Primrose Valley - Halton

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 25 Mar, 2012 9:21 pm

The railway end of the real footpath - the old railings seperating it from the hospital land clearly vissible.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Sun 04 May, 2014 11:48 am

York Road Lad · Post by **York Road Lad** » Sun 04 May, 2014 7:24 pm

wiggy wrote: wasn't it used as a land fill site,or some kind of tip for a while? 'Halton Deans Tip' was active well into the 1980s.

Post by **chameleon** » Sun 04 May, 2014 11:49 pm

Long before this picturesque valley was decimated through use as a land fill site, the old farm house in the centre (then home to the Almond family) was an ale house, The Bird in the Hand, which served the workers from the Killingbeck Colliery, which was situated close to the western footbridge over the railway. The urban trail Wykebeck Way, now runs over the site of the former pits.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 05 May, 2014 12:03 am

That's a fascinating photo chameleon. The Seacroft Hospital clock tower also helps in placing the location.Looking at an 1849-1854 1:10,560 map in the excellent Old-Maps UK website I noticed there was a Primrose Valley P.H. at what seems to be an isolated spot by the railway line, roughly close to between today's housing estate and Seacroft Hospital grounds (the pub may be on the other side of the railway line but it is hard to tell). The name Primrose Valley was therefore in use quite long ago.

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 05 May, 2014 12:22 am

A spring rose from time to time in the shallow valley across the eastern footbridge, running parallel to the tracks, just past the farm house. The resultant flow travelled towards the house and into a deep cutting at the lowest point of the pathway which ran along side the tracks, where a second spring or outflow from somewhere else formed a stream which then ran south west to join the Wykebeck.I was always fascinated (as a very young chameleon I might add), by the straight cut face in the sandstone at the start of this stream, cut straight down just to the left of the path. several salt-glazed pipes protruded from this, occasionally with a small flow of water come from one or more of them. It was only in recent years that I discovered from where these might lead.Returning to the path, a very short distance further on, were 4 or 5 heavy wooden sleepers covering what appeared to be a channel. There were slight gaps between each through which could be heard the sound of rapid flowing water. It clearly had no connection with the stream. Now I know a little more, I suspect it was/is the start of the Halton Denes Culvert or at least a sewage flow to the (disused) sewage works further towards Selby Road. If he's looking in, perhaps cardiarms could provide some more detail on this - I think that the sewage(?) flow from a further long gone treatment works off Green Lane or simply a stream passed under the railway at this point too.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Mon 05 May, 2014 11:27 am

Some views of Killingbeck Colliery. http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw036076

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 05 May, 2014 11:54 am

Crossing the footbridge to the right of the pits, (not the vehicular bridge leading through the Sutton Estate), you reached a footpath which led to York Road. This was separated from the hospital land by high metal railings. It has long since fallen into disuse through lack of maintenance, pictures earlier in this thread show each end of it. In a rather patronising manner, the proposed housing developers allow access through the land to the side. Clearly the path serviced the pits and provided a route through to Halton. It is my belief that it is a public right of way.Almost opposite at the other side of York Road is a further old path which runs between the retail park, formerly the Killingbeck Hospital site, and the cemetery. This was cleared a few years ago but again is impassable. It seems almost certain to be a continuation of the path from the pits, its distal end terminating at the top of Sommerville Grove. Undoubtedly, before the houses were built, this would itself have run down to Foundry Lane to the vicinity of Foundry Mill.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Mon 05 May, 2014 8:40 pm

chameleon wrote: Crossing the footbridge to the right of the pits, (not the vehicular bridge leading through the Sutton Estate), you reached a footpath which led to York Road. This was separated from the hospital land by high metal railings. It has long since fallen into disuse through lack of maintenance, pictures earlier in this thread show each end of it. In a rather patronising manner, the proposed housing developers allow access through the land to the side. Clearly the path serviced the pits and provided a route through to Halton. It is my belief that it is a public right of way.Almost opposite at the other side of York Road is a further old path which runs between the retail park, formerly the Killingbeck Hospital site, and the cemetery. This was cleared a few years ago but again is impassable. It seems almost certain to be a continuation of the path from the pits, its distal end terminating at the top of Sommerville Grove. Undoubtedly, before the houses were built, this would itself have run down to Foundry Lane to the vicinity of Foundry Mill. The attached screengrab from the council's own definitive map shows the existing rights of way across the Seacroft Hospital site. If these have been allowed to be blocked, either through an accumulation of undergrowth or at the behest of property owners / developers, then the council have a legal duty to resolve it.The relevant contact details are on this webpage: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/P ... -way.aspxI found them quite helpful in confirming some information regarding a footpath near where I live that might be at risk from some other plans the council has.The full Leeds definitive map (demo version) can be found here: http://cms.esriuk.com/leedscc/Sites/LCCPROW/# - to be fair this is probably worthy of a thread in it's own right.More about 'definitive maps' here: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/leisure/Pages/D ... ement.aspx

Post by **chameleon** » Mon 05 May, 2014 10:45 pm

Brilliant find Davey - I think a reccy needed to establish the present situation followed by a 'discussion' with the relevant peoples! Have an extra choccy bicky mate