A place of mystery and wonder – "twixt Burnley and Clitheroe, Whalley and Colne"
Pendle Heritage – Archaeology Group
Pendle’s Hidden Valley Field Reconnaissance 8th February 2014
The third field reconnaissance session for the Pendle’s Hidden Valley project took place on Saturday 8th February 2014 but in the face of dire weather forecasts, understandably, only 4 stalwarts braved the elements. In the end, despite strong winds we were relatively lucky with the conditions. Continue reading “Pendle’s Hidden Valley – Field Reconnaissance 8th February 2014”
February 5th 2014
The Family Behind Foulds Lifts Continue reading “The Family behind Foulds Lifts”
Professor Glynis Jones of Sheffield University shone a light on some of the latest bioarchaeological research in her lecture “Crops and Weeds: Agriculture in the Past” on Friday 31st January. Continue reading “Evening Lecture by Professor Glynis Jones”
Our second Wycoller Monuments conservation day started like the first…. with rain! Continue reading “Wycoller Monuments Project 2 – 29th January”
Members of the Friends were invited to a stained glass and leaded lights conservation day at All Souls Church, Astley Bridge, Bolton, part of a series of free conservation days. Continue reading “Stained Glass and Leaded Lights Conservation Day – Pendle Stained Glass”
January can result in dull gardens, excessively cut back and tidied up. However, at Park Hill, the gardeners, Peter and Elaine, allow the natural forms and colours of winter to come through and to decorate the surroundings of the heritage centre. There is much beauty for those with ‘eyes to see’ through the dull winter light. It has been a warm winter, so far, and snowdrops are already popping their heads throught the wet winter mulch. Click here for some January photos.
We were fieldwalking to find physical evidence of the Oakenwood cattle pastures which are recorded in medieval documents. Continue reading “Archaeology Field Walk, Oakenhead Wood, Rossendale – 25th January”
The first meeting of 2014 for the conservation group was a rainy affair, with a lot of time spent chatting away in Pepper Hill Barn with the park rangers. However, the four of us did manage to get out for a few hours to clear more of the trees growing on the archaeololgy at the back of Wycoller Hall. We also had a nice job seeking out small trees suitable for a monkey sanctuary in Keighley. It turned into a good day as the weather brightened for a while on the afternoon.
Over twenty of us took to our cars to visit the famous Rochdale Town Hall and nearby Co-op museum. We weren’t disappointed. Continue reading “Visit to Rochdale Town Hall and Co-op Pioneers Museum 18th January”
The second field reconnaissance session for the Pendle’s Hidden Valley project took place on Saturday 11th January 2014 and was well attended with 10 stalwarts setting out from Whalley Golf Club (who kindly allowed us to use their car park).
We set out south along Clerk Hill towards Portfield and it was pointed out that this road had been artificially sunken as part of the landscaping of the area for Clerk Hill (the house) in order that the view from the house would not be spoiled by seeing people on the road.
At Portfield we assessed the view of the area from a public footpath in the field adjacent to the fort and noted that the fort commanded a 360 deg field of view with a particularly good view back up the Sabden Valley.
Wednesday afternoon was the day of our first talk of 2014. Anne Eves stepped into the gap left in our afternoon talk’s schedule, and what an entertaining couple hours we were in for. Anne’s talk covered everything from life during retirement, dog walking in the park, life as a mature drama student, a tale of an elderly lady’s one line put down which I cannot repeat here as we do not have a 9.00pm watershed, and more humorous anecdotes’ including one of her encounter with the Padiham streaker. Our thanks go to Anne and the forty people attended the event…..FW
The heritage of the second world war is very popular these days but here is one item we don’t want to preserve!
Full story, video and pics at the Burnley Citizen site.
Burnley’s Queen Street Mill has made national news by being given Grade I listed building status. The famous Harle Syke mill has the highest listing possible, putting it in the top 2% of all listed buildings. Technically at least, the mill is now on a par with Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey! This should be no surprise. Queen Street is now the only working steam-powered mill in the world and great credit must go to the volunteers and the Burnley and Lancashire Councils for saving the building in the early 1980s and keeping it alive as a museum and visitor attraction.
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/dec/25/victorian-queen-street-mill-grade-i-listed-status
The Bancroft Mill newsletter has been a great companion over recent years and Harry Moore, who has steadfastly kept us informed and entertained, is now stepping down to concentrate on being an engineer! Harry’s last newsletter is here… http://www.bancroftmill.org.uk/newsletter.pdf where there is more information.
Thank you for all the hard work Harry and all the best to Ian McKay who is now taking over.
The Bancroft Mill Engine and Museum web site is here… http://www.bancroftmill.org.uk/
The Mayor and Mayoress of Pendle, Councillor Smith Benson and Mrs Margaret Ingham, Mrs. Jamieson with Harry Moore at Bancroft Mill.
Here are some old photos of Burnley Weavers Triangle before the mighty Clock Tower (or Watts) Mill was burned down and demolished.
http://www.pinterest.com/pendleheritage/weavers-triangle-burnley-1980s-in-the-snow/
Another ‘Christmas with Friends’ event was again enjoyed by all who attended.
Our own Friends ‘All Round Entertainer’ Anne Eves once again kept us all entertained with her version of ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’. Following the Quiz organised by Andrea we were treated to Christmas Carols sung by the Nelson Civic Ladies Choir. Singing unaccompanied on the balcony the Park Hill Barn was the perfect setting for Carol Singing.
Thanks must go to Anne, Jean and Andrea for organising the afternoon Not forgetting Ronnie our Mulled Wine Waiter and all those who supported us….FW
Today, the Archaeology Group had its first meeting for a new project called Pendle’s Hidden Valley which plans to research the distant past of the valley between Portfield and Water Meetings, via Sabden and Newchurch. We met at the Pendle Heritage Centre with members of Pendle Forest History Group and Read History Group. Continue reading “Pendle’s Hidden Valley”
Our October talk looked at the darker side of life in Pendle. “Pendle Murders” was the title of an entertaining talk presented by Fiona McIntyre. What a place Pendle as been! Many murders caused by unhappy marriages and heavy drinking (did one cause the other? I ask). Fiona managed to add a little humour to this grim subject. The last murder mentioned was back in the 1930s. Fiona could talk of more recent murders but due to the fact that relatives of both the victims and the murderers might turn up for the talk, the 1930’s was the cut-off point. Anne Eves gave the vote of thanks for a well presented talk….FW
The second of our one day trips using only a couple of our own cars proved to be a successful as the first. Rendezvousing at Lancaster South Services for a coffee we then set off for a pre-arranged tour of Lancaster Castle. Continue reading “Trip to Lancaster Castle 16th November 2013”