Yesterday two very special people did something wonderful for me. Margaret and Graham I would just like to say what lovely people you are and I am so glad that we met yesterday. This blog owes it existence to you and the 21st of April 2007 will always remain as a special memory.Being without a car I am limited to travelling where public transport provides a service. Margaret and Graham met myself, and dear son Joseph, at Marple station and took us to see Wildboarclough where some of the Remington family lived at the beginning of the 20th century. Here follows an account of this fantastic day.
Having listened to the favourable weather forcast the night before we dressed accordingly in lightweight clothes - fine and warm with temperatures up to 20C. Being a "townie" I took little experience of the hills with me. Up bright and early, excitment bubbling away I couldn't wait to get off. It was remeniscent of faroff days the night before christmas, but with the added knowledge that I was going to get the present I had so longed for....We had a good outward journey to Marple, Joseph liking the fact we had the train to ourselves and it was not a railbus. And waiting on Marple station we saw a freight train pass and watched our train negotiate the points.
Graham and Margaret were early picking us up and put both myself and Joseph at ease straight away. Bags were swiftly stowed away and we were off. They gave us an interesting commentry about the places we were passing through which was very helpful as it was all new territory. (Although if you asked me today to direct you I probably wouldn't be much help.) Amongst the places of interest pointed out was Poynton sports hall where Graham plays table tennis. In no time at all we were climbing up out of Macclesfield leaving the Cheshire plain behind. I minded not one little bit that it was not a clear view because the sky was hazy. It wasn't raining and that was all I was bothered about.
We turned off the road leading to Wildboarclough to begin the climb up to Chapel House farm and Graham stopped the car for us to get our bearings. I had bought an Ordnance Survey Map (OL24) and the locations I shall give refer to this (so I can remind myself where the photos were taken). As we stepped from the car the fresh Cheshire air met us. And the silence. Bliss.........You have to remember I live in a terrace, in the inner city with a main road at the end of the street with not much opportunity to connect with nature.
This is where the picture above was taken. (In a line more or less with Bottom-of-the-oven) The hill in the forground to the left is Torgate Hill behind which is hiding Broughsplace. Following the road along the valley you can just make out the crossroads where the turnoff for Dryknowle farm and Broughsplace is to the left.
Then it was back into the car to continue the ascent to Chapel House farm. Mum you would love to drive up these narrow lanes with steep drops to oneside! I was alright, on the side away from the drop. We parked outside the little chapel, which nestled amid a small hamlet. The photo above is the old horse trough fed by a natural spring and full of frogspawn with some hatched tadpoles darting about the bottom. Margaret was a hive of nature information all day, which was lovely. Amongst other things she pointed out the delicate spring flowers - primroses, forget-me-nots, bluebells, explained the browny long grass where the sheep were not eating would be boggy ground, talked of the damage little "cute" moles do (and how at one time mole skin trousers were in vogue), identified creatures burrows and pointed out a field of goats.
On the map it is beside Chapel House farm. Set high above the valley, yet it did not feel a lonely place. It is the closest Church to Dryknowle and Broughsplace but we have no way of knowing if this was the church they used. The school the young Remingtons attended stands just across the lane and it was certainly a trek up hill and down. Margaret told us of her own experiences of walking to school in the winter after heavy snowfalls, the height of the walls. The following notes were taken from the leaflet obtained from inside the Church. The chapel we see today was built in 1834 and is a very plain and simple style in complete contrast to large parish churches. There is an original stone from the first chapel dated 1673. Every year, on the first Sunday after 12th August, Forest Chapel holds its rushbearing service. At this Chapel it has been going on as long as anyone now living can remember. (It would be nice to think that the Remingtons of Wildboarclough attended these ceremonies.) The chapel is decorated with plaited rushes, cut in a local marshy spot, which are interwoven with flowers; rushes are also strewn on the floor. The service begins in the church at 3pm, and is relayed outside by loudspeakers. Up to 600 people attend the service, so there is not room for them all inside the building. Margaret also told us of the time they set out to go to this Rushbearing from Glossop but when they got to the station there were no trains!
Inside the chapel it was bright and airey. Welcoming and friendly. The roof underside was wooden and the walls white. Margaret noted the workmanship which had gone into prayer cushions made in 2000 and bearing designs in cross stitch. I was busy absorbing the atmosphere and wondered how full it would have been in days gone past, and what a delightful place it seemed to worship the Lord. In the book of visitors one person had lamented the removal of a swallows nest.
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