Photo-a-Day  (Monday, 28th October, 2024)

That's a lovely building.....I bet it's so quiet at night around there.

Cracking Colin.
Very interesting stable block. Shame about the coat of arms. Suppose if not for the CCTV a quick shimmy up the drainpipe to clean out that gutter, could have been.. attempted.

Stables and Coach House Arley Hall, BLACKROD.

Digressing from the photo, I have just got back from Wigan to see the inaugural 615 bus service depart to Middlebrook via Aspull from the Bus Station.
The BBC were there along with a few dignitaries, I think this is going to be a popular service once the word spreads.

Colin, will the 615 bus service prove to be another nail in Retail shopping in Wigan???

So is the 615 going via Westhoughton Colin?
That means Middlebrook will be busier than it always is!
Nice photo by the way. I like the nook at the end.

Dust off your bus passes folks. Cracking news to spread Colin.
All aboard the 615, use it or lose it.

Ron, sadly retail in Wigan has for many years been in decline and the opening of Robin Park and other out of town retail parks did not help. It’s easy to criticise Wigan Council for demolishing Market Gate and The Galleries but they had become a liability with most units empty.
Not sure what went wrong but Chorley and Warrington seem to be thriving and now this new bus service will I would think take away more trade. That’s life!
The bus is a double decker and runs every hour, full time table available at the bus station. I took a photo so it might pop up on PAD.

A very interesting photo Colin, I've never before seen the coach house and stables at Arley Hall, quite impressive and a shame that the heraldic coat of arms have eroded, though a book about the hall by Jack Winstanley *see below* may reveal who's or what coat of arms they actually were, as the hall goes back to the 12 Century. The book is mentioned in this interesting article by TWAS, https://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/content/Projects/Arley_Mills.htm.

**A book has recently been published to celebrate the club's centenary. Written by Jack Winstanley, it covers in detail this period to the present time, particularly of how the estate was acquired by the club, which in itself is a fascinating story. (The book can be viewed at the Wigan History Shop, library reference 796.35209.42736).**

I at first thought there was a plastic Owl bird scarer on the window ledge, but on a closer look it may be a covert camera.

Veronica, it’s not going through Westhoughton, I think the route is Scholes, Aspull and Blackrod.
You might have to catch a bus into Wigan to get it. Sit in the front seats upstairs for the best views!

And so back to the picture.Thanks Cyril for the additional information. Part of the stables is now a golf shop, although the entrance looks like a porch to a very old church and the walk down Arley Lane across the golf course is really pretty and vey quite thatif that is you can avoid the golf balls!
The Hall is open to none members and perfect for a cup of coffee or your favourite tipple.

It’s no use to me then Colin. I can get to Middlebrook easy enough. I hope the Dicconson Lane folk manage to use it.