Denshaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Denshaw |
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 View of Denshaw |
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 Denshaw
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| Population | 500 |
| OS grid reference | SD974106 |
| • London | 165 mi (266 km) SSE |
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| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | OLDHAM |
| Postcode district | OL3 |
| Dialling code | 01457 |
| Police | Greater Manchester |
| Fire | Greater Manchester |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Denshaw is a small village in Greater Manchester, England. It's part of the Saddleworth area, which is in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham. Denshaw is located high up in the Pennines hills, near where the River Tame begins.
The village is about 4.6 miles (7.4 km) northeast of Oldham. Around 500 people live in Denshaw. Long ago, it was part of West Riding of Yorkshire. People have lived here since the Stone Age and Bronze Age. The name Denshaw comes from an old language called Old Norse. The oldest part of the village is a very old small group of houses called a hamlet.
Denshaw grew up where five main roads meet. For a long time, it mostly had small farms and a few pubs, like the Junction Inn. This inn was built for people traveling by horse and carriage. Denshaw is also famous for its yearly Whit Friday brass band competition.
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History of Denshaw
People have lived in the Denshaw area for a very long time. In 2004, experts found more than 200 old tools and items from the Mesolithic period (Middle Stone Age) on Denshaw Moor. This shows that Stone Age people were active here.
Evidence of human life continued into the Bronze Age. In 1932, a Bronze Age axe head was found on Wall Green. Some tools, including a special flint dagger, were also found on Denshaw Moor. There might even be an old Roman road crossing the area.
The name "Denshaw" comes from Old Norse, a language spoken by Vikings. This suggests that a settlement might have been here during the time of the Danelaw, when Vikings settled in England. Denshaw Fold is the oldest part of the village. It's a group of old houses that have been there since the 1500s. Many of these traditional stone homes are now listed buildings, meaning they are protected because of their history.
Around 1795, the Junction Inn was built in Denshaw. It was a place where travelers on the Ripponden-to-Oldham road could change horses and get food and drinks. This road opened in 1798.
Denshaw didn't grow into a big factory town like other nearby places during the Industrial Revolution. It didn't become a center for cotton mills like Rochdale or Oldham. However, there was a factory called Denshaw Vale. It printed calico fabric and employed 150 people in the 1800s.
Denshaw was also chosen as the site for a reservoir. In 1828, Rackenden Deign Reservoir was built. It provided water for 24 watermills in the area. In 1887, Denshaw had a population of 1,279 people.
In 2003, a company wanted to build seven tall wind turbines in Denshaw. Many local people and environmental groups, including David Bellamy, were against it. The local council received over 1,000 letters of objection. Even though it was first approved, the plan was later rejected in 2006.
In 2007, Denshaw's post office, which was also the village's only shop, was robbed. The post office later closed down. In 2008, Denshaw was in the news because its Wikipedia page was changed with funny, fake information. This story was even reported on TV and in newspapers far away.
Local Government
For a very long time, Denshaw was part of Yorkshire. In the Middle Ages, it was part of the Saddleworth area within the large ancient parish of Rochdale.
Important families like the Byrons, including the famous poet Lord Byron, owned land in Denshaw. In 1864, Denshaw became its own church area, called an ecclesiastical parish.
From 1894 to 1974, Denshaw was part of the Saddleworth local government area. Then, in 1974, Denshaw became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham in Greater Manchester. Today, Denshaw is part of the Saddleworth North electoral ward.
Since 1997, Denshaw has been part of the Oldham East and Saddleworth area for national elections. Its representative in the House of Commons is Debbie Abrahams, who is a member of the Labour Party.
Geography of Denshaw
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Newhey | Piethorne Valley | Marsden | |
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Denshaw is located about 165 miles (266 km) northwest of London. It stands about 990 feet (302 m) above sea level. It's about 11.4 miles (18.3 km) northeast of Manchester city centre. The village is on high ground in the Pennines hills, near the start of the River Tame. The river flows from reservoirs like Dowry and New Year's Bridge.
Denshaw is mainly a residential area, meaning people live there. The land around it is mostly grassland and heath. Denshaw is not directly connected to any other towns or villages. It has a temperate maritime climate, which means it has cool summers and mild winters. It usually has light rain throughout the year.
There are several smaller areas in and around Denshaw, such as Denshaw Fold, Cherry Clough, and Grains Bar.
Landmarks in Denshaw
Christ Church is Denshaw's main parish church. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. It was built in 1863, just before Denshaw became its own church area. Henry Gartside, a local resident, built it.
The Denshaw War Memorial is located in the churchyard. It was built by local people to honor the men who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars. It lists the names of 32 people from Denshaw who died in these wars.
Transport in Denshaw
Denshaw is about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of the M62 motorway. It's located at a busy road junction where the A640, A672 and A6052 roads meet.
There are no train services in Denshaw itself. The closest train station is at Greenfield.
Denshaw has a bus service, the 356, run by Nexus Move. This bus goes between Oldham, Denshaw, Diggle, Uppermill, Greenfield, Mossley, Stalybridge and Ashton-under-Lyne. It runs every hour on weekdays and Saturdays, and every two hours on Sundays.
Culture and Community
Denshaw is well-known for its yearly brass band contest. This event takes place every Whit Friday. The Denshaw Whit Friday Band Contest started in 1993, and in its first year, 25 bands took part.
The village has a primary school called Christ Church Primary. It's a church school linked with Denshaw's Christ Church.
Denshaw village hall is a busy place. It's home to a local acting group and hosts many village activities. The hall received a grant of £10,000 from the National Lottery to help with its projects.
The village is even mentioned in a song! The band Barclay James Harvest released a song in 1993 called Ballad of Denshaw Mill.
Public Services
The police force for Denshaw is the Greater Manchester Police. The nearest police station is in Uppermill. Public transport is managed by Transport for Greater Manchester. For emergencies like fires, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service helps.
There are no hospitals in Denshaw. The closest hospital is the Royal Oldham Hospital in Oldham. The North West Ambulance Service provides emergency transport for patients. Other health services are available in clinics and surgeries around Saddleworth.
Waste management (dealing with rubbish) is handled by the local council through the Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority. Rubbish from Denshaw is sent to a landfill site called Beal Valley. United Utilities provides electricity, drinking water, and waste water services for Denshaw. The water comes from local reservoirs like Dovestone and Chew.
See also
In Spanish: Denshaw para niños
