Coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara, a member of the Asteraceae family, is a perennial herb known for its bright yellow, Dandelion-like flowers that emerge early in spring, often before its broad, hoof-shaped leaves appear. This unique blooming pattern has earned it folk names like ‘son before the father’ and ‘foal’s wort’.
Category Archives: #Lancashire
The Red Rose of Lancashire
The story of the Red Rose of Lancashire begins in the 14th century with the royal House of Lancaster when this noble family, descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, adopted the red rose as a heraldic badge, a simple yet striking emblem used to identify supporters in an era of shifting alliances and feudal loyalties.
The Structural History of Samlesbury Hall
The earliest phase of Samlesbury Hall dates to around 1325, when Gilbert de Southworth (Sir Gilbert de Southworth, Knight, Lord of Southworth, Croft, and Samlesbury, to give him his full title) constructed the Great Hall as his family seat, replacing a structure damaged during the Great Raid of 1322 by Scottish forces, a major raid carried out by Robert the Bruce during the First Scottish War of Independence.
The Tale of Bob Platt
Bob Platt weren’t a temperance fella in fact he’d a likin’ fer beer. Bur he ne’er used’t go beyond’t limit except once or twice durin’t year.
Northwest Recipes: Lancashire Hotpot
Back in the 17th century, the term “hotpot” didn’t refer to food at all; instead it described a hot spiced ale drink, sometimes mixed with spirits. The word gradually shifted meaning, and by the 1830s to 1840s, “hot-pot” or similar terms started appearing for meat stews in places like Liverpool.
Sphagnum Moss, The Bog-builder
Sphagnum moss belongs to the genus Sphagnum, comprising over 30 species in the British Isles, many of which can be very challenging to distinguish.
The Black Seam Lancashire’s Coal Mining History
Lancashire has a long history of coal mining, dating back to the early Roman era at least, with small-scale exploitation of shallow seams and natural outcrops being archaeologically evident throughout the county.
“Didn’t It Rain”
On one rainy evening in May 1964, an abandoned railway station in Manchester became alive with the soul-stirring sound of gospel and blues.
Northwest Nature and History 