Chew Valley, Manchester
Encyclopedia
Chew Valley is a valley within the Saddleworth
parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
, in Greater Manchester
, England
. It follows the path of Chew Brook from the western slopes of Black Chew Head down to where it joins the Tame Valley
at Greenfield
, several miles to the east of Manchester
.
The Chew Reservoir was once seen as a notable feat of engineering. Construction began in the beginning of the 20th Century and was completed in 1912. At 1,600 feet or 488 metres above sea level, it was the highest constructed reservoir in England.
A tram-road was laid in Chew Valley to transport 42,318 cubic yards or 32,350 cubic metres of clay to the reservoir to make an inner core for the dam, making it watertight. The tram and railway is now gone but the route now forms the popular Oldham Way Footpath where a reconstructed bridge hosts a sign with information, pictures, and a map of the route.
53.5128°N 1.9172°W, a hill in the Saddleworth Moor
and the highest point of Greater Manchester
. Travelling westward down the slope it is joined by several other streams including the Black Chew Grain. After covering a distance of approximately 1 km through marshy moor land, the brook empties out into the Chew Reservoir 53.5136°N 1.9487°W, which was built in 1912 and was the highest constructed reservoir in England (1600ft/488m above sea level) at the time (the Cow Green rservoir, near Middleton in Teesdale in County Durham
is the current holder, completed in 1971). Excerpts from a labourers description of working on the dam at Chew Valley is available in the book Navvyman by Dick Sullivan.
At the western end of the reservoir the brook emerges down a narrow and steep ravine, curving steadily to the northwest for 2.3 km before this time emptying into Dovestones Reservoir
53.5262°N 1.9742°W. Exiting out of the western end of Dovestones, the brook - now a small river - meanders through the heart of Greenfield
village. Chew Brook ends its journey a short distance below Greenfield railway station
where it merges into the River Tame
53.5351°N 2.0120°W.
Saddleworth
Saddleworth is a civil parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It comprises several villages and hamlets amongst the west side of the Pennine hills: Uppermill, Greenfield, Dobcross, Delph, Diggle and others...
parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
Metropolitan Borough of Oldham
The Metropolitan Borough of Oldham is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It has a population of 219,600, and spans . The borough is named after its largest town, Oldham, but also includes the outlying towns of Chadderton, Failsworth, Royton and Shaw and Crompton, the village of...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It follows the path of Chew Brook from the western slopes of Black Chew Head down to where it joins the Tame Valley
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
at Greenfield
Greenfield, Greater Manchester
Greenfield is a village in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It is east of Oldham, and east-northeast of the city of Manchester...
, several miles to the east of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
The Chew Reservoir was once seen as a notable feat of engineering. Construction began in the beginning of the 20th Century and was completed in 1912. At 1,600 feet or 488 metres above sea level, it was the highest constructed reservoir in England.
A tram-road was laid in Chew Valley to transport 42,318 cubic yards or 32,350 cubic metres of clay to the reservoir to make an inner core for the dam, making it watertight. The tram and railway is now gone but the route now forms the popular Oldham Way Footpath where a reconstructed bridge hosts a sign with information, pictures, and a map of the route.
Chew Brook
The Chew Brook begins as a small stream on the western slopes of Black Chew HeadBlack Chew Head
Black Chew Head is the highest point of Greater Manchester, and forms part of the Peak District, in northern England.Lying within the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, close to Crowden, Derbyshire, it stands at a height of 542 metres above sea level.Black Chew Head is an...
53.5128°N 1.9172°W, a hill in the Saddleworth Moor
Saddleworth Moor
Saddleworth Moor is an area of the South Pennines in northern England. It is a sparsely populated moorland and millstone grit divided between the metropolitan boroughs of Oldham and Kirklees, in Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire respectively....
and the highest point of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. Travelling westward down the slope it is joined by several other streams including the Black Chew Grain. After covering a distance of approximately 1 km through marshy moor land, the brook empties out into the Chew Reservoir 53.5136°N 1.9487°W, which was built in 1912 and was the highest constructed reservoir in England (1600ft/488m above sea level) at the time (the Cow Green rservoir, near Middleton in Teesdale in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
is the current holder, completed in 1971). Excerpts from a labourers description of working on the dam at Chew Valley is available in the book Navvyman by Dick Sullivan.
At the western end of the reservoir the brook emerges down a narrow and steep ravine, curving steadily to the northwest for 2.3 km before this time emptying into Dovestones Reservoir
Dovestones Reservoir
Dovestone Reservoir is a reservoir situated in a valley above the village of Greenfield, in Saddleworth,Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. Situated within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire, it is on the edge of the Peak District national park in the Pennines...
53.5262°N 1.9742°W. Exiting out of the western end of Dovestones, the brook - now a small river - meanders through the heart of Greenfield
Greenfield, Greater Manchester
Greenfield is a village in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester, England. It is east of Oldham, and east-northeast of the city of Manchester...
village. Chew Brook ends its journey a short distance below Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station
Greenfield railway station serves the village of Greenfield, in the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England...
where it merges into the River Tame
River Tame, Greater Manchester
The River Tame flows through Greater Manchester, England.-Source:The Tame rises on Denshaw Moor in Greater Manchester, close to the border with West Yorkshire but within the historic West Riding of Yorkshire.-Course:...
53.5351°N 2.0120°W.