Brookbank house is situated on Mottram Rd, Godley and is now a day nursery owned by the Treetops Nursery group. The house was built by Joseph Hibbert, the sixth of fourteen children of Randal Hibbert, who was born in 1769. The Hibbert family of Godley played an important part in the history of Hyde and it's neighborhood, figuring amongst the pioneers of the cotton industry, and probably no local family had supplied more leaders in various branches of public life.
The castle folly was probably built around the mid part of the 19th century, the reason for building it is unknown.
The following article is from the North Cheshire Herald around 1996
As mentioned the house is now owned by Treetops Nurseries. In researching this blog I contacted their head office in an attempt to take a modern photo of the castle folly, but was turned down even though I am CRB covered. They said they had no objections to the blog, but stressed they did not want anyone asking for permission to look at or take photos of the folly. Tom fortunately came up with a modern photo from the back of the site, near to Godley Brook. Thanks for that Tom.
I believe it was built with stone from Hibbert old bone works.
12 comments:
I've had the pleasure of viewing this many times... I remember the first time I came across this I was amazed by it... and when I asked people I knew about it very little was known at all.. nice to see and read this post by Paul... I hope some one reading this as more information about the Folly..
When I moved to Godley in 1981 neighbours told me about a doctor who used to live at the house, and used it for his practice, had the folly built as it reminded him of his birth place somewhere in Scotland. Not sure how true it was, but it sounded quite plausable at the time.
Thanks for the comment Garry.. I've not heard that before... but as you say.. plausible.
There was an article on this in issue 25 (in 1995) of 'Follies', the magazine of the Folly Fellowship. I'll quote the most relevant parts "..Sandra Ray found that one of her neighbours had recently obtained outline planning permission to demolish an unlisted folly and replace it with a housing development. ...Sandra has sent us a wealth of very helpful material proving that the folly is in fact a castllated pigsty dating from 1767. The handsome structure, built of local stone and still with many of its original features still intact , is actually one of a pair -its brother being at the bottom of Sandra's own garden. The threat has also excited local MP Tom Pendry, who has personally intervened to try and save the folly. ...We have brought the matter to the attention of the Listings section at the Department of National Heritage and have asked it to be given Grade II* status. A more detailed article will follow in a later edition of Follies."
Unfortunately it never did and I heard no more about it until it appeared in Keith Warrender's book 'Manchester Oddities' last year. Aprt from saying it was now in the grounds of a day nursery there was no further information. I wonder where the other one is?
Thank you for taking the time to comment.... very good information in deed... and now like you I'm wondering about the other one.
I believe my brother lived at the house with the other folly when we moved into Godley in 1978, and I can confirm, he did find pig bones! I believe the main folly is protected, because it houses a colony of bats?
I believe my brother lived at the house with the other folly when we moved into Godley in 1978, and I can confirm, he did find pig bones! I believe the main folly is protected, because it houses a colony of bats?
My own photo of this folly has just been used on Pasadena Daily Photo
There is another folly castle in Hyde/Godley - just to the north of the M67 near it's end - it is visible from the motorway or from the top of Underwood Road. That one is definatly Grade II listed. Not sure about this one.
My great, great great grandfather Joseph Hibbert built the folly at the same time as the rest of Brookbank House.
I played there in the late 70s with my freinds we was told it was full of bats
I used to play in this castle when i was younger
I was told that aswell i played there late 70s
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