Hartshead Pike facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hartshead Pike
Hartshead Pike seen from Ashton-under-Lyne
Highest point
Elevation	267 m (876 ft)
Geography
Hartshead Pike Location in Greater Manchester
Location	Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England
Parent range	South Pennines
Geology
Mountain type	Pike

Hartshead Pike is a well-known hill in Tameside, England. Its name is also linked to the special monument found at its top. From the hill, you can see many nearby towns. These include Ashton-under-Lyne, Mossley, Saddleworth, Lees, and Oldham. On a clear day, you can even see the big city of Manchester. Views stretch to Cheshire and even Snowdonia in Wales. The Hartshead Pike Tower has been a protected historic building since 1967. This means it's important and kept safe.

A Look Back in Time

The tower on Hartshead Pike stands tall.

During the time of the Roman Empire in Britain, Hartshead Pike might have been a lookout spot. People think a warning beacon, like a big fire, might have been lit here. This would have alerted local soldiers if there was danger. Old paths around the hill were used by the Romans to reach their main roads.

The name "Hartshead Pike" means both the hill and the tower. The tower is not on the very highest point of the hill. However, its clear position, about 287 meters (940 feet) above sea level, has always been important. It has been a place for beacons or signal stations for a very long time. It might have even had a beacon in the late 1500s.

The Tower's Story

The tower is round and built from strong, shaped stones. It has a door on its west side. There are also narrow, pointed windows called lancet windows. The roof is steeply sloped and cone-shaped. It has special supports called corbels and small windows in the roof.

The tower you see today was rebuilt in 1863. A man named John Eaton had it built. It was made to celebrate the marriage of Prince Albert Edward to Princess Alexandra. This new tower replaced an older building that had stood there since 1751. A stone reused in the tower says: "This Pike Was Rebuilt By Publick Contributions Anno Domini 1751." This means people gave money to rebuild it in 1751.

In the 1930s, the tower was open for visitors. It even had a sweet shop inside! But it closed when the Second World War began. After the war, around 1950, the tower's entrance was blocked with bricks. There is also a well at the top of the hill. It is covered by a stone slab. Above the tower's entrance, there is a message: "Look well at me Before you go And See You nothing at me throw."

Gallery

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  Hartshead Pike showing detail of stone well.

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  View of Manchester from Hartshead Pike, 8 miles away.

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  View of Oldham from Hartshead Pike, 2.5 miles away.