Bygone Burnley: historian Roger Frost reveals the history of the Thursden Valley

The Thursden Valley is a beautiful expanse of moorland on the Burnley and Pendle border abover Harle Syke, and one that is steeped in history, going back centuries.

The name, in pre-Roman times, was originally thought to relate to the ‘Valley of the god Thor’, but as respected local historian Roger Frost points out, the name is more likely to originate from ‘Valley of the Goblins’, conjuring up images of evil fairies.

In our video, which can be viewed here, Roger accompanies reporter and history graduate Dominic Collis around the valley which is dominated by Widdop Road, an ancient packhorse trail which snakes its way up the Valley and eventually over to Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire.

Indeed, speaking of packhorses, Roger and Dominic visit the Pack Horse Inn, sadly before opening time, which dates from 1610.

Roger points out an area where grouse shooting took place until the early years of the 20th century as well as pre-Roman burial sites dotted around the hillside.

Anyone who has taken a walk through the picturesque Thursden Valley would surely have noticed the unusual mounds on the hillside at the bottom of Widdop Road, which Roger reveals are the result of sandstone and gritstone left behind after limestone was washed out of the hillside by farmers.

We also hear about a poet who discovered arrowheads and pieces of worked flint while staying in a tent in the Thursden wilderness.