Photographs of Whalley, a large village with much historical interest and neighbouring Langho in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire.
The 16th century Old St Leonard's Church at Old Langho in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The church was built in 1557, shortly after the Reformation when few new churches were being built. It is thought that some stonework and fittings came from nearby Whalley Abbey following the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
This redundant church is now in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.
Grade 1 listed.
Brockhall Hospital Memorial, Old Langho in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire.
A terribly sad memorial to the patients who died in this old psychiatric hospital, and were buried (mostly in unmarked graves) in this small plot just outside the graveyard of Old St. Leonard's Church. The names and ages of the patients are listed on 3 sides of this memorial, many of them children and young adults.
The top of the memorial reads:
"BROCKHALL HOSPITAL
In an isolated institution located to the north east of this stone there lived from 1904 to 1992 a large number of people who were thought to be too strange, too difficult or too challenging to be cared for in their own communities. The institution in turn was called Lancashire Inebriates Reformatory (1904) Brockhall Hospital for Mental Defectives (1915) Brockhall Hospital for the Mentally Subnormal (1959) Brockhall Hospital for Mentally Handicapped People (1974) and Brockhall Hospital for People with Learning Disabilities (1991). Although those who lived there carried heavier burdens than most they were part of our common family.
Brockhall Hospital closed its doors in 1992 and the land on which it stood was acquired by Gerald Shimon Hitman of Newcastle upon Tyne who raised this stone as a memorial to those who ended their days in the hospital and are buried here. God full of compassion grant perfect rest beneath the shelter of your presence to these your children who have gone to their eternal home. Master of mercy, cover them in the shelter of your wings forever and bind their souls into the gathering of life. It is the Lord who is their heritage. May they be at peace in their place of rest."
The Black Bull, Old Langho in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire.
The Black Bull is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Cavalier, William Dutton, who was part of the Royalist forces.
The Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
St Mary and All Saints Church was built on the site of earlier 8th and 12th century churches. The present building dates from 1200 with the addition of the tower in 1440.
Grade 1 listed.
The Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
St Mary and All Saints Church was built on the site of earlier 8th and 12th century churches. The present building dates from 1200 with the addition of the tower in 1440.
Grade 1 listed.
The choir stalls in the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The chancel screen is a 15th century rood screen (restored in 1864).
The 15th choir stalls (restored in 1866) have elaborate carved canopies and a superb series of misericords.
Misericord in the Church of All Saints, Whalley in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire.
St George is seen slaying the dragon. A little head can be seen behind the dragon's wing.
The supporters are dragon's heads.
Definition of 'Misericord' A ledge projecting from the underside of a hinged seat in a choir stall which, when the seat is turned up, gives support to someone standing.
Misericord in the Church of All Saints, Whalley in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire.
On the left, Raynard the fox is escaping with a goose for his cubs. On the left, the farmer's wife is asleep with her distaff in her hand. The cat is also asleep, but the dog is awake and can't be bothered to give chase!
The supporters are carved roses.
The alter of the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The organ in the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The 1727 organ was originally built for Lancaster Priory. It has been in this church since 1813.
St Anton's Cage in the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
St. Anton's Cage is a large pew, originally built in 1534 for the Nowell family of Read, near Padiham. Above its two doors are the initials of the Fort and Taylor families who contested ownership of the pew. In 1830 the dispute was settled when the pew was divided by Ecclesiastical court order. The pew was never used again because neither family would share.
Roman alter stone with a carving of Mars in the Church of St Mary and All Saints at Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
N.B. Wall posters in the background erased.
10th century Anglo-Saxon cross at St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
This is the oldest of three Anglo-Saxon crosses in the churchyard.
Anglo-Saxon cross at St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
This is one of three Anglo-Saxon crosses in the churchyard.
Anglo-Saxon cross at St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
This is one of three Anglo-Saxon crosses in the churchyard.
Stone block showing edidence of roman tooling outside St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
Medieval stone coffin outside St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
18th century sundial in the churchyard of St Mary and All Saints Church, Whalley in Lancashire.
The early 14th century north-west Gateway of Whalley Abbey, Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The North West Gatehouse for Whalley Abbey spanning a narrow lane which was once the main road north through the Ribble Valley.
The gatehouse was constructed between 1296 and 1310. The first floor was probably a chapel.
Grade 1 Listed.
The vaulted roof of Whalley Abbey Gatehouse at Whalley in
the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The vaulted ceiling of this two-storey north-west gatehouse was constructed between 1296 and 1310. The first floor was probably a chapel.
Grade 1 Listed.
The North-east Gatehouse of Whalley Abbey in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire
This gatehouse was built in 1480, just 57 years before the abbey was dissolved.
Whalley Abbey was founded in 1296 by Cistercian monks who abandoned their flooded abbey in Stanlaw on the Wirral Peninsula. The abbey was destroyed in 1537 as part of the dissolution of the monasteries and Abbot Paslew was executed for high treason for his part in events connected with the Pilgrimage of Grace.
Small admission charge.
Grade 1 listed.
Sundial on the inner wall of the North-east Gatehouse at Whalley Abbey in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
This gatehouse was built in 1480, just 57 years before the abbey was dissolved.