The Oliver Cromwell statue once stood in Manchester’s Deansgate area, outside a train station but the train station was demolished and the statue was brought to Wythenshawe Park to stand outside Wythenshawe Hall, where battles took place in the civil war in the early 15th century.  Oliver Cromwell and his Parliamentary Forces tried to take over Wythenshawe Hall but failed. 

The owners of Wythenshawe Hall were the Tatton family. They were from Chester, but they moved to Wythenshawe because of the size of the lands and fields.  The land was covered by big trees and a village was nearby called Northenden.  In Northenden there were loads of shops and people.  Northenden was a friendly place.  People would work all day and some all night. 

The Tatton family thought it was home. They all decided to stay and live in Wythenshawe for as long as they lived.  The Tattons decided to build a big house so they did, and in 1557 Wythenshawe Hall was born.  The hall was made from oak and had big gardens and a fantastic view of Wythenshawe and Northenden. 

The Tatton family settled into their new house and they met a lovely girl called Mary Webb from Wythenshawe She was the cleaner for Wythenshawe Hall. She would make the place look clean and tidy for the Tatton family.  Mary had been in a relationship with one of the parliamentary forces’ men. He was called Captain Adams (second in command to Duckenfield).  In the late civil war he was shot in the head by accident because Wythenshawe Hall was being under attack.  Oliver Cromwell and his forces tried to take Wythenshawe Hall and the lands of the Tatton family.  The Tatton family was putting up a fight and Oliver and his men could not get into the hall.  Oliver and his men were saying give up now or we shall kill you all.  The Tattons shouted “Never this is our home and these lands are ours not yours. We will never let you or your men take it away from us.” Oliver Cromwell said “Right we will be back but in big numbers.” 

So Oliver and his men fled Wythenshawe and went.  The Tattons were getting ready. They got people to protect the house and the gardens.  Two days later Oliver Cromwell and his men came back to the hall. Oliver shouted “Are you going to surrender or are we going to come in ourselves and get you out?” The Tattons shot at Oliver but missed.  Then they all charged at the doors of the hall but Oliver Cromwell’s men were dropping like flies.  So he gave up and Oliver left Wythenshawe and never returned. 

The Tatton family sorted out the damage and started with their lives. Mrs Tatton had a child it was a boy.  12 years later the boy got ill and then he died two weeks after he turned 12.  Mrs Tatton and the family were devastated. 

In 1926 the Tatton family all died leaving their house and land to the Manchester Corporation. But in agreement from the Tatton family the gardens and surroundings will remain as Wythenshawe Park, so the corporation agreed to this. Today Wythenshawe Hall still stands and the lands still remain as Wythenshawe Park.

Declan O’Connor