Estate agents in Irwell Vale

Irwell Vale sits at the meeting point of the River Ogden and the River Irwell, just west of the M66 at Edenfield and about three miles north of Ramsbottom. Fields and woodland surround it, with the land rising towards the moors to the west. It is in Rossendale, Lancashire, but it shares Ramsbottom's BL0 postcode. Tucked away from the main road, it feels like a world of its own.

The village was built by John Bowker, a Manchester merchant. In 1833 he opened Irwell Vale Mill and built long terraces of cottages for his workers on Bowker Street and Aitken Street, which are now Grade II listed. The Aitken family ran the mill for many years and later owned the whole village. The mill closed in 1957. The former Methodist chapel of 1853 has since been turned into cottages, and Irwell Vale has been a conservation area since 1974.

Homes here are mainly the original stone mill cottages, which are full of character, alongside a small number of larger modern and converted detached homes on the edge of the village. Some of these have sold for well over £500,000. With only a handful of streets, homes don't come up for sale often.

Irwell Vale has its own stop on the heritage East Lancashire Railway. Trains run every weekend, with extra days in spring and summer, to Ramsbottom, Bury and Rawtenstall. For everyday travel, the M66 at Edenfield is just minutes away, and Metrolink trams run from Bury Interchange into Manchester city centre. Edenfield Church of England Primary School and Stubbins Primary School are both nearby, and the Ramsbottom and Haslingden schools are a short drive away.

This is a village for walkers and nature lovers. Riverside paths and bridleways lead along the Irwell towards Stubbins and Ramsbottom and up into the surrounding hills. At weekends you can watch the heritage trains go by. Edenfield's shops and Ramsbottom's restaurants and market are close at hand.

Thinking of selling in Irwell Vale? Whether it's a listed mill cottage or a modern family home, you'll get the same level of care from us. To book a free, no-obligation valuation, call 01706 310171 or email sales@bowmanestatesltd.com.

Photo: © Robert Wade (geograph.org.uk), CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence) | Photo: © Robert Wade (geograph.org.uk), CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence)