The rain started on cue as 15 SPAG members began an evening stroll round Towneley Park on St. Swithin’s Day. Our first stop was the late medieval cross, known as Foldys Cross after John Foldys, a chaplain who died in 1520. On the original moulded top is a remarkable 16th century carving of Christ on the […]
We were blessed with dry weather on week 5 of the excavations as digging continued through the clay soil to reach the bottom of the ditch in Trench 1. Meanwhile in Trench 2 more stones were being uncovered below the subsoil. As more stones were revealed at the southwest edge of Trench 2 Neil took […]
On a beautiful Autumn morning a group of a dozen industrial archaeology enthusiasts set off along the old railway track in Simonstone to the site of Constant Mary, an 18th century waterwheel. Along the way group leader, Richard Matthews, outlined various points of interest including old water management systems and a series of mysterious raised […]
A small and select 8 Spaggers enjoyed some super autumn weather and an interesting walk from the Entwistle Dam Car Park. A very bumpy old road up to The Station Arms (a pub we all know these days as The Strawbury Duck) and Entwistle Railway station. Built in 1848, 8 miles south of Blackburn it […]
Clive gave us an insight into the working lives of the men, women and children who worked above and below ground in the mines of the Rossendale coal field. The mines were owned mostly by mill owners who needed a steady supply of coal to power the steam engines in their mills. It was imperative […]