| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 | |
| Location | Greater Manchester |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SD635104 |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 47.2 hectares (117 acres) |
Red Moss is a wetland mossland in Greater Manchester, located south of Horwich and east of Blackrod. This is a national Site of Special Scientific Interest in the United Kingdom, due to its biodiversity and undisturbed character. Pollen analysis has revealed the first peat deposits of the northwest's mosslands to be from around 8,000 years BC making Red Moss an impressive 10,000 years old.[1] Red Moss covers an area of 47.2 hectares.[2] A severed female head was discovered in Red Moss in the 19th century dating from the Bronze Age or early Iron Age.[3]
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council owns most of the moss, but parts of the site are also owned by British Rail and United Utilities.
- ^ "red moss lnr". The Wildlife Trust for Manchester, Lancashire and North Merseyside. Archived from the original on 23 May 2008. Retrieved 27 June 2008.
- ^ Nature on the map, Natural England, retrieved 16 December 2010
- ^ Crosby, Dr Alan G., West Pennine Moors (PDF), West Pennine Moors area management committee, p. 10, archived from the original (pdf) on 18 July 2011, retrieved 22 December 2010