Delph
Encyclopedia
Delph is a village in the Saddleworth
civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
, in Greater Manchester
, England. It lies amongst the Pennines
on the River Tame
below the village of Denshaw
, 4 miles (6.4 km) east-northeast of Oldham
, and 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north-northwest of Uppermill
.
The centre of the village has barely changed from the 19th century, when a number of small textile mills provided employment for the local community.
The etymology of Delph is derived from the Old English
word 'Delf', meaning a quarry and refers to the bakestone
quarries which lay at the lower end of the Castleshaw Valley
just north of the village.
Bakestones were quarried as tiles up to three quarters of an inch thick and used to bake oatcakes and muffins. The industry was in existence well before 1330 and only died out in 1930.
The village is home to one of the Saddleworth Whit Friday
brass band
contests, with in the region of seventy-five bands from across the UK and beyond marching down the main street at five minute intervals on the evening of the contest which often continues into the early hours. In the village of Dobcross a Henry Livings memorial prize is open to bands who play on any of the morning's walks on Whit Friday.
It is also home to the Millgate Arts Centre, the home of the Saddleworth Players. This group of actors puts on six plays a year, as well as hosting a number of other events throughout the year.
The main street running through the centre of Delph was used in some of the external shots of the 2001 feature film The Parole Officer
, starring Steve Coogan
, Om Puri
and Jenny Agutter
.
Delph was also used in the filming of the Whit Friday
scene in the 1996 film Brassed Off
.
The playwright Henry Livings
(1929–1998) lived in the village.
Delph railway station
was opened in 1851 as part of the London and North Western Railway route from Oldham to Delph. The station closed in May 1955, when the Delph Donkey passenger train service to Delph via Greenfield was withdrawn.
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 219,600, and spans . The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton and Shaw and Crompton, the village of...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England. It lies amongst the Pennines
Pennines
The Pennines are a low-rising mountain range, separating the North West of England from Yorkshire and the North East.Often described as the "backbone of England", they form a more-or-less continuous range stretching from the Peak District in Derbyshire, around the northern and eastern edges of...
on the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
below the village of Denshaw
Denshaw
Denshaw is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies by the source of the River Tame, high amongst the Pennines above the village of Delph, northeast of Oldham, and north-northwest of Uppermill...
, 4 miles (6.4 km) east-northeast of Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
, and 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north-northwest of Uppermill
Uppermill
Uppermill is a village in Saddleworth—a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England, historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. It lies on the River Tame in a valley amongst the South Pennines, east of Oldham, and east-northeast of Manchester...
.
The centre of the village has barely changed from the 19th century, when a number of small textile mills provided employment for the local community.
The etymology of Delph is derived from the Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
word 'Delf', meaning a quarry and refers to the bakestone
Bakestone
Bakestones are flat stones that can be placed on or next to a fire or stove to cook cakes of various kinds. In Wales, A bakestone, 'maen' in Welsh 'gradell' in the north of the county and 'planc' is the name for the cast iron or steel griddle used for cakes , especially in South Wales.The...
quarries which lay at the lower end of the Castleshaw Valley
Castleshaw
Castleshaw is a hamlet in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines, north of Uppermill, west-southwest of Marsden, and east-northeast of Oldham....
just north of the village.
Bakestones were quarried as tiles up to three quarters of an inch thick and used to bake oatcakes and muffins. The industry was in existence well before 1330 and only died out in 1930.
The village is home to one of the Saddleworth Whit Friday
Whit Friday
Whit Friday, meaning White Friday, is the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost or Whitsun .The day has a cultural significance in northern England, as the date on which the annual Whit Walks are traditionally held...
brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
contests, with in the region of seventy-five bands from across the UK and beyond marching down the main street at five minute intervals on the evening of the contest which often continues into the early hours. In the village of Dobcross a Henry Livings memorial prize is open to bands who play on any of the morning's walks on Whit Friday.
It is also home to the Millgate Arts Centre, the home of the Saddleworth Players. This group of actors puts on six plays a year, as well as hosting a number of other events throughout the year.
The main street running through the centre of Delph was used in some of the external shots of the 2001 feature film The Parole Officer
The Parole Officer
The Parole Officer is a 2001 film, directed by John Duigan and was the first feature film to star comedian Steve Coogan. The film follows a mismatched group of former criminals as they assist their probation officer in proving his innocence after a murder accusation.-Plot:Simon Garden is a...
, starring Steve Coogan
Steve Coogan
Stephen John "Steve" Coogan is a British comedian, actor, writer and producer. Born in Manchester, he began his career as a standup comedian and impressionist, working as a voice artist throughout the 1980s on satirical puppet show Spitting Image. In the early nineties, Coogan began creating...
, Om Puri
Om Puri
Om Puri is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.-Early life:...
and Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
.
Delph was also used in the filming of the Whit Friday
Whit Friday
Whit Friday, meaning White Friday, is the name given to the first Friday after Pentecost or Whitsun .The day has a cultural significance in northern England, as the date on which the annual Whit Walks are traditionally held...
scene in the 1996 film Brassed Off
Brassed Off
Brassed Off is a 1996 British film written and directed by Mark Herman. The film, a British-American co-production made between Channel Four Films, Miramax Films and Prominent Films, is about the troubles faced by a colliery brass band, following the closure of their pit...
.
The playwright Henry Livings
Henry Livings
Henry Livings was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television and theatre from the 1960s to the 1990s.-Early life and career:...
(1929–1998) lived in the village.
Transport
The village has a turning circle round a small estate (Carrcote) which is used by all buses. The 82 and the X84 both run to Manchester Piccadilly on Monday to Friday peak times, these are rush hour times. The X84 by passes Oldham making the journey to Manchester quicker. The main service is the 350 which uses the same route as the 82 to Oldham and it also runs to Ashton This runs on a Monday to Saturday frequency of half an hour, and Evening and Sunday frequency of an hour. The other routes are the 353 and the 354. These both terminate locally, at Carrcote and Denshaw, and also both run to Ashton, using similar routes. They both run on a Monday to Saturday frequency of every two hours, but both terminate at Uppermill at Night times and Sundays. Finally, the 350 and 82 both exit Delph village by using the Carrcote estate then continuing their routes.Delph also has a small airport used for light craft and local airshows.Delph railway station
Delph railway station
-History:The station was opened on 1 September 1851 as the terminus of the London and North Western Railway branch from .The station closed on 2 May 1955, when the Delph Donkey passenger train service from Oldham to Delph via Greenfield was withdrawn...
was opened in 1851 as part of the London and North Western Railway route from Oldham to Delph. The station closed in May 1955, when the Delph Donkey passenger train service to Delph via Greenfield was withdrawn.