HISTORY

The iron works and railway both closed in the 1960s. The railway viaduct was demolished, as was most of the the iron works. The remains have been landscaped and a heritage centre has been established in the Stables building. Millennium funding enabled an improvement of the area, including making more of the industrial remains accessible to visitors. Nearby Portland Basin, situated within the Tame Valley, is the junction of three canals, the Huddersfield Narrow, the Manchester and Ashton, and the Peak Forest. In 1834 the Ashton Canal Company built a canal warehouse, which has now been renovated and houses the Portland Basin Museum. The centre displays both touring exhibitions and it's own permanent collection, the latter of which revolves around the shaping of Tameside over two hundred years, examining local crafts, industries and people. There is a giant water wheel still in existence outside the building which was installed between 1839 and 1841, a constant reminder of Portland Basin's historical significance, quite different from the role it plays today. The area is now a central spot for picnicking and walking, enjoying the peace and tranquility, at one with nature. Portland Basin is also an outdoor venue for events in Tameside, the most notable being the annual canal festival which is held each July. Daisy Nook is the name of an area of the Medlock Valley between Oldham, Failsworth and Ashton under Lyne. The River Medlock runs through a steep-sided, wooded valley between Oldham and Ashton under Lyne, preventing the urban sprawl of the two towns joining up. The area was originally called Waterhouses, but local writer and poet Ben Brierley called it Daisy Nook in a popular book "A Day Out" and the name caught on. During the Victorian period, Daisy Nook began to be a destination for afternoons out. Families would picnic by the river, walk by the canal, take a boat ride at Crime Lake and visit one of the refreshment facilities. Each year at Easter visitors flocked from miles around to the large annual Daisy Nook Fair. The chief features of the area are the River Medlock and the Hollinwood and Fairbottom Branch Canals. The canals stopped being used around the 1920s, but luckily were not filled in. In the 1970s the area was developed into a country park and the canals and basins were made into a feature for visitors. The area is very popular for short walks, sunbathing, fishing and horse riding, with several stables nearby. A garden centre in the valley bottom is a magnet for many people and the Easter Fair is still held each year. The canal towpaths make attractive and level walks. There are plenty of seats and grassy areas for sitting and enjoying the scenery. Waterhouses Aqueduct, 80 feet high, which carried the canal across the River Medlock, now carries a footpath and bridle track. Paddling in the river below is popular with youngsters in the summer. Away from the canals, there are several footpaths through the woodland, including the carriage drive to Riversvale Hall, now offering a path into the country park from the main road at Bardsley Bridge. The tower on Hartshead Pike is a well-known local landmark. It overlooks Ashton and is visible from many surrounding areas. It is a popular destination for afternoon strolls and the tower once housed a refreshment shop. Although the name "Hartshead Pike" is generally used to mean the tower, it was originally the name of the hill itself. The pike is not the highest part of the hill, but, at 940 feet above sea level, its prominent position has meant that, from early times, it has been the site of a beacon or signalling station.   The earliest structure on this spot may have been a stone pillar, erected to commemorate the passing through the area of King Canute, who is also remembered in the names of Knott Hill and Knott Lanes. A tower had been built on the hill by the eighteenth century as it was re-built in 1751 by a public subscription. However, it was badly damaged by lightning and a hundred years later, all that remained was a ring of stone. The present tower was built in 1863 by John Eaton, a little south of the earlier structure, to mark the wedding of the Prince of Wales to Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The land on which the tower stands was given to the town by Lord Stamford, who also gave the stone for the tower's construction.   A "time capsule" was buried in a space below the foundation stone. This was a sealed bottle containing local newspapers, Victorian coins, poetry and documents. Inside the tower was a shop selling refreshments. Visitors could pay a small charge to climb stairs to enjoy the view from windows high up in the building. The inside of the tower was vandalised around a hundred years ago, showing that this is not a purely modern problem. The pike is still a popular destination for walkers who come to enjoy the wide ranging views, which include the Pennine moors to the east, North Wales to the west and north towards Pendle Hill. Today the country setting defies this industrial heritage – long gone are the cotton mills and factories and the area is currently a hotbed of technology and retail development. With the arrival of Manchester’s orbital motorway the area the has undergone the levels of investment that Central Manchester saw in the late 90’s culminating with the SportsCity complex including the City of Manchester Stadium, the National Cycling Arena and National Squash Centre.  Local Attractions   Walking distance of Daisy Nook Country Park, Medlock Valley, Holden Clough, Hartshead Pike and the foothills of the Pennines. City of Manchester Stadium & Sportcity – Home of Manchester City FC, and a complex including the National Squash Centre and the English Institute of Sport (5.5miles) National Cycling Centre / Velodrome (5miles) 7 miles from G Mex, The Manchester Exhibition Centre. 8 miles from Granada Studios, home to Granada TV and Coronation Street. 8 miles from M.E.N. Arena. Host of regular concerts and shows. Also ice hockey and basketball featuring Manchester's top teams. 8 miles from The Museum of Science and Industry.   10 miles from Bramhall Hall, Victorian house in 70 acres of parkland, lakes and woodland walks, events programmes with a range of concerts, workshops and tours. 12 miles from Old Trafford, home to Manchester United - the world’s most famous football team. The Manchester United Experience – United Museum, stadium tours, Red Café, Supporters Megastore or perhaps the Big Match day event! 15 miles from Trafford Centre, Europe's second largest indoor shopping centre featuring Selfridges only outlet outside London. It has various cafes and shops and a multiplex cinema. Also nearby the brand new Chill FactorE – superb indoor real snow ski slope. 30 miles from Ski Rossendale, the north’s premier ski centre, situated at the end of the M66 north of Manchester (Junction 18 off M60) 30 miles from Camelot Theme Park 40 miles from Oulton Park, the north’s premier motor racing venue, situated next to Little Budworth in Cheshire, just 20 minutes from Junctions 18/19 of the M6 adjacent to the A54. 40 miles from Chester Zoo, the north’s best value family day out. See baby elephants, orang-utans, the new Twilight Zone Bat Cave and penguin pool. 50 miles from Alton Towers, fun for all ages with rides and attractions and also beautiful gardens.