barbirolli
As this site may be used by those not familiar with the perambulations of county boundaries over the years, perhaps I should add to the (technically quite accurate but possibly misleading) current description in the article of where the bulk of Saddleworth Moor lies.
Until 1974, when the (then) new counties of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester were set up, communities on both sides of the moor were under the aegis of the West Riding of Yorkshire. As the ancient counties were not abolished when the new ones were set up, it is still perfectly correct to refer to Saddleworth Moor (and, indeed, Saddleworth and Springhead themselves) as being within Yorkshire.
The councils of both West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester having now themselves been abolished along with that of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and none of those counties having any administrative function whatsoever, a most confusing situation to the outsider has resulted: Saddleworth Moor is entirely in the ancient County of Yorkshire (West Riding), and divided between the ceremonial counties of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Kirklees and Oldham. Oldham (the town) has always been in the ancient county of Lancashire, but Saddleworth Moor (and Saddleworth/Springhead) are not, and never have been Lancastrian.
Let me add to the administrative confusion a little more. Saddleworth Moor forms the most northerly part of the Peak District National Park and as such, the planning control function of local authorities falls primarily to the National Park authority, not to Kirkees and Oldham as it normally would.
Until 1974, when the (then) new counties of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester were set up, communities on both sides of the moor were under the aegis of the West Riding of Yorkshire. As the ancient counties were not abolished when the new ones were set up, it is still perfectly correct to refer to Saddleworth Moor (and, indeed, Saddleworth and Springhead themselves) as being within Yorkshire.
The councils of both West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester having now themselves been abolished along with that of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and none of those counties having any administrative function whatsoever, a most confusing situation to the outsider has resulted: Saddleworth Moor is entirely in the ancient County of Yorkshire (West Riding), and divided between the ceremonial counties of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester, and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Kirklees and Oldham. Oldham (the town) has always been in the ancient county of Lancashire, but Saddleworth Moor (and Saddleworth/Springhead) are not, and never have been Lancastrian.
Let me add to the administrative confusion a little more. Saddleworth Moor forms the most northerly part of the Peak District National Park and as such, the planning control function of local authorities falls primarily to the National Park authority, not to Kirkees and Oldham as it normally would.