February 1st gave rise to a bright but very cold day (-3 degrees celsius at 8.00am).
It was the day we went from school, via Spenbrook along the ridge towards Noggarth.
We were accompanied by Mr Kevin Cale, archaeologist, who specialises in teaching
young children about archaeology. Also present was Mrs Joan Parsons who has a
really good knowledge of local history; Mrs Wilkinson, who has lived in the area for
ages; three staff and two interested parents!
We set off at 9.20 to see what lay around us...
Mr Cale told us how the walls were often
built in different periods of history... with
the wall in the picture on the left, below,
being made of shaped and quarried
stone, whilst the wall in the picture on the
right was made using different
techniques,much earlier in history.
We learned that this stone was brought
here probably dragged by a horse or two.
The stone in this area is Kinder Scout grit,
whereas across the valley it is Waverley
grit.
View looking back across to St Mary's
School, with Pendle Hill looming in the
background.
Did you know that "Pen" is an ancient word
for "hill"? so the hill in our midst is really
called "Hill Hill"?
We found a fossil of some tree bark in
this rock above. We also carried out some
"divining", using two old wire coat
hangers. When we walked over some buried
stones in the ground, the diviners reacted
by twisting sideways in our hands. We think
it's something to do with our magnetic
personalities, or something!
All too soon, it was time to head back to
school, but we did look at evidence of an
old lane, up which quarried rock would have
been moved.On the way back, we also
saw a "witch hole" set into the lintel above
a doorway. In times gone by, people
believed in strange, supernatural beings and
they thought that a witch hole would distract
these beings, causing them to enter the witch
hole instead of entering their houses and
barns. Creepy!
Nearly back, and Mr Cale waits for everyone
to catch up. After our walk, we had lunch,
then Mr Cale gave us all some interesting
artefacts to look at. We had to work out
what each object was, what it was made
from and what period in history it came from.
We looked at objects ranging from a 21st
century plastic toy to a piece of Roman
pottery to a really fascinating piece of
fossilised human Viking waste! Yuck!
(but interesting!)
Thanks Mr Cale for a really great day! Thanks to to Mrs Sandra Silk for liaising between our school
and Mr Cale. Finally thank you to all staff and helpers for making the day such a success!
