Editing Leighton Moss RSPB reserve (section)

== History ==
In 1822 the moss came into the possession of Richard Gillow, grandson of the Lancaster furniture manufacturer [[Robert Gillow]]. Using steam technology, Gillow drained the moss for agriculture. Although the soil is of good quality, by 1918 the land was flooded again, as drainage appeared to have become uneconomic when the price of coal was high. The area was used for duck shooting.

The RSPB initially leased the moss in 1964, before purchasing it from the [[Leighton Hall, Lancashire|Leighton Hall estate]] in 1974. The site was first opened to visitors in 1965 on a permit-only basis, receiving 375 visitors in its first year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Denwood |first=Andy |title=Leighton Moss, Ice Age to Present Day |publisher=Palatine Books |year=2014 |isbn=978-1-874181-98-9 |location=Lancaster}}</ref>

Despite owning the land, the shooting rights were still owned by the Leighton Hall estate until 1984, when they were sold to the RSPB.<ref name=":0" />