Old Leigh Strand Wharf...back to the future

8:52am Friday 16th May 2008

Comments (2)   Have your say »

AFTER many years of delays, Strand Wharf, in Leigh Old Town, finally appears poised to take a bold step forward - with one eye firmly on its past.

A project to restore the wharf now looks likely. It will recreate an attractive town square, harking back to the original square which records show existed as long ago as 1255.

Leigh Town Council has long harboured ambitions for the wharf and now its £120,000 scheme is edging closer to fruition.

It will repave the area, add Victorian-style seating, a nautical compass and a telescope through which visitors can view the estuary.

The project has been delayed by decisions about the future of the Sea King boatyard, which has access rights across the wharf.

Now the yard itself is returning to a more historic role - building wooden boats - the rest of the project is on the cards.

Peter Dolby, chairman of the town council, is optimistic negotiations over access will prove fruitful.

Once complete, the restoration project could transform Strand Wharf into a perfect venue for a wide range of community events.

Mr Dolby explains: "It will be an open space, right in the centre of the old town with beautiful views of the estuary or mudflats.

"Events such as the fishing festival will be held there. Boats could be moored off it and anything is a possibility."

Information boards would explain the wharf's history to visitors, including school parties.

The wharf is certainly steeped in history, ancient and relatively modern.

It was a focal point for the old fishing village in medieval times.

Beatrice, daughter of Henry III, is said to have attempted to elope from there with her lover, Ralph de Binley.

It was the site of the town's historic water pump and the project will either see the pump restored or the site marked with a plaque.

Alan Crystall, Lib Dem borough councillor for Leigh, takes up the story: "The pump on Strand Wharf became contaminated from the burials from the churchyard at St Clement's.

"That's when Elizabeth Sparrow, the Lady of the Manor, took water from a spring at Rectory Grove and piped it down to a conduit in the old town, where they gathered their water."

More recently, Strand Wharf was one the starting points for the armada of small boats which sailed to join in the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.

The restoration of the old town square, will tie in well with the recently completed project to restore 2 Plumbs Yard, a traditional wharfside fisherman's cottage.

Visitors can now go inside and see how the cottage would have looked in the 19th century.

Mr Crystall adds: "The wharf will be a permanent public open space in the heart of Leigh, which would be good for public events such as May Day celebrations the folk festival and Christmas carols.

"At the moment, it's covered in cars all the time and it's difficult to arrange to clear it.

"People will keep on parking down there until we get a road closure order."

Ron Sverdloff, who lives in a traditional fisherman's cottage on Billet Wharf, concedes the project is a step in the right direction, but feels more still needs be done.

He says: "The last few councils have decimated the old town - I really seriously mean that.

"That town square should have been rebuilt as it used to be, with the beautiful old cottages which used to be along there.

"They should be rebuilt, brick by brick, plank by plank. That would be a much nicer thing - to have a community back together.

"All the same, I'm so pleased to see the boatyard going back to being a boat-building yard. That's brilliant."

Mike King, chairman of Leigh Port Partnership, feels the renovation of the town square could open up a number of opportunities.

He explains one of them: "There's a diesel pump on Strand Wharf.

"It has been there since the year dot and has fallen into disuse, but it would be very useful, because at the moment there is no facility in the old town for boats to take diesel on board.

"It will be interesting to see what happens."