Sparth Community Centre

Sparth is a small, compact area located half a mile south-west of the town centre of Rochdale, which grew up along the valley of the River Roch. At the height of the industrial revolution, the area boasted at least six mills, two coal mines and a gas works.

Today Sparth is mixed residential/industrial area comprising just over 300, mostly pre-1919 pavement-fronted, terraced houses. The population of around 760 is largely made up of white English/Irish and Asian (mostly of Pakistani origin) people, with a significant number of people from Eastern Europe as well.

Dedicated local people, from different sides of the community, came together in the early 1980s, to fight for a Community Centre - a building which, everyone agreed, should have one front door used by everyone. The dedication and community spirit paid off, and in 1984 the first spade went in and building work started. Members of the steering group formed the Centre's first Management Committee - and Sparth Community Centre officially opened its one front door in March 1985.

Today, as well as a Community Centre, the area is home to a small mosque - but the local school, post office and shop have all closed in recent years.

However, the area is currently part of two major initiatives that could have a massive impact on the area's future development, namely the Neighbourhood Renewal Initiative and the Housing Market Renewal Initiative.

Did you know...?

As part of the ongoing Neighbourhood Renewal and Housing Market Renewal Initiatives, in 2005 - in partnership with St Vincent's Housing Association - the Community Centre put together an exhibition of the area's history. Did you know...

• Sparth probably got its name from the wars that took place between the Saxons and the Vikings. There was an area below the Norman Castle called 'Kill Danes Fields' - the site of a 9th Century battle.
   
• A Norman Castle - probably 12th Century - once stood on the raised ground that is today known as Castle Hill.
   
• The Sparth axe - as featured on the Community Centre's Coat of Arms - is a 13th Century Scottish design, but it was used all over Europe and during the Crusades.
   
• There was a water-powered cotton mill at Oakenrod - just across the River Roch - as early as 1567. Other mills in the area included: Bridgefield Mill, Bridgefield New Mill, Brimrod Mill, Red Brook Mill and Standard Mill.
   
• There were once two coal mines within the area: Pinfold and Sparth Bottoms.
   
• The gas works in the area were established in 1823.
   
• In 1894 a seven foot high fossilised tree was found near Sparth Bottoms.
   
• An entirely new species of scorpion (fossilised) - named Eoscorpius sparthensis - was found in the area in 1903.
   
• The area's only church, St Alban's, was demolished in the 1970s.
   
• The Community Centre's Coat of Arms (top left) was designed in 1987 by Craig Halstead. It features:
   
• Shaking hands - representing friendship between different people & cultures.
• Irish shamrock - representing Sparth's Irish community.
• Crescent moon and star - representing Sparth's Asian community.
• Sparth battle axe.
• Cross of St George - representing Sparth's indigenous population.       
• British lion.
• Laurel garland - representing peace and friendship

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