LONGRIDGE HISTORY SOCIETY

PREHISTORIC TIMES

There have been two archaeological discoveries - a stone barbed arrowhead, and the unique wood circle which I will describe later.

From examination of skeletons found in Northern England we can discover something of the type of people inhabiting the area.  They were a tall round headed race with large heads, broad faces, and of massive build.  They conquered the greater part of France and Spain in the Neolithic Age, and invaded England at the beginning of the Bronze Age.  Practically every island off the west coast of Ireland and Scotland represents them either through existing populations or prehistoric remains.  In those days settlements were confined to altitudes above 60 feet as the lowland areas were usually marshy.  The inhabitants preferred the forest areas and those naturally adapted for protection against the onslaught of hostile tribes. Bleasdale was such a place. Wolves, foxes, bears and boars would be present in the woods and would provide food.

BLEASDALE CIRCLE

Bleasdale Circle lies in the centre of a peat moss known as Edmarsh - now Admarsh. The moss is small in area and shallow in comparison with the mosses of the upper fells. It is clear that the oak posts of the outer palisade were put into a clay soil, and the peat has been formed since the circle was erected. The Circle was erected in the centre of deciduous woodland and the oak and birch trees used in its construction were found growing there.

In 1889 Thomas Kelsall, who farmed Upper Fairsnape, noticed that in this wood, in the middle of a marshy field, was a portion of smooth green turf. He pointed this out to Shadrach Jackson and they excavated the site from 1898 to 1900. Sir William Boyd Dawkins reported on this work. On conclusion of the excavations the site was planted with conifers and rhododendrons. The posts of the Inner Ring were raised to the surface of the ground adjacent to their original holes.

In 1925 the site was scheduled an Ancient Monument and by this time the oak posts had almost completely rotted, and the site was covered in dense undergrowth.

In 1932 the site was again excavated and preserved for the National Trust by Mr. W. J. Varley M.A. of Liverpool University. The remains consist of two circles made of timber - the outer of 150 feet in diameter and the inner of 75 feet.

The Outer Circle

The Outer Circle consists of round logs of oak placed side by side - the main ones being two or three feet in diameter. The main logs were placed at intervals of roughly 13 feet and sunk into the earth to a depth of five or six feet. The secondary logs were about eight inches in diameter and sunk into the ground about three feet. They had all rotted away to within 18 inches to two feet of the surface though they were sound and hard below and the axe marks were quite clear.  The entrance on the south-west was marked by two large principals. The enclosure was unprotected by a ditch or vallum and only marked off a circular area.

The Inner Circle

The Inner Circle, which lay close to the east side of the interior of the Outer Circle, is much more complex in its structure. There is an outside ring of earth 5 feet wide and 9 inches high, composed of clay thrown up out of the inside ditch. The ditch itself is 4 feet wide and 5 feet deep. Inside this there is a low mound also formed of clay. In this lay concealed a circle of eleven rounded oak logs. In the centre of this circle, two feet below ground level, a group of urns were found in a rectangular hole measuring 2 feet by 3 feet. The hole was filled with wood ashes. The two funeral urns contained human bones, and inside one was a smaller vase. The only other relic was a mass of charcoal to the west of the urns.

The ditch had been filled with leaves and peat, and when these were removed a curious flooring was revealed made up of poles placed parallel to one another and wedged so that they made a horizontal surface. They were roughly 6 inches in diameter and were laid over branches of birch laid crosswise.

The Bleasdale Circle as it was constructed was unique. It represents a fusion of ideas from different sources. Some people have supported the theory that the Circle was used for sun worship, because the entrance to the Inner Circle faced due east, and looked directly towards a depression in Fairsnape called Nick's Seat. They said this was man made, and the sun's rays would reach the centre of the Circle early in the morning.

The Circle was made of wood because of its position in the midst of a thickly forested area. It is difficult to imagine how the great gateposts could have been erected - probably by leverage.

The two cinerary urns belong to the Abercromby Type with overhanging rims which are now recognised as belonging to the Middle Bronze Age.

From this Bronze Age relic nothing is known of Bleasdale in the Iron Age. The fell tops must have become increasingly inhospitable due to formation of peat.

HISTORIC TIMES

The name “Bleaşdale” is classed as an old Norse name, "Blesa", meaning blaze or light spot. The varying shades on the fells are still very obvious.

Bleasdale has no mention in Domesday, but like all of Amounderness was held by Tostig. In 1086 it was included in the Forest of Lancaster and as such was royal property.

About 1249 demesne vaccaries in the Forests of Wyresdale and Bleasdale were let out to farm, and in 1332 were yielding an annual rent of £21-11s. Later these forests came into the possession of John of Gaunt. In 1323 vaccaries for cattle breeding were in existence at Blindhurst, Hazelhead (believed to be the modern Broadhead), Fairsnape and Brooks.

As late as 1588 Bleasdale was listed as one of the forests which would supply venison to the Chancellor.

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

Colonization of Bleasdale is thought to have begun about 1530. A family named Parkinson were believed to have been tenants of some of the Bleasdale vaccaries. They came from Northumberland, fleeing from the Scots. The farms of Higher Core, Blindhurst, Fairshape and Hazelhurst were all enclosed by the Parkinson family. These farms were in a semi-circle on the fell side above the swampy land. Sheep farming, as now, was prevalent. So the Parkinson family settled in the area and built their houses. The houses were of local rough hewn Pendle gritstone, typical of many farm houses - thick walls, slated roofs, studded oak doors, and enormous slabbed kitchens. The Hearth-stone at Higher Core is 6 feet by 3 feet.

Fairsnape was the first house built in 1637 with the Parkinson coat of arms over the door and carved in stone.

A curious feature at Upper Fairsnape and Blindhurst is that at each place are two farm houses facing each other. In both cases two brothers quarrelled, both wanting a house built on the same spot. The winner of the argument built his house on the favoured spot, and then the other brother built his directly in front of his brother's, out of spite, and hence the view of both was spoilt.

Gradually the land was drained for farm pasture, and Bleasdale reached its peak of importance early in the 19th century. Devoted to sheep farming it became an important wool producing area. The wool was transported by mule and pack horse to Kendal and Lancaster and to York and the West Riding. A pack-horse bridge can be seen at Brooks Farm crossing the Winsnape Brook.

At Coolam a wool combing centre sprang up.  Straw plaiting was also carried on, oats being grown.  The straw was dried and dyed with fell ochre, and made into women's straw hats.  Coolam consisted of six cottages spread between Hazelhurst and Clough Heads Brook - which was used for water power.  Coolam has now vanished, but the stone supports of the stocks can be seen outside Hazelhurst Farm.  There was also a brickyard run by Mr. Garnett making bricks, tiles and drainage pipes.  All that remains today is the name, Brickyard Wood.

From 1829 to 1840 the Garnett family became chief landowner in Bleasdale obtaining the estate by purchase from the Parkinson family.  William Garnett of Salford greatly improved the land, converting wild land into pastures and meadows.  He built Bleasdale Tower as his own residence, and was High Sheriff in 1843.  His son and grandson in their turn completed the improvements he had started.  Despite the influx of the gentry and the small industries, Bleasdale remained essentially the same - a farming community.  The roads, over open, rushy moorland, were merely tracks.  There were few bridges, the streams being crossed by fords.  The area was self-supporting.  Oats were grown where possible and there was a small corn mill at Higher Brock Mill which is now the Post Office. Pigs and cattle were kept for home consumption. Peat was cut on the fell tops and brought to the farms by large wooden sledges, pulled up by a horse, but the horse was harnessed to the back coming down to prevent the sledge going too fast. The peat was cut in the Autumn and lasted through the Winter. There is an out building at Higher Core called a Turf House.

In 1807[i] a North Lancashire Reform School[ii] was built by subscription and remained until 1905. The Reformatory Building is now split up to form cottages for the Bleasdale estate workers. The demesne, being bleak and wild, was hardly conducive to escape, and there was plenty of scope for manual work. The Reformatory was self-supporting, having its own cultivated and pasture land. There were large workshops with tools and machines for the boys to learn useful trades. Masters attended to teach joinery, clogging, surveying and building. The boys began to pave the roads and to build bridges. The Reformatory Bridge is one of these. There was one mass escape, and five boys escaped completely over the fell tops, but the rest were found next day and were glad to be taken back, so inhospitable was the country.

It is known that a Chapel existed at Admarsh in the time of Elizabeth 1.  In 1610 there was “a Chapel without service in the King's Chase”.  In 1650 a survey on churches declared:

Admarsh Chapel

The above Chapel, situate in the township of Bleasdale, one of the wildest and most uncultivated districts of the parish of Lancaster, being in a sad state of decay and much too small for the population, a subscription has been opened for the purpose of rebuilding it, but the inhabitants are not of themselves able to raise the necessary sum, a few benevolent individuals (remembering that a grain of mustard seed when watered by the dew of Heaven may become a tree) have kindly consented to solicit SIXPENCE from each of their friends in furtherance of this good work.  May they hope that you will co-operate with them in this design which has for its end the Glory of God and the lasting welfare of man.

Regular services were unknown until 1702. Christopher Parkinson of Hazelhurst gave £8-10s a year for a minister to preach once a month. From 1749 there seems to have been a curate in charge. In 1835 the church was renamed St. Eadmer the only church in the country dedicated to this saint. In 1897 the church was enlarged.

The School was opened in 1855. Christopher Parkinson left £10 per year for a school teacher. The minister and the teacher were the same person.

Today Bleasdale is still a farming area and still a very isolated place. The post office was at the school cottages. The village hall was built from the stones of Coolam.

This small village, hidden among the hills, which had its beginnings so early in the history of the world, is still a very simple and beautiful place. In 1851, the Rev. Hugh Stowell, Chaplain to the High Sheriff of Lancashire, preached at Admarsh Chapel. Later, when speaking to Canon Parkinson, he said, "Well, I never remember a poorer congregation in my life!”. The Canon replied, "On the contrary, Mr. Stowell, I can assure you that you never preached to a richer one".

Sources

1. “The Bleasdale Circler” by W. J. Varley, M.A., F.S.A.
2. “History of Chipping” by Tom Smith
3. “The Bleasdale Amphitheatre", unpublished thesis by Miss M. Lord