s perfect. The RHS Bridgewater is a real bonus and it really attracts people. We like it.
“During the lockdown, it was a place where everyone came and a lot more people discovered it. I think it has become more touristy, but that’s a nice thing – it’s for everyone to enjoy.”
Subscribe to the MEN email newsletters to receive the latest news on sports, news, what’s happening and more by following this link
Read more related articles Read more related articles
