You are welcome to join the West Yorkshire Regional Group for a morning walk around the town centre heritage of Oldham and an afternoon walk around Alexandra Park (1865, registered Grade II*).
This event is a repeat of previous events led by Steve Roman: heavy rain adversely affected last summer’s Alexandra Park walk.
We will see the Greek-revival Oldham Town Hall (1841, J. Butterworth; extended 1879-80, G. Woodhouse and E. Potts), Oldham Parish Church (1823-27, R. Lane), George Street Chapel (1816), Oldham Lyceum and Art School (1856 and 1881) and the Hilton Arcade (1883). We will also see work by Edgar Wood, Alfred Waterhouse and a stained-glass roof by just-knighted Oldham artist Sir Brian Clarke. The walk will finish at Gallery Oldham (OL1 1AL), where we will examine the 360-degree Oldham Panorama (1879).
Lunch (around 1.15) can be taken at one of the numerous cafes around Parliament Square, or in the Alexandra Park Café.
For Alexandra Park at 2.30 pm, meet at Oldham Central Tram Station at 2.15. There are public toilets at the park. This magnificent Victorian town park was built by the people of Oldham during the cotton famine, sparked by the American Civil war. Now registered Grade II* it opened in 1865 and we will see its restored features, listed monuments and structures and well-maintained planting. The walk will end around 4.00, and for those that wish Steve will lead you back to Oldham Central Tram Station.
Steve Roman is Membership Trustee of the The Victorian Society.