Monthly Archives: January 2021

A Walk Along Sandy Lane

I have always found Sandy Lane interesting. Although most of the properties along it are relatively modern, the road itself does not follow the alignment of the other roads in the area. A few of the properties are significantly older. I suspect that Sandy Lane in a much earlier road associated with a much older Leyland.

The junction at the south end of Sandy Lane with Church Road is currently closed to traffic. Sandy Lane runs in a fairly straight line northeast to Broad Square and a junction with Balcarres Road. This is where Sandy Lane now ends. Older maps show that what is now Broad Square, Sandy Lane used to turn to the north and follow what is now Balcarres Road passing “Old Hall” to a junction with Turpin Green Lane. Opposite “Old Hall” was a stone cross and a large pond which occupied the modern area of Balcarres Green (the Spider Park) and King Street. This change, I suspect, is connected with the building of the “Garden Village” which started in the 1920s.

Our walk starts at the southern end of Church Street and St Andrew’s Church.

St Andrew’s Church Wall

Although this is not strictly in Sandy Lane, I think it is worth pointing out the following. In the wall of Saint Andrew’s churchyard are the remains of an early opening for a pathway leading via steps into the churchyard. We noticed this from an early map showing the area. The datestone above on the lintel reads 1827.

The Crescent

The Crescent at the end of Sandy Lane was built around 1916. I haven’t been able to find a more precise date. Planning approval for the building of these houses was granted in December 1908.

The / Crescent. A row of houses built c. 1916. The current offices at the Church Road end were once used as a private school.

Victoria Terrace

Victoria Terrace.

Merlyn House

Although technically in Pembroke Place rather than Sandy Lane Merlyn House is the former surgery and house of Doctor Cank during the 1930s. The house was originally called Sergeant House but was renamed when Doctor Cyril Meredith Wilmott and Evelyn Berry moved in after their marriage.

In the 1930s this was the home for a local doctor who held his surgery in the small annex that can still be seen to the left of the picture.

Bankfield 1889

Bankfield / 1889

Prospect House

Prospect House is one of nine pre 1893 buildings on Sandy Lane.

Originally home to the Berry family, Prospect House is now used for meetings, dance school, and a polling station.

The Leyland Motors Day Continuation School

The Leyland Motors Day Continuation School was opened in the 1930s and was in use until its closure in the 1970s. It was used for young employees of Leyland Motors and provided a continuation of education. More recently this building is now home to Broadoaks Child Development Centre.

The Leyland Motors Day Continuation School – West Side
The Leyland Motors Day Continuation School – Main Entrance

Charnock Hall

Grade II listed Charnock or Old Hall. The current hall was built in 1660 by Roger Charnock, a Roman Catholic priest. Above the door is a coat of arms inscribed,  “IHS AM RC 16 60”. Today the hall has been converted into two houses. The names “Blacklache Hall” & “Leyland Hall” have also been used in the past.

Speculation: IHS is a common Christogram and is frequently interpreted as “Jesus Our Savior”. RC would be Roger Charnock. AM is unknown at present. 1660 would be the year built.

Charnock Hall or Old Hall stands beside the junction of Balcarres Road, formerly Sandy Lane, and King Street.

A Walk Along Hough Lane & Towngate

There are lots of interesting reminders of Leyland past as you walk along Hough Lane and Towngate. We start at the north east end of Hough Lane and head south west.

Hough Lane

Lower Bank House is large town house built in 1892 for one of Leyland’s industrialists. Today it is used as Lower Bank Dental Surgery.

Lower Bank.
Is this the former office of Moulds Printers? The window is significant of something.
Wellington View. / Erected in 1897. / In the 60th year of / Queen Victoria’s reign.
Hope Terrace / E. 1907 C.

Grundy Terrace was formerly known as Mindor Terrace. It became Grundy’s dental surgery which is when the terrace took on the name it has today. I have read lots of posts on Facebook suggesting that Mr Grundy may have been “overzealous” in his treatments. The large window, above the silver car in the photograph, in the end wall is reputed to be one of the surgery windows.

Grundy Terrace. A former detal surgery.
Grundy / Terrace. A former detal surgery.
In 1887 and 1897, Stanley Brothers designed a special plaque to commemorate the milestone years on the throne for Queen Victoria. Houses built using Stanley Brothers bricks had the chance to have one of these terracotta commemorative plaques.
The first public house on this site dates back to the early 1730s. The current building dates back to the early 20th century was used by Dr Walter Johnson. After his death it was converted into a public house. Pressure from the Covid-19 pandemic has currently closed the business.

Water Street & Towngate

Reaching the western end of Hough Lane, we now turn south into Towngate. The northern end of Towngate from Hough Lane to Mrs Jolly’s Corner (the junction with Broad Street near Garden Terrace) was originally called Water Street; with the southern end of Towngate being called Chapel Street.

Methuen / 1902 / Terrace.
Williams Deacon’s Bank on the corner of Malden Street and Towngate. The word “DEACON’S” can still be read in Malden Street.

James Sumner began experimenting here with steam locomotion in the early 1890s. This led to the production of a steam-powered lawn mower leading to the formation of the Lancashire Steam Motor Company in 1896. Later, the building became George Damp & Sons Ltd, an engineering blacksmith. As you can see from the plaque, the Lancashire Steam Motor Company later became Leyland Motors and then Leyland Trucks.

James Sumner and The Spurrier Family forge site on Towngate.
Gordon / 18 AD 87 / Terrace.
Broad Bank / M / J & S / 1897

Known by many local people as Mrs Jolly’s Corner. Mrs Jolly had a small sweet shop here. On the south west face, currently a Barber Shop, is a plaque with a 1907 date.

This was the site of Mrs Jolly’s sweet shop.
The house on Jolly’s Corner has a plaque which reads J.R.H.P. / 1907

CETL: Chorley Electrica.l Around 1800 the “The Sun” Public House stood on this site. After changing names to “The Shoemakers” or “The Cordwainers Arms”, it became known as “Bannisters Ship Inn” by the early 1820s. Prior to being used by “Chorley Electrical” it was “The Original Ship”.

Now Chorley Electrical, there has been a Public House on this site since c. 1800.
Garden Terrace / 1898

The old Constabulary Station was built c. 1857 and its two cells were used until 1882 when the larger Police Station was built on Golden Hill Lane. From the 1930s the building was used as Leyland’s Library until the current library was built in the mid 70s.

Constabulary Station.
Leyland & Farington Coop. Towngate shop.

Most of Towngate between here and the top of Fox Lane has been demolished. The land is currently used by Tesco. The planters outside the arcade of shops between Tesco and Leyland Cross and the Drinking Well mark the approximate location of the junction of Towngate with the now long demolish Cow Lane. Cow Lane, like Sandy Lane, is another road does did not match with the modern structure of Leyland.

Darwen Tramways Department

Very little evidence remains of the steam trams that operated in Darwen in the late 1890s and early 1900s. So far, I have only been able to locate the two waiting rooms, one for the ladies and one for the gentlemen, adjacent to each other on Belgrade Square near The Circus and the original turning triangle (steam trams could only run in one direction) to the south along Bolton Road.

Based on size and an external staircase shown on early maps beside the north building, my suspicion is that the southern waiting room (first picture below and adjacent to Belgrave Road) is the Ladies’ waiting room.

Borough of Darwen / Tramways / Department / Erected 1902 / The Local Board leased the square from James Greenway for 999 years from 2nd December 1867. It became the boarding point for the steam tramway which commenced in 1881; this was then the widest part of the road in the town centre to take double not single track. The Tramway Company was requested to build waiting rooms, and did in fact produce plans. When the Corporation took over they built waiting rooms and underground toilets, designed by the Borough Engineer, R.W. Smith-Saville, which opened in January 1903. The ladies’ waiting room had an internal entrance to the toilets, whilst the gentlemen had an external entrance. At the rear of the gentlemen’s waiting room was a parcels’ office for the tramway. The office closed in 1939, the toilets in 1988.
The Local Board leased the square from James Greenway for 999 years from 2nd December 1867. It became the boarding point for the steam tramway which commenced in 1881; this was then the widest part of the road in the town centre to take double not single track. The Tramway Company was requested to build waiting rooms, and did in fact produce plans. When the Corporation took over they built waiting rooms and underground toilets, designed by the Borough Engineer, R.W. Smith-Saville, which opened in January 1903. The ladies’ waiting room had an internal entrance to the toilets, whilst the gentlemen had an external entrance. At the rear of the gentlemen’s waiting room was a parcels’ office for the tramway. The office closed in 1939, the toilets in 1988.
This was in use from 5th December 1881 until 30th November 1900. It marked the southern end of the first steam-powered tramway authorised to run along a public highway. The line from Darwen Circus to St. Peter Street, Blackburn opened on 14th April 1881, and was later extended to this terminus. It was declared an ancient monument in 1977.