Late morning went for cycle ride via Croston, Eccleston and the narrow lane through Bolton Green. While in Croston I called at St Michael’s Church to have a look at the wood carvings in the field at the back.
On the wall of the school is the inscription:
JAMES HIET VICAR AND RECTOR 1660.
THIS SCHOOL WAS REBUILT BY SUBSCRIPTION A.D. MDCCCXXVII

In case you wondered MDCCCXXVII = 1827
The school was originally founded in 1372 by the Duke of Lancaster.

The wood carvings were done by
Tim Burgess - Chainsaw carver.

in hot pursuit

the photo above was taken by Dave Outram of Sale, Cheshire, and shows Tim working in Worthington Park, Sale.

This evening cycled to the Brindle Historical Society meeting in Brindle Village Hall. I knew it would be a good evening as Prof Ian Whyte was speaking about the Landscape History of a Yorkshire Dale and tonight he chose Ribblesdale. The amazing thing is that many of the medieval settlements and even Bronze Age boundary walls can still be seen.

Ian Whyte

The audience. Brindle Community Hall has just won an award for the best in Lancashire.

Attended another of David Clayton’s excellent history walks to look at the various ruined farms on the moors above Brinscall. This is the third walk I’ve attended and I believe there were two prior to those.

Today was a special treat as we had Linda with us who was the great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Jane Dixon (nee Wyatt) who lived at Marsden’s Farm from 1886 to 1910. She kept a diary and David had been reading it. We walked up through the woods, past Blackhurst Hall ruins and across to Marsden’s where he read some extracts from the diary that had been written there over 100 years ago. We then walked down to Goose Green ruins and then up to the magnificently situated Fir Farm. Returning to Goose Green we continued towards White Coppice to visit the ruin of Sharrock’s Farm before returning along the Goit.

the group adjacent to Marsden's Farm.

David and Linda in the ruins of Marsden's Farm

Elizabeth Jane Dixon (nee Wyatt)

Tom Dixon

Late morning called at Withnell House to see if it was as dilapidated as the last time I passed, it was. Behind the building is the Lake View Nursing Home. The Hall was the home of Robert Park and his son Thomas in the mid 1800s.

Vantage Toyota, Blackburn

Later this afternoon I was passing the old dilapidated farm on Windmill Lane, Brindle. It was interesting to see that after many years of standing empty and falling down someone has now started to renovate it.

Caught 6:05am bus to Preston then 6:58 train to Leeds. First I walked to the Art Gallery then Museum to check opening times then across town to the Royal Armouries Museum. It was nice to wander at will, taking photos as I saw something interesting. After the Armouries I returned to the Art Gallery and Museum as they were then open. The train ride home wasn’t as planned as the line west of Bradford was closed and replaced with a bus service. That would’ve taken ages so I came home by train via Manchester Victoria.

It was an overcast morning but there was no wind, an ideal morning for a cycle ride. I rode through Mawdesley to Rufford and decided to see if I could visit Rufford Old Hall. I knew it was closed to the public today but being on my bike I thought there’s a change I’d get as far as the car park. The main gate was open and nobody about. I took a few snaps and as I was leaving spoke to a man about to adjust the ‘closed’ sign. He turned out to be Charles Singleton who spoke to us at Chorley Historical Society in August 2010 about the Civil War in Lancashire. I set off home and left the main road at Sollom and took the minor road to Bretherton then Leyland and Chorley.

- - - -

Yesterday I received and email from Keith Jones with an attached photo of a canal barge converted to a German U boat. I recognised the location near Botany Bay so cycled through Chorley to the canal bank to investigate. I reached the U/canal boat which had U-8047 on the conning tower. I stopped to take a few photos and there was a man and woman working on the interior. I was invited inside to investigate further and found it even more impressive inside. It was equipped with a periscope, torpedo tubes and bristled with electronics. It was a short trip out of reality. Back to reality and the towpath I cycled home.

U-8047 on the Leeds and Liverpool canal at Botany, Chorley

a control panel

This evening I was at the Chorley Historical and Archaeological Society meeting at Chorley Library. I caught the bus to the bus station and as I walked across the Flat iron car park/market space saw this view in the early evening light.

This afternoon I was out with the Withnell Fold Sports and Social Club walking group. We walked via the canal bank, Ollerton, Abbey Village, Stanworth and Pike Lowe. We covered 8 miles in excellent weather.

crossing the footbridge over Roddlesworth Brook

walking home after the walk I saw these views approaching the Top Lock at Wheelton

plan of the route

David Clayton of Brinscall did another of his excellent guided history walks this morning. It's the second I've been on and today we walked up through the woods and on to the moors to investigate the ruins of New Ground, Blackhurst Hall, Leigh Place, Liptrot's Farm, Sour Milk Hall, Calico Hall and Whittles.

David tells us about the people who used to live at New ground.

a mystery underground chamber above Blackhurst.

windswept moors at Calico Hall.

With no rain forecast I decided on a cycle ride back from Halifax. After cycling to Blackburn I caught the train to Halifax then had an enjoyable ride home.

The view as I left Halifax Railway Station

Approaching Todmorden I was glad to see that the 'Hot Stuff' refreshment trailer was open. I stopped for a quick bite to eat.

cycling  up from Todmorden on the Bacup road I stopped to investigate this old weir which used to feed water to an old leat.

the route back from Halifax

After a very rainy day the clouds began to roll away by mid afternoon and in the early evening there was some very nice light along my favourite local walk, the Leeds and Liverpool towpath.

I returned to Astley Hall, Chorley to re-take some multi-shot wide views that I tried last week. This time a was more careful and managed to get some decent shots. As the stitching software has to fit a 180deg wide view in it has to distort the final image so straight walls and lines have to be bent.

It rained most of the day but eventually eased in the afternoon so I was able to return to the parish Church of St Mary in Penwortham. (see Mon 20 Sep 2010). I wanted to try photographing the Church and graveyard using muli-exposures to take in a wide view. It was dull and overcast so the exposures were very long.

St Mary's graveyard, Penwortham

The graveyard of St Mary's Church. Through the trees to the left can be seen the mound of the ancient Penwortham Castle. Unfortunately nothing remains of it.

the view approaching St Mary's Church from the main entrance gate. This image is built up from 10 separate photographs