Monday 2nd October 2023
Two Brooks and The Three Mills Walk.
The second of the historic mills walks, began at Greenmount Old School with twenty-three walkers heading to the golf course. Our first stop at a site where textile work was undertaken was at Greenhalgh Fold, next to the club house, where handloom weaving took place. Continuing to walk towards Hollymount we passed Whitney House, previously called Brickhouse Farm, where weaving also took place.
After turning right onto Hollymount Lane we walked as far as the stile on our right, which we climbed over and headed across the fields to Croichley Fold, where we turned left and climbed over another stile and walked down the slope into Tow Brooks Valley. At the brook we turned right and made our way crossing a field, which to our surprise was devoir of cows. Once over to the ladder stile we headed to the ruins of Two Brooks Mill, which originally produced printed cloth, before becoming a bleach works (1850).
Heading from Hollymount
Croichley Fold
We then turned left and after walking a short distance joined a footpath on our right and after an even shorter distance turned right again before climbing a narrow path on our left that led to the stone chimney, belonging to the mill, that was renovated in 2007.
Two Brooks Mill Chimney
Two Brooks Valley
Continuing along the path we joined the access road to Tree Gates Farm and turned left onto Turton Road. After passing three attractive stone cottages we turned left and once over the stile headed across the fields towards Burnt House Farm. Once safely over three stiles we arrived at the site of Bottoms Hall Mill, a cotton spinning mill owned by James Rothwell in 1858. On the access road we turned right and after taking a coffee break, we climbed over yet another stile and headed for the ruins of Fearn’s Mill, another cotton spinning mill, this time owed by Edward Smalley.
Three Gates Farm
Ruins of Ferns Mill
Back on Turton Road we turned left onto a track leading to Carr Street, where we turned left again and made our way to Harwood Road. Once on the road we walked down it for a short distance before joining a path on the right, just before the cottages, which eventually took us into Tottington. After spending some time in the graveyard, looking at the memorial to Joshua Knowle’s wife we headed back to Greenmount having covered 7 ruinous miles.
A leaflet has been produced giving more details of the route and history of the mills and can be obtained from Christine next time you join one of our walks.