Drinkwater Park is situated in the Irwell Valley on the western border of Prestwich, near Manchester, bounded by the River Irwell to the west, Agecroft Road and Rainsough Brow (A6044) to the south, Butterstile Lane and Carr Clough estate to the east and Bunkers Hill to the north. The park is administered by Forestry England [1] and is part of Prestwich Forest Park, which also incorporates Philips Park, Mere Clough, Prestwich Clough, Forest Bank Park in Pendlebury and Waterdale Meadow.
Much of Drinkwater Park is very flat as it is on the flood-plain of the River Irwell but the valley rises steeply to the east in the area known as Carr Clough. There is a long narrow reservoir running up the centre of the park which, on the 1894 map, appears to have been used as a water supply for the Clough Bleach and Dye Works, [2] although the narrow northern arm has long since been culverted. Most of the land in the park was very open and windswept until the early 1990s, as can be seen on the 1982 photograph by John Davies. [3] Since that time there has been a programme of tree planting carried out as part of the Red Rose Forest Scheme. [4] Most of the park, apart from the football playing fields, is now thickly wooded with a diverse selection of broadleaved trees.
The area to the northeast owned by Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, was used as a landfill area from 1946 to 1983 but has since been planted with trees as part of the "Green Tips Project" for landfill areas in Greater Manchester. [5] The main paths have been gravelled and some raised decking paths have been erected across the wetland areas to the east of the reservoir. The only vehicular entrance to the park is on the south side from the roundabout at the junction of Agecroft Road, Kersal Vale Road and Rainsough Brow, which leads to the car park. The other entrances are only accessible by pedestrians or cyclists. A Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority recycling centre was formerly located at the northern end of the park, accessed via Buckley Lane. This facility was closed in 2011.
In 1389 the Langleys of Agecroft Hall acquired the land which was farmed as part of the medieval estate of Robert de Prestwich. [6] The Manor of Prestwich remained with the Langley family until 1561 when it was passed on by marriage to the Coke family. In 1777 Thomas William Coke, wishing to increase his Norfolk estates began to sell off the Manor of Prestwich and Peter Drinkwater, son of Thomas Drinkwater of Whalley, bought the Manor in 1794. Peter, a prominent Manchester textile mill owner, [7] owned a town house in Manchester but resided during the summer months at Irwell House, [8] a Georgian mansion, built around 1790 alongside the River Irwell. When Peter's son Robert died in 1861 his lands, including Irwell House, were left to his daughters. Irwell House and the land, known as Drinkwater Park were sold to Salford and Prestwich councils in 1902. [9] Irwell House was converted to a smallpox hospital for which it was ideally suited due to its isolated position. [10] It was later abandoned and fell into disrepair. In 1958 the house caught fire during a civil defence exercise and was demolished some years later. The foundations and the first course of stones were left in place and are still visible today, as are the overgrown remnants of the gardens.
The Ordnance Survey map of 1907 [11] shows Drinkwater Farm located immediately to the west of what is now the northern end of the reservoir and a lodge approximately 500 feet (152.4 m) to the east of the farm, at the end of a narrow arm of the reservoir. However, both these buildings and the stretch of water that joined them have disappeared. For many years there was a sewage farm in the north of the park alongside Buckley Lane but this has now gone leaving only the lines of the walls and some evidence of the lagoons. There is now a pumping station just to the west of the site.
Prestwich became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Bury in 1974.
There are broadleaved trees to be found in the park, as well as native shrubs such as elder, bramble, wild rose and guelder rose. Large swathes of bluebells are to be seen flowering in the spring on the slopes to the east, followed by ferns and bracken in the summer. Species of mosses and fungi are to be found across the park. There are also foreign invaders such as Himalayan balsam and the toxic giant hogweed.
Foxes and rabbits are much in evidence and deer are occasionally seen. The wetlands to the east of the reservoir are home to colonies of frogs, and toads also breed in the park. There are waterfowl on the reservoir including coots, moorhens, mallards, swans and occasional flocks of Canada geese. Kingfishers and heron nest in the park as do magpies and species of smaller birds such as tits and finches. Insects abound, especially dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies. The reservoir is stocked with freshwater fish and is home to an array of pondlife such as newts, water boatmen, pondskaters and the endangered freshwater pearl mussel.
There are well-maintained football pitches in the park with changing rooms and showers near to the Rainsough entrance. Amateur teams play at the weekends including Bury Amateur AFC where a number of fans come down on a Saturday afternoon.
In October 2003 a skate park was opened near the Rainsough entrance by the mayor and mayoress of Bury. The facility was built as a result of a partnership between Bury Council, youth services, Rainsough Tenants' and Residents' Association, Prestwich Area Board, the police and Community Safety Partnership and the youngsters themselves. The skate park plan was backed by Rainsough TRA who put in a successful bid for funding with the Local Network Fund. [12] [13]
Forestry England encourage schools to arrange environmental activities such as pond dipping in the park. [14]
Salford Friendly Anglers Society have fishing rights on the lake [15] and anglers are often seen on the banks.
The park is popular with local dog walkers, horse riders, cyclists and joggers.
The Irwell Sculpture Trail, the longest sculpture trail in Europe, passes through the park, although there are no sculptures in the park itself. [16] The trail follows the footpaths of the Irwell Valley Way from Salford Quays to the Rossendale Valley and up into the Pennine Moors above Bacup.
National Route 6 of the National Cycle Network passes through the park.
Forestry England organise various events and activities in the park.
The Croal Irwell Regional Park Project Proposal to create a green artery from the centre of Manchester to the West Pennine Moors was announced in June 2003 supported by Salford, Bury and Bolton councils and the Red Rose Forest. This project, which includes Drinkwater Park, aims to:
create a regional "First Impressions" gateway to Manchester providing a high quality, dynamic and exciting exemplar of mutifunctional rural/urban fringe regeneration.
and
To develop a strategic multifunctional sustainable approach to the long term land management, planning and development of this important area of land running from the heart of Manchester to the West Pennine Moors
The River Etherow in northern England is a tributary of the River Goyt. Although now passing through South Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester, it historically formed the ancient county boundary between Cheshire and Derbyshire. The upper valley is known as Longdendale. The river has a watershed of approximately 30 square miles (78 km2), and the area an annual rainfall of 52.5 inches (1,330 mm).
Salford is a cathedral city in Greater Manchester, England. The city is situated in a meander on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester and its city centre. Landmarks in the city include the old town hall, cathedral and St Philips Church. It is the main settlement of the wider City of Salford metropolitan borough.
Whitefield is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It lies on undulating ground above the Irwell Valley, along the south bank of the River Irwell, 3 miles (4.8 km) southeast of Bury, and 5 miles (8.0 km) northwest of Manchester. Prestwich and the M60 motorway lie just to the south.
The River Irwell is a tributary of the River Mersey in north-west England. It rises at Irwell Springs on Deerplay Moor, approximately 1+1⁄2 miles north of Bacup and flows southwards for 39 mi (63 km) to meet the Mersey near Irlam. The Irwell marks the boundary between Manchester and Salford, and its lower reaches have been canalised and now form part of the Manchester Ship Canal.
Prestwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Manchester, 3 miles (5 km) north of Salford and 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Bury.
Pendlebury is a town in the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. The population at the 2011 Census was 13,069. It lies 4 miles (6 km) north-west of Manchester, 3 miles (5 km) north-west of Salford and 6 miles (10 km) south-east of Bolton.
Bury South is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. At the 2019 General Election it was the 10th most marginal seat in the country, with a majority of 402 for the Conservative Party candidate Christian Wakeford. Wakeford defected to the Labour Party on 19 January 2022. Wakeford was re-elected at the 2024 general election.
Clifton is a suburb of Swinton in the City of Salford in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the edge of Irwell Valley in the north of the City of Salford. Historically in Lancashire, it was a centre for coal mining, and once formed part of the Municipal Borough of Swinton and Pendlebury.
The West Pennine Moors is an area of the Pennines covering approximately 90 square miles (230 km2) of moorland and reservoirs in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Agecroft is a suburban area of Pendlebury, within the City of Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It lies within the Irwell Valley, on the west bank of the River Irwell and along the course of the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal. It comprises a section of Pendlebury's high ground bisected by the A6044, its main thoroughfare; Kersal and Salford are across the river to the east. Agecroft Cemetery and HM Prison Forest Bank are in the area.
Agecroft Colliery was a coal mine on the Manchester Coalfield that opened in 1844 in the Agecroft district of Pendlebury, Lancashire, England. It exploited the coal seams of the Middle Coal Measures of the Lancashire Coalfield. The colliery had two spells of use; the first between 1844 and 1932, when the most accessible coal seams were exploited, and a second lease of life after extensive development in the late 1950s to access the deepest seams.
Kersal is a suburb and district of Salford in Greater Manchester, England, 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Manchester and is part of the historic county of Lancashire.
Prestwich is a tram stop in the town of Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England. It is on the Bury Line of Greater Manchester's light rail Metrolink system.
Agecroft Hall is a Tudor manor house and estate located at 4305 Sulgrave Road on the James River in the Windsor Farms neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia, United States. The manor house was built in the late 15th century, and was originally located in the Irwell Valley at Agecroft, Pendlebury, then in the historic county of Lancashire, England, but by the 20th century it was unoccupied and in a state of disrepair.
Agecroft power station was a coal-fired power station between the eastern bank of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal and the western bank of the River Irwell at Pendlebury, near Manchester, England. It operated between 1925 and 1993, and was demolished in 1994. HM Prison Forest Bank has since been built on the site.
Kersal Moor is a recreation area in Kersal, Greater Manchester, England which consists of eight hectares of moorland bounded by Moor Lane, Heathlands Road, St. Paul's Churchyard and Singleton Brook.
Philips Park is an area of parkland situated within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury on the boundary of Whitefield and Prestwich, in Greater Manchester. The park consists of rich woodland and grassland habitat and is home to an assortment of wildlife. Two thirds of the site was once the Philips family estate, and the remainder, known as Waterdale, is Irwell Valley land reclaimed following the demolition of two bleach and dye works. The park is a local nature reserve.
Stand Athletic F.C. was a football club based in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, England.
Agecroft Cemetery and Crematorium is a public cemetery in Pendlebury, Salford, Greater Manchester.
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