Sutton Manor Woodland in St.Helens

Formerly an Historic Colliery - Now Home to 'Dream'!

The Sutton Manor site with a capped pit shaft pictured in the early 1990s - contributed by Frazer Nairn

By the end of 1992, the whole colliery site had been flattened. Budge Mining (now known as UK Coal) then spent two years with six staff in a mobile washroom, washing the coal that they picked out of the spoil heap. Then in February 2001, the Forestry Commission leased the site from St Helens Council and after consulting with the local community put project Wasteland to Woodland into operation.

The National Coal Board gates in Jubits Lane are a reminder to visitors of the site's heritage

First the heavily compacted soil was prepared for tree planting and habitat creation, a procedure that took two months. Then fifty-thousand young trees including alder, willow and ash were planted. A mix of slow and fast-growing trees were chosen by the experts at the Forestry Commission with the two millionth tree in the borough of St.Helens planted on the site in March 2005.

Above left: Aerial view of Sutton Manor on 13th November 2001; Above right on 24th October 2006 with flourishing new woodland - pictures courtesy of Forestry Commission - Click here and here for larger versions

The two aerial images above which look north over Sutton Manor, with the M62in the foreground, reveal how much the woodland had flourished in just five years, through a combination of good soil preparation prior to the planting of the saplings and plenty of rain!

Removing eight miles of rabbit fencing on the Sutton Manor site in February 2007

An astonishing eight miles of rabbit fencing was used when the tree-planting project began in 2001 in order to protect the young trees from rabbit damage. However, by February 2007, the trees were growing sufficiently for the lengthy process of removing the fencing to begin.

Burnet moths on lucerne on the site in 2009 - contributed by Duncan Macnaughton of the Forestry Commission

There is a remarkable botanical diversity on the site which results in a diverse fauna, including Burnet moths on lucerne. Orchids and other wildflowers also thrive on the site and and the 'poorer' soils which have not been improved for tree planting, result in drifts of yellow trefoils which are a food plant of Burnet moths and common blue butterflies. Some 'escaped' garden flowers add to the interest on the site, such as the blue iris just inside the Main Gate.

'Magical Sutton Manor' - photo McCoy Wynne - courtesy the Mersey Forest

The Forestry Commission notices on the site say:

  Welcome to this Forestry Commission community woodland. Until the 1980’s this whole site was a thriving coalmine with huge slag heaps behind it. When the colliery closed the transformation of the site to open parkland took place. Whatever your age there is something here for you. Kick a ball about; gather with your mates at a bench or just stroll through listening to the birds and admiring the wildflowers. Climb the hill to 82m above sea level for fine views. It’s your woodland for you to enjoy. For more information call 01606 882167. 

A path at Sutton Manor woodland's perimeter runs adjacent to the M62 for almost a mile. Despite the constant noise of the motorway, owls can be seen and heard hunting at night and during the day buzzards and kestrels can sometimes be observed, as well as rabbits, hares and partridge.

The top of the Manor Woodland at the apex of the former colliery's spoil heap, where the Dream sculpture is situated, is over 200 feet above sea level. (Nb. the installation of Dream has reduced the height from 270ft as detailed in this old FC site notice - pictured right). From here visitors can enjoy views across to the Pennines, Clwydian hills and even Snowdonia. To the north is Billinge Beacon with Rivington Pike and Winter Hill (with the television and radio transmitters) further away. Shuttingslow (the highest point in Cheshire) and Bosley Cloud can be seen to the southeast. Daresbury Tower, Halton Castle, Delamere and the Widnes-Runcorn Bridge are clearly visible to the south.

The chimneys of Fiddlers Ferry power station dominate the south-westerly skyline. Plus the 281 feet spire of St. Elphin's parish church in Warrington, the third highest church in England, can clearly be seen. On a good day football lovers can spot Manchester United's ground at Old Trafford and the Reebok stadium in Bolton. The Trafford Centre, Thelwall Viaduct, Frodsham Hill and Alderley Edge can also be identified. Every few minutes planes perform 180 degree banks over Sutton Manor in preparation for landing at nearby John Lennon Airport and can be seen descending up until a few seconds before they land. Manchester Airport can also just about be discerned.

Jogging on the Sutton Manor site in December 2009 as a blizzard begins

In November 2006 the Sutton Manor site was added to the six locations throughout the UK which had already been chosen to create and host a work of art as part of the Channel 4 Big Art Project. In June 2009, Jaume Plensa's 'Dream' sculpture was officially opened and is now sited at the apex of the former spoil heap. It's visible for miles around attracting huge numbers of visitors. (See 'Making of Dream' page)

Unfortunately, the growth of the trees has been so phenomenal that motorists on the adjacent M62 motorway can only view the artwork for a few seconds. So the Forestry Commission, who manage the site, are planning to prune back some of the trees to improve 'Dream's' visibility.

Forestry Commission notice at Sutton Manor during the winter of 2009/10


Forestry Commission notice on the Sutton Manor site during June / July 2010


Forestry Commission notice on the Sutton Manor site during Summer 2010

As 'Dream' has had such a dramatic impact on the site and thrust Sutton Manor firmly into the limelight, the Forestry Commission are taking a fresh look at how they manage the whole site in order to sustain it as a high quality visitor destination, both now and in the longer term. These are likely to include further improvements to entrances, seating and sight lines for Dream.

One of the benches which commemorate the site's former use as Sutton Manor Colliery, courtesy of a Heritage Lottery grant awarded to the children and teachers of Sutton Manor Primary and the Shining Lights Heritage Group.


Benches designed by children at Sutton Manor Primary School who worked with artist Bernadette Hughes

As well as the Dream sculpture at the Sutton Manor site, the summer of 2009 also saw the addition of a number of superb new benches which graphically represent the history of the site. These have been courtesy of Sutton Manor Primary School's heritage project in conjunction with artist Bernadette Hughes and the Shining Lights Heritage Group. In November 2009, Marion White of the latter received a nomination in 'The Unseen Hero' category in the 2009 St.Helens Tourism and Leisure Awards. During the same month the Forest Road primary school received an International School Award. (You can find out more about the heritage project in this blog post.)

Access improvements were made in June / July 2010 and in a poll commissioned by The Mersey Forest in September of that year , the Sutton Manor woodland was singled out for praise, with residents commending the site as a "vast improvement on what it was before" and as "an asset to the area". More here. In 2011 roe deer were observed on the site for the first time with the longer grass and expanding tree coverage providing more hiding places for wildlife.

Part of the six-strong heritage art trail in the Sutton Manor woodland installed in January 2012

A heritage art trail designed by the local schoolchildren working with Bernadette and writer Collette Hughes was finally unveiled in January 2012. Six flame-like structures, inscribed with poems dedicated to the memory of Sutton Manor miners, grow from the ground and lead up to Dream. This is another welcome addition to the landscape. Work to improve the pond on the site is also scheduled to take place in early 2012 and two new benches funded by Bold Parish Council are to be installed.

A view of the Sutton Manor woodland and 'Dream' across the fields from Warrington Road and the M62 in 2009

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