Trance from
26th April 2009
(Maurice and Sarah Trance)
This appears
to be the place Sarah seems to be talking
about
Two
Brooks Valley lies deep within Hawshaw
valley between Turton Road and Bolton
Road. In the 18 and 19 centuries, the
valley sustained a community in itself,
with a number of mills, works, farms
and several groups of cottages. The
remains of many of these can still be
seen within the valley, and the network
of public paths in the area is evidence
of the previous acitivity.
These
paths, once busy links for horses, carts
and workers, now provide the opportunity
for a leisurely stroll in the delightful
setting of woods, brooks, lodges and
fields, or for a more in depth exploration
of the wildlife, industrial and architectural
interest of the valley.
Two Brooks Mill
Until
industry came to the area in the 1700s
the whole of the Tottington, Greenmount
and Hawkshaw area was little more than
a collection of hamlets scattered around
the hill sides and valley bottoms. The
industrial revolution brought some of
the larger textile manufacturers of
the time to the area, making use of
the damp atmosphere and the plentiful
supply of soft water and they in turn
attracted bleaching and calico printing
companies. The population grew rapidly
and in 1891 had nearly 17,000 residents.
Many of these lived and worked in the
Two Brooks area.
The
Whowell family bought Two Brooks Mill
in 1850 and continued the bleaching
business which had been established
in the mill. A stroll through the remains
of Two Brooks Mill no longer gives the
impression of the scale of the former
enterprise, where up to 200 people were
employed at its peak. Closer investigation
of the many overgrown remains which
are still visible on site in the form
of stone walls, slabs, channels and
lodges will, however, give some clues
as to the extent of former activity.
(Joe Trance Part 1)
(Joe Trance Part 2)