Bashall Eaves book tells tales of lost village and Roman bridges

Although many Bowland villages have been researched by local historians, Bashall Eaves seems to have been forgotten. This book aims to fill the gap.

Appropriately titled ‘Old Bashall Eaves: A Rural Village Through the Centuries’, the research by Frances Marginson began as a result of the many stories circulating in the village in the middle of the last century.

Stories of a ‘lost’ village which could date as far back as the Bronze Age; tales about a bridge that was said to be Roman, with a tunnel nearby that penetrated deep into a hillside with its location known to very few, and even they had any idea why it was built.

Whilst searching for evidence more interesting sites came to light, including the sites of two water mills. Their uses over centuries have been documented, along with the people who owned them. One of them included the Chippindall and Eccles families who strived to make successful enterprises fulling cloth and later, early paper making, before both of their businesses failed.

Other chapters are as varied as the story of the mansion named Bashall Lodge; an ancient deer park; the history of the Red Pump Inn; the record of an archaeological ‘dig’; the Bashall Corn Mill and many more. Later village events are also recorded, including the long defunct Bashall and Browsholme Agricultural Show and the very early Young Farmers’ Club. Even the long running saga of the notorious Estate water supply is documented.

Finally, there is an appendix listing details of farms and farm sales of the two major estates in the village over many years. The book is well illustrated with maps as well as many old and new photos.

The author and Slaidburn Archive would like to thank the following for help with funding the printing of the book: Champion Bowland, NFU Clitheroe Branch, Michael Hoyle & Co. Ltd., and South West Lancashire Farmers Ltd.

‘Old Bashall Eaves’ by Frances Marginson is available from Slaidburn Archive, price £12, plus £2 p&p from Slaidburn Archive, 25 Church Street, Slaidburn, Clitheroe. BB7 3ER. See the website www.slaidburnarchive.org for more details and opening times of the Archive.