The Hollies is an area of the Stiperstones above Lordshill Chapel which contains a considerable number of ancient Holly trees. The general consensus is that they were grown for feed for the livestock on the Stiperstones in the winter.
This is a possibility but there must be a reason why there are so many. If you walk the Stiperstones you will find a significant number of Holly trees in the hedgerows and around the various dwellings on the hill. The Holly trees are associated with buildings, walls and disturbed ungrazed ground they are rarely associated with bare open ground as in Bleakmoor.
I therefore put forward that this area is associated with disturbed ground and associated buildings. If you examine the ground you will find lots of depressions and pockets of stone rubble. Is it possible that these are ancient dwellings and or mining activity.
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