On a sunny autumnal morning thirteen of us set off from Grimsargh village car park.  Past Goose Hall and on to part of the ‘Round Preston’ walk through to Squire Anderton’s wood, which is shown on the map as Fulwood Park and then through Haighton Park woods. The squire used to live at Haighton House which we had passed earlier. We then took the lane up to Ladyewell House, a shrine, which is visited by pilgrims. West Lancs. now have 13 pilgrims after our visit!

Onwards now to reach Chingle Hall, one of Britain’s oldest and most haunted houses. Formerly  known as Singleton Hall, it was built in 1260. In 1585 the Wall family took it over and John Wall was born there in 1620. In 1641 he became a priest, at the time of the Catholic Reformation, and the hall was used for secret Masses. It contains many secret passages and priest holes and used to be surrounded by a moat. John Hall was captured, hung drawn and quartered whilst preaching in Bromsgrove and it is rumoured that his body is buried somewhere in the grounds or in the hall itself.

After Chingle Hall we met the drive which led to Whittingham hospital, now demolished. Opened in 1873, enlarged in 1879 and officially opened in1893 with 2895 beds. By the end of WW1 it was the largest mental hospital in the country with 3500 beds. Now on to Goosnargh village for our lunch stop at the church. Goosnargh  is the home of the Goosnargh cake , similar to Eccles cakes but made with caraway seeds instead of currants.

We now started or way back via Eaves Green farm, Brook House farm on to Cringlebrook and down Tenter Hill. Through Ashley House, New Ashley and a bit of lane to Harrison’s farm. Now heading to Dixon’s farm we crossed the path of the old Grimsargh to Whittingham railway, which was free, and carried 3000 people a year, 12 trains a day, nurses, staff etc. to work. The railway closed in 1957. Now past Dixon’s farm to the finish.

 To see who came on the walk please press the photo below

To see the rest of the photos please click Here and then slideshow