Sale - The Sale Hotel and Botanical Gardens

Not everyone knows that Sale was home to botanical gardens in the 19^th century. The only remaining structure from these mid-Victorian pleasure gardens is its former hotel at 131 Marsland Road, which currently functions as the Sale pub and restaurant. It was built in 1879 and was initially known as the Moorfield Hotel, later renamed as the Sale Hotel.

According to Sale rate books and electoral registers, the gardens were established in 1866 by a wealthy merchant named Jacob Bradford, who had owned and occupied the property since 1860.

Census records from 1861 indicate that his house was called the Moorfield Cottage, and that Jacob Bradford was a toy dealer born in Stockport. He must have passed away in 1867 because the rate books from that year list his widow, Jane Bradford, as the owner of the property.

A magazine article published in 1868, titled “At the Moorfield Gardens”, claims that the Garden’s attractions were designed to rival Manchester’s Belle Vue and Pomona Gardens. However, the article also notes that it lacked many features found in the competing gardens, such as boating and wild animals, although its walks were picturesque and trees and flowers abundant.

Local stories attest that the establishment of the gardens was driven more by the owner’s desire to provoke those who considered themselves his superiors in gentility than by making any profit on his investment. The article also mentions that the locals had not granted a spirit licence for the Gardens.

Jacob Bradford’s widow, Jane, was listed as the owner of Moorfields Gardens on the 1871 census records, but in 1877 the ownership passed to Edward Bradford. He held the property until 1878, at which point the rate books indicate that John Witty became the owner, with Marmaduke Witty listed as the occupant.

Marmaduke Witty was a Manchester-born cotton merchant, and in 1879 he built a hotel on the site to replace the Moorfield Cottage. The original building plans were approved in 1878, with Marmaduke Witty listed as the owner and Smith & Heathcote as the .

The plans depict the hotel as an impressive four-floor structure, including smoke rooms, billiard and sitting rooms, wine, beer and spirit cellars, a bar, a kitchen and bedrooms.

Although the 1878 building plans name the property as the Moorfield Hotel, the electoral registers from 1883 to 1886 indicate that the name was changed around this time to Sale Hotel and Botanical Gardens.

A large plan of the site, dated to 1885-1900, reveals that the gardens included a greenhouse, vinery, fernery, bowling green, an orchard and gardens. It also had open-air gymnasiums, tennis and croquet grounds, promenades and a bicycle track.

The bicycle track encircled an artificial lake with a bandstand in the middle, accessible via two bridges. Additionally, the gardens had stables, and a ballroom. The drawing also shows the Sale Hotel, with its easily recognisable observation tower.

The bicycle track was large enough for bicycle races, and the gardens became a popular location for them in the 1880s. The first race took place on the 24^th of September 1881 and races remained popular until the late 1880s when competition from new tracks in Old Trafford and Fallowfield reduced their popularity.

The Gardens had both supporters and opponents. A magazine article published in 1882, titled “Sale Botanical Society”, noted it as one of the best in North England but highlighted the absence of a permanent licence to serve refreshments and speculated how such a respectable place had not been granted one. As a result, special licences were required for each event.

However, building plans from c. 1880 and from 1888, now held in the Historical Building Plan Collection at Trafford Local Studies, show that Marmaduke Witty built a new ballroom, refreshment bar and lavatories for the hotel, indicating that it continued to be a popular location for events despite the lack of a permanent licence.

The earlier plans were drawn by Lockwood, Smith & Heathcote architectural practice and they name the property as the Moorfield Hotel. On the later plans the name of the property has been changed to Sale Botanical Gardens.

The Gardens were eventually closed and sold around 1896-97, and the land was developed for housing. The hotel, however, continued to operate. Building plans from 1899 and 1905, now in the Historical Building Plan Collection at the Trafford Local Studies, show that further additions were made to the property under the ownership of John Taylor and by the architects Whitelegg & Whittaker.

Despite this, local opposition to the spirit licence persisted. As late as 1935, when an application was made to allow live music at the hotel, it was once again denied. One property owner claimed that when the licence was held previously, it had caused an intolerable nuisance due to the lowest class of people from Manchester visiting the Gardens.

In the 1960s the old hotel building underwent extensive renovations, leading to the removal of many Victorian features. Since then, the property has continued to operate as a pub under various names and owners, eventually receiving a permanent licence to serve refreshments and host live music.

The Historical Building Plan Collection at the Trafford Local Studies, also holds additional plans for internal alterations for the building in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the last pub closed in 2009, and as the property was not registered as a listed building, it faced the risk of demolition.

Despite previous opposition, this time, 1,500 Sale residents signed a petition to save it. Additionally, Trafford Council requested that English Heritage list the then 130-year-old building, but the request was initially denied because it did not meet the necessary standards.

In 2010 the building was, however, granted Grade II status due to its prominent design in the Old English style, with a particularly unusual octagonal tower. The designation also recognised its historical value as a rare survivor of a building linked to mid-Victorian pleasure gardens.

Today, the building functions as a pub and restaurant called The Sale, reflecting its heritage as the Sale Hotel.

Further research

You can find more building plans and archival records using the Trafford Local Studies catalogue.

SOURCES

Books:

Swain, N. V. 1987. A History of Sale – from the earliest times to the present-day. Sigma Press: Wilmslow.

Newhill, John 2000. The Story of Sale from 1806 to 1876. A “House Detective” Book. Sale.

Pamphlets and plans:

Moorfield Gardens. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. 96695110.

Hotels in Sale. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. 96280522

New Ballroom and Lavatories at Sale Botanical Gardens, 1888. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. PLA/2/SAL/1888/2/1934.

Proposed Bail Stabling & Conveniences, Sale Botanical Gardens, 1888. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. PLA/2/SAL/1888/1/1941.

Proposed internal alterations for Sale Hotel, 1972. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. PLA/2/SAL/1972/1/26619.

Refreshment bar and additions to the Moorfield Hotel c. 1880. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. SAL/4/1/1/1.

Sale Hotel Plans, including plan nr. 1647 (year 1878), plan nr. 2412 (year 1899), plan nr. 2755 (year 1905). Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. 96279818.

Sale Hotel & Botanical Gardens about 1885-1900. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. PLA/1/352.

Sale Hotel and Botanical Garden Season Ticket, 1891. Trafford Local Studies collection, cat. ref. LHC/1009.

Websites:

The Sale, Non Civil Parish - 1393422 | Historic England

Sale Hotel gains listed status | Messenger Newspapers

Is it the end of an era for the Sale Hotel? | Messenger Newspapers

Sale Botanical Gardens in Manchester, bicycle racing track

Campaigners celebrate saving famous Sale Hotel - Manchester Evening News