Pupils’ forest funtime
PUPILS who remain in school during the latest lockdown have been braving all weathers to make the most of their Forest School for outdoor learning.
Children from Bacup
Thorn Primary School’s Y3/4W and Y4/5R have been developing their mapping skills.
They had to endure heavy rain and snow blizzards, but have also made the most of some glorious sunny days.
Forest Schools teacher Nadya Carter said: “As well as learning about compass points and fourfigure grid references, the children have been showing off their building skills and enjoying sledging when the snow came.
“We have been active too from racing to different four-figure grid references, to transforming ourselves into Forest Warriors so we could beat the King’s Men to the top of the tunnel.
For their final session, each class was treated to a camp fire, toasted marshmallows and a hot chocolate with plenty of toppings.
“As you can see from the photos, we have thoroughly enjoyed our learning!”
OVER more than half a century, the last vestige of a forgotten settlement’s proud industrial past has retreated quietly behind a thicket of willows.
Now, a new book documenting ‘Nuttall: Ramsbottom’s Lost Village’ has coincided with that Victorian mill chimney emerging into the light.
Beside the River Irwell, between Nuttall Park and Summerseat, there are intriguing traces of what was once a vibrant mill community which, in the words of a former resident, was once “bigger than Ramsbottom”.
Published by Ramsbottom Heritage Society just before Christmas, the book has encouraged many explore the area.
‘Nuttall: Ramsbottom’s Lost Village’ tells the story of the village from the 13th century to the present – from the days when it was the site of a stately mansion owned by the Nuttall family, t to its 19th centu century mill village heyday, throu through to the dem demolition of the l last terraced hou houses in the ear early 1960s. Essentially tho though, the bo book is a story ab about its people ple, with em emphasis on th the living memories of some of the la last resid dents to h have lived there.
One of the book’s contributors Mary visitors to ‘mysterious’
Reed grew up in Nuttall as a girl, living with her parents and aunt, before moving away to attend Bury Convent Grammar School. Her mum worked as a weaver at the nearest working mill in Ramsbottom, while her dad held a few different jobs.
Mary, 83, said the book had brought back many happy memories, including celebrating the end of the war with the other village children.
“I think if they had left it much longer there wouldn’t be any of us left who remember it,” she said.
“In Nuttall there were just houses. Nuttall was bigger than Ramsbottom at one time, a lot of people lived there and there were three cotton mills – which had long gone. But Ramsbottom took over and the mills were left to go to ruin.
“I lived in the old shop for a couple of years, and then Starling Street. When we moved into the shop it was falling down and we should never have gone to live there. We were definitely there when we had VE Day. All the kids had a party at the shop.” The family moved out of the village, which occupied the bottom end of Nuttall Lane, when Mary’s grandad, who lived at no.58, passed away.
Having lived around the country, including in London when she was a civil servant in the Inland Revenue, Mary returned to the local area and now lives in Turn, near Edenfield.
She said, despite some hardships growing up there, she remembered feeling “sad” when Nuttall was finally demolished in the 1960s, following its long decline.
Recalling her upbringing in the 1940s, she added: “There was no electric, but we had gas, there were no bathrooms or central heating. The houses were very basic really; you would wake up in the winter and the window would be all frozen.
“None of the people that lived there were well off. There wasn’t much to do, but you just got on with it. Most of my contemporaries that lived there were the same, so we didn’t feel like we were missing out.”
The Heritage Society’s Brenda Richards, who coauthored the book along with Janet and Ian Smith, said it has generated plenty of local interest. Already more than 700 copies have been sold.
“Many people in Ramsbottom are fascinated by this mysterious place which has now returned to nature,” said Brenda.
“As many are exploring the area, we thought it would be good for them to see the last vestige of industry down there – a chimney which for many years has been hidden from view.”
The mill chimney was erected in the mid-19th century, when William Grant & Bros began to use steam power in their mills down by the river. By the 1960s its top was in disrepair and was removed in 1967 – leaving the substantial chimney base.
Over the years, willow trees grew, virtually hiding the chimney from view, and the society felt that it needed to be seen again, as an important reminder of the lost village. In a plan backed by Bury Council, they decided to pay for a tree surgeon – out of the book’s profits – to remove the vegetation obscuring it from view.
Copies of the book can be picked up via the Ramsbottom Heritage Society website, or from La Petite Patisserie, 12, Market Place, Ramsbottom – opposite the urn.