3 weeks Ago
United Utilities has revealed whether a famous tower will be open on Good Friday (April 18). The Pigeon Tower in Rivington Terraced Gardens is set to be open on the day of the religious bank holiday. As well as opening the tower, people can sign up to become a volunteer and help with work in the historic gardens.
The famous tower, iconic for its picturesque views and history, was built between 1905 and 1909. Read more: First look inside Rivington Gardens' Pigeon Tower as it prepares to open to the public Read more: Bolton Mountain Rescue Team called after Rivington incident Read more: 'We've been blown away' by school's Easter generosity It was first called the Lookout Tower, then the Dovecote Tower then, finally, the Pigeon Tower as it is now known. The historic gardens were created by Lord Leverhulme, and the French-gothic towering structure was used as a retreat for Lady Leverhulme.
She would retreat there to read and sew. The Pigeon Tower was shut for decades, before finally being able to reopen thanks to a multi-million pound investment to restore the gardens. Over the years they had become overgrown and neglected.
In 2016 the Rivington Heritage Trust was granted funding from the Heritage Lottery to spend £4.2 million on restoring the gardens. The gardens were not restored to their original state as this would have been too costly.
However, the restoration work aimed to allow the spirit of the original design to live on. Rivington Terraced Gardens contain 11 Grade-II listed structures including the Pigeon Tower. These buildings were given a facelift in the restoration and opened to the public.
Every year thousands of Boltonians flock to Rivington Pike on Good Friday and make the pilgrimage up to the top to enjoy the beautiful views. How long people have been walking up Rivington Pike is unknown but it turns out that it’s a very old tradition that has stood the test of time. In 1900, a fair was established on the day.
However, the fair was set up as a reaction to large numbers of people ascending the hill - it was not the reason they chose to walk up the hill. Christian groups would also climb the hill to spread the Good Friday message to fellow hikers.The reason people walk up Rivington Pike on Good Friday is likely a Christian Easter celebration .
Rivington Pike is also the site of modern pagan celebrations. The Pike also boasts prehistoric sites such as the Two Lads. The Rivington Terraced Gardens, open 365 days are year, are completely free to visit.
Covering 45 acres of hillside, the magical gardens offer hidden paths, caves and lakes. This year Wellness Walks has arranged a group walk up Rivington Pike. The meeting place is the cafe next to Go Ap at Rivington BL6 7SB at 10am on Friday.
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