Midge Walkers

Walk  No. 98

Euxton Walk

Sunday 4th December started with a frost, although it was dry and with a hint of sunshine by midday we were basking in a 6 degree temperature, although it didn’t feel it.

The walk started at Pincock Brow adjacent to Euxton Methodist Church at 1.30p.m. with a contingent of 17 adults, 2 Juniors and Molly the dog. It was difficult to imagine that this tiny lane had once formed the main Wigan Road route crossing the Yarrow via a narrow bridge. The area had formerly been the industrial centre of Euxton with paper and corn mills and a quarry producing stone and slate dating back to the 1600’s

Our route took us along the A49, past the Euxton Mills pub, built in 1760 and reputedly haunted by the Graey Lady, past Balshaw Lane and the gates to Euxton Hall, continuing to Euxton Parish Church which dates back to 1573. Here we left the main road taking a route through the churchyard and subsequently crossed the rail line via a bridge emerging to a select area of housing already bedecked with Christmas lights.

Crossing a foot bridge brought us into a wooded area and continuing over a couple of fields linked by foot bridges, brought us to a Lane where we turned left and after a few hundred yards, left again into School Lane. This brought us to an area of housing and after passing under a railway bridge, brought us back to the A49 adjacent to Papa Luigi’s which again in bygone times had enjoyed the name of the Red Lion and the Anderton Arms. Here we stopped to view the new war memorial erected in 2011. On the opposite side of the road the Roman Catholic Church of St Mary’s constructed of local stone opened in 1865, allowing residents to worship in a building as an alternative to the family chapel on the Euxton Hall estate.

Past the church we entered picturesque Ransnap Wood and followed the route of a brook emerging into a field which brought us to a ladder stile at the foot of a bridge crossing the M6. Across a further field brought us to our 1st proper stile after which we crossed a foot bridge and at the top of a bank paused for our coffee break. Continuing across a field brought us to another stile, but our devious leader wrestled with the string fastening a gate in order to avoid the recording of this as an additional obstacle. Crossing another field and exiting over another stile brought us to Dawbers Lane which we crossed and followed Mill Lane on the opposite side of the road. Not too far down this lane we viewed Armetriding Farm, with its date stone of 1570 and consequently probably the oldest farm house in the area. The reputation of a spirit of a “lady with a lamp” passing through the house, once again promotes the haunting theory.

A little further on we passed a house called The Bobbin Mill, relating to its former life as a weaving establishment, and situated on the banks of the Yarrow. Further down the lane we passed under the Motorway and continued through a wooded area, following the route of the river bank. A couple of weirs provided pools for private fishing where anglers cast their fly’s. Passing a series of cottages along the way reminded us of the perils of living adjacent to a river, as several of them had suffered flooding about 12 months previous, and certainly one will never be habitable again. Our further progress brought us past the sites of the mills previously mentioned at the start of this report and back to our starting point some 2 hours later.

This had been both an interesting and scenic walk and certainly added to our local knowledge. Our thanks for the companionship we have enjoyed and the research carried out for the benefit of all.