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 With a population of just over 14,000 people, Didsbury has developed profoundly since the 18th century when it was a rural township separate from outside influences. The area existed as a small hamlet as early as the 13th century but it wasn’t until 1904 that it was recognized as part of the city of Manchester. Pre-Roman Didsbury was a pleasant wooded area close to the River Mersey, South side of present day Manchester.
In 1745, the Young Pretender crossed the Mersey at Didsbury in the Jacobite march south from Manchester to Derby, and again in the subsequent retreat. Palatine road and Barlow Moor Road were also historically the rally point of Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarian army for its attack on Manchester from the South. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was formed in Didsbury in 1889.
The name Didsbury is derived from the Saxon "Dyddi's burg", meaning the township of Dyddi who held the lands at that time. St James Church is one of the oldest remaining buildings and dates back to before Saxon times. In the 14th century, this was the burial site for victims of the black death. The area of Fletcher Moss, formerly the Old Parsonage, was renamed after a former resident. It is said that his ghost still walks the moss today.
In the 1950s, the Capitol Cinema was developed into the ABC television studios. It was here that well loved programmes such as opportunity knocks and the Jimmy clitheroe show were produced.
East Didsbury has become relatively self-sufficient, with a wide range of quality shops within the village itself. Major shopping, entertainment and leisure complexes have been developed over recent years attracting more people to the area. Wilmslow Road, which runs through the heart of Didsbury, is now renowned as "the busiest bus route in Europe”. In the late 1990s the area gained attention when it pioneered a European style café culture along Wilmslow road. The road now comprises of more than twelve pubs and bars which were nicknamed the Didsbury Dozen.
Nearby West Didsbury has also seen recent developments with a wide range of cuisines on offer and bustling nightlife.
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