Summit Gap

looking south-west with Longlees Chemical works, bottom left

with Dean Head and Red Lees in the upper background between the two toll roads

Chemical Works in Dean Head, Summit & Steanor Bottom


There were many in the area over the  years but they operated from  4 main sites:


Deanhead, Summit

The earliest known was Hamer Crosslet in 1861 and the last was Deanhead Chemical Company in 1895.


Red Lees Chemical Works

It was operated by the Michael Uttley company from 1853 until 1990 and then by Blagdon until 2000, becoming a waggon/truck park/Caravan Storage site


Long Lees or Summit Chemical Works

Located next to the Rochdale Canal, it was originally a Woollen Mill before being bought by Sutcliffe and Fielden in 1866. Fielden’s owned it 1869 - 1873 but for a long time it was operated by Crabtree & Cryer until 1933


Walsden - back of Bird in Hand (pub)

J & W Crabtree were here between 1854 & 1879 with Henry Ellinson from 1880 - 1882