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Short Walks

Edgworth Village Heritage Trail

Map showing route of Edgeworth Village heritage trail
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Made up of two connected circular walks each of about two miles length which, if walked as a whole it will take about two hours. The walk starts at the Barlow Institute having a good car park at the rear.

The historical content of this walk is courtesy of Turton Local History Society

1. BARLOW INSTITUTE was presented to the village in the memory of James and Alice Barlow by the Barlow family in 1899. From the car park to the rear, walk past the children's playground, then follow the stream path down through Barlow Park, then the path to the right down to the stone bridge. From the stone bridge, walk down-stream, through a gate to and over the wooden footbridge crossing Quarlton Brook. The footpath climbs over the brow of the hill past -

Stone Bridge

Quarlton Vale

2. PELTON FOLD , a 17th century farmhouse. Continue over a stile below Meadowcroft's Farm - so named after a 1700's owner. You are now on the line of the Roman Road between Manchester and Ribchester. Proceed about 20 yards and take the path on the right towards the stone chimney. Along this path are good views over Quartlton Vale Print work's Reservoir to Edgworth and Turton Churches. Continuing to the small gate and through woodland, past Scottwood on the left and down the steps into the site of-

3. QUARLTON VALE PRINTWORKS which was established as a Calico Printing Works in the early 1800s, work finally ceasing in 1964. The vale is now a new housing development. Walk along the road through the estate turning left at the first junction curving round into -

4. BIRCHES ROAD , an ancient highway. Turn right in front of a row of cottages originally called 'Printers Row' after its connection with the local printworks. Bear right again past more early 19th century cottages to Bolton Road.

5. BOLTON ROAD was formed during the 1795 closure of Edgworth Moor and most of the buildings lining the road are of the early 1800s and include the strange names of Kettle Row, Teapot Row and Grubb Street. Turn right, crossing the road to more convenient pavements passing the handsome house of -

6. SPRING BANK which was associated with the Spring bank Mill in the Bradshaw Brook valley below. Passing Beech House, carefully cross Bolton Road on to Back Sandy Bank Road leading to Hillock Farm on the left. Passing the wrought iron gates the path continues behind a row of cottages, turning right behind the rendered garage to a wicket gate. Turn left through the fields to another wicket gate on the left, pass through along a cobbled lane passing SandyBank House (c 1810) to -

Spring Bank

Plaque showing birth place of Sir Thomas Barlow

7. BRANDWOOD FOLD , a 17th century fold of two farms and supporting cottages. On the gable end of Brandwood Fold Farm you will see a blue plaque commemorating the birthplace of Sir Thomas Barlow (1845-1945), the Royal Physician. Having completed the first half of the walk you can return to the Barlow Institute by turning right up Bolton Road or alternatively continue on the second half by turning left, crossing the road past Teapot Row to -

8. BLACK BULL , one of Edgworth's four public houses. Walk through their car park to the footpath at the rear right. Through a small gateway, the walk continues ahead towards the -

Black Bull

9. WAYOH RESERVOIR embankment on the left with views of the reservoir and the railway viaduct ahead. The reservoir was built as a compensation reservoir in 1876 to ensure a continuous flow of water into Bradshaw Brook - so essential to feed the several bleach works down stream at that time. It is now used for domestic supply and another compensation reservoir has been built down stream in the Jumbles. Follow the ascending path to the right continuing over the brow of the hill to the comer of Turton FC ground, leaving this via a large gate leading to -

Wayoh Reservoir

Quaker Burial Ground

10. THOMASON FOLD , another good example of an Edgworth fold named after Thomas Thomasson in whose house is a decorated plaster plaque dated 1669. An early Quaker Church was established here and the front garden of the second cottage on the left from the football field is known as the 'Quaker Burial Ground'. Passing through the fold, turn left after the converted barn up Horrock's Fold Lane. After passing on the left the deserted burial ground of the now demolished Edgworth Congregational Chapel, we see, also on the left -

11. HORROCK'S FOLD HOUSE (now called THIMBLE HALL), a large three-storey stone building dated 1694. Obviously a house of status with much architectural decoration, this was the house of the Horrocks family who operated the large quarry to the rear - now filled and landscaped. A family member was John Horrocks who set up large cotton enterprises at Preston. Following the lane, passing modern housing we come to -

12. ISHERWOOD FOLD , probably the finest example of a fold in the Turton area with its several farms and barns - although most have now been converted to dwellings. These buildings are mostly of late 17th and early 18th Century. Continue through the Fold with Lower House Barn and another old barn and cottage on the left, at the end of which turn right through a gate into a small field and on to Blackburn Road - the 'ancient highway' through Edgworth which at Wayoh Fold joins up again with the Roman Road -

13. BLACKBURN ROAD. Turning right you will see a mixture of old and new houses including Middle Turn, Crown Gardens and Crown Point, eventually reaching the cross-roads at the -

14. WHITE HORSE . This Inn and all the adjacent buildings date from the Enclosure of Edgworth Moor in 1795 when the "new" roads of Broadhead and Bolton Road were laid out to straddle the 'ancient highway'. This crossing formed the new village centre and still houses the Inn, Post Office, Craft Shop, Grocers, Butchers and Pharmacy. Holden's ice cream is second to none! The village Medical Centre shares a car-park with the White Horse. Turning right past the Edgworth Cricket Club Ground, we return to the Barlow Institute.

For more information visit (External) www.northturton.com . (External link see terms )

(External) Public Service Journey Planner on the Internet

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