The Ecological Importance of Urban Gardens

Introduction Our street is much like any other in the UK, it’s in the middle of a largish housing estate, built in the 70’s and situated between boxy brick council houses built in the 50’s and a grey, rabbit-warren like concrete council estate built in the 80’s, known locally as ‘Lego-land’. Along our street sitsContinue reading “The Ecological Importance of Urban Gardens”

Closer to Home, Exploring the History around our Town; Hambledon Firing Range

I’ve poked and peered into all sorts of corners in my history articles, from Abbeystead to Whalley and everywhere between, but feel that I’ve overlooked some of the historical locations closer to home, around the towns of Padiham and Hapton where I live and work. With this in mind I set out the other dayContinue reading “Closer to Home, Exploring the History around our Town; Hambledon Firing Range”

Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter

Those cold, damp January days, when nobody feels like venturing out so you can have the countryside completely to yourself, often offer the best opportunities for poking about the bare hedges and woods to see what treasures catch your eye. In this case, early on the First of January, the prizes I found, shining likeContinue reading “Yellow Brain Fungus / Witches’ Butter”

Gawthorpe Hall and Witches in Lancashire: Part Two, a reblog of an article by Lancashire Museum Stories

IMAGE 1: Witches on broomsticks, featured in The History of Witches and Wizards (1720). Copyright: Wellcome Library. In July 2024, Gawthorpe Hall … Gawthorpe Hall and Witches in Lancashire: Part Two.