History

Reddish Vale Country Park is not a designed landscape in the sense of the great estates which are at the heart of Country Parks. Its interest lies in the way it has evolved as the result of the interaction of a wide range of human activities with the natural conditions of the Tame river valley over many centuries. Over the course of it's long history, farming, milling, textile manufacturing, quarrying, construction, sport and recreation have all left their mark on the landscpe.

We owe the Country Parks existence to the natural constraints of the valley's steep sides and boggy floor, which have limited development. Its value and interest, however, are related to the diverse landscape and habitats which have arisen from the fertile mix of the valley's natural conditions with a wide range of settlement patterns and land uses.

The modern day Country Park straddles the historic boundary between Lancashire and Cheshire, formed by the river Tame. The medieval township of Reddish lies to the west and the eastern side borders with Brinnington, previously part of the larger Dokenfeld Estate.