Municipal Baths, Henry Square, Ashton Under Lyne, Greater Manchester
This cutting from the Builder magazine shows an illustration of the interior of Ashton-Under-Lyne public baths. The Municipal Baths were opened in 1870 thanks to a £16,000 donation by the mill owner, socialist reformer and local MP Hugh Mason. They were designed in a Byzantine style. They were one of the first, and one of the largest, public swimming baths. Between November and March each year a wooden floor was put over the main pool. It was then used as a skating rink and concert hall. The baths were closed in 1997 and are now (2013) on the Heritage at Risk Register.
