Brinscall, Wheelton Moor and the Mear Stones (Merestones)

12 Jul 2004
This morning we were on a fairly local walk, and for a change Eric picked me up in his car and off we drove to Jack's to pick him up then over to Brinscall and up Well Lane. The main purpose of the walk was to pass on some local knowledge about ancient boundary stones.

Few people have heard of the Mear Stones and even fewer know where they are. A survey made in 1697 refers to them and their approximate positions but things have changed a lot since then and it is very difficult to find anything going on that text.

Twenty years ago the position of 3 stones were known but one seems to have been destroyed in the re-alignment of the access track to Drinkwater's.

Jack had been looking for them for years and was eager to accompany us on our short walk to find the remaining two.
From Whittle's ruin we headed south to where the track does a 'dog-leg'. This is the boundary of Wheelton and Heapey and also the boundary marked by the Mear Stones. A path then leads off to the west before descending the edge of the moor and down to Wheelton plantation.

Just 200m along the track I stopped and stepped 3m to the north and showed Jack one of the Mear Stones. His expression and reaction were difficult to describe. He looked on at the deeply cut cross marked in the stone and seemed unable to forgive himself for having passed the spot so many times and not having seen it before. But to be fair, the stone is not immediately by the track and mostly overgrown with heather.

Originally there were five and they seem to predate the ownership of the moors by the DeHoughton's. They probably go back to the time before the 16th century when the Monks of Whalley Abbey tended the moors, or even earlier.

But another stone had to be found so we started our descent along the ditch to the west and following the parish boundary. About another 300m and we were at the next stone and it's deeply cut cross.
This stone is not by a path and would never be found by the casual searcher. By showing it to Eric and Jack it's position can now be passed on to others and not lost.

We then descended to the ruins of Marsden's Farm and on to more ruins at Blackhurst.
This is a fascinating area where the imagination can run riot. Underground stone cisterns, a sunken garden and rumours of an old fountain. All now much overgrown and slowly being reclaimed by nature.

Continuing to the NE we rejoined Well Lane and began the climb to the car. But Jack had a surprise for us. He pointed to a spot by the lane where a large stone trough used to be. It was moved to Tockholes Visitor's Centre many years ago before the thieves moved in to sell on for a quick profit.

Perhaps we should keep the Mear Stones locations 'in the family' so they don't get 'removed'?