Woodlands
There are many local woods and fields bearing names relating to the industrial history and the heritage of the area.
RED DELF WOODS, for example, at one stage must have contained a quarry.
THE HIGHER GARDENS PLANTATION was apparently formerly such, and BIG COVER WOOD, the largest forest tract in the immediate (I. e. vaguely tamed!!) vicinage, must once have been used for the purposes of shooting. The Fieldens at one stage had gamekeepers - as can be seen in some photographs.
Indeed, one hopeful poacher was shot during the early part of the 1940’s – although this is more likely to the possibility of his being a German spy, one of whom was accosted near guide to the south of Blackburn, than his unlawful designs on the local wildlife or game….
The other woods in the walled park have more ambiguous names. BUNCER WOOD is obviously named for the road aside which it stands, and also contains evidence of quarrying (a disused quarry is shown on a map of ancient date), but the philology of NED HOLE WOOD is more of a mystery…
There are several other fine tracts of woodland in this vicinity – probably foremost among them being the magnificent ALUM HOUSE WOOD and WILD BOTTOMS WOOD, flanking Arely Brook and the River Darwen as they combine on the way to Samlesbury Bottoms.
Nearby, stands the remote HEATLEY WOOD, and across the valley, CROOK HEY WOOD. The parkland around Woodfold Hall contains many woodlands, yclept several names – LODGE HOUSE WOOD and LUMB BANK WOOD to the south, bordering Billinge End Road and Meins Road; by the lake known as White House Pond, we find OLD WOODFOLD WOOD and WHITE HOUSE WOOD, and north of the crumbling edifice stands JEFFRIES WOOD.
To the east, there stands LODGE WOOD, reaching towards Stanley House, Preston New Road and the ancient farmstead of Arleys.
Coming towards Pleasington now, we see Trout Brook emerge from the steep, narrow MAIDEN HOUSE WOOD.
This is, sadly, frequented by people who seek pleasure in shooting birds. In the direction of Witton from here, we see PLEASINGTON OLD HALL WOOD, and further up the moor, GORTON’S WOOD.
The playing fields are flanked by, in succession,WARREN WOOD (Pleasington end), SCOTSMAN’S WOOD (following the cemetery), WILLOW GROUND WOOD, at the bottom of which can be found a fine marshland environment, and, lastly, CROW WOOD, from which Red Delf Wood can be seen clearly.
At the summit of Crow Wood stands the high knoll of Billinge Hill, shrouded by the trees of BILLINGE WOOD.
West and south west of Maiden House Wood, we can locate BROWNLANDS WOOD (or whatever happens to remain of it), and the sparse, regrown thicket where once stood AINSWORTH WOOD, as well as the Butler’s Arms and the Railway Hotel in Pleasington, where once stood HORSE PASTURE WOOD, and, continuing south,FENISCOWLES WOOD. Towards Hoghton, there stands OWLET HOLES WOOD, on one side of which is CAUSEWAY WOOD, named in common with a nearby farm in honor of a very old track running through here, and the magnificent hill of Hoghton, on which we can find HOGHTON TOWER WOOD.
Further north, towards Wild Bottoms, is BOLTON HALL WOOD, named for the farm next to it.
South of Feniscowles, lies the Stanworth Valley, through which the River Roddlesworth runs on its way to meet the Darwen near Feniscowles Hall’s ruins. There are many names for divergent parts of these great forest tracts – STANWORTH WOOD, BRADLEY WOOD and OWLET HALL WOOD in the west, and, following the series of becks, which run from the east, near Tockholes, upstream, we have HIGHER STOCKCLOUGH WOOD,SHAW’S PLANTATION,ADAM PLAT WOOD, HEALD WOOD and HOLE BOTTOM WOOD.
Across the lane of Broken Stones Road, we get stunning views both towards Billinge Hill, Witton Park and the less acclivitous terrain to the west. This is Bunker’s Hill, and, from east to west, the woods are named BUNKER’S HILL WOOD, COCKRIDGE WOOD (down the steep Gib Lane), GREEN HILLS WOOD and, back across Broken Stones Road towards the south, POTTER’S PLANTATION.
South of here, there are great woods south of Tockholes, towards Belmont, in which the reservoirs of Rake Brook and Roddlesworth (x2), as well as what remains of Hollinshead Hall, can be found. Along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal westwards, the remains of BRIMMICROFT WOOD, as well as OLLERTON WOOD, await exploration.
