About the town » Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, England, Great Britain

Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a suburban area of the city of Manchester, England, known locally as Chorlton. It is about four miles southwest of Manchester city centre. Pronunciation varies: /ˈtʃɔrltən/ CHORL-tən and /ˈtʃɒlən/ CHOL-ən are both common.By the 9th century, there was an Anglo-Saxon settlement here. Later in the Middle Ages, improved drainage methods led to population growth. In the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, its perceived rural character made it popular among the middle class. The loss of its railway station, the conversion of larger houses into flats or bedsitters, and significant social housing development to the south of the area changed its character again in the 1970s.Historically, Chorlton was a village on Lancashire's southern border with Cheshire, and a township within the ancient parish of Manchester. It was incorporated into the city of Manchester in 1904. Chorlton borders Stretford, Sale, Didsbury, Withington, and Whalley Range. The River Mersey runs past Chorlton along its southern boundary. The area's eastern boundary has changed since the 19th century because of incorporation into the City of Manchester and division into wards.