The roof of Monks Hall Museum in Eccles collapsed in a major fire .
The derelict, vacant building suffered structural damage in the blaze, which broke out at 5pm on Wednesday 20 April.
By Char Lene – facebook.com/groups/salfordonline
By Char Lene – facebook.com/groups/salfordonline
Greater Manchester Fire’s Command Support Unit, Salford CID and multiple emergency services were called to the ancient building at the junction of Wellington Road and Monks Hall Grove in Eccles after fears the fire could spread.
Firefighters from Salford and Eccles who forced their way in through the wrought iron gates were faced with a 10-metre by 5-metre fire in the ground floor of the building.
20 firefighters worked to bring the fire under control.
The view from Eccles Rec – By Lee Shepherd
Smoke spreads – By Stacey Ball
The fire could be seen from Eccles Rec and across local housing estates.
Because of the roof collapse crews were unable to search the building for casualties, but it’s believed no one was inside at the time.
Crews remained on the outside of the building and trained two large water jets and two smaller hose reels on the fire.
A spokesperson from Greater Manchester Fire said as of 6.30pm crews were still on scene trying to make sure the structure was safe.
Councillor Peter Wheeler, who represents Eccles, told SalfordOnline.com: “We’e all seriously concerned about the damage that has been done to this historic building and we will be keeping a very close eye on what has happened.”
Salford City Council have been called to the scene to inspect the building.
Read: 26-year-old man charged with arson after Tudor Wythenshawe Hall burns down
Monks Hall Musuem sits on a site which is considered to be one of the oldest in the entire City of Salford.
It was Grade-II listed for its historical value by Historic England in 1964.
On site here was once a Tudor building, thought to have been constructed in a similar period to the Tudor Ordsall Hall and Eccles’ own St Mary’s Church.
SalfordOnline.com has waxed lyrical on the architectural and historical vandalism ongoing at this site, just take a look at the videos below.
Pictures and video: Monks Hall from 1200 to today
History: Why Monks Hall Musuem matters to Eccles
Watch: Monks Hall Museum rotting before our eyes
It’s not yet known how the fire started.
It seems a sad inevitability for the more cycnical among us.
Anyone who has watched unprofitable listed buildings in Salford and Eccles suffer repeated arsons will know what we are talking about.
50 years ago in Eccles: Harrowing war sketches on show at Monks Hall
The hall is understood still to be owned by developer Mark Hammond.
Plans to replace the hall with Hammond’s preferred luxury flats were approved by Salford council’s planning office in 2006 but negotiations have continued over the years and are considered to be complex because of the hall’s listed status.
There are questions over the viability of the site because of its general condition and the access problems that come with its being so close to the M602 motoway.
History: Why Monks Hall really matters
From the 1230s the monks of Whalley Abbey owned much of the land in Eccles, which could haven given the hall its name.
Alternatively, in 1394 there was living in the town a Henry de Monks; it could be that his family may have given their name to the house or taken their name from it.
50 years ago in Eccles: ‘Never removed’ Eccles Cakes sign taken to Monks Hall Museum for safe keeping
Situated on Wellington Road, this once-famous museum stands empty and has been sadly neglected for the last ten years as legal wranglings over planning permission to build flats on the site drag on.
This building has not only an amazing history attached to it but it still has a place in the hearts of many people of Salford and Eccles, who have memories of visiting the attractively laid out gardens and special exhibitions.
After the Reformation in 1660 the hall became a place of worship for the Nonconformist congregation established by the Rev Edmund Jones who in 1662 was expelled from being the Vicar of Eccles and when the congregation moved out a family named Willis took up residence.
In 1836 Monks Hall was a farmhouse and it was further modernised in the 19th century.
No mention of Monks Hall is complete without the story of the Monks Hall Hoard; when a new road was being constructed in 1864 a hoard of 6,000 medieval coins were discovered close to the boundary wall, money probably buried by the owners of Monks Hall when the country was torn with civil strife.
In the latter half of the 19th century the building became a doctor’s residence and for 50 years was the home of a Dr George Sidley and subsequently his son Dr I. M. Ridley.
Dr Ridley was also the Doctor in charge of children at St Joseph’s Home in Patricroft and often children would be invited along to the house for a look around.
Eccles council purchased the house from him in 1959 after he had retired from practice, the house, land and furnishings cost £7,155.
Over the years the museum held some fascinating exhibitions including artwork by LS Lowry, Harold Riley, and Geoffrey Key, also local schools and painting and photographic societies held regular exhibitions there.
Sadly and for reasons unknown to us the museum closed its doors for the last time in the late 1980s.
It remained empty and neglected for over a decade until a local business man, Grant Chapman purchased the museum and turned it into Monks Hall Restaurant in April 1997, this too closed in 2002.
Property developer Mark Hammond then purchased the land with plans to turn the museum building into four luxury flats with a further 24 flats at the rear.
No work has ever started on this development.
Main image by Lee Shepherd
