Joseph Johnson Mews

RENT: £595.00

A pretty mews property in a small and private development in the heart of Northenden's conservation area. The development comprises just five houses, which are set around a courtyard, and these properties have been built in an attractive style with dressed brickwork and slate roofs. Number Three comprises a lounge, dining kitchen, two double bedrooms and a bathroom. There are open plan gardens to the front of the property with a private garden to the rear. The mews were built around eight years ago and the property has full double-glazing and gas powered central heating. The property is attractively decorated and has modern kitchen and bathroom suites. The property comes with its own private parking space.

The Location:
The story of Northenden is the story of a river, the Mersey. It's hard to believe now that the apparently docile Mersey passing through the area was ever an effective barrier to movement. However it was only in 1861 that a footbridge was raised over the river, this being enlarged in 1874 to take vehicles. The building of the bridge became possible only after centuries of bank building by farmers had curbed the river's propensity to flood. Before that time an ancient ford was the only possible means of crossing, and the river was the boundary between Cheshire and Lancashire. Joseph Johnson Mews lies just off Ford Lane which led down to this ancient crossing point.

Norwodine was mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086. Medieval salt merchants forded the River Mersey here and by the 17th century the village could boast a sizeable mill and a smithy. With the building of the bridge, Northenden began to develop as an attractive riverside township for Manchester's more affluent managers, clerks and tradesmen and it is the Victorian and Edwardian development that gives the village much of its present character.

Joseph Johnson Mews sits within Northenden's conservation area which is centred around St Wilfred's Church. This beautiful 15th century church (listed Grade II*) was largely rebuilt in 1873-6 by the architect J. S. Crowther, in a modification of the medieval style of the former church. It incorporates the original battlemented tower, and fixtures such as the oak screens of 1527 and a chained bible.

Because of its history, Northenden has always retained its individuality, feeling apart from neighbouring areas, and this is maintained by it having a river boundary and being partially surrounded by golf courses and Wythenshawe Park. Didsbury however is only a few minutes' drive away and well within walking distance, while Manchester city centre is around fifteen minutes by car. Northenden is also ideally placed to take advantage of the motorway network and international airport.

Joseph Johnson:
Joseph Johnson is a little known hero of Manchester. Born in 1791 he was a strong supporter of universal suffrage and annual parliaments and he joined the Manchester Hampden Club formed by John Knight. In 1818 Johnson helped John Knight, James Wroe and John Saxton to start the radical newspaper, the Manchester Observer. Although it started as a local paper, by 1819 it was sold in most of the large towns and cities in Britain.

In March 1819 Johnson, Knight and Wroe formed the Patriotic Union Society, Johnson being appointed secretary of the organisation. The main objective of the Union was to obtain parliamentary reform and during the summer of 1819 it a public meeting in Manchester.

There was such a crowd at the meeting that, despite it being peaceful and containing many women, the magistrates decided to send in the cavalry to arrest the ringleaders. This quickly got out of hand and, without any provocation from the protestors, the cavalry drew sabres and charged the crowd killing eleven and wounding over four hundred more, including one hundred women. This became known as The Peterloo Massacre.

Johnson, along with the other ringleaders, was found guilty of "assembling with unlawful banners at an unlawful meeting for the purpose of inciting discontent" and was sentenced to one year in Lincoln Prison. While he was in prison Johnson's young wife became ill and died. The Prison Governor refused permission for Johnson to attend the funeral. Imprisonment and the death of his wife broke Johnson's spirit and he ceased to play an active part in politics after he was released in 1821. He died in 1872.

The public discontent raised by the massacre ultimately led to improvement to the political system and the repeal of the Corn Laws.

Lounge: 4.32m (14ft 2in) x 3.96m (13ft 0in)
A stout entrance door which has two stained and leaded glazed panels leads into the lounge. A double-glazed window looks to the front garden. The room is simply painted but with a corniced ceiling and two ornamental plaster ceiling roses. There is a double panel radiator, a TV point and telephone point.
A panelled door leads to the kitchen whilst an open rodded staircase leads to the upper floor.