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May Excavation – Craggs 2 & 2b

Our most recent excavation took place over 2 days in May at an altitude of approximately 1000 feet. The purpose was to determine the construction method of the old bank & ditch features that divide parts of the site. Pre-dig analysis had determined the features to be at least 300 years old, this figure has been shifted back at least another few centuries as a result of the dig. Thought he site yielded no finds per se, the dig revealed considerable care had gone into the building of the excavated feature, so much so that we are now having to re-evaluate its significance. Further research is now underway, looking in particular for parallels in other upland areas of Britain. It is too early to do anything other than speculate but there are strong indications that there may once have been crop rearing on this wind blasted site. Hard to believe given how exposed the area now appears. One might argue that the views are beautiful and ample reward in themselves.

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Hidden Valley Fieldwalk, 6 June 2015

Pendle’s Hidden Valley – Water Meetings Field Walk – 6 June 2015

In short, a highly productive day – quality not quantity.
Only four of us did the walk, including a new member – Mike W. We are very pleased to welcome some new ideas & fresh set of eye, and being few in number we had the opportunity to get to know Mike & vice versa.
We started from Blacko Bar Road in Roughlee then walked up to the old ridge road on the southern edge of the valley and followed this until it dropped down through the quarries & Hudderston Wood onto Water Meetings. Here we had our picnic in the summer sun & speculated on the cavortings that would have been taking place when the area was a playground for the Victorian inhabitants of the nearby mill towns.
After lunch we skirted other side of the valley from whence we came. When we got back to Blacko Bar Road David & Richard took the short cut back to the start while new boy Mike & I crossed the road & into the fields opposite. We then followed the line of the old road back to Roughlee Hall & thus to the end.
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HERITAGE IN THE PRESS – MAY 2015

Here are the local heritage stories of the past month. Hot off the press is the Heritage Trust’s restoration of Lomeshaye Bridge Mill, Whitefield, Nelson…

Nelson & Colne area…

Heritage Trust for NW brings new lease of life for Victorian mill

Nelson Whitefield housing scheme up for ‘Oscar’

Victory for Colne ‘Rough’ homes campaigners

The heyday of Brierfield Railway Station

Pendle Hill…

Plans for major £2.4million project to transform Pendle Hill revealed Continue reading “HERITAGE IN THE PRESS – MAY 2015”

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AGM, Films and Food

We had a throughly enjoyable AGM on Wednesday evening (27th May) with an excellent turnout. There was a short business meeting comprising reports from the chairman, secretary and treasurer, as well as those from the organisers, followed by some minor changes to the constitution and the re-election of the committee. We then had a wonderful buffet followed by two historic films by Peter Copestake of Pendle Moviemakers. Continue reading “AGM, Films and Food”

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Conservation Work at Sawley Abbey

As the new Sawley Hall is going up not so far away, English Heritage is continuing its much more modest conservation activities at the Abbey. Here, the ancient walls have mostly lost their outer layers leaving very soft crumbly masonry exposed to the elements. The conservators are carefully re-pointing in soft lime mortar and using soft-topping (or soft capping), with a layer of turf, on top of the walls. Continue reading “Conservation Work at Sawley Abbey”

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Tackling the Cornelian Cherry & the art exhibition

006_procToday at the historic gardens group, we decided to tackle (amongst other things) the Cornus Mas or Cornelian Cherry. Like all cherries, this ancient variety had grown large and dense with many ‘crazy’ branches shooting backwards and forwards through the tree. It was not an easy task working out the effect of each cut and avoiding damaging neighbouring branches. Continue reading “Tackling the Cornelian Cherry & the art exhibition”

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Ramsons 1 Bluebells 0

Every May in Spring Wood, Whalley there is the showdown between the bluebells and the Ramsons (wild garlic). The bluebells normally win the aesthetic contest with wonderful carpets of blue across the woodland floor. However, this year, they were relatively subdued and it was the Ramsons that impressed with almost dizzying  blankets of white. Why this should be, who knows, but have a look at what I mean in the photos below (just click to enlarge). Continue reading “Ramsons 1 Bluebells 0”

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Roman Coins – evening lecture by Adrian Lewis

On the eveing of 24th April, Adrian Lewis gave an excellent overview of Roman coins, where they were derived from and how they evolved over time. He emphasised the importance of Greek ideas and forms, including the Goddess Athene and how these spread to Roman coins. However, the portrait quality of Greek coins was always better than the Roman ones, especially those in the western empire. We saw a great number of examples from across the empire, Adrian giving us various anecdotes about each emperor and the relevant points about each example.

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Bluebell Wood begins to flower

Wood AnenomesBluebell Wood is the historic name for the steep woodland behind the Pendle Heritage Centre. It has provided firewood for the house and farm over many centuries.

Friends and volunteers are thinning the brambles, branches and leaf cover to allow a more light to the plants on the woodland floor. A horse in the field at the top entertained us this week by constantly rolling on its back! Continue reading “Bluebell Wood begins to flower”