Pendle & Clarion House Walk . 🏠

It’s another walk through ‘ Pendle Witch Country’ with a couple of stops full of history and hospitality.

Walk 14 from Lancashire Year round Walks by Nick Burton. OS Explorer Map OL41. 5 and a half miles.

We parked at the pay and display car park opposite The Pendle Heritage Centre in the village of Barrowford. From here the author has devised a circular route that joins The Pendle Way with its Witchy Waymarkers , taking explorers across rugged countryside to Roughlee where The Last Clarion House resides.

Pendle Hill seen from the car between Gisburn and Blacko . At 557m , Pendle is just short of being a mountain.

Daffodils at the pay & display car park in Barrowford. Spring has sprung!

For those of you who have never heard of Pendle Hill, it is probably the most famous natural landmark in Lancashire. Steeped in history and known for its wild rugged beauty, Pendle is included as a detached part of the Forest Of Bowland AONB. Rising above the green pastures of the Ribble Valley & Clitheroe to one side and the borough of Pendles industrial towns and scattered villages to the other, Pendle Hill dominates the landscape on most of my local walks. It is from where George Fox was inspired to rally people to join the Quakers after his vision at the summit, and it is from where the alleged Pendle Witches were marched in shackles to Lancaster for the infamous Pendle Witch Trials.

On the Pendle Way path by Pendle Water.

Passing Old Oak Cottage.

Distinctive White Gatepost at Water Meetings Farm.

Heading up hill through woodland.

And onto open hillside. Looking back toward Blacko Tower.

We cross a very muddy field.

Squelch Squelch !

A crossroads of paths. We go downhill from here.

Heading down to Pendle Water and the village of Roughlee.

And some substantial Stepping Stones.

Beware, Hugo crossing. We were impressed by his balancing act.

Which was better than mine….

We pass a fairy house in Roughlee.

And on the side of the road, a witch. Alice Nutter.

Alice Nutter was one of twelve people accused of Wtchcraft from the Pendle Area in the seventeenth century. The alleged witches were denied access to lawyers and hung together at Gallows Hill in Lancaster on 20th August 1612. Most probably innocent victims of the mass hysteria and superstition of the time, the Pendle Witches have never the less caught the imagination of visitors to Pendle over the years. Alice herself was a member of a wealthy landowning family in Roughlee. Her lifesize statue made from steel and brass can be seen walking in chains by the side of the road.

Roughlee has an impressive waterfall on Pendle Water.

Dam Head is one of several former mills in the village.

From Roughlee we walk up Jinny Lane in search of a special refreshment stop. In a nearby field , a herd of Highland Cows watch us languidly.

Eggs for Sale.

Time for a brew?

The Last Clarion House.

Open only on Sundays , Clarion House is the last of its kind left standing. Built in 1912 for mill workers and their families to escape into the fresh air on their one day off ,this cosy meeting place still welcomes walkers and cyclists who happen on this special place. The Clarion movement had caught on at the end of the 19th century, a socialist ideal for working class folk who wanted to get together with like minded people. Walking clubs, choirs and cycling clubs sprang up as well as club houses and refreshment rooms like this one. It was lovely inside with benches to sit on, vintage socialist paraphernalia decorating the walls and a welcoming roaring fire. And it’s all run and looked after by friendly volunteers. For a more detailed post about The Last Clarion House, check out Michael’s Blog Here.

Roaring Fire. 🔥

2 mugs of coffee and a KitKat £2.

Dogs on leads are welcome.

Benches outside Clarion House.

Leaving Clarion House we head through a field full of Jacob Sheep and lambs.

A witchy house sign.

Not exactly a Witch? She peers over the wall at Noggarth Top Shop and Pendle View Gardens.

Pendle Hill from Noggarth.

A cute spindly 🐑 lamb.

Back on The Pendle Way.

We come across an abandoned farm.

And it’s abandoned burnt out farmhouse. Still beautiful and now the home of …….a barn owl, which flew silently out from the bedroom window. 🦉

The fields were sodden so we detoured the short walk back to Barrowford along Pasture Lane , passing the White Bear Inn.

Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford.

Back in Barrowford I take a quick look around the Pendle Heritage Centre which has a museum, tea room and walled garden. Situated by Pendle Water in a grade 1 1 listed manor house and farm buildings, the centre includes exhibitions about life here through the years and The Pendle Witches.

Museum gift shop window.

Inside the museum.

Manor house kitchen.

Mullioned windows.

Pendle Witches story.

Walled Garden.

Hope you enjoyed my muddy walk through Pendle Witch Country. 🧹

Two New Years Walks In Lancashire.

The New Year 💕 brings in new possibilities. One I hope, is more Lancashire walks on this blog. We’ve recently purchased two new pocket walking books, so here are our first two walks.

Lock Keepers Cottage, Barrowford.

Barrowford and the Canal.

Lancashire 40 Favourite Walks by Alastair Ross. Distance 9.5km, Map OS Explorer Ol21.

We started this walk from The Pendle Heritage Centre in Barrowford, a museum and cafe ( completely Dog Friendly apparently 🐶) which was unfortunately closed on our visit. Parking is available on an inexpensive Pay & Display Car Park opposite.

I enjoyed parts of the walk more than others. It’s always nice to amble by the canal side, imagining who lives or holidays in the brightly painted barges. The route also takes you under the noisy M65 Motorway and crosses over a busy Dual Carriageway.

The Florence. Go With The Flo.

Foulridge Tunnel.

Slipper Hill Reservoir. We were greated here by a Springer Spaniel called Martha. Hugo completely monopolises this photo though. 🤪

Follow the sign to Colne.

Through Alkincoates Woodland. The peace is disturbed after here though, with busy roads to cross.

And back to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

A gushing wier on Pendle Water.

The Pendle Heritage Centre.

Witchy Tercet Poem at Pendle Heritage Centre, this one is for convicted Witch John Bulcock. The centre has a Pendle Witches exhibition inside.

Chipping ~ Deer Park Below The Fells.

Lancashire Year Round Walks by Nick Burton. Distance 6.4 Km. OS Explorer Map OL41 Bowland & Ribblesdale.

We parked on the free Village Hall Car Park. This walk takes in the historic village of Chipping , soon heading into lovely pastoral countryside. A former Deer Park, Small Hill and well preserved limestone kiln are featured. The hike appears in the Spring Walks section of the book ,was still a good one to do in Winter, though was quite wet underfoot.

Chipping selfie.

Chipping has a couple of dog friendly pubs serving food and a couple of cosy cafes . We enjoyed a brew and sausage roll , sat outside the Farm Shop in the village.

Open Parkland.

Shadow photography.

Crooked Tree.

Footbridge over Leagram Brook.

Approaching Knot Hill.

Lime Kiln.

Old Tree.

St Bartholomew’s Church in Chipping.

Brabins Store is England’s oldest trading village shop.

Thanks for dropping by. 🐾

Pendle Witchery.

My hometown is Clitheroe, a bustling settlement nestling at the foot of Pendle Hill in Lancashire. You may have heard of Pendle, the hill and the whole area is famed for its legendary association with witches.

It was in 1612 that twelve people from the Pendle area were put on trial for witchcraft . Lancashire in those days was mired in superstition. Seen as a remote and heathern backwater , accusations of sorcery were rife. Several of the accused ‘witches’ were made to walk the 40 miles from Barrowford to Lancaster Castle , where they were imprisoned underground , awaiting their fate.

The trouble started when one Alizon Device was accused by a pedlar of putting a curse on him, causing the man to become crippled on the spot. Under questioning the young girl confessed to being a witch and members of her family too.

Alizon’s family were headed by her 80 year old Grandmother Elizabeth Southernes, known as Demdike. These simple folk were dirt poor and made their living begging, often cursing those who wouldn’t entertain them. Demdike in particular had the appearance of an old hag, and had begun to believe in her own witchy powers, especially as people were prone to dying after her hexes. Of course in the seventeenth century illness and death were coincidentally common.

Witches in Chains at Pendle Sculpture Trail, Barley.

As more of the family were implicated in witchy goings on, another local family become embroiled in the accusations. Also headed by an elderly matriarch , known as Chattox , she and her relatives made a living from begging as well. Demdike and Chattox did not get on and both accused each other of and admited to being witches.

With their loved ones incarcerated, a gathering was then held at Malkin Tower. Possibly hoping to find a way to prove the prisoners innocence, things would only go from bad to worse for the ‘ witches ‘ remaining family members, friends and allies. When word got around about the meeting at Malkin Tower, chief prosecutor and magistrate Roger Nowell rounded up the attendees. For surely it had been a devious covern, plotting their kins escape.

The Pendle Witch Trail covers the route the accused walked from Pendle to Lancaster.

It was on the evidence of a nine year old Star Witness that dammed yet more suspected witches. Jennet Device , the younger sister of Alizon and grandaughter of Demdike spoke out against her own mother and brother. She also confirmed the attendance of and gave evidence against several of the folk allegedly seen by her at Malkin Tower. These included landowner Alice Nutter, the only one of the accused who wasn’t of low birth. It seems that although Alice denied being there, she didnt offer up where she was at the time. Some say that Alice may have in fact been with Catholic friends. Being Catholic in protestant ruled England in 1612 was highly dangerous and Alice would not have wanted to implicate them.

So it was that of the 12 people accused of witchcraft, 10 were hanged from the gallows on moorland just above Lancaster. Demdike had already died in prison, and one lucky person, Alice Grey, was actually found innocent. All of the accused were not allowed any defence council, many were put to death on the hearsay of a nine year old child and two families were almost completely wiped out.

Statue of suspected ‘ witch ‘ Alice Nutter in her home village of Roughlee, Pendle. Photo via Pinterest.

Here is a list of the 10 people who were hung as witches in Lancaster.

• Anne Whittle ( “Chattox”)
• Ann Redfearn
• Elizabeth Device
• Alice Nutter
• Alizon Device
• James Device
• Katherine Hewitt
• Jane Bulcock
• John Bulcock
• Isobel Robey

Isobel Robeys Tercet Wayarker at Clitheroe Castle. Isobels only crimes seemed to be cursing people who didn’t buy the milk she was selling and being disliked by her accuser, her God daughters husband.

The Pendle Witches live on today in the hearts and in the imaginations of many Lancashire people and visitors to the county. There is a 52 mile walking trail that follows in the prisoners footsteps from Barrowford to Lancaster , complete with 10 Tercet waymarkers, one for each of the 10 lives taken.

Witches on a walk in Pendle ~ photo Sarah Pinnington.

Visitors to Pendle can also discover the Pendle Sculpture Trail in Aitken Wood near Barley or buy spooky gifts from Witches Galore in the village of Newchurch. Clitheroe too has a new shop devoted to all things Wiccan, The Cackling Witch is located on Castle Gate.

Witches Galore.

Whether the Pendle Witches were indeed Witches or simply innocent victims of another era, there is no doubt that the scattered villages and wild countryside here hold a quiet air of mystery. And sometimes Pendle Hill itself has been known to cast a spell. After a heavy snowfall melts away, what remains in the ditches and gullys , could be seen to resemble……a Witch on a broomstick.

The Pendle Snow Witch on the Clitheroe side of Pendle Hill ~ image via Pinterest.

Thanks for reading. 🍁