There are 46 scheduled monuments in Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a "nationally important" archaeological site or historic building that has been given protection against unauthorised change by being placed on a list (or "schedule") by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, following advice from Historic England. Scheduled monuments are defined in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and the National Heritage Act 1983. There are nearly 20,000 entries on the schedule, which is maintained by Historic England as part of the National Heritage List for England; more than one site can be included in a single entry. While a scheduled monument can also be recognised as a listed building, Historic England's aim is to ensure that the most appropriate form of protection is applied to the building or site. Applications to deschedule a site are administered by Historic England, which carries out an assessment and makes a recommendation to the Secretary of State.
The metropolitan county of Greater Manchester is composed of ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. The scheduled monuments in each borough are listed separately. They range from prehistoric structures—the oldest of which date from the Bronze Age—to more modern structures such as Astley Green Colliery, which dates from 1908. Greater Manchester has seven prehistoric monuments (i.e. Bronze or Iron Age), found in Bury, Oldham, Salford, Stockport, and Tameside. The Bronze Age sites are mainly cairns and barrows, and both the Iron Age sites are military in nature, being promontory forts.
The trend of military sites continues from the Iron Age into the Roman period; two Roman forts in Greater Manchester are scheduled monuments and were the two main areas of Roman activity in the county. Of the nine castles in Greater Manchester, four are scheduled monuments: Buckton Castle, Watch Hill Castle, Bury Castle, and Radcliffe Tower. The last two are fortified manor houses, and although defined as castles, they were not exclusively military in nature; they probably acted as the administrative centre of the manors they served.Friar (2003), pp. 186–87. There are several other manor houses and country houses—some with moats—in the county that are protected as scheduled monuments. Astley Green Colliery, Marple Aqueduct, Oldknow's Limekilns, and Worsley Delph are scheduled relics of Greater Manchester's industrial history.
Bolton Name Remains Date Location DescriptionRef(s) Round cairn(nr. Old Harper's Farm) Cairn Bronze Age Horwich On the eastern slope of Adam Hill, in the Winter Hill massif, a round cairn on a local high point west of Old Harpers Farm. It is a slightly oval mound of stones, covered with turf, measuring approximately by and standing high. The cairn is unexcavated and retains undisturbed deposits of archaeological value. Stone circle, ring cairn and two round cairns Cairns Bronze Age Egerton A prehistoric complex comprising a damaged stone circle, a ring cairn, and two round cairns. The site lies on a high ridge above Bromley Cross, close to the boundary with Lancashire, and preserves significant archaeological remains despite historic disturbance. Moated site at Arley Hall Moat 0113th–14th century Blackrod A well‑preserved medieval moated site consisting of a near‑circular, water‑filled moat enclosing a central platform occupied by a later house. The moat survives to substantial width with stone‑revetted banks, and access is provided by a 19th‑century iron bridge. Smithills Hall Standing building 0114th century Bolton Originally built in the early 14th century, but was extended in the 15th and 16th centuries. The oldest surviving part is the great hall, which dates from the early 15th century. The site was originally moated; however, no trace of the moat survives. Smithills Hall is now a Grade I listed building and is open to the public as a museum. Ringley Old Bridge Stone bridge 021677 Stoneclough, Kearsley The current bridge over the River Irwell was built in 1677 to replace one that was washed away in 1673. It is still in use today, having been pedestrianised, and is a Grade II* listed building. Chequerbent embankment Railway embankment 02 Westhoughton A surviving section of the Bolton and Leigh Railway, located between the A6 Manchester Road and the M61 motorway, approximately east of the A58, and preserved as an earth embankment with a raised stone‑built track bed.
Bury Name Remains Date Location DescriptionRef(s) Castlesteads Earthworks 00200 BC–250 AD Bury A promontory fort on the banks of the River Irwell. The site is defended by a ditch long and wide, along with a silted-up channel of the river. The interior is triangular in shape. Pottery finds indicate the site was occupied from 200 BC to 250 AD. Radcliffe Tower Ruins 011403 Radcliffe The only surviving part of a medieval manor house that belonged to James de Radliffe, the Lord of the manor of Radcliffe. The house was a stone-built hall with two towers and was surrounded by a moat. The site was fortified with crenellations and battlements, added with permission from the king. The manor house was demolished in the 19th century, and the tower is now a Grade I listed building. The parish of Radcliffe, A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5 (1911), pp. 56–67. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53000, retrieved on 25 October 2008 Bury Castle Below ground remains 031469 Bury A manor house built in 1469, replacing an earlier building on the same site dating from the late 14th century. It was constructed by Sir Thomas Pilkington, Lord of the manors of Bury and Pilkington, and fortified with the king's permission; it was later razed to the ground when Sir Thomas had his lands confiscated for supporting the losing side in the War of the Roses. Some of the castle remains have been excavated and are now on display to the public. Affetside Cross Stone pillar 0417th or 18th century Affetside The pillar was originally a cross and replaced a medieval waymarker in the 17th or 18th century. It stands on three circular steps, which probably date from 1890, when the cross was taken down for repairs and re-erected.
Manchester Name Remains Date Location DescriptionRef(s) Mamucium Below ground remains 0079 Castlefield A Roman fort was established on a sandstone bluff near a crossing of the River Medlock, along the line of the Roman road between Chester (Deva Victrix) and York (Eboracum). It was designed to garrison a cohort of 500 auxiliary soldiers, and a civilian settlement (vicus) of traders and families developed around it. Around 140, the fort was demolished and the settlement was abandoned at roughly the same time. The fort was rebuilt in 160 and the settlement re-inhabited. It was abandoned by the mid-3rd century, although the fort remained in use into the early 4th century. A partial reconstruction of the fort on the site is open to the public. Gregory (2007), pp. 3, 22, 156, 190. Nico Ditch Earthwork 017th–9th centuries Ashton-under-Lyne and Denton An earthwork stretching from Ashton Moss in the east to Hough Moss in the west. According to legend, it was dug in a single night as a defence against Viking invaders in 869–870. However, its U-shaped profile suggests it was not defensive, as a true defensive ditch would more likely be V-shaped. It was probably used as an administrative boundary. The ditch is visible in sections and, in places, is about deep and up to wide. Nevell (1992), p. 77–83. Baguley Hall Standing building 0214th century Baguley The original building may date from the 11th or 12th century, but the current timber-framed house is from the 14th century. The medieval north wing was refaced in brick, and the brick south wing was added in the 18th century. It is considered one of the "finest surviving medieval halls in the northwest of England". It is a Grade I listed building, and is on the Buildings at Risk Register; its condition is rated as "poor" and it is owned by Heritage Trust for the North West. Peel Hall Waterlogged moat 0314th century Ashton New Road, Manchester In the mid-14th century, Sir John de Arderne built Peel Hall. The site is surrounded by a moat between wide and deep. Peel Hall was demolished in 1809 and replaced by a farmhouse on the same site, which was itself demolished in 1975. Hanging Bridge Ruins 051421 Cateaton Street, Manchester The current structure was built in 1421; however, the first reference to the bridge dates from 1343. The bridge, which is long and wide, spanned Hanging Ditch and formed part of medieval Manchester's defences. Hanging Bridge was probably obscured by housing in the 1770s as a result of Manchester's expansion. It was uncovered in the 1880s, and again in the late 20th century, and is now on display in Manchester Cathedral's visitor centre. Cooper (2003), p. 52. Clayton Hall Standing building 0415th century Clayton The hall, which probably dates back to the 15th century, was originally either a quadrangle or a three-winged structure. Much of it was demolished in the 17th century and replaced by a new house. Clayton Hall underwent further alterations and restoration in the 18th century and again in 1900. It stands on a rectangular island surrounded by a moat and is a Grade II* listed building.
Oldham Name Remains Date Location DescriptionRef(s) Saddleworth Bowl Barrow Earthworks 00Bronze Age Saddleworth The barrow is oval-shaped and measures by , with a height of . It has been archaeologically excavated, but no grave goods or human remains were found. The site is in good condition. Castleshaw Roman fort Below ground remains 0179 Castleshaw, Saddleworth In 79, a Roman fort was established at Castleshaw to house a garrison of 500 auxiliary soldiers, forming part of the frontier defences along the road between Chester (Deva Victrix) and York (Eboracum). It was slighted in 90, but a smaller fort—or fortlet—was built on the site in 105, designed for a garrison of fewer than 100. A civilian settlement (vicus), made up of traders and hangers-on associated with the soldiers, developed around the fort in the 2nd century. The fortlet was abandoned in the mid-120s when it was superseded by the neighbouring forts at Manchester and Slack. About the same time, the civilian settlement was also abandoned. A series of ditches and earthworks was constructed to mark the site. Walker (1989), p. 20.Redhead (1999), pp. 74–81.Nevell and Redhead (2005), p. 59.Brennaud (2006), p. 65.
Rochdale Name Remains Date Location DescriptionRef(s) Blackstone Edge Roman road Paved causeway 01Uncertain Littleborough The so‑called Roman road is a paved causeway running between Littleborough and Ripponden. Although long identified as Roman, its date is uncertain: Calderdale archives note that "doubt remains as to whether it is old enough to be Roman." According to the Roman Roads Research Association (RRRA), a medieval packhorse track passes beneath part of the structure, indicating that the paved surface is later in date. The RRRA concludes that the causeway is "almost certainly" an early turnpike, probably constructed in 1735, rather than a Roman road. March Barn Bridge Bridge 01 Castleton An early 19th‑century skew bridge on the Rochdale Canal, notable as one of the first properly constructed skew bridges in England. Built during the canal's original construction, it carries a roadway over the canal using coursed stone set in a helical pattern.
Salford