Fun fact: a bit more than six decades ago, I was born in England. I departed for the United States only three months later… so I have no memory of my birth country. Thus, the opportunity to spend a year living in London, and exploring England, has been especially meaningful. This week we took a roadtrip to the Manchester area to find my birthplace and to visit some of my parents’ friends.
We found ourselves driving the narrow roads through Sale, a small village in Cheshire county. The residential areas included tree-covered lanes, pretty English gardens, and tidy English houses. Finally, by studying my birth certificate and with help from Apple Maps, we found the Ashton-on-Mersey Maternity Hospital (above), where I was born. It is now an NHS residential care facility for adults with mental illness, but my parents recognized it immediately.
Less than a mile away was my first home, a cozy two-story bungalow. Still in fine shape, this house sits in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by similar houses.
We later drove to the (even smaller) village of Prestbury, whose historic village center is beautifully maintained. St Peter’s Church, which was initially constructed in 1220 CE, includes an even older Norman-era chapel (1175-1190 CE), which contains ruins of an even older Saxon-era cross from an earlier church (approx. 900-1100 CE). As locals arrived for a weekday church service, we enjoyed exploring the churchyard with grave markers dating back at least four hundred years.
Finally, because it was nearby, and because we live in Lyme, New Hampshire, we made a quick visit to Lyme Park, a large estate now managed by the National Trust and recorded in the National Heritage List for England. It appears to be a beautiful estate, now open to the public, with a fascinating history dating back to the 14th century.
The photo gallery includes more photos from Prestbury and Lyme Park.
David Kotz 