9 replies to this topic

[jinx]

An article I was reading about Billinge brought back memories of the 60s, living at Longshaw I use to take my dog

(Irish Setter) on the lump every night for years until we moved house. It is now 30 or more years since I was

last up there. When was the last time you made it to the summit?

[HORT]

I live about half a mile from the top, but I havn't been up there for 3 years. I can see the summit from Bedroom window.

[gypsygeoff]

It would have been 1970,I can remember the exact day,it was the night Leeds played Chelsea in the Fa cup final replay at old Trafford.we were baby sitting my wifes cousins kids.I had never been up the lump so I went for a walk,never been there since.Me owl mon reckoned it was a beacon?

[Olliebeak]

I'd heard that it had been a Beacon as well, and the road that leads there from The Eagle and Child is 'Beacon Road'. Wasn't it used as part of the 'Chain of Beacons' during the Queen's Silver Jubilee Celebrations. Not sure if it was one of those from the days of the Armada - suppose it could have been.

My last trip to the top was about 10yrs ago - from what I can remember, the last few feet is a 'bit of a pull'. Great views though and well worth the effort!

First visit was in 1962 with a group of friends from Harris Street/Lingholme Road. We got the 99 to Kings Moss and walked up Shaley Brow. There was a small cottage cafe near the top of Shaley Brow on the left-hand side (going up) - we bought one bottle of pop between us, so we could use their toilet.

In those days you could get into the hut on the top and there was a ladder set in the wall just inside the door on the left hand side. It led up through a hole in the ceiling to the upper level where there was a HUGE opening in the roof. We sat up there to eat our picnic (jam butties and bottles of water.

My grandad told me that it had been used as an anti-aircraft firing turret during the war - not sure if that was true. Some of grandad's other stories, that I once believed, have turned out to be porkies, so that could be another one. Like the one about Oliver Cromwell firing canonballs from Billing Lump and hitting Windleshaw Abbey .

Edited by Olliebeak, 20 April 2011 - 11:14 PM.

[Phyll]

Don't think I ever went up Billinge Lump, I know my memory is bad, but I'm sure I would have remembered.
Ollie, I think your Grandad was near enough, it was used for aircraft observation in the war.

http://en.wikipedia....i/Billinge_Hill

Edited by Phyll, 21 April 2011 - 12:30 AM.

[Olliebeak]

Hi Phyll - here's a link to a couple of really old photos on here - http://www.sthelens-...h=billinge+lump

link to other old photos - http://www.billinge-.../hill/index.htm

In all the time that I've been going up there, I've never known a 'proper pitched roof' - wonder if anybody in the Billinge History Group has proper details of the history of the building. It's even got a chimney on the top - suggesting a fireplace of some kind.

[Phyll]

Hi Ollie, I remember Billinge Hill, just don't remember going up it. The Photos are great, but they don't jog my memory, before my time!

Seriously, I wonder what the story is with the chimney, it looks too small for a house, I wonder what it was used for at that time?

Oh just found this, maybe it was similar to a Lighthouse.

"It was erected as a sea mark, about 1780; Baines, Lancs. (ed. 1836), iii, 565."

http://www.british-h...px?compid=41382

On this link, it tells you about it's use in The Spanish Armada and other interesting snippets.

http://uncyclopedia....m/wiki/Billinge

Edited by Phyll, 22 April 2011 - 06:03 AM.

[HORT]

The original purpose of the building at the top was as a Summer House for a local landed family. I think it was Bankes. There are websites with the info but I just can't find them at the moment.

[Mazzi]

Oh must be about 8 years or so since I was up there, worth the walk for the great views. It was used as a beacon for the Queen's jubilee, and also on the Millenium when all the remaining beacons across the country were lit, can remember been able to see it from my bedroom window.

In a previous job I once chatted to a lady who used to work at the top of the hill during the war years, she told me about cycling up there in the depths of winter. From what I can remember there were military offices up there, she said what she did was classified. Wish I could remember the rest of her story. If it comes to me, I'll put another post on.

[Chris]

HORT, on 22 April 2011 - 07:27 AM, said:

The original purpose of the building at the top was as a Summer House for a local landed family. I think it was Bankes. There are websites with the info but I just can't find them at the moment.

The Bankes family owned most of the land around the Winstanley, Goose Green area of Wigan. I met and married a Wiganer! and we did most of our courting on or around Bilinge Lump! (enough said!!!)