SOUTH PENNINE ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP

UNDETERRED by rather drizzly weather, 14 intrepid souls met at Moses Gate Country Park in Farnworth to explore what had been a heavily industrialised area but is now a rather delightful green space given back to nature.

The site of Farnworth

Paper Mill, dating to 1674 was where Thomas Bonsor Crompton invented the continuous drying process and was also the first to use cotton waste for paper manufacture.

Both were milestones in the history of papermaking.

It later became a bleach works but all that is left now, is the massive weir across the River Croal.

Further on we came to another weir and the remains of Oakes Bridge which carried a tram road from the Croal Brick & Tile Works, sadly only the bridge abutments remain.

Next we reached the site of Rawson’s Vitriol (sulphuric acid) Works which later began producing washing soda.

Large quantities of alkaline waste were dumped in the area.

The surprising result is that this has led to unusual flora establishing itself, including rare orchids!

It’s now designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)!

We now reached the Salford branch of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal (MBBC).

It runs from Salford up the Irwell Valley, crossing the river twice to reach Nob End. Here it climbs the impressive Prestolee Locks.

At the summit the canal splits into two arms, one leading west to Bolton and one leading east to Bury.

The canal was built to serve numerous collieries and to transport heavy materials; passenger (‘fly’) boats covered the length from Bolton to Manchester in three hours, while transport by road was slower.

The canal was finally closed in 1961.

Walking up the hill by the locks we reached the famous Meccano Bridge which offered seats and a chance for a coffee to some, whilst others walked a little further to view the breach which occurred in 1936 and led to the closure of this section of the canal.

Descending to the lower level, the path led over the impressive packhorse bridge, on the ancient route from Manchester to Bolton.

Goods were transported on horseback through medieval times; highways were unsuited to wheeled vehicles.

An Act of 1555 made the inhabitants of the parishes and townships responsible for the upkeep of the highways passing through them, levying several days each year of compulsory statute labour or payment instead.

Packhorse bridges had low parapets to enable the bulky panniers to pass; as with many others, the parapets have been raised on this bridge which was rebuilt in 1805.

The adjacent concrete box-section bridge contains a sewer; this partly obscures the graceful arches of the aqueduct which carries the Salford branch of the canal over the Irwell.

Having crossed the packhorse bridge, we turned sharp left up a narrow footpath to Prestolee Bridge, number 13, over the canal.

This is an original brick arch built in the 1790s; it featured in the 1970 James Mason film “Spring and Port Wine” about the life of a family in Bolton.

After three enjoyable hours we finally returned to our cars to thank Richard and Patrick for a fascinating insight into an area we previously knew so little about.

If you’d like to join us please email roger@digspag.org.uk