Beautiful Lancashire

[Mathos]

Sunsetter wrote:-

ahh transit vans and pikeys, joys of the english countryside

nice pics mate,nice to see a bit of the uk, was wondering where to post mine, cheers


Fire away pal...

The more the merrier.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Happyman

I am in the process of writing a paper for the Wolverhampton Historical Society focussed on the leading families - Giffords- Molyneux - Manders etc

This has put the grit in the Vasiline!!!

They were prominent in Wolverhampton ( Wolves Football Ground !) but nowhere have I found any records of land ownership on a big scale outside of the Midlands or the South of England.

Looks like I will have to dig deeper ! Luckily it is the last section

With a strange name like that they must have been connected.

Thanks

PS- Like the pictures!

Cheers Happyman,

Hope I haven't caused you too much grief, but I bet your glad to have the chance to check it out and perhaps add some additional references.

[Mathos]

This is some additional information taken from The Internet regarding the superb work of art as shown below in photographic mode and information regarding the artist and Cuerden Hall.

The favourite hunters of Mrs Robert Townley Parker of Cuerden Hall, Lancashire in a wooded coastal landscape





Charles Towne from 1810 was based in Liverpool, becoming a founder member of the Liverpool Academy. He travelled widely in the north of England to paint horses and many of his clients were Cheshire and Lancashire gentry. Mrs Townley Parker (d.1878), née Emily Brooke, was the daughter of Thomas Brooke of Church Minshull. In 1816 she married her kinsman Robert Townley Parker (1793-1879), son of Thomas Townley Parker of Cuerdon Hall, Sheriff of Lancashire, and his wife Susannah Brooke. On his father’s death in 1794, the infant Robert inherited Cuerdon, near Bamber Bridge, and the Brooke estate of Astley Park near Chorley, Lancashire. He was MP for Preston from 1837 to 1857.



In 1816 Robert Townley Parker commissioned Lewis Wyatt to remodel the early eighteenth century Cuerdon Hall in a Grecian style with four corner turrets: these may be echoed in the turrets in the background of Towne’s painting, which sets Mrs Townley Parker’s hunters in a romantic, wooded landscape. The River Lostock, which flows through the Cuerdon valley, is aggrandised to a gleaming estuary with sailing boats and larger shipping. During his years in London, from 1799 to 1804, Charles Towne had been an associate of George Morland and Morland’s richly-detailed rustic scenes are reflected in Towne’s delicately-painted landscape, with its subtle handling of light.


CHARLES TOWNE

Wigan 1763 - 1840 Liverpool


Charles Towne specialised in horse and dog portraiture and landscape, rendered with delicacy and detail. Towne (the spelling of his name he used after 1799) was born in Wigan, the third child of Robert and Mary Town. Charles was selling his drawings by the age of eight and at twelve walked to Leeds to work for the landscape artist John Rathbone. He then joined his brother in Liverpool, becoming a coach- and ornamental painter and japanner. He worked in Lancaster and Manchester, returning to Liverpool by 1785 to marry a widow, Margaret Harrison.



Towne exhibited a landscape at the Liverpool Society for Promoting Painting and Design in 1787 and copied from memory George Stubbs’s exhibits, Haymakers and Reapers. Towne was influenced by Stubbs, another Liverpool-born painter, in his equestrian portraits, the earliest of which dates from 1792. Towne divided his time between Liverpool and Manchester, with a visit to London in 1797. There he visited the studio of Philip de Loutherbourg, whose work influenced his Highland scene The monarch of the Glen, 1797 (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool).



From 1799 to 1804 Towne lived in London, exhibiting at the Royal Academy in those years. He became a friend of the rackety George Morland, emulating his rustic landscapes and, more unfortunately, his life. By 1798 Towne was making £600 a year, yet spent money as fast as he could earn it. He returned to Liverpool around 1810 and became a founder member of the Liverpool Academy, serving as its Vice-President 1812-13 and exhibiting there 1810-13 and 1822-25. He exhibited at the Royal Manchester Institution 1827-33. From 1813 Towne also worked as a picture restorer. He seems to have travelled widely in the north of England to paint horses and dogs, but the majority of his clients were Lancashire and Cheshire gentry. Towne died in Liverpool in 1840.



The work of Charles Towne is represented in the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

[sunsetter]

Originally Posted by Mathos

Sunsetter wrote:-

ahh transit vans and pikeys, joys of the english countryside

nice pics mate,nice to see a bit of the uk, was wondering where to post mine, cheers


Fire away pal...

The more the merrier.

cool, soon

[wanderering walter]

Thats a pic of Roach Bridge Weir built to provide water for Roach Bridge Paper Mill on the right, now closed, I used to live a mile down the river from there, Up from the mill is New Hall Tavern where you can get a vast selection of real ale!!

[Mathos]

A flying visit and noticed your comments Walt.

Having watched your namesake many a time in a few clubs and pubs across the County many years ago, I thought I'd oblige with a photograph taken last Wednesday morning. 11th June 08


It is indeed a cracking little pub, excellent choice of ales and brilliant food.

Well recommended.





That should rekindle a memory or two for you pal.

[Happyman]

Hope I haven't caused you too much grief, but I bet your glad to have the chance to check it out and perhaps add some additional references.

Cheers Mathos!

Have done a lot more digging and found a branch of the Molineux family land in West Nottinghamshire so could be getting somewhere .

Thanks and keep the pics coning !

[Mathos]

A few nice ones I took earlier on this evening coming up.

I am looking forward to the school summer holidays. Only about a month to go and I'll have two or three of my grandsons with me probably two or three days a week for several weeks.

It's good fun, keeping them occupied is the hard part.

I'd been down to the gym earlier on tonight and two of them were with me. It's been a good season for amateur boxing, the summer means a lay off until the new season starts in September, getting the lads in good fettle for The Schoolboy's ABA Tournaments and Championships is hard work but is rewarding in it's own rights.

We normally do two nights a week training at the gym for them during summer, just to keep their fitness levels as good as is possible, maintain the interest and technique work is essential to coach.

So on the way home with my own two lads, (We had seventeen working out in total tonight six of those were in the adult category. You can compete in the Amateur Ranking at senior level up to 34 years of age.) I had a drive around the local country side with a view to varying the cycle rides I normally do with them during the summer.

They expressed their "We don't want to cycle to Southport or Blackpool this year"

Pity, because i enjoy those routes, but never mind, I'll do them by myself.

So I decided this little area would be excellent for them and so far, they seem quite happy with the same.




This is the canal as it runs through Whittle Springs another wonderful and picturesque area of Lancashire

It's certainly many and many a year since I cycled along a canal path, so I'm already looking forward to it.





I took the lads a drive up around Anglezarke and onto Belmont, I obviously snapped away at a couple of nice spots and have some decent photographs to show.

Well I hope they look decent anyhow.

[Mathos]

I have a tendency to photograph roads as I am driving along. I think the reader is perhaps able to appreciate the beauty of the area and the pleasantness of a summers evening or day.

I know that driving through such beauty gives me a feeling of privilege.



The Canal lock looked so brilliant as well, I was going to drive up to top lock and take a few photographs of the pub there by the canal bank, Plus the lock house and a few other nice spots. However, the lads had some homework to do when they got home and they had to have their tea. You can't eat and train for boxing, or any other sport for that matter so it's always after training when they eat.

Cut the waffle out Mathos, you had to have them home early, OK.





Isn't that gorgeous to look at though.

I'm not asking a question there either.

[Mathos]

I was telling their mother where we had been when I got them home {My younger daughter}

"Your not taking them cycling on that canal path Dad, you'll have them falling in!"


Grand isn't it..




This was a beautiful little spot, a dark copse in the middle of the fields. Brilliant.




I was quite surprised how quiet it was around there this evening, normally it would be very busy on such a beautiful night.

Must be the fuel strike and shortage.

I'm glad one of my Son in Laws has a Shell franchise.

Shut it Mathos.





It's like driving from night into day, some of the trees cover the roads so thickly it's almost put your lights on time.

[Alex DeLarge]

Some nice-loooking boozers there.

Good thread, Mathos.

[Mathos]

These photographs look better than I thought they would.

I might just get another Green for these if I'm lucky.




Nice cottage for sale at Limbrick.

[Mathos]

Originally Posted by Alex DeLarge

Some nice-loooking boozers there.

Good thread, Mathos.

Cheers Alex.


This was a cracking pub at one time. It may well still be, I haven't been in for a few years.




There's a nice little area out back, we used to take the girls there when they were youngsters. The River runs through the back yard so to speak, There were stepping stones across the river and they loved to play there. Glass of pop or a bottle of coke, sandwich and a bag of crisps, they loved it.

Like I said I was pushed for time tonight so I didn't give it the once over.

Next time maybe.

There aren't enough hours in the day for me.

[Mathos]

I was stood on top of a dry stone wall here, trying to get the reservoir into the photograph, but it didn't work out how I planned.






I drove around to the reservoirs, they are absolutely stunning. It's like a miniature Lake District up here.





I liked this one of the broader lock basin as well, especially with the ducks which were totally quackers.

[Mathos]

A bit of information I gleamed from The Internet re The Black Horse.

I seemed to remember there was something special about it.

The Black Horse in Limbrick, south of Chorley, is the second-oldest pub in Lancashire dating right back to 1577. New landlords have brought something different to this traditional country pub with chef-patron Carminie a native of Sorrento. He has added a continental, and specifically Italian, twist to the traditional pub menu. Inside there are two drinking areas as well as the restaurant. Outside, a beer garden with tables overlooks the river. ...more information

Check it out on Sugarvine.com





Looks good, I'll have to treat Flobo to a meal there and let you know how it rates.

[Mathos]

Two things I hadn't realised until now.

1. What time it was.

2. How many photographs I hadn't down loaded yet.



Which means I have been a lot busier than I realised out there and here tonight.

I'll leave you with these and put some more on through the week.


These reservoirs really are spectacular.

It's fantastic up here in winter too, in the snow, we used to fetch the girls up and sledge on an old car bonnet, boy did that thing move some.





There really is some water up here, mainly feeding Manchester. I have seen these reservoirs dry in times of drought, about three times in my life-time.

Not a pretty sight.




These are though, they are fantastic.

Real beauty.

[Mathos]

There are some wonderful viewing points in the area. The landscape almost looks as if it has been painted by a 'master' at times.

Everything looks so ideal, maybe 'perfect' is the word I should be using, especially with photographs like these.






This next one looks out across the flatlands towards Southport.

There are some wonderful views on a very clear day especially, I have many a time seen Blackpool tower and The Big One from up here.





I thought there was no nicer spot on the planet than the next village, not so many who live in the area actually know of it's location in the hills either.

It's a brilliant Hamlet tucked away between a couple of valleys.

The road towards the same passes some absolutely beautiful property, the prices around here are astronomical though.


I just happened to think this was a brilliant property to show you.

Feast your eyes on the 'dry stone wall' as well.





I'll take you into the village I mentioned above with the next post.

[Mathos]

The village is called 'White Coppice' a beautiful name and it deserves it.


It was only when I thought about the village last night, I realised I hadn't gone down to the 'Cricket Ground'

It is spectacular, 'Real English' not to worry though, I will pay a return visit during the summer and hopefully get a photograph or two when they are playing.

The horses looked brilliant as I watched them in the field. I thought the photograph looked good as well. I have another, almost identical but I caught a bird on the same and a slightly wider snap shot from a few feet further back if my memory serves me right.

I'll see if I have time to down load it later and put it on board.




This is a real nice photograph taken from the heart of the village.





I took a couple of this particular point, it looked so nice, I wanted to catch as much as I could.




You want to see this area when it has been snowing too, it's like 'Fairy Land' as Flobo refers to it.