Astley combines historic buildings with varied landscape and walking themes. Damhouse, Astley Vicarage and the Heritage (Diamond Route) give you concrete starting points for deciding which aspect of the area interests you most: architecture and local history, or a longer walk connected to the landscape.
Historic Buildings and Local History
Damhouse is a 16th-century manor house set within 17 acres of woodland. On guided tours, you can explore the historic building and its stories. Astley Vicarage dates from 1704. It is a particularly early example of classical architecture, and has changed little since it was built. The two buildings therefore represent different periods in history: Damhouse dates back to the 16th century, while Astley Vicarage exemplifies early 18th-century architecture.
The history of the settlements also has different focal points. Astley Village began as a small rural settlement whose life was based on agriculture and small-scale home textile production. Gin Pit Village developed around mining. This contrast shows two different foundations of local history without reducing them to a single line of development.
Another historic site is New Hall Farm. This archaeological site is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and includes the outline of a house surrounded by a ditch. The churchyard of St Stephens remains undeveloped to this day: it lies east of Church Road, opposite the entrance to the Astley Estate.
Landscape and Character
Colliers Wood was created on former industrial land and covers 130 hectares of woodland and meadows. Approximately 60,000 trees grow in the woodland; there are also five kilometres of footpaths. These figures convey different aspects of the area: the area measurement describes the woodland and meadows, while the path length indicates the extent of the footpaths.
Astley Village Conservation Area also offers landscape features to explore. It includes an old woodland and a pond, which provide informal recreation opportunities. A natural-looking ancient woodland southeast of Dam House is designated as a Site of Biological Importance. A view along Astley Hall Drive towards Dam House highlights the rural character of the Conservation Area; Dam House is also an important landmark at its centre.
Choosing a Route and Practical Information
The Heritage (Diamond Route) is approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometres) long. This is a different measurement from the five kilometres of footpaths in Colliers Wood: the first figure refers to the route, while the second refers to the paths in the woodland area. South of Colliers Wood, the Heritage Route can connect to the Bridgewater Canal.
Parking for the Heritage (Diamond Route) is available at Astley Street Park in Tyldesley. Check the current route access conditions and parking arrangements before your walk. If you are also interested in historic architecture, Damhouse and Astley Vicarage offer two distinct points of interest; their different construction dates and respective local histories give your visit a different focus from the route length alone.
Discover more destinations: Littleborough, Standish, Marple, Hazel Grove, Ashton-In-Makerfield, Lowton, Hyde, Westhoughton.
For the wider travel overview: Greater Manchester.
