Ruins and Romans, Fonts and Furrows. Anything Old in Lancashire

[Maggie.]

I really don't know, GS - but they look intriguing.  Although it is possibly a land drain system?  It's the history club meeting this evening so I'll ask around.  Excuse my absence in here until later perhaps.

Groom - sorry I missed that programme.

[msr]

I missed the programme too.

I was a grandmother today, not a free person

I've been trying to find pictures of the old stocks in our village.   They were rescued when the lane they had stood on for many a year, near one of the churches, was being widened as a developer was building houses. 

They are now settled on the Millennium  Green opened in - you've guessed it, 2000.
This is land in front of what was once a rather grand house, now a private hospital, but the land itself is for  the use of locals to enjoy.

Absolutely nothing on the scale of your playground Maggie.
I've not found the photos yet, another search or a visit to the green is called for.

[Maggie.]

On the aerial view GS posted, I think there are 4 areas of herringbone field drainage running into ditches, but nevertheless amongst the drains are some intriguing features including one just off the picture to the north.

I've been looking tonight at some old OS maps and it would seem that there were a lot more houses in the area of the ruined cottage, certainly in the 1860s, before the reservoirs were built. 

Sue - I hope you can find the picture of your village stocks for us to see as perhaps it's time to wander away from Pendle Forest for a bit and explore another part of Lancashire.

[Greensleeves]

I was wondering if there is a written account of the clearance of the land for the  reservoirs.  In other areas there are some interesting accounts written by people who were displaced by such events; very poignant the way that communities were torn apart, often with little notice and no compensation.

[mosiefish]

I suspect in the case of the Blackmoss reservoirs that the impact was more on the land that had been aquired to create them as some must have lost their only source of income whilst their farmhouses remained.  I have never found any accounts from the building of the Blackmoss reservoirs, but have read quite a few from other ones and it did indeed tear the communities apart.  All very sad. 

[Maggie.]

I have heard today that the ruined cottage has now been levelled and re-buried.  It is good that I have the photos.  An full archaeological report is to be produced by United Utilities of all that was found.

[Wiggy]

Wow - were you expecting it to happen quite so quickly??

[Greensleeves]

Hi Mo - are there any written accounts of removals in the general area as far as reservoirs etc are concerned?   About 20 miles from where I live now a whole community was uprooted at the start of WW2 and the area made into a military range.  Someone had the perspicacity to gather together photos and the stories of the families who were thrown off their land and it does make for poignant reading.  Some of the buildings are still standing but as they are in the middle of a live firing range, it is not advisable to go and wander around up there, as you can imagine!

[Tephra]

That poor cottage.   It was lovely.