GOING…GOING…ALMOST GONE!

The general accepted facts about  the history of The Limes are it was built about 1873 for John Heyes of JJ Heyes the cotton mill magnates who built Heyes mill where Asda now stands (corner of Atherleigh bypass and Kirkhall Lane). He lived there with his family and when his surviving daughter Anne died she bequeathed the house to Leigh infirmary. It was split into flats and used for residence of the single doctors. It has now been derelict since at least May 2010 as there are pics posted on local sites that show it boarded up but in a much better state than we saw it today.

There seems to be no recent mention of it until now and it remains a mystery as to why it was left to rot for so long without a decisive move to ensure its preservation. Interestingly the convent next door or’Hollybank’ to give it its proper name was built for James the other brother at about the same time and in 2009 was on the English heritage as grade 2 listed

The house is scheduled to be demolished in the near future and will be another sad loss to Leigh’s heritage.  Wigan Council should bow there heads in shame allowing so many great buildings go to ruin within it’s boundaries.