Hale, Greater Manchester

Coordinates: 53°22′29″N 2°21′12″W / 53.3746°N 2.3533°W / 53.3746; -2.3533

Hale
Hale clock tower
Hale  Hale shown within Greater Manchester
Population	15,315
OS grid reference	SJ7686
Metropolitan borough	Trafford
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	ALTRINCHAM
Postcode district	WA15
Dialling code	0161
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Altrincham and Sale
List of places: UK • England • Greater Manchester

Hale is a village and electoral ward within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England.^[1] It is contiguous with the southeast of Altrincham, approximately 9 miles (14 km) southwest of the city of Manchester.

The earliest documented reference to Hale is in the Domesday Book of 1086, although the name of the settlement is probably as old as 7th or 8th century. The area was mostly used for agriculture; Hale grew during the medieval period to the point where Hale Barns was created as a separate settlement. Hale was historically part of Cheshire.

Hale and Hale Barns together encompass some of the wealthiest parts of England. Hale has some of the most expensive house prices outside of the South-East.^[2]

Contents 1 History 2 Governance 3 Geography 4 Demography 4.1 Population change 5 Economy 6 Religion 7 Transport 8 Landmarks and culture 9 See also 10 References 10.1 Bibliography 11 External links

History

The name Hale derives from the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) halh meaning a nook or shelter,^[3] as supported by the surrounding area which has natural features that would provide shelter. The name Hale has a number of recurrences throughout Britain.

The first mention of Hale is in Domesday Survey of 1086; however, what little evidence there is – in the form of etymology and a few surviving records of events in the area – points to the Saxons settling the area in the 7th century. According to the Domesday Book, the manor of Hale was owned by a Saxon thegn Aelfward, whose lands were given to the Norman Hamon de Massey who also gained possession of Dunham and Bowdon.^[4] The Massey family remained barons of this area until the mid-14th century, due to the extinction of the Massey line. A this point, Hale was divided between the Booths of Dunham – the family that would go on to become Earls of Stamford – and two other owners.^[5] Throughout this period, the area surrounding Hale was mainly used for agriculture.

Hale expanded and prospered over throughout the medieval period to the extent that by the middle of the 15th century a tithe barn had been established in Hale Barns – the value of the tithe taken from Hale was more than double that of any other township in the Bowdon parish. The growth of Hale resulted in the establishment of Hale Barns as a separate settlement to the east. Previously Hale Barns had merely been an isolated extension of the main settlement of Hale, but the first explicit reference to the village of Hale Barns is in documentation from 1616.^[6]

The Cheshire Midland Railway (later the Cheshire Lines Committee) opened from Altrincham to Knutsford on 22 May 1862 with a station in Hale named Peel Causeway. It was the arrival of the railway in Hale in the mid-nineteenth century that prompted the change from an agricultural village to a commuter area for middle class merchants working in the city.^[7] The station was renamed Hale in 1902.

Governance

Between 1900 and 1974, Hale lay within the Hale Urban District of the administrative county of Cheshire.^[8]

As part of local government reforms, on 1 April 1974, Hale Urban District was abolished and its territory amalgamated into the new Metropolitan Borough of Trafford of Greater Manchester.

The ward of Hale Central has three out of 63 seats on Trafford Borough Council, and as of the 2007 local election all three seats were held by the Conservative Party.^[9]

The current local councillors for Hale Central Ward are:

• Councillor Colin Foster (Conservative) Current Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee of Trafford MBC^[10]
• Councillor Alan Mitchell (Conservative) Current Chair of the Accounts and Audit Committee^[11]
• Councillor Patricia Young (Conservative) c/o Trafford Town Hall; current Vice-Chair of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee^[12]

Hale forms part of the Altrincham and Sale West Constituency and is represented in the House of Commons by the Conservative Member of Parliament, Graham Brady. This is one of only a small number of seats in the north-west held by the Conservative Party, and the only one in Greater Manchester.^[13]

Geography

Neighbouring towns, villages and places.

	Altrincham	Timperley	Roundthorn Industrial Estate
	Bowdon		Benchill
		Hale
	Rostherne	Ashley	Hale Barns

Hale lies to the southeast of Altrincham with the villages of Hale Barns and Bowdon to the east and west respectively. Hale is bounded by the River Bollin to the south and Altrincham Golf Course to the north. The local geology consists of sand and gravel deposited during the last ice age. In common with much of Cheshire, the bedrock of Hale is mainly sandstone.^[14]

Sub-districts

• Hale Barns
  

Demography

Hale compared
2001 UK census	Hale[15]	Trafford[16]	England
Total population	15,315	205,357	49,138,831
White	93.6%	89.7	91%
Asian	4.1%	4.6	4.6%
Black	0.3%	0.7	2.3%

According to the Office for National Statistics, at the time of the United Kingdom Census 2001, Hale had a population of 15,315. The 2001 population density was 2,847 per km², with a 100 to 96.6 female-to-male ratio.^[17] Of those over 16 years old, 25.5% were single (never married) and 56.2% married.^[18] Hale's 6,198 households included 26.0% one-person, 45.8% married couples living together, 5.3% were co-habiting couples, and 5.6% single parents with their children.^[19] Of those aged 16–74, 13.7% had no academic qualifications, significantly lower than the averages of Trafford (24.7%) and England (28.9%).^[16][20]

In 1931, 26.4% of Hale's population was middle class compared with 14% in England and Wales, and by 1971, this had increased to 56.3% compared with 24% nationally. Parallel to this doubling of the middle classes in Hale was the decline of the working class population. In 1931, 14.9% were working class compared with 36% in England and Wales; by 1971, this had decreased to 10.6% in Hale and 26% nationwide. The rest of the population was made up of clerical workers and skilled manual workers or other miscellaneous.^[21] This shows that Hale is an affluent suburb, alongside neighbouring Bowdon. Hale was named by The Daily Telegraph as the 12th most expensive place in Britain with house prices 194% higher than those in surrounding areas and having increased by 78% since 2003.^[22]

Population change

Population growth in Hale since 1801
Year	1801	1811	1821	1831	1841	1851	1861	1871	1881	1891	1901	1911	1921	1931	1939	1951	1961	1971	1991	2001
Population	783	929	958	945	974	995	1,160	1,711	2,222	3,114	4,562	8,351	9,300	10,667	13,208	12,152	14,800	17,065	15,868	15,315
Source: A Vision of Britain through Time[23][24]

Economy

Hale compared
2001 UK Census	Hale[25]	Trafford[26]	England
Population of working age	10,672	151,445	35,532,091
Full time employment	37.6%	43.4%	40.8%
Part time employment	11.5%	11.9%	11.8%
Self employed	14.5%	8.0%	8.3%
Unemployed	1.6%	2.7%	3.3%
Retired	16.6%	13.9%	13.5%

According to the 2001 UK census, the industry of employment of residents aged 16–74 was 24.7% property and business services, 14.5% retail and wholesale, 12.1% health and social work, 10.7% manufacturing, 9.9% education, 6.3% transport and communications, 4.6% finance, 4.1% construction, 3.6% hotels and restaurants, 3.3% public administration, 0.6% agriculture, 0.6% energy and water supply, 0.1% mining, and 5.0% other. Compared with national figures, Hale had a relatively high percentage of residents working in property, and a relatively low percentage working in agriculture, public administration, and manufacturing.^[27] The census recorded the economic activity of residents aged 16–74, 1.7% students were with jobs, 4.6% students without jobs, 7.3% looking after home or family, 2.5% permanently sick or disabled, and 2.2% economically inactive for other reasons.^[25] The 1.6% unemployment rate of Hale was low compared with the national rate of 3.3%, and the proportion of people who were self employed was significantly higher than the national average of 8.3.^[26]

Religion

As of the 2001 UK census, 71.2% of Hale's residents reported themselves as being Christian, 6.9% Jewish, 3.1% Muslim, 1.2% Hindu, 0.2% Buddhist, and 0.1% Sikh. The census recorded 10.9% as having no religion, 0.1% had an alternative religion and 6.3% did not state their religion.^[28]

St. Peter's Church of England church was built in 1892 and is a fine example of late Victorian architecture. Hale Chapel was established in Hale Barns by Nonconformists in 1723 on what is now Chapel Lane. It underwent alterations around 1880. The Chapel is the earliest place of worship in either Hale or Hale Barns and is a Grade II* listed building. It also features an eighteenth century pulpit and nineteenth century stained glass.^[29]

The Hale & District Hebrew Congregation was founded in 1976. Having started in a flat, the community moved to their current synagogue on Shay Lane in 1978. The move was necessary due to increasing attendance. The original Shule and Community Centre building in Hale served its members for 20 years until the community outgrew its facilities. In 2002, a rebuilding project was launched, forcing the congregation to hold its services in a tent in a neighbouring field for 16 months, until the new Hale Shule and P.J. Davis Community Centre was consecrated and opened in March 2003.

Transport

Hale's proximity to the transport interchange in Altrincham ensures that there are regular bus services to Hale and Hale Barns. The village is also situated to the west of Manchester Airport. Also present is Hale Railway Station in the centre of Hale. The station is on the Mid-Cheshire Line between Chester and Manchester.

Landmarks and culture

Royd House is situated on Hale Road. The house was designed by architect Edgar Wood and built for himself as his home. It is regarded as one of the most advanced examples of early twentieth century domestic architecture and is referenced in a number of architectural digests. Royd House is a Grade I listed building.^[30]

Hale Library is situated in Leigh Road. The centre of Hale Village has a Bowling Green. A further Crown Green Bowling Green is attached the Bulls Head Public House in Hale Barns. There are also many Parks including Stamford Park named after Lord Stamford of Dunham Massey

See also

• List of people from Trafford

References

Bibliography

External links

• Hale Library
• Hale Synagogue