In 1066 the Anglo-Saxon manor of Bramall was held as separate estates by two freemen, Brun and Hakon.[7][8] In 1070, William the Conqueror subdued the north-west of England, and divided the land among his followers. The manor was given to Hamon de Massey, who eventually became the first Baron of Dunham Massey.[9] The earliest reference to Bramall was recorded in the Domesday Book as "Bramale", a name derived from the Old English words brom meaning broom, both indigenous to the area, and halh meaning nook or secret place, probably by water. De Massey received the manor as wasteland, since it had been devastated in the Harrying of the North. By the time of the Domesday survey, the land was recovering and cultivated again.[10]
Bramall Hall, set in 26 hectares (64 acres) of parkland, is an example of a 14th-century Cheshire building. In 2016 an extensive programme of restoration work was completed. The Ladybrook flows westward through the park, joining the River Mersey at Cheadle.
Bramhall War Memorial is in Mayfield Place. It was unveiled by Sir Henry de Beauvoir De Lisle on 18 December 1921.[12] It commemorates the 90 men of Bramhall who fell in the two world wars.[13][14]
Churches
St Michael and All Angels' Church
The Church of England parish church of St Michael and All Angels[15] in Robins Lane was consecrated in 1911 when Bramhall Parish was created, although the building was not completed until 1963. It replaced an earlier mission church opened in 1890.[16]
Other churches in Bramhall include the Methodist Church near the centre of the village, the United Reformed Church located on Bramhall Lane South, the Baptist Church located on Woodford Road, the Catholic Church of St. Vincent de Paul on Handley Road and Ford's Lane Evangelical Church.
Recreation
Bramhall has a cricket club and there are three lawn tennis clubs (LTC): Bramhall Queensgate LTC, to the north; Bramhall Lane LTC, close to the village; and Bramhall Park LTC, close to the park. There are also two golf clubs in Bramhall, each with 18-hole courses: Bramhall Golf Club and Bramall Park Golf Club. Stockport RUFC in Bramhall has been host to Headlander Festival. There is a recreation centre linked with Bramhall High School with indoor and outdoor facilities.
Alongside numerous listed buildings,[19] the sixties and early seventies saw a growth in Bramhall's housing stock. New developments included the Parkside and New House Farm areas in the north of Bramhall and the Dairyground estate which features a co-operative, apartments and a care home. The Dairyground estate is served by Stagecoach Manchester[20] and is in close proximity to Bramhall railway station. Bramhall High School is situated in the Dairyground estate, which is part of the Bramhall North Ward.[21]
Little Australia
The area of Little Australia (so called as all the roads are named after towns in Australia) is bordered by the West Coast Main Line to the north, the Bramhall oil terminal to the east, Bramhall village centre to the west and Moorend Golf Club to the south. The longest road in Little Australia is Meadway, which starts in Bramhall shopping centre and runs through the heart of the estate for its entire length. Meadway has a number of shops, care homes and two large car parking facilities which are served by multiple CCTV cameras. There is also a recycling centre situated on the Meadway East car park. Lumb Lane park is located on the estate and consists of two football pitches, a small children's playground and a hard surface football/basketball court. Bramhall Village Hall is located on Lumb Lane. Queensgate Primary School is located on Albany Road. Little Australia is part of the Bramhall South Ward.
New House Farm
The New House Farm area is to the north of Bramhall and extends into Hazel Grove after crossing the Fred Perry Way. It is home to a McColl's newsagent and a pub, the Shady Oak. The main roads through New House Farm are Grange Road, which links to Bramhall Lane South, and Ringmore Road. New House Farm is served by the 374 bus route between Hazel Grove Station and Reddish. The New House Farm area contains a section of the Fred Perry Way joining the estate from Bridge Lane and exiting up into Woodsmoor. This area is part of the Bramhall North Ward.
Education
Bramhall has five primary schools: Ladybrook, Moss Hey, Nevill Road, Pownall Green and Queensgate. Bramhall High School is the local secondary school.
^Dean, E. Barbara (1977). Bramall Hall: The Story of an Elizabethan Manor House. Stockport: Recreation & Culture Division, Metropolitan Borough Council of Stockport. p. 14. ISBN0-905164-06-7.