Chew Valley, Greater Manchester

Not to be confused with Chew Valley, Somerset.

Chew Valley, Greater Manchester
Location	Greater Manchester
Coordinates	53°31′N 1°57′W
Type	Reservoir
Primary inflows	Chew Clough, Green Grain, Dry Clough, South Clough
Primary outflows	Chew Brook
Basin countries	United Kingdom

Chew Valley is within the Saddleworth parish of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. The valley follows the course of Chew Brook on the western slopes of Black Chew Head to where it joins the River Tame at Greenfield, several miles to the east of Manchester. Part of the higher fringes of the valley towards the peak of Black Chew Head lie across the boundary in Derbyshire. The eastern part of the valley including the reservoirs of Dovestone and Chew are within the north western extremity of the Peak District National Park.

The Chew Reservoir was a notable feat of engineering. Construction began in the beginning of the 20th century and was completed in 1912. At 1,600 feet or 488 metres above sea level, it was the highest reservoir constructed in England.

A tram-road was laid in Chew Valley to transport 42,318 cubic yards or 32,350 cubic metres of clay to make an inner core for its dam to make it watertight. The tram and railway are gone but the route forms the Oldham Way Footpath where a reconstructed bridge hosts a sign with information, pictures, and a map.

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  Indian Head, Chew Valley
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  Sign showing ownership of the valley by United Utilities and old maps of the tram that once ran through the valley.
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  Oldham Way Footpath, Chew Valley

Chew Brook

The Chew Brook begins as a small stream on the western slopes of Black Chew Head 53°30′46″N 1°55′02″W, a hill in the Saddleworth Moor and the highest point of Greater Manchester. Travelling westward down the slope it is joined by several other streams including the Black Chew Grain. After covering a distance of approximately 1 km through marshy moor land, the brook empties out into the Chew Reservoir 53°30′49″N 1°56′55″W, which was built in 1912 and was the highest constructed reservoir in England (1600 ft/488m above sea level) at the time (the Cow Green rservoir, near Middleton in Teesdale in County Durham is the current holder, completed in 1971). Excerpts from a labourers description of working on the dam at Chew Valley is available in the book Navvyman by Dick Sullivan.

At the western end of the reservoir the brook emerges down a narrow and steep ravine, curving steadily to the northwest for 2.3 km before this time emptying into Dovestones Reservoir 53°31′34″N 1°58′27″W. Exiting out of the western end of Dovestones, the brook - now a small river - meanders through the heart of Greenfield village. Chew Brook ends its journey a short distance below Greenfield railway station where it merges into the River Tame 53°32′06″N 2°00′43″W.

External links

• United Utilities