Cheetham Close cairn

 Cheetham Close, SD716159, located 7km north of Bolton,  The site can be accessed with a Grade 4/5 difficulty, requiring a short walk to reach the area.

The structures around the plateau of Cheetham Close consist of ring bank cairns, dating back to around 1300 BC. This area contains a series of smaller, complex structures located approximately 60 metres north of the trig point. Before excavation, the north-south axis of the site measured around 16 x 14 metres in diameter, with an earth ridge standing 60cm high. Three large boulders formed an arc within the northwest quadrant.

Central Cairn:

The central cairn, located 1.22 metres from the true centre of the site, is circular in shape with a diameter of 1.84 metres and a height of 30cm.

Inner Bank:

A semi-circular stone and earth bank, 2 metres wide, enclosed the central cairn on its northern side. The middle section of the bank is 60cm thick, containing stones up to 50cm in size. A random find of a coin, possibly of Medieval origin, was discovered in the centre of the cairn.

Cairns:

Cairn 1 has a diameter of 23 metres and a height of 1.75 metres, while Cairn 2 has been partially destroyed due to previous disturbances. The remaining dimensions of Cairn 2 are 4.5 metres in diameter and 20 metres in width. Both cairns are part of a larger satellite cairn structure. Additionally, two Bronze Age palstaves (axes) were discovered nearby, at Charters Moss and in Edgeworth village.

Cheetham Close (Part 2)

There are several ways to reach Cheetham Close, though the most straightforward is to take the A639 north from Bolton, heading towards Turton & Entwistle Reservoir.

The site is classified as a megalith and lies near the border between Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The megalith remained largely intact until 1870, when a local farmer demolished the structure using a sledgehammer.

In 1829, a record was published suggesting the site was a druidical ritual location, situated close to a Roman road, just 200 yards away. In 1954, a saddle quern was discovered at the site, and in 1958, it was scheduled for excavation. The excavation uncovered several artefacts, including three barbed and tanged arrowheads, shedding light on the site's prehistoric significance.