Hartshead Pike is a local monument in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a Metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. Greater Manchester is a Metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2 England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland [1] It overlooks Ashton-under-Lyne, Mossley and Oldham. Ashton-under-Lyne (pop 43200 is a Market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, Greater Manchester, England Mossley is a small town and Civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock
Before the arrival of the Romans, the local tribes lit fires here to celebrate the cycle of the seasons; there were many ancient sites close by. It is highly probable that the druids worshipped at Hartshead Pike during the Iron Age, and sacrifices may have been held to appease their gods.
During the Roman occupation the area took on a more mundane role and became a beacon site, the trackways became routes for the Romans to navigate to the Roman road at Limeside. The beacon may have been lit in times of unrest to warn the local garrisons.
Although the name "Hartshead Pike" is generally used to mean the tower, it was originally the name of the hill itself. The pike is not the highest part of the hill, but, at 940 feet (290 m) above sea level, its prominent position[2] has meant that, from early times, it has been the site of a beacon or signalling station. [1] Hartshead Pike may have been the site of a beacon in the late 16th century. [3]
The tower was rebuilt in 1863 by John Eaton to commemorate the marriage of HRH Albert Edward to Princess Alexandra, replacing a building that had been on the site since 1751. John Henry Eaton ( June 18, 1790 – November 17, 1856) was an American Politician and diplomat from Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Carolina Marie Charlotte Louise Julia 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925 was Queen Consort to Edward VII of the United Kingdom [3] An inscription stone reused in the tower states "This Pike Was Rebuilt By Publick Contributions Anno Domini 1751"[3] In the 1930s the tower was open to the public and contained a sweet shop; this closed at the outbreak of the Second World War and the tower entrance was bricked up.
The inscription on the tower reads "Look well at me Before you go And See You nothing at me throw".
References
- ^ a b Hartshead Pike. Ashton-under-Lyne. com. Retrieved on 2008-01-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King
- ^ From Harthead Pike four ancient counties may be seen: Cheshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire. The historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England. Cheshire (or archaically the County of Chester) is a county in North West England. Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea History The area that is now Derbyshire was first visited probably briefly by humans 200000 years ago during the Aveley Interglacial as evidenced by a Middle Yorkshire is a historic county of Northern England and the largest in Great Britain. Hartshead Pike- Ashton
- ^ a b c Nevell (1996), p. 144.
Bibliography
- Nevell, Mike (1996). Buildings of Tameside. Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council with the University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. The University of Manchester is a " red brick " civic University located in Manchester, England. ISBN 1-871324-14-9.
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