Heard of this place a long time ago so went for a nosy!!! Original cobble stone streets...lovely, but kill your feet!!!

Step back in time to a bygone era, this Moravian settlement is situated in Droylsden. Founded in 1785, just off Fairfield Road, the settlement originally stretched 60 acres and was visible for miles around.It has authentic cobbled streets, some are tree lined and authentic houses. Theres a church, a girls school and a museum. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

Fairfield Moravian Church and its surrounding settlement was founded in 1785 in Fairfield, Droylsden, Lancashire, England. It was founded by Benjamin La Trobe as a centre for evangelistic work for the Moravian Church in the Manchester area. Numbers 15, 28 and 30 Fairfield Square are Grade II* listed buildings.The Moravian Theological College, which trained ministers for the British Province and its overseas missions, moved to Fairfield from Fulneck in 1875. It closed in 1958 and its building was restored as a Sunday school and community centre, under the leadership and toil of Anthony Torkington, a Moravian Architect. It was opened for its new role by Bishop Geoffrey Birtill in July 1983.The impulse of the Moravian Church after its renewal at Herrnhut was to evangelise. This did not entail proselytising from other churches. It involved creating societies which would quicken spiritual life within existing Protestant denominations or among people who were unattached to any church; and taking the Gospel to those, especially in the Danish, Dutch and British colonies, who had never heard it before.[23]Fairfield supported missionary work overseas: Mellowes (1984) lists 17 brothers and sisters who, within living memory, had served in missions in Labrador, Jamaica, the Eastern West Indies, Ladakh in northern India and Tanzania.Fairfield people in the 19th century sought to establish new congregations in several places. By November 1822 Br Lees had established a group at Clarksfield in Oldham, with preachers from Dukinfield and Fairfield. In August 1825, it was established as a new congregation called Salem. In 1825 a group was established by Br W. Rice in Glossop, Derbyshire, but closed and the adherents moved to other denominations.In the 1840s, the congregation supported scripture readers in the Manchester Town Mission. The work involved visiting people’s homes and using the Bible to teach reading and writing. Br Chambers was assigned to this duty and paid ten shillings (50p) a week for it. In the 1850s and 1860s, Brn Hines and Gibbs carried this work on and visited 3,523 homes.The work of the scripture readers led to chapels being created at Edge Lane and Gorton Brook in Droylsden and the Westwood Moravian Church in Oldham. There was some missionary work in Liverpool. Only Westwood, where a new church was opened in 1865 became permanent. The Fairfield people were generous in their support of Westwood, giving £600 and in 1871 writing off a debt of £550.Another instance of church extension in the neighbourhood of Fairfield occurred in 1899 when a new congregation opened in Wheler Street. The nucleus of people was provided by existing members who lived in that vicinity. An iron church building was erected at a cost of £215 with the opening service taking place on 26 November.By the 1860s settlement life had changed and had a new role as an open congregation drawing its members from a wider geographical area. Few of the residents of the settlement were associated with the church. Activities like dramatic performance that had been regarded as ungodly were being accepted. The social life of Fairfield was moving to a form typical of nonconformist chapels, with a dramatic society, a musical choir and a young mens club for billiards and smoking by the 1880s.

Lovely heritage area with tranquil feel.

Beautiful and tranquil 17th century houses set out like a cross. With a church and school at the furthest branch of the cobbled Square from which they lead off. Marred only by the parked cars.Nice statue of a woman with a child on the wee green at its entrance from Fairfield Road.In close proximity to Ashton Canals Fairfield Junction Lock and Canal Basin.

Beautiful and serene, seems like a nice place to live or just to chill

Welcoming church, beautiful inside.

Beautiful to stroll around real hidden gem

Great place to visit...very atmospheric...easy parking....dont forget to take it camera....and its free!

Peaceful and very well kept little hamlet. Beautifully presented cobbled streets, an understated church and mature gardens. One of Manchesters gems.

Stepped into some historic buildings. Cool place for a wedding solemnisation

Beautiful settlement recently used to film Mrs Lowry and son

Went to pay group there was nice and clean

Beautiful Place and Like Stepping Back in Time, Gorgeous Little Cottages with Cobbled and Stone Streets, Idilic Place, Beautiful Surroundings, Church was Lovely, chatted with some of the parishioners as they came out of the church, they were very friendly and only too happy to answer our questions, also provided us with litretcher about the settlement and gave us an events diary for the year. Its a Hidden Gem that you would never expect to be there. Absolutely recommend.

Lovely old buildings.Unfortunately going into disrepair.

Lovely little area to walk thru or sit at

Beautiful building with great character and a wonderful history.

More expansion or alternative route needs to be created and people need to park elsewhere

Excellent minister and v friendly congregation

Very nice church and historical place

I well remember the Moravian settlement when I was growing up in Droylesden as a girl.It was always very special to me as I often used to wander about it when doing one of my little walks either after school or on weekends when I used to come to Market Street.It has a very interesting history as the Moravians settled in Droylesden almost 300 years ago, coming from Europe making it the largest religious settlement in/outside Northern Europe.They were something like the Quakers, very self sufficient, hard working and even had their own school which is situated in one quarter of Fairfield Square. The buildings are grade 2 listed, being of not only historical but architectual interest too.The whole square is under a conservation order, meaning no development is allowed, and if you do get permission to build a house here, you have to keep it in the same character as the other buildings.No-one is allowed to alter the outside of their house, but you can do renovations to the inside. The square is under conservation of English Heritage, and the lovely buildings around it are of a very special nature.The church is a lovely building inside, being built to a style found in many of the churches in Europe and the Dutch bell tower gives it a unique style all of its own. The Moravians had good contact with the local community, and the Ashton Canal was well used by them to deliver and receive goods and produce thus making them quite self sufficient.Well thats enough of my history tour, but go and have a look for yourself.

Beautiful community well worth a visit.

Just like stepping back in time

Beautiful.

Lovely

Beautiful

Going back in time when I was a child