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Friday, 25th July 2003

Prehistory, Romans and Castles

There are very few traces of our prehistoric brethren across the Greater Manchester region. There were Bronze Age mines on the wonderful hill of Alderley Edge but it is difficult to say what is exactly left from that era. The most tangible remains are the tiny remnants of a stone circle and enclosure on Turton Heights, north of Bolton, and the traces of an Iron Age hillford at Buckton Castle, on Buckton Moor, above Mossley. Both these places, with the aid of an Ordnance Survey map, provide good walks. The closest prehistoric monuments of the first order lie in the Peak District National Park. Twenty five miles south-east is the mysterious and magnificent Arbor Low, a neolithic henge monument, signposted off the A515 - well worth a day out.

The Roman period leaves us with a little more. Aside from the part reconstruction of the Manchester Fort in Castlefield, there is the dramatic fort site at Castleshaw of the A62 in Saddleworth. Again the remains aren't huge, but the shape of the fort can be made out and there is an excellent series of display boards describing the former buildings. The situation of the fort, high in the hills on a shelf below the pass over Standedge and over the later reservoirs, provides a wonderful summer picnic spot. Another good fort site lies west of Glossop off the A57 at Melandra Castle.

Roman road at Blackstone Edge

Best of all is the Roman road - although some doubt this provenance - that clambers over Blackstone Edge six miles north-east of Rochdale on the A58. The road attacks the steep gradient straight-on and is, in areas, a hundred percent intact. The beautifully tooled cobbles lie between sturdy kerbs and surround a mysterious central groove - probably designed to assist with braking. You can follow the road to the top of the hill and turning right walk less than half a mile to the fantastically contorted rocks - called Robin Hood's seat. Another superb Roman road to follow is the one over Doctors Gate parallel to the Snake Pass, A57. The best place to follow the road is from Old Glossop, a mile away from the later town.

Castles are a problem. There aren't any left in Greater Manchester, unless you count the reconstruction of Liverpool Castle in Rivington Park, west of Bolton. Otherwise take the short trip, twenty miles - into the Peak District, to Castleton and visit the dramatically situated, romantic ruin of Peveril Castle. 30 miles south west, in Cheshire, another fine ruin guards the Peckforton hills at Beeston which has a good events programme, mysterious caves and splendid elevated position. Nearby is Peckforton Castle itself, a Victorian dream of a medieval fortification designed in 1844-50 by Anthony Salvin. Of course the best castles in Great Britain lie within a comfortable drive or rail journey along the North Wales coast at Conwy and Carnarfon.

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