"The pictures on Rightmove didn't do it justice": Cobbled village people can't believe they've found is hidden in plain sight
24.09.2023 - 06:31
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Walking the beautiful cobblestone streets of the Fairfield Moravian Settlement, it’s hard not feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
The area lies hidden behind a row of terraced houses in Droylsden, and was once a village in itself. Tucked away just off the A635, which heads through Openshaw into Tameside, the settlement used to have its own night-watchmen, a farm, a bakery and fire service.
READ MORE: The tiny riverside village under an hour from Greater Manchester with an abandoned mansion and views for miles
The village, which was founded in 1785, was planned and built by its own people – the Moravians. The religious group were among the earliest Protestants who rebelled against the Catholic Church.
Fleeing persecution in their homelands of the Czech Republic and Bohemia, they moved to England on their way to the New World.
Within the first two years of them settling in Tameside, they established 13 dwellings and of course their own church, which remains the neighbourhood’s focus after more than 200 years.
But who resides in its beautiful Georgian houses today, and what is it really like to live there? Growing up in Droylsden, Lynne Cheetham attended the Sunday school and church as a child and always wanted to live in the settlement.
“I always liked it here,” the 57-year-old, who works at nearby Fairfield High School for Girls as a receptionist, said.
“All of the properties have different ages and they are slightly different. It’s a great community spirit where we all look after each other.
“We have WhatsApp groups for various things. It’s magnificent. We have a crime network and a residents’ association.”
Lynne says film crews are also often in the area and have shot shows like Peaky Blinders and Mrs Lowry &