Moston Brook
Moston Brook | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | England |
Region | Greater Manchester |
District | Manchester/Oldham |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Failsworth, Oldham, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom |
Mouth | |
• location | River Irk |
• coordinates | 53°29′47″N 2°13′39″W / 53.49639°N 2.22750°W |
Length | 3.7 mi (6.0 km) |
Moston Brook is a stream in Greater Manchester in north-west England and a tributary of the River Irk. The brook is formed at the confluence of Bower Brook and Hole Bottom Brook. This occurs near the Rochdale Canal in Failsworth in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. It flows southwest, forming the border between Moston, Manchester and Failsworth before being culverted almost all of the remaining route to its meeting the River Irk. It has a total length of about 3.7 miles (6 kilometres).
The river was used industrially during the
Course
The brook flows approximately 3.7 miles (6.0 km) from its source (the confluence of Bower Brook and Hole Bottom Brook) to its confluence with the River Irk. It forms part of the River Irwell drainage basin.[1]
The source of Moston Brook is now hidden. Its most upstream part is fully obscured in two
The brook then flows southwest, forming the boundary between the City of Manchester and the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham,[5] both of which are metropolitan boroughs of Greater Manchester. It is partly culverted at Broadway Common due to landfilling activities.[4] The brook flows into Manchester at the southern boundary between Moston and Newton Heath, where it passes into another culvert which takes it underneath Moston Vale.[6] Here it is joined by the Dean Brook, which flows past the site of Moston Hall in Broadhurst Park and is also culverted south of Joyce Street. Up to the early nineteenth century, the section between Failsworth and the Dean Brook was known as Morris Brook.[7] The brook is briefly visible again in Collyhurst near Manchester Communication Academy,[2] before again entering culverts which take it most of the way to its confluence with the River Irk.[6]
The main part of the brook that is currently above ground is broken down into the following areas:[8]
- Wrigley Head – part of the brook near the Rochdale Canal.
- Hardman Fold – once a farm, brickworks and clay-pit, and later a landfill,[9] the area is now meadows, woodland and a waterside walk. Public footpath 79 also runs on the northern (Manchester) side of the valley.[10]
- Broadway – incorporating Lower Failsworth Memorial Land which, after public subscriptionfor the people of Failsworth.
- Moston Fairway – a rare urban nature reserve, run by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Part of it was, until 1981, the site of Moston Exchange railway sidings on the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway[11] Although it does not directly connect with the brook valley, it is close by and is considered part of the same amenity area.
History
The area was largely rural but had been engaged in the washing, bleaching and dyeing of yarns since the 16th century, although Moston itself was mostly noted for
There were "white hills" along the banks of the brook, formed from industrial waste.[4] The origin of the hills is unclear, though the hills are shown in photographs dated 1913.[14] Excavation of clay and sand pits alongside the brook fed brickworks on Hale Lane, Failsworth.[4] From around 1949, these pits were used as landfills, the last of which (Hardman Fold) was closed in the 1990s.[4] The brook was gradually culverted along much of its length, in some cases to make room for more landfill sites.[9] For example, the part of the brook that was near Monsall Hospital was culverted to make way for a landfill in the mid-1970s.[9] The hospital itself closed down in 1993 and was demolished soon after.[15] Moston Brook High School, which was built on the former site of the North Road sports pitches, was closed in August 2000.[16]
The remaining visible part of the brook between Failsworth and Moston was reprofiled and landscaped in the 1980s. Valley slopes were smoothed, paths and steps were incorporated, drainage channels were installed and stabilisation work was conducted.[4]
Environment
Pollution
The proliferation of factories and works in north Manchester, Failsworth and Oldham during and after the Industrial Revolution led to Moston Brook becoming badly polluted. Local children referred to it as the "Black Brook", though the brook changed colour depending on the dyes or pigments being discharged into the brook and its tributaries.[17] At the time, children were known to have drowned in the brook while playing there.[17] Other pollutants over the years included oil gas tar from Hollinwood Gas Works and waste from Failsworth tannery.[18] Both the Rochdale and Hollinwood Canals discharged overflows into the streams, so pollution from the canal water would also find its way into the system.[3]
From 1990 to 2007, the brook consistently received the lowest possible grade from the
Improvements
These poor results led to the Environment Agency and
United Utilities has spent £2 million improving
There is a local
Wildlife
A habitat survey of the Moston Brook corridor was conducted by The Greater Manchester Ecology Unit in 2007.[23] Important habitats identified include lowland broad leaved woodland, marshy grassland, reed bed and lowland heath/acid grassland, all of which are priority habitats for conservation listed in the national and Greater Manchester Biodiversity Action Plans. Important species identified included song thrush, house sparrow, starling, snipe and kestrel.
The Moston Brook corridor is bookended by two important sites designated for their nature conservation area. The first of the Rochdale Canal Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is a European Designated Site of international conservation importance. The second is the Moston Fairway Nature Reserve (former railway sidings at Moston), a Site of Biological Importance (SBI) which is a designated site of sub-regional nature conservation importance.[23]
Recreation
On the border between Moston and Failsworth, Moston Brook is a recreational resource for residents of both communities.
Entrances to the brook have been built along its route by Oldham and Manchester Councils.[25] These allow access to paths and cycleways which can be used for walks, rides and educational activities.[21]
-
Creating aninsect house– Moston Brook Fun Day 2013
-
Moston Brook Fun Day 2013
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Moston Brook – Summary Report for the Evidence and Measures Project" (PDF). Environment Agency. 20 March 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Practical Solutions – Moston Brook" (PDF). Environment Agency. 25 April 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b c "Lancashire XCVII (includes: Lees; Oldham.)". Ordnance Survey. 1848.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Moston Brook Feasibility Study" (PDF). Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale. March 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Moston Brook". Hidden Manchester Map. 13 August 2016. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ H. T. Crofton (1904). A history of Newton chapelry in the ancient parish of Manchester. James Stewart. p. 178.
- ^ a b c "Moston Brook Green Corridor". Oldham Council. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- ^ a b c "Historic landfill map". UK Government. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Maps showing rights of way". RowMaps. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Moston Fairway". Lancashire Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
- ^ "Townships: Moston". British History Online. Archived from the original on 4 November 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ "Moston Vale". Newlands Project. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Images "m60385" and "m60386"". Manchester Image Collection. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ "Monsall Hospital – Hospital Records Database". National Archives. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ "Moston Brook High School". UK Government. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Kath Elsworth". Pride Media Association. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ G. Strath Leslie (1909). "Urban District of Failsworth – Report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1909". J. B. Fielding.
- ^ a b Ottewell, David (20 December 2007). "Polluted brooks that struggle to babble". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d "The water quality ratings of Manchester's rivers and measures to attract people down to the waterside". Manchester City Council. 11 December 2007. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Oldham – cleaning up Moston Brook". Local Government Association. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ "Groundwork – Moston Brook water quality and habitat enhancement scheme". Groundwork. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
- ^ a b "Extended Phase 1 Habitat Survey of Moston Brook Corridor and Moston Fairway" (PDF). The Greater Manchester Ecology Unit. October 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
- ^ "Moston Brook Fun Day". Ann Bates. 10 August 2014. Archived from the original on 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Moston Brook improvements". Oldham Council. Archived from the original on 20 February 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2018.