Haslington During the First English Civil War, on 27 December 1642,(?) there was a skirmish between the Royalists and the Parliamentarians that took place on the southern outskirts of the village at a place called Slaughter Hill. The, Parliamentarians—also known as the Roundheads—won the battle. Local legend says the battle caused the brook nearby to turn red from the blood spilt. A sword was found embedded in the bank of Valley Brook. Although the macabre name Slaughter Hill suggests it may be named after this skirmish, it may be a corruption of "Sloe Tree Hill". Blackthorn ("Prunus spinosa"), the fruit of
Prunus kansuensis locally. The fruit is eaten by the endangered golden snubnosed monkeys ("Rhinopithecus roxellana"). Prunus kansuensis Prunus kansuensis (), sometimes called the Chinese bush peach, is a putative species of peach native to China. It is found in Gansu, Guizhou, Hubei, Qinghai, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. It is a shrub or tree tall, preferring to grow at above sea level. A genetic and morphological study has shown that it is conspecific with "Prunus persica", the cultivated peach. "P.kansuensis" is being investigated as a source for rootstocks and for crop improvement due to its resistance to multiple diseases, to drought, and to