Belthorn Heritage Trail - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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8downhill, at the same time pulling the empty,lighter wagons up the hill to be filled in their turn.10. Just past the colliery workings at an S-bendin the track, look again into the field on the left andnotice a small, square, low-walled compound withtwo Sycamore trees.This is in fact a recently restored burial ground forthe once locally prominent Scholes family. Lookingsouth back to the ‘New Inn’, notice to the right onthe pinnacle of a hill a second similar graveyard.Many people believe these small graveyards to beQuaker burial grounds. This graveyard along withthe second New Inn both have headstones, whichis the giveaway. Quakers did reside in the area anda third much larger burial ground exists nearbywithout any memorial stones. Their basic lifestylehad no need for such indulgences.11. From now on you are steadily climbing uphill,passing isolated cottages and formerfarmhouses all on the left-hand side.Many years ago Bank Fold House, (now namedLower Bank Fold Farm) whose gable faces the lefthandside of the lane, was the home of a ‘lady’occupied in the ‘oldest profession’, who providedher service to passing miners on their way to andfrom the coal mines at the bottom of the hill.It was said she sat in a rocking chair on the sideof the veranda plying her trade.12. Turn sharp left and walk past the frontage ofLower Bank Fold Farm. Looking uphill to yourright, the gable end of Higher Bank Fold Lane Farmwill be visible.
The building was last used as a farmhousein 1987. The incumbent was a local characternamed Albert Hope, who lived there with hissister until age overcame them. When once seenby police because his cattle had again strayed ontoBelthorn Road and caused untold damage to thegardens, Albert said, “I keep telling them (the cows)not to go up there but they take no notice, youknow!!” Over 100 people lived in the Bank Foldarea in the mid-19th century – mostly handloomweavers.13. Continue through a five bar gate and into anopen field.Veer off to the left to pass betweenholly thickets where there is a stile. Cross a secondstile and continue on towards the holly hedge andout of the field over a drystone wall and onto thelane.Turn right and continue uphill to an imposingmansion.Named ‘Woodhead’, the house was built in 1860and owned by many generations by the Yatesfamily (whose walled graveyard lies on theprominent hill adjacent to the New Inn). TheYates’s were a large and prominent family in thearea hence the local Parish of ‘Yate and PickupBank’. Indeed Major Yates officiated in thededication of the village memorial in 1910.In bygone times, on hot summer days, Woodheadhosted many village summer fetes, galas and gardenparties.14. At the driveway entrance to Woodhead,bear right and follow part of an ancient walled andcobbled packhorse route, through matureSycamore woodland. Passing Lower PaddockHouse Farm entrance, continue uphill passingthe cottages on Top Fold and back ontoBelthorn Road.9
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Belthorn Heritage Trail - Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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