4 years ago

Haunting History of
Tockholes Blackburn with Darwen,Lancashire , England
Civil War
In 1833 a large pit was discovered in Tockholes village located in a field with the official title of "Pit Field", this field had previously been known locally as "Kill Field". In the pit were found the remains of some forty horses along with Cannonballs, Clubs and Large Buttons. At sometime during the Civil War, either during the course of the Earl of Derby's movements between Preston, Bolton, and Blackburn in 1643, or in 1644 with the passage of Prince Rupert's army, severe fighting took place about the lower part of Tockholes, in the vicinity of the church and then on to Cartridge-hill and Hollinshead Hall. Several cannonballs have been picked up in other parts of Tockholes, One was found in a field just above the Bethesda Chapel and another was found on Cartridge-hill, a lofty fell a mile or so further to the south above Hollinshead Hall. Musket bullets have also been found in a field behind the Old Independent Chapel only a short distance from the "Kill Filed" Pit. The artefacts recovered in Tockholes seem to indicate a severe battle in which troops, horses and musketeers were engaged and in which at least one piece of ordnance was brought into use by one side or the other. A battle in which at least forty horses were killed must have been quite a fierce one for such a small village. As the pit was found so close to the old Church of Tockholes, it is supposed that the bodies of the soldiers killed in the Battle would have been removed and buried in consecrated ground,their weapons and items of value being claimed by the prevailing side.
which would account for the absence of human bones along with those of the horses.

According to the statements of elderly persons
in the neighbourhood, who saw the remains that were brought
up in the cleansing of the pit, the exact number of skulls of
horses found in the muddy bottom was thirty-eight, and there
were also several horses' feet and leg-bones. One informant
mentions that some large metal buttons were turned up. The
bones were removed to the farmyard by the farmer, and
what became of any other relics is not remembered.
Maybe not surprisingly, several reports exist of strange shadows and shapes being seen here after dark around the ruins of Hollinshead Hall
Hollinshead Hall was a manor house close to the village of Tockholes . It is unclear whether the hall was originally the manor house of Tockholes, or if Hollinshead was indeed a manor in its own right alongside Tockholes and Livesey. The ruins of the hall are situated approximately 2 miles south of the village.

The main features of the site consist of the ruins of the late 18th century hall and Gardens, and the associated barn and stables. To the south of here are the remains of the farmhouse and farm buildings, and at the south-east side of the enclosed garden is a Well house, The only structure on the site which remains standing today.
One theory suggests that the name Hollinshead hall does not come from a family name at all but rather from a corruption of "Holy Head", an early name given to the manor in the 14th century, which in turn is derived from an earlier unknown Saxon place name given due to the topography and the presence of the noted Spring fed Holy well .Hollinshead Holy Well has a vague reputation of being haunted and also that its very pure water is good for eye troubles.

Photo 1 by Margaret CloughThe Well House was built to replace the old farm well when the house was for the most part demolished and rebuilt in 1776.geograph.org.uk
Photo 2 by www.urbexforums.com-entrance to the ruins of Hollinshead Hall

Photo 3 by (Gallery)~www.picturesofengland.com-Outside pulpit on church in Tockholes, Lancashire
Photo 4 by June GibbonsChurch History
It was founded before 1500http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Tockholes/StStephen.shtml
Photo 5 Boyd Harris
Detail of coat of arms and slave in chains, St Stephen's Church, Tockholeshttps://www.flickr.com/photos/66041583@N05/8350327202/
Photo 6 During the Civil War a field near the Church was the site of a skirmish between the Parliamentarians and Royalists
Photo 7 by https://wrinklyrambler.files.wordpress.com/The only building still standing amidst the ruins of Hollinshead Hall in Roddlesworth and Tockholes Woods, the Well House.
Photo 8 by Andrew Gritt
Hollinshead_Hall_and_Farm_-_geograph_org_uk_