Join our local Community Champions for a heritage walk at Northern Roots. Starting at the site where Robert Thatcher’s 19th-century Brook Mills once proudly stood, this circular site walk and talk will take you on a journey through Northern Roots fascinating past, present and future, finishing at our beautiful new Welcome Building, which opened in September 2026.

As you explore the Northern Roots site, local Community Champions who have researched its rich and multi-layered history will bring the stories of the landscape to life, sharing historic maps, photographs and fascinating stories of the people, places and buildings connected to the site.

Discover the now vanished Victorian visitor destination and political meeting place ‘Strawberry Gardens’. Trace the route of the railway that once ran through what is now Tip Road. Uncover the story of a culverted river and explore many other hidden chapters of the site’s remarkable past.

Along the way the Community Champions will share their own local heritage stories and research, revealing how exploring Northern Roots heritage has connected them with their personal heritage and connections to Oldham.

We will finish our walk at the Welcome Building at Northern Roots, where you can enjoy a coffee or lunch, explore our Shop and four-acre Urban Farm.

Key Information

Price: £5

Date and time: Friday 13th November 10:00am-12:00pm, 2 hours

Meeting Point: Brook Mills Gardens, adjacent to the main Northern Roots car park.

Northern Roots Address: Northern Roots, Kings Road, Oldham, OL8 2BJ. Here’s how to find us.

Age limits: 18+

Dog Policy:  No dogs allowed on this particular walk.

Parking: Parking is free in Northern Roots car park, as well as in Alexandra Park car parks and along Kings Road. Our car park can be busy, please arrive in good time to find alternative parking, if necessary.

Clothing: Please wear warm, weather-proof clothing and sturdy shoes suitable for mixed terrains. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start of the session.

Accessibility: The Northern Roots site has uneven ground and can be muddy at times. The walk is approximately 1.5 miles in length.

Toilets: Accessible toilets in Northern Roots café, a 300m walk away from Brook Mills Gardens.

Cancellation Policy: You are free to cancel and receive a full refund up until 12pm midnight on Sunday 1st November. To cancel, please email info@northern-roots.uk or cancel directly through TicketTailor. Any cancellations requested after this time will not be accepted and a refund will not be processed, however, you can pass your ticket to someone else.

If we have to cancel the session, we will reach out via email and let you know as soon as possible.

Have a question? Please reach out to info@northern-roots.uk

 

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