Not smoke from a chimney - but birdsong from a famous landmark

This ancient Saddleworth landmark (above) has taken on a new identity as a birdsong sanctuary after a drone video drew a huge response across social media.

The film was taken by Mark Hughes, a local businessman, who operates the BeingHughes website and posed the question: “Hands up who used Austerlands Chimney as a meeting point when you were kids, here shown on the Facebook page of BeingHughes?”

Scores of people have hit on the site and meantime, local historian David Needham has picked up some interesting background on the imposing landmark. 

He said: “Austerlands people have always had great regard for its famous landmark.

"In the old days courtships which began there were said to make happy wedded lives.

"Women would rest there and finish their tales when they had been shopping.”

Austerlands Mill was built on land at Wells Green, in the latter half of the 18th century.

An early reference to this land is contained in a lease dated April 1752, whereby John Leeserented land at Lower Wells Green, Austerlands, for an annual rent of 2s/6d.

By 1779 a further piece of land was rented for 5/- annually, which included three cottages known as Houghton’s View.

The cotton mill must have been erected sometime before 1794 when Daniel Lees, a fustian weaver, became the first landlord of the Three Crowns Inn.

The pub had been converted from weavers cottages built alongside the re-routed turnpike road, which, as we know, isolated the mill chimney. 

It is thought that the turnpike road had been re-routed through the yard of Austerlands Mill, stranding the chimney from its mill on the opposite side of what is now Huddersfield Road.

It is said that the chimney itself was built of hand-worked stone by a local stone yard proprietor.

Mr Hughes said: “The drone footage has gained its own following.

"I’m delighted the landmark still resonates so widely across the wider community.”

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.