SAMLESBURY

 It's BLACK and WHITE

HALLTOGETHER AGAIN :- Danny, John, Anthony, Mike.

The magnificent "Samlesbury Hall" six miles east of Preston, was our destination today. The last time I went into the hall I was a boy who's age was in single digits. Pronunciation of the name was not easy then and for some it still isn't.

SAM'SBERRY ?  SAM-ULS-BURY ? SAM-LES-BURY ?

Being posh, of course we pronounce it   PSALMS-BURY

 Posh? you lot 😏👎

With John's car out of action his kind colleagues came to pick him up.

We soon left Preston but as we came to the junction of the road to Blackburn and the A59 towards Whalley, heavy traffic and confusing road markings forced Mike to take the wrong road.

"Look for a turning to the right." came the chorus from the passengers. We took the next right and found ourselves up against the barriers into the BAE works, OOPS !  We all had to sign the "Official secrets act"  (No we didn't) before we were allowed through the barriers into one of NATO's strategic defence establishment in order to turn around at the first roundabout and come out.

Here's the reason for the security

LIGHTNING

TORNADO

EUROFIGHTER TYPHOON

Once back on the right road we soon found our way to Samlesbury Hall.

John's new "Rucksack"  (Manbag) caused much hilarity and derogatory remarks. John was deeply hurt and upset ( No he wasn't he joined in the laughter.)

But look what was inside it :- Flask, Umbrella, Phone, Wallet, Penknife, First Aid Kit, Camera, Magic toilet Key.... and there's room for more, So Ya Boo !

There was plenty of parking space and we quickly made our way into the ancient hall.

John seems to be waiting for the others to catch up before entering the hall.

There was no charge to go in but donations would be welcome. We were greatly amused by the "Donations Box " which said a thank you each time we dropped a coin in.

There was no-one official around so we set off to explore the Hall.

Not all the rooms were suitably furnished but those that were , were magnificent.

Danny (The Prof.... )  showed us where the Priest hole was hidden next to the fireplace.

One of the families with connections  to the Hall were the Southworths.  Anthony told us of St John Southworth a priest who was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn. His remains were taken to France where, unbelievably, his body was stitched together before being secretly and safely buried. 

 His whereabouts were discovered in 1927 and his remains were eventually buried in Westminster Cathedral.

At one end of the main hall (?) there was a minstrel's gallery where shadow silhouettes moved in time with the music which was playing. What a clever idea.

As it was Halloween the hall was hosting a Halloween event  that evening which had been booked out.

Connecting one part of the house to another was a long "gallery" which was possibly rather a modern addition.

Here it is from the outside

Almost impossible to believe........ on occasions over the years planning permission has been sought to bulldoze the Hall and build a housing estate..... NEVER !!!

As we left the Hall we came into a small but attractive courtyard in the middle of which was a fountain. The fountain invited us to "HOOK a DUCK"

Danny successfully hooks a duck....

As do some of the younger visitors (and Dad)

From here we now visited the Shepherd's hut area. There were more than twenty of these in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The larger ones contained a double bed, a small kitchen area and a "bathroom" of sorts.

The smaller ones seem to have only a pair of single beds and little else.

Has a dog booked in ?

Each group of huts had a cast iron fire pit and seating for alfresco activities.

LUNCHTIME !

After lunch there were still some small areas of the grounds to be explored. A Community Garden and a children's play area,

Our visit over we wait near the exit for Mike to bring the car round.

Another excellent visit to a place some have not visited in decades or not at all.

The last few weeks have shown us what a fascinating and historic place we live in. We set off from Grimsargh, originally  a Viking settlement, to visit Samlesbury an early  Medieval Hall. Passing as we did through the 20th and 21st centuries (British Aerospace) and returning through Ribchester with it's Roman ruins and nearby Stydd chapel, a Knights Hospitaller building and the  Almhouses.  WOW !

WHAT NEXT

WE SHALL SEE NEXT TIME

"BYE"

GREGSON LANE

 BRAVES & GRAVES - PRIESTS & PETS ? 2.5M

Teacher & Taught :- Danny, ....... Mike, Anthony. Jim, John.

With most of us being entirely ignorant of the rich history of Gregson Lane we were in for quite a surprise.  As always Danny proved to be well informed and was full of information and historical detail as we followed his planned route. 

We parked at the community centre with its various sports facilities and within a few yards we came to our first "Historic" site.

This is the house in which Jesuit Priest Edmund Arrowsmith, born in Haydock, celebrated his  illicit Catholic Masses.  He was captured (as a "Recusant") when his horse refused to jump over a ditch and people chasing him ("Pursuivants") caught up with him. He was taken to Lancaster. Sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered.    Legend has it that his executioners took pity on him and made sure he was dead before continued the gruesome process of the sentence.

Above the window of the "Vestibule" is the date "1700". Obviously this was an extension added after Arrowsmith's death.

We had , however, entirely missed was  this tiny house just a few metres away from Arrowsmith Cottage, which had been built in............. You tell Me!    Possibly 1616 ???????

Is this more history ? The real thing in the hands of someone with a sense of humour ? or simply a con ?

Waiting for a train !  

As we followed the road towards Brindle our progress was halted by the crossing barriers descending as we approached

Still waiting !

Here it comes.

YES !   Here it is.

Once the train had passed and the barriers lifted we continued until we came to a road off left with the road sign "PRIVATE ROAD". we were unsure if this was the road's name or that it was indeed a private road.

Across the well maintained garden of the first house were distant views of the city of Preston bathed in sunlight and looking the very essence of a city. Centre stage was a glowing view of "St Thomas's". Not a church of course but Preston North End's football ground. where one of the town's (Now City's)

famous son's once displayed his magnificent talents.  TOM FINNEY 

Under the railway and almost immediately a left turn down to St Joseph's Church.

The Church Bell of St Joseph's church seem to the writer to be lodged in a rather "Ugly" situation.

Whilst  this old beech tree in the garden is in a rather attractive situation...... Tree of the week in fact.

The original church of St Joseph's was built to resemble a barn. It was at the time (1786) forbidden for Catholics to build places of worship. It has since been enlarged and embellished.

The baptismal font has an unusually Byzantine feel to it.

There were some lovely and interesting stained glass windows. This one shows Jesus as a sort of apprentice carpenter working with his "Stepfather" Joseph. The worker at the bottom of the saw usually gets sawdust down his neck and inside his clothes. No wonder he became an "Angry Young Man" later in life.

Elsewhere in the church we came across this....   A log split in two to reveal a cross deep within the wood. A Miracle !  No ... A cross had been carved into the bark of the tree, It had been renewed annually for twenty years then it was forgotten . 132 years later when the tree was "Felled", There it was imprinted in the trees growth rings. 

( sorry about the reflections on the glass of the case)

Outside the church was a rough path leading down to the graveyard. which had a rather spooky "Gothic " feel to it.

Here we met a mother and son tending  a grave.  We spent several minutes chatting to this charming pair.

We then, as we walked round we  discovered what appeared to be a local "Tradition".  Many of the graves had animals place upon the.

Is this an example of the sun shining on the righteous ?   No comment !

WHAT !   NO CATS ?

as we left to continue our walk we passed over a small bridge taking us out of the graveyard and back up past he church.

J.C.

J.C.

Leaving St Joseph's we now walked through some well maintained Farm/Parkland

J,C.

The neat pastures we had walked through had obviously once been part of a country estate. The gate house was sadly in a poor state but was seemingly in the process of refurbishment.

These two species of Fungi growing on the same patch of land reminded the writer of the song "Ebony and Ivory" by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.

As we walked along the road heading towards Gregson Lane. we passed a lady coming in the opposite direction. Casual greetings were exchanged  "Hello  . Afternoon. " etc , Then Jim realised it was someone he knew and he turned back and called her name. Warmer greetings were now exchanged.   There is a story behind this encounter but that is for Jim to expound upon ,,,,, not me.

Back to the playing fields and  drive down the road to Holland House Nurseries ....... AND CAFE !

As we sat and waited for our orders to arrive we gazed at the blue sky to be seen through the cafe ceiling..  OH NO WE DIDN'T. it was false those clouds never moved an inch.

Has John not received his order ??? or is it indigestion ?

An excellent Walk.  Well done "Professor " Kirby

BYE TILL NEXT WEEK

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