Hyde began life as a cluster of houses.  As late as 1801, the population was still only three thousand, five hundred.  It was the industrial revolution that changed this and created the Hyde that exists today.  Houses were built to accomodate more workers and as the cotton industry soared, so too did the housing market.

Leisure facilities

Hyde houses one of the most popular leisure centres in the region, Tameside Leisure Park.  There is a variety of water-based activities on offer, including a water shute, flume and wave machine. Also the home of the Wally Walrus Club for pre-school swimmers. Upstairs is a fully equipped gymnasium with saunas and sunbeds.

Werneth Low Country Park

Werneth Low offers fabulous views of the surrounding countryside and has a lovely little Visitor Centre where many of the Countryside Warden activities are based.  There is a wild flower garden situated in the car park and the area is popular with walkers.  The Hare and Hounds pub, which serves food, is situated nearby.  There has been a pub here since 1794, making it the oldest licenced area in the district. It is also a War Memorial to the dead of the two World Wars.

Newton Hall is a prominant building and the way it has been displayed  makes it useful to the rest of the town as a museum.  Hyde Park is a large park with facilities for children and beautiful flower beds, but the main areas are fields.  Hyde Chapel is a church worth seeing, being a large building with a steeple which is unusual for a Unitarian chapel.

Hyde has a busy town centre and market.  The shops are varied and include high street stores as well as specialised shops.  Hyde is a friendly town that is large enough to entertain visitors with it's attractions and provide for it's inhabitants.

Interesting links to other sites related to Hyde

	Festival Theatre Hyde
	The Festival Theatre is a 230 seat venue which is home to several local amateur groups who present a wide variety of productions. A season normally runs from September until July during which there can be between 12 and 18 different shows from drama to comedy, musicals to dance. The Festival Theatre is the only place in Hyde presenting live theatre, and has done this continuously for 49 years.