The last few weeks' tales have featured some rather gory subjects so, for a change, this week will focus on some of the beautiful aspects of Kersal Moor. If you go for a walk this month, you will be surprised to see the mauve glory that nature has brought to the Moor's open space.
The deep and thick heather plants seem to have suddenly arrived. Of course they are always there but dormant as dull evergreen plants. This is usually seen as a plant of the hills and rarely seen in urban spaces. But this is a Moor and keeps its moor-ish characteristic with the heather. This makes Kersal Moor unusual and worth a visit, with a camera and maybe a packed lunch.
The heather [Calluna vulgaris or common heather] likes the acid soil, has tolerated fires and was, in fact, set to fire in the past, to manage and improve its growth. Now this is avoided and discouraged for safety reasons. The flowers are usually mauve or purple but occasionally a white sprig pops up. The rumour that these white sprays are lucky comes from Scotland, when Queen Victoria brought this from Balmoral. They were a common item of sale by travelling Gypsies and often added to bridal bouquets.
To the far side of the Moor is the Singleton Brook which divides Salford off from Bury. This brook and the heather have connections. The brook was important in the dying industry since water is an essential ingredient of the dying process, and heather was used to dye wool yellow. The dying firm was called the Myrtle Grove Dye Works, owned by Blackies.
Children called the brook 'Blackies brook' and reported it being 'a stream of many colours', where they played of course! There were also two reservoirs, with ducks and fish. They were also used for the dying process. Today this spot is a small industrial site and, a little way along the line of the brook, is now being prepared for house building. Perhaps a little wet underfoot...
Another interesting aspect of heather is that it is loved by bees and therefore a source of honey. Many, many years ago when monks lived on the Moor they kept bees and cultivated honey. One assumes they loved this beautiful plant. It is not such a popular honey since it is strong in taste and sets thick and not runny like most other honeys.
Finally, just a word about another attractive plant which is now shooting up tall amongst the beds of heather. It is the well known Rose Bay Willowherb, famous for beautifying derelict sites. It disperses easily because its seeds fly on little feathery parachutes. This blends with the heather being almost the same colour. The whole area is aglow with this warm colour. Well worth a walk...
Words by Alice Searle, the author of two books about Kersal Moor - A Celebration of Kersal Moor and More Moor Tales.
See previous episodes of the Kersal Moor history...
Why Is The Moor Not A Moor? - click here
Suicide and Ghosts - click here
200 Years of Horse Racing on Kersal Moor - click here
The Chartists and Kersal Moor click here
Cussons Soap and Kersal Moor click here
The Poor, The Wealthy and Friedrich Engels click here
A Public Hanging on the Moor click here
Kersal Moor On Fire click here
.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
