Ramble No. 9

Resuming our rambles last Saturday July the 27th (1872), we proceeded to Littletown by the pleasant footpath skirting Healds Hall, the day being beautifully fine and the atmosphere exceedingly clear, the glorious sunshine gladdened the earth and a fresh south-west wind rendered our walk agreeable and even refreshing. The country around presented all the luxuriousness of summer, and the only appearance of approaching autumn was the in-gathering of the beautiful crops of hay, save here and there where small patches of grass still remain uncut, told of the ample supply the fields had afforded for the winter supply of cattle.

Standing on the knoll of the hill behind Healds Hall, the country around opens out many fine prospects on every hand, and on account of the smokeless state of the sky were seen and admired with great advantage. Here and there groups of boys and men were engaged in the manly health-giving exercise of cricket or knurr and spell. The feathered songster were quiet, though the swallow, herald of the summer, skimmed near the surface of the meadows and with twittering cries made the flies easy victims. The garden white butterfly gaily floated about, and after enjoying its airy flight, would deposit its eggs where nature designed, soon end its brief existence, leaving an ample progeny behind.

Taking a stroll into Littletown, portions of which have already been described in previous rambles, we found an old farmstead in the lane leading to Gomersal, with the date of 1640, Charles the 2nd reign, and the letters W. A. A. upon the lintel of a doorway. It is a quaint gabled building, the name of which we could not ascertain, and now divided like many similar erections into cottages. Another old homestead we examined with much interest, in the occupation of Mr. Ramsden, and the property of John Battye, Esq., of Birstall. The ancient barn which stood near to it was burnt down a few years ago, and it, along with the house, presented a very antique appearance, a description of which would not be very dissimilar to those which have been mentioned in previous articles.

To those who are curious about the domestic utensils of our forefathers, a visit to John Pearson’s would repay their curiosity, for he has in his possession eight large pewter dishes of great age, on which probably smoked in former times the baron of beef, boar’s head, or beef and bacon. The Pearsons are an old family here, dating back their settlement upwards of two hundred years.

Strolling into Well Fold, we passed the market omnibus, just arriving from Heckmondwike with a well-filled load of passengers, who seemed to enjoy vastly this new method of locomotion to Littletown. It has been started by the enterprising tradesmen of Heckmondwike, and runs several times every Saturday afternoon and evening betwixt the two places, at a very moderate charge of one penny. It will be a great convenience to the inhabitants, and tend to swell the coffers of the tradesmen.

In Littletown are several old houses, the history of which would be interesting, had I time to examine the date of their erection, the families who live there, and other circumstances in connection with them, but time and opportunity does not offer at present; but I should be glad to hear of those having an antiquarian taste in Liversedge – and there are such – taking up the subject.

The late Mr. Benjamin Armitage, sometime schoolmaster at the National School, Hightown, resided in the fold and was a collector of antique remains. He examined something like a dozen of stone mortars of various sizes and shapes, some of them octagonal and some quadrangular, with dates and carved devices upon them. One is dated 1736, another 1743 and another 1750. These mortars and also Roman earth and stone work he purchased, probably at the old homesteads about; in fact, he had the knack of picking up such things.

The mortars were formerly used for the purpose of preparing wheat for frumenty, or furmenty. The process of doing so was as follows: The best of wheat was chosen, varied in quantity according to the size of the excavation in the mortar, and well pounded by an iron pestle, to rid it of the husk or bran. It was then put into an earthenware vessel in the oven, and what is termed creed, and was afterwards taken out, boiled with lithened milk and flavoured with nutmeg, allspice and sweetened with sugar, rendering it a pleasant and nutritious article of diet. Christmas Eve was the great day for preparing frumenty, and the servant men and maidens of other times welcomed its approach in anticipation of the festive season at hand, and the sound of the merry pounding of the wheat echoed along the hills and valleys.

Other uses the mortars had, such as for crushing saltpetre, salt or other substances as sorrel or greensauce for flavouring the veal and bacon. Christmas Day morning was the great day for eating frumenty. It was also a custom formerly, which I believe has almost become obsolete, at least in this district, for the poor on St. Thomas’s Day, December 21st, to beg of their richer neighbours wheat for frumenty, and at some houses a pint was the usual quantity given out, but some believing it was conducive of mendicity discontinued it, and from this circumstance and the people being better off, I have no doubt is the true case.

In Well Fold are two troughs, well supplied with water from the slopes above. Though somewhat hard it is not improper for domestic and other purposes. Hastening on we arrived at what are termed Littletown gardens, in the occupancy of Mr. William Hartley, nurseryman and seedsman. They are open to the public daily except Sundays. They cover an area of near four acres, but his crops of fruit this year – apples, pears and plums – are a great failure, where they will have one stone now they had hundreds in the previous years. His gooseberry crop is only moderate. The gardens are well cultivated and a nice retreat for the pleasure-seeker or invalid. Upon a rockery we noticed a stone mortar similar to those mentioned before, with the date 1719 upon it. Mr. and Mrs. Hartley are well known, and give a kindly welcome to all visitors.

Passing on towards Rawfolds, Eddercliffe, another old mansion, met our view. Though it has been a little modernised, it presents in a great measure the same aspects as the others in this township. It and the grounds and small farm are kept in admirable order by the present occupant, Mr. Joseph Wadsworth. Many families of opulence and note have resided at Eddercliffe – the Biltons, Thompsons, Wallers and others.

Having another engagement in the evening, we pushed on to Rawfolds, the scene of a Luddite riot in April 1812, and then wandered down the banks of the Spen, gathering here and there various wild flowers and plants which attracted our attention, such as the harebell, toadflux, corn cockle, red campion, willow herb, meezewort, ragwort, bardock and the beautifully scented meadow sweet, etc. The river hereabouts pursues a winding course, fringed here and there by the never-failing alder, ash, willow and other trees, and is comparatively clear in this locality, so much so as to attract a number of youths to bathe in it and sufficiently pure that numbers of minnows sported in it.

Leaving this portion of the Spen valley, we again arrived in Littletown, intending to have a trip to Heckmondwike by the ‘bus, but, as we should have had to wait a quarter of hour, we pushed on. The ‘bus starts from the Star Inn, one of the oldest hostelries in this part of the country, mine host being Mr. William Holroyd. The previous occupants, Armitage, Aveyards and Gomersal are not yet forgotten.

Arriving at our respective homes, after a cup of refreshing tea, we attended the Heckmondwike Naturalists’ meeting, and shall resume our rambles on the slopes of Liversedge when time and opportunity permit.