SJ8989 : Top end of Castle Street
taken 10 years ago, near to Stockport, England
In 2014 as part of the Stockport Arts Trail, an independent group of young people, working towards an Arts Award Qualification at Stockport Central Library, created the images for one face of the artworks, located on lampposts in and around Edgeley. Historic photographs from the libraries archives are on the other face, giving people an idea of how the area looked in times gone by.
A new set of lamppost artworks were set up in 2015 as part of a second Arts Trail celebrating the secret history of silk in Heaton Norris.
Other decorated lamppost have appeared since in other parts of Stockport but documentation is hard to locate.
The Stockport Volunteer Armoury which is Grade II listed Link was built in 1860 and consists mainly of an octagonal tower in red brick with pointed copper cap. It was raised by public subscription for the 4th Cheshire Battalion Rifle Volunteers in defence against Napoleon III. It was opened in 1862 and has been occupied by Volunteer Regiments, principally the 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment.
It is now in use by the Territorial Army. The building has been altered with loss of the original gateway and Sergeant Major's quarters. An extension to the front in the angle between the tower and the mess/office range was probably made in the late 19th century and is shown in early 20th century photographs. A variety of other extensions and additions, mainly to the north side, were made in the mid and later 20th century.