Peel Hall Park

Peel Hall Park sits in the centre of a local community, which is surrounded by homes, schools, a church and shops. It was planned as part of Barry Parker's Wythenshawe Estate to be part of a self-sustaining neighbourhood.

Peel Hall gets its name from the ancient Peel Hall, an Elizabethan moated manor house / farm, which was part of Northenden Parish. The area was known as Southern Etchells until the reorganisation of Wythenshawe following the purchase of the Wythenshawe estate in the 1920s.

The moated site was probably established in the 14th Century, and in the 16th Century came into the possession of the Tattons of Wythenshawe, who used the hall as a dower house and residence for junior members of the family. From the 1690s the site was leased out to tenant farmers. The manor house fell into disrepair in the 1960s and was demolished. The moat survives, surrounded by the park. It is designated, along with its platform (where the manor house was), as an Ancient Monument by English Heritage. The moat bridge is Grade II listed.

Cartographic evidence suggests that until the 20th Century, the moat formed an unbroken circuit around the platform which was accessed by the stone bridge. The present causeways across the moat date from the late 20th Century, as do the mound on the north side of the platform and the banks.

The historic aspect of the park is one of its greatest assets. In 2007 an archaeological desk-based assessment was undertaken by Manchester University's archaeological unit. This was followed by an evaluation dig and an open day in February 2008 by members of South Manchester Archaeological Research Trust (SMART).  They were trying to unearth more detail about a number of outbuildings, just beyond the former hall's moat, shown on maps in the 1830s. A series of mosaics have been installed in the park, designed by local residents, depicting the history of the park and the Medieval moat bridge.

The park has a very large and active Friends group. They have been awarded grants for a number of projects, including the mosaics and the annual fun day, which takes place in the park each summer. To find out more about the Friends, please contact Ben Rayner, the park warden, on 0161 998 2117 or email southareaparks@manchester.gov.uk