Thirty years after it disappeared from the map, Geographers’ A-Z has agreed to reintroduce a local community’s identity after it was inexplicably removed from street maps.
The name ‘Haughton’, will now return from the mists of time thanks to a campaign by local MP Andrew Gwynne.
Haughton first appeared in the area of Saint Anne’s Church on maps from the 19th century right through to the mid 1980s, only then to be dropped in preference of ‘Junction 2′ (of the M67).
Haughton was once a separate township to Denton, occupying the whole of the eastern side of the town today, from the Audenshaw border (where incidentally there is a Haughton Street) in the north to the Bredbury and Romiley border in the south.
Denton and Haughton were amalgamated for local government purposes in 1884, but the township of Haughton remained a distinct community within the Urban District of Denton, as their 1957 Handbook shows.
Haughton is Anglo-Saxon, meaning settlement (ton) on low-lying land (hough), and references the township’s location along the Tame Valley. The name lives on today in Haughton Green, Haughton Dale, and in the Parish of St Anne, Haughton. The ancient boundary marker in Broomstair bridge also still states ‘Township of Haughton’, and Haughton Hall Road commemorates the site of the ancient Haughton Hall.
Andrew Gwynne MP said:
“It’s sometimes the small victories, but local identity is important to people. Haughton is an ancient settlement, first recorded as ‘Halcton’ or ‘Halghton’ in 13th century documents. It is a name which shouldn’t just be expunged by map-makers. It’s been around since Anglo-Saxon times, and even the former Denton UDC tried their best to keep the name alive.
“Given the A-Z shows other local communities, and historic areas nearby, like ‘Kingston’, ‘The City’ and ‘Hooley Hill’ I thought it was time for Haughton to be put back on the map after a disappearance for 30 years. I am grateful for Georgraphers’ A-Z for recognising and doing this.”
Haughton will first appear on the new edition of the A-Z Manchester Premier sheet.
