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Blacko Tower
Blacko or Stansfield’s Tower was erected by Jonathan Stansfield, a Barrowford grocer, in 1890. The local story goes that he built the tower in order to provide himself a view over Ribblesdale from the top, but the height fell somewhat short. But he did gain for himself a magnificent view over Pendleside. The Tower is said to have been built on the site of an ancient tumulus.
In 1952, a local man found an Early Bronze Age flat axe near the Tower. It had a narrow butt expanding towards the cutting edge and was found to be composed of 86% copper with 14% tin and a trace of zinc. A cast of the axe can be viewed in Keighley Museum.
Some yeas ago I was shown a highly polished stone axe made of a black speckled stone ( Lava -- Dolerite of possible Irish origin) was found during some building work at Blacko Bar. The axe is in private hands.
Guy Ragland Phillips, the antiquarian, in his book ‘Brigantia’ states that the site of Blacko Tower is a point from which enigmatic “straight track” alignments, or “leys”, radiate in all directions and correspond to “earth currents” that can be detected by dowsing. I for one find the site, with the summit of Pendle dominating the western prospect, to be deeply spiritual in nature.
THAT BEFORE & NOW
It is that which is revealed in every face,
sought in every sign,
gazed upon by every eye,
revered in every object of life,
and pursued in the unseen and the visible.
*
Not a single one of its creatures
can fail to find it
in its primordial
and original nature.
*
A tablet on the tower bears the following biblical reference;
PS 127 VI.
Except the Lord build the House
They labour in vain that build it
Except the Lord keep the city,
The watchman waketh but in vain
Upon the south-east flack of Blacko Hill stands the farmstead of Malkin Tower. A heap of stones there is said to be the remains of Old Demdyke’s hovel, giving us now two claims for the site, the other being some low remains at Bull Hole, Goldshawbooth.
Blacko or Stansfield’s Tower was erected by Jonathan Stansfield, a Barrowford grocer, in 1890. The local story goes that he built the tower in order to provide himself a view over Ribblesdale from the top, but the height fell somewhat short. But he did gain for himself a magnificent view over Pendleside. The Tower is said to have been built on the site of an ancient tumulus.
In 1952, a local man found an Early Bronze Age flat axe near the Tower. It had a narrow butt expanding towards the cutting edge and was found to be composed of 86% copper with 14% tin and a trace of zinc. A cast of the axe can be viewed in Keighley Museum.
Some yeas ago I was shown a highly polished stone axe made of a black speckled stone ( Lava -- Dolerite of possible Irish origin) was found during some building work at Blacko Bar. The axe is in private hands.
Guy Ragland Phillips, the antiquarian, in his book ‘Brigantia’ states that the site of Blacko Tower is a point from which enigmatic “straight track” alignments, or “leys”, radiate in all directions and correspond to “earth currents” that can be detected by dowsing. I for one find the site, with the summit of Pendle dominating the western prospect, to be deeply spiritual in nature.
THAT BEFORE & NOW
It is that which is revealed in every face,
sought in every sign,
gazed upon by every eye,
revered in every object of life,
and pursued in the unseen and the visible.
*
Not a single one of its creatures
can fail to find it
in its primordial
and original nature.
*
A tablet on the tower bears the following biblical reference;
PS 127 VI.
Except the Lord build the House
They labour in vain that build it
Except the Lord keep the city,
The watchman waketh but in vain
Upon the south-east flack of Blacko Hill stands the farmstead of Malkin Tower. A heap of stones there is said to be the remains of Old Demdyke’s hovel, giving us now two claims for the site, the other being some low remains at Bull Hole, Goldshawbooth.
Last edited by lowergate on Wed Dec 30, 2009 11:49 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Dolerite - black speckled stone axe)
