Photo-a-Day  (Tuesday, 12th September, 2023)

Love this row of houses and Aspull and Haigh in general,my favourites in Wigan and District.x

One one of the houses in Duke's Row there is an effigy of a man's head; I can't recall whose head it is nor the story behind it but a friend took me to see it many years ago. It looks a lovely place to live. Winter Hill looks so near and reminds me of when we used to walk to Rivington Pike every year on Good Friday. I imagine the tradition has been lost now, or maybe people go there in cars these days, but we always walked.

A different angle of Dukes Row…it looks as if they have been extended. Certainly new roofing has been done. I have always liked these houses.

Totally unrecognisable from that angle Dennis for me after living at number 11 in 1967 apart from the tall house in the middle of the photo that had the pit shaft maybe 20 yards away from its door,albet you delivered papers to number 11 for Ste.

Moss Pit Row and Duke's Row were part of my round John, so I probably did deliver to number 11.
It's hard to imagine now, but this was once the site of Fothershaw Pit and the Great Haigh Sough was extended to here from Park Pit which is near the main drive to Haigh Hall at the side of the canal. From here the Sough was extended again under the moor to the Gullet Pit north of Bolton Road and then to Aspull Pumping Pit.
The Sough made thousands of tons of high grade coal accessible and ensured the wealth of the Crawford Family for over three hundred years, right up to nationalization just after the last war.

We always walked to Rivington pike on good Friday Irene not forgetting the dandelion and burdock from Snydale (Bolton Road)a 14 mile round trip and like you say be lucky if people make that trip today,having said that we walk to the pike from the little barn frequently.

Amazing Dennis albet you’d be very lucky to get these young people today doing the work that the miners did.Is that where Crawford St near to fingerpost originated from (the Crawford Family)as we rented the first house on the left before buying our first house in School close where the new Methodist church now stands.

Lord Crawford owned most of Aspull John, most of the farms and houses were sold at auction after the pits were nationalized and the family moved to their estates in Scotland.

We walked from Hindley to the pike, John, as my then boyfriend , (now husband), lived in Hindley. As you say, it was a good trek! I agree with Elizabeth about Haigh and Aspull; it certainly is a lovely part of Wigan and District. We were at Haigh Hall on Sunday as my son performed a little act about mining for the Heritage Day; it is years since I was there and it brought back happy memories.

Love it.

Forget Shevy and all that, Aspull best part of Wigan and so proud of it along with Haigh.
We are the envy of most parts of Wigan District.

Veronica it's not a new roof they are solar panels., they generate electricity from the sun.

Couldn't agree more Aspuller,it's lovely.Yes,Irene,can remember walking to Rivington Pike on Good Fridays with schoolfriend,packed lunch eaten in Scot Lane at Aspull !

In the 1980s I can remember going to this house for whatever it was, and being told of the mine shaft and the many numbers of wagonfuls of hardfill or concrete needed to fill it, and I'm sure that it also had a pit head winding wheel either in the garden or close by.

Nice one Dennis, and as Veronica and John says a view of the top end of Dukes Row we never see when going along Wigan Road.

I was delivering concrete on turnaround with several others mid eighties Cyril it was several days of a job.

Aspull is a lovely place to live.Lots of open spaces right near the woods and Haigh Hall, and Rivington were we spent all our weekend's, thanks for the memories Dennis.

Thanks for pointing the solar roof out Alan. I believe stone built houses can be colder than brick built ones, but it wouldn’t put me off living in one.