HISTORY
Gorse Hill Farm

Gorse Hill Farm, also known as Nancy Holt's Farm, was built in the 18th Century and stood on the west side of Humphrey Lane at a point now occupied by houses at the beginning of Mount Drive and Humphrey Crescent. The grounds covered some 23 acres. There were three ponds in the grounds of Gorse Hill Farm close to the point where the community centre stands today. 

William Allen had purchased lands in the area in 1765, but he became bankrupt and in 1790 this part of his land was sold to Josiah Johnson Smith.

In 1870, the Cheshire Lines Committee began work on an extension to their rail network - The Cheshire Lines Railway, approximately 55% of which was in Lancashire. The new line, which opened in 1873, ran for 34 miles from Manchester to Liverpool via Warrington, and cut straight through Gorsey Brow and Humphrey Lane.  As a result, a special crossing of the railway (placed near the end of what is now Hilrose Avenue) had to be made purely for farm access purposes. To access the crossing, a small track was built running westwards near the railway from Humphrey Lane to the new crossing about 200 yards away. The 1845 boundary of Gorse Hill Farm, and the railway line and farm track, are shown in these maps dated 1846 and 1888 respectively.

In the other direction from Humphrey Lane, a narrow path led across the fields to Stretford.

A sign would often be placed at the boundary of the farm to advertise potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables for sale.

Residents of Gorse Hill Farm:

• 1790 - John Beswick.

• 1825 - John Timperley, an attorney.

• From 1876, William Holt and his wife Nancy, who were market gardeners, resided at the farm. There was an orchard fronting Humphrey Lane, and near to the farm gates was always a sign advertising potatoes, tomatoes and other vegetables for sale. After the death of her husband, Nancy Holt managed the farm on her own, and from around 1900 it became known locally as "Nancy Holt's Farm".

• From 1920 - Stuart Bancroft.

• From 1925 - John Twigg, the last person to live at Gorse Hill Farm.

During the 1930s, Messrs. Longworth and Taylor bought several plots of land in the area for building purposes, including Gorse Hill Farm in 1934. The farm was demolished in 1937. The farm land now incorporates Mount Drive, Southbourne Avenue, most of Humphrey Crescent, the most northern tips of Humphrey Lane and Firwood Avenue, the nearby portion of Bradfield Road (previously Chadwick Lane) and, on the other side of the railway line, Abbey Close and the very end of Foxdenton Drive.