The natural highs of Glodwick Lows

The Chronicles of Alda

We have seen before how place names can often be confusing and misleading — and the Lows in Glodwick can certainly be included among them.

A hillside with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside should surely be called Glodwick Highs!

The word “low” is often used to denote places of high ground (Werneth Low in Tameside is another example) because it is actually derived from the Old English hlaw, meaning a hill or mound.

Glodwick itself is a very old name indeed and is a composite of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Viking words reflecting the fact that all these peoples have settled there in times gone by.

From a local history perspective, Glodwick Lows is an absolute little treasure chest and the council deserves credit for helping to preserve this site which is now a local nature reserve.

The area is mind boggling in its antiquity; its rocks having being formed over 300 million years ago when our dear Oldham was part of a huge river delta at the Earth’s equator!

Over time, layer upon layer of mud, sand and vegetation was deposited upon the river’s plain and, thanks to the marvels of Mother Nature, this created the geological miracle that can now be observed at the cliff face of the lows.

Differing coloured layers of rock can be seen — the ancient compressed deposits which subsequently formed sandstone, shale, mudstones and coal.

As a geologist once said: “It`s the best site in the Pennines for yielding a Carbonicola cristagialli Subzone non-marine bivalve fauna of late Westphalian (Middle Carboniferous).”

To you and me, that means it`s a great place for finding fossils!

Nature`s bounty has enabled the Lows to provide work for many people over the millennia. Shallow coal workings had existed as far back as Roman times and in the 19th century, when the shallow seams were exhausted, pits were sunk to 700ft. Bricks were also made here at the now demolished Lowside Brickworks which used clay and coal from the lows to build many of Glodwick’s houses and mills.

It is a real microcosm of history; Iron Age flints have been found and the site of the Roman Road from Chester passes along its edge en route to Castleshaw and York.

Perhaps the hillside’s most famous inhabitant was Billy Butterworth who lived from 1781 to 1834.

A real eccentric character who dressed flamboyantly like King Charles II and had a waist-length black beard, he lived as a hermit on the lows for almost 20 years.

He hand built a most amazing home there which included a chapel and an observatory which became known as the “Elysian Cot”.

He even possessed an ancient device called a camera obscura which Billy used to assist with his paintings. Many a famous artist had also utilised such a device but were fearful of admitting it because the camera obscura also had occult overtones.

Although a hermit, he became quite a celebrity with people wishing to view his part-subterranean home which was decorated on the outside with shells, fossils and the most abominable and grotesque Plaster of Paris carvings.

He obtained an income from selling some of his paintings along with ginger beer, cakes and sweets for the visiting children.

Billy was never happier than when he lived all alone on the Lows and if you listen carefully at night, you may still hear the echoes of his voice singing old songs carried on a winter’s breeze.


Author’s Footnote: The Chronicles of Alda are based on historic fact with a little conjecture and a sprinkling of poetic licence.