Healds Green


Healds Green is a hamlet in the town of Chadderton in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester.
It is located in Chadderton's semi rural northern area and lies just to the north of Chadderton Fold, the ancient focal point of the township.
Most of the area around Healds Green is currently green belt. A substantial area of this green belt area could potentially be lost to industrial development under proposals put forward in 2018 by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to extend the Stakehill Industrial Estate in nearby Thornham into the North Chadderton green belt area. The proposals have met local opposition and a protest group, Save Chadderton Green Belt, has formed in opposition to the proposals.

History

A hamlet of forty-one houses and cottages, Healds Green boasts what is believed to be one of Chadderton's oldest surviving buildings. Dating from 1789 and known as The Institute, it was built as a chapel for Methodists and as a hall for everyone. The Institute is now a place where social functions are sometimes held. The building was also used as a grammar school.
In 1811 Healds Green was the meeting place for Chadderton's main contingent of townsfolk who marched to Manchester for the ill-fated political demonstration that came to be known as the Peterloo Massacre.
Healds Green Methodist Church was founded in 1865. The church held its last service in September 2016 and has now closed due to dwindling congregations. In September 2019 the local authority approved plans to convert the church into a five-bedroom luxury home, the works to be completed within a timescale of three years.