Darnhill

Darnhill (or Darn Hill as recorded by the Ordnance Survey) is an area of Heywood, a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, in Greater Manchester, England. In the 20th century, Darnhill was chosen as the location for a planned overspill housing estate for Manchester, to alleviate quality housing shortages in that city. The Darnhill council estate is no longer overseen by Manchester City Council, but by the Guinness Trust Housing Association.

Darn Hill
Argyle Street, Darnhill
Darn Hill Location within Greater Manchester
OS grid reference	SD838101
Metropolitan borough	Rochdale
Metropolitan county	Greater Manchester
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HEYWOOD
Postcode district	OL10
Police	Greater Manchester
Fire	Greater Manchester
Ambulance	North West

History

During World War II, Manchester was heavily bombed. Lacking space the Council bought land from neighbouring boroughs to build municipal housing for its bombed out residents. Although these estates were in boroughs outside of Manchester, residents still paid rent and rates to Manchester City Council. The Darnhill Estate began construction in the early 1960s with the first family moving in in 1962. Eventually 5000 people moved to the estate, mainly from the Collyhurst and Miles Platting area of the city

In 1998, after consultation with residents, Manchester City Council, transferred its interests in the Darnhill Estate to the Guinness Trust.

Geography

Darn Hill is located in the southwestern part of Heywood, between the River Roch (to the north) and East Lancs Railway (to the south). It is close to the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale's boundary with the Metropolitan Borough of Bury.

Education

Our Ladys and St. Pauls RC is the only school on the estate at the present time. Darnhill Primary School was closed in 2007. Heywood Community High School closed on 31 June 2010.