Nestled on the slopes of Holcombe Moor, just west of Ramsbottom lies the stunning village of Holcombe. Stone cottages, endless moors and hills, a local pub dating back to 1751 - Holcombe has bags of Great British charm.
The village is surrounded by land preserved by the National Trust and the whole village is largely unspoiled. It's home to the Shoulder of Mutton pub as well as stunning views of the countryside.
Enveloped in green land against the backdrop of the seemingly endless moors and hills, it's hard to believe this little settlement is in Greater Manchester.
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Most of the buildings in the village were built between 1600 and 1900 - the earliest house, Hey House, was built in 1616. Holcombe is popular with walkers, cyclists and bird watchers and it's landscape is dotted with cottages and farms.
Above the village, where Holcombe Moor begins, stands one of the region’s most recognisable landmarks. Peel Tower was built in 1852 as a memorial to the Bury-born politician Sir Robert Peel.
Along with a pub, the village also boasts a restaurant, a church and a primary school. At one time, it also had a shop, a post office, a lock-up cell and a bus service. But how do residents find living in the quaint Greater Manchester village?
“I’ve been living here for 25 years and I just love it. I love the whole landscape and the community is amazingly helpful and nice,” retired Falmai Youngman, 77, says.
“When we had a death in the family from Covid, everyone came together. The only thing is, we’re threatened by developers because they buy the odd bit of land and ruin it.
“We’ve been trying to fight it. It’s one of the highest conservation areas in Bury. Somehow, we don’t seem to be protecting the landscape. We also get loads of walkers; we really welcome them.”
But Falmai says there is one downside to the area – and that’s a slight increase in crime. “Because we’re so attractive now, we have the criminals coming up and nicking cars which is a pain,” she added.
“We have an email circulation so people can warn each other, the Holcombe Society which includes all the residents. We have parties and look after each other. We have a nice thing that if you need a lift, you can ring one of the numbers on the list and they will give you a lift.”
Sheila Watton says her favourite thing about Holcombe is the “refreshing” countryside. She also loves the local pub where she can meet up with friends and neighbours.
“I love the fact we can walk across the road and we’re in the countryside; it’s so refreshing,” the 62-year-old says. You can hear all the birds and then we have the deer across the road and at the back.
"It’s just a lovely place. We have lots of people who come to visit. It’s lovely to have a local pub so you can meet up with your neighbours and friends.”
Holcombe resident Katy, who did not wish to give her last name, says she noticed an increase in walkers since the start of the first lockdown. But like most people living in the area, she thinks it’s a positive thing so many people want to visit and admire the area.
“I like it here because it’s close to the countryside. I do a lot of running and cycling so it’s ideal,” the 50-year-old told the M.E.N. “I’ve lived here for five years.
“It’s very friendly and Rammy is just down the hill which has everything you need. People don’t realise how close we are to Manchester.
“I think more people found us during lockdown. We had lots more visitors and people wanting to explore the countryside, but I’m lucky enough to live here.”
Malcom McDonald has lived in Holcombe for 20 years. "It’s handy for moors - it’s lovely up there and we’re so close to it. It’s beautiful up there,” the 71-year-old says.
“It’s handy for Manchester but we have no bus service here anymore. But the traffic has always been really bad. A few years ago, we had speed checks.
“The police used to park here and got lots of evidence of speeding but stopped doing it because the authority wouldn’t do anything about it. Motorbikes are the worst. It’s used as a rat run through Ramsbottom. I’ve had vehicles written off from damage to cars.
Sam Prescott, 23, moved from Ramsbottom eight months ago. He described living in Holcombe as “peaceful”. “There are beautiful views and we have the hill at the back of us,” he said.
David Spark, 76, has lived in Holcombe for around 50 years. While he loves the stunning backdrop views, he says the village can become crowded during the busy months.
“I like that there are views of the hills but the parking can be a bit of a nightmare because of people coming to visit,” he added.
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