BOLTON

 SMETHILLS HALL

SMOOTHIES :-  JohnW, Anthony,  Danny, Mike.

Why "Smoothies ?.......  Because The original name of the Smethills area was...... SMOOTH HILL.

Parking was easy. Only a few yards from the gates of Smethill Hall.. and we received a friendly and enthusiastic welcome as we entered the Hall itself. First things First..... Start the day with A BREW !

They're coming...'onest.

Why is this fella wearing a cheese board ?

Just look at this... Hands in pockets..... This is a STATELY home my good fellow !  Thank goodness for Danny treating the occasion with proper gravity.

It gets worse.   He's "Lounging" now.

And John's no better.  What's he fiddlin' with ? You can't take them anywhere.

Here we are in the dining room. I just hope they're not making  a pig's ear of it.

It all looks very good to me but just keep an eye on that pig's head.

Guarding the food in the dining room was a soldier from the civil war. At least his armour was.

The tables  in the dining room  were laid as if ready for a meal. The "Plates" were wooden,  All those years ago the Hoi Polloi ate off "Trenchers" which was a corruption of the french word "Tranche" which meant a slice. Their meals were placed on a slice of old dry bread which was eaten when the meal was finished or if rather more affluent, given to the poor. They also used slices of  wood which could be washed and used again.  ( A known fact checked with Wikipedia )  A "Trencherman" is STILL used for a good eater or one with a healthy appetite.

Castles and Manor houses can be cold draughty places so large fireplaces were essential.

No "Trenchers" here at the top table, Gold plates indeed. In the early days tables were not used but an easily stored board was set up on trestles. The "Boss, Chief, or Lord of the manner" had the only chair. The rest used benches. Hence the phrase. "Chairman of the board" ( Wikipedia )

Throughout the hall there were information boards telling the history of the house. Almost always fascinating. Indeed they slowed our progress considerably.

The house continued to be fascinating even up the steep stairs to the private family quarters and the bedroom.

John has a miniature verson of this child's cradle at home.

"No Teddy bears were injured whilst taking this photograph"

At the side of the bed about level with Mikes knee you will see ropes which are threaded across the bed in a net like fasten. It was said that a better nights sleep was had if the ropes were tight, It was also said that tight ropes deterred some of the bugs which were abudent in old houses. 

(No DDT yet then)

"Good night. Sleep tight. Mind the bugs don't bite."

🐛

The chair to the right of Anthony is an ancient form of ejector seat.

This room was famous for the quality of it's linen fold carving accomplished by skilled Flemish wood carvers.

The Lord and Lady of the house sat at opposite ends of the table for breakfast. It would seem  they were not on good terms.

I'm sure Little Bess was lovely but I can't read it.

f you look carefully  at the stained glass you will see that the top three show extracts from Christ's life while second three illustrate the last super

This is Cranmers coat of arms. Too long a tale to tell here.

JW asked, over the phone, was there a guide available. They thought not.

Well here is the guide. A charming and knowledgable man who comes every Thursday.  BRILLIANT !

It was a decidedly large house and very attractive from the outside too.

The Gardens, too,  were equally nice.

At this point we left the house and ventured into the woodlands which apart from the pathways, allowing access, were seemingly unspoilt, original woodlands.

The way out of the woodlads took us past the stables belonging to the house.

They had been converted int rather swish apartments.

Back to the Hall which we could now see through the trees. Danny generously offered to go and fetch Anthony who had chosen to sit in the sun ouside the Hall.

One final shot of the stables and away we went.  Home after another

enjoyable day.

A Real Gem,   and it was free

Heres to next week's outing

JW

HESKETH BANK

 UNDERGROUND-OVERGROUND

WOMBLES :- Danny, Anthony, John, Jim, Mike.

                        Our Guide... Steve... Danny's brother

Wombles ?  I think not. Tell you later. Potterers certainly. 

Our Usual "Pre  amble"  brew and then off to the car park at the new....

 "Hesketh & Becconsall Nature Trail"

"I'll open the toilets for you" said Steve... How did he know ?

Then off we went down the fine new path.

Soon arriving at the lake which was once a quarry were clay was dug out to make Bricks.

Mike    Jim  Danny Steve Anthony

The gang down by the lake .  Full of birds and being turned into a beautiful spot complete with angler  positions.

Steve again.  Just so's you remember him. 😉

Who or what is Danny laughing at. I must find out next time we meet.

Leaving the main path we followed a narrow and at times tricky path until we came to these.   Guess what they are ??

Right first time. The scary thing is that many of us had toilets like these when we started school all those years ago.

Even further into the woods and we came across this deep dark hole ??

.....and down we went.  (This is the "Wombly" bit !)

It was an air raid shelter built for the workers at the quarry.

What wonerful things mobile phones are.  Built in Torches. 😀

The far end of the shelter haf not been cleared so we returned the same way.

The "Half wall"  you can see is a blast wall.  There is a similar half wall  just beyond it on the other side . It prevents any blast travelling the whole length of the tunnel. It also makes it difficult to negotiate in the dark. JW walked straight into a solid brick wall.😒 I think the wall came off worst. 😄

Up and out !

Back along the rough path to the track.

One of the excellent angling (fishing) platforms the association is providing. At first for the local angling club but daytickets may also be available.

John who has spent many hours, even days, fishing was invited to try the next one.

The path from here on had been deliberately left "natural" to give some challenge and originality to the walk.

A bit of under and over here as Anthony negotiates a leaning tree and then footsteps over the muddy bits.

We had of course left the fine footpath and were following the rough woodland path deliberately left to challenge the fitter walkers.

Rather a long muddy bit here. Best foot forward Anthony.

The path did indeed offer some challenges but there was even the chance for a ubiquitous "Bridge " photo.

LUNCHTIME !

Back to M & S for lunch. Jim declared that his "Butty" was not as good as it looked. It was  somewhat "Dry".

Just before this, Steve had left us to return home as it was  quite close.

Lunch over just time for a visit to the old church and the nearby shipyard. 

So our next visit was to the old church we have visited before. It was, in earlier days, the Becconsall's chapel of ease. (Not sure what that entails....help)

During World War II, A german plane, perhaps anxious to escape home. had dropped a random bomb on the graveyard. The damage it caused can still be seen. Pure speculation but perhaps it had been part of an attack on the Preston Dock or the airfield at Warton. or even trying to hit the customs house nearby.

Just look at the central gravestone.

Need to ask Danny about the above gravestone . There was something special about it.

The next photo shows a helping hand BUT WHERE TOO ? up or down

We spent some time looking at the gravestones in the yard and were quite taken by how many of the occupants were in their late seventies and eighties. Modern medicine perhaps not quite as good as we thought.  There were many graves of IDDONS, presumably a local family name.

Becconsall Old Church. "All Saints" 1764.

Just another 50 yards down the yard was a boat yard, Most of the boats had been put to bed for the winter but many were already moored ready for action along the creek 0r pehaps it was actually the river Douglas itself.

The River Asland or Douglas ( So good they named it twice ?)

And so off back down the lane to the car and off to home.

A thoroughly enjoyable day thanks to Danny and his brother Steve.

And what about the wombles ........

" Uncle Bulgaria, He can remember the days when he wasn't behind the times."

Can't we all !

Au revoir

JW