Calverley Woods

[Spackler]

Found this re the stone on http://megalithix.wordpress.com/2008/09 ... roublesome really, as it’s got lost somewhere amidst the undergrowth. From the valley bottom at Apperley Bridge, take the road-then-track which goes up thru the Calverley Cutting (as locals call it), turning left along the dirt-track just as the track begins to slope uphill. Go past the detached house in the edge of the trees and shortly past there is a small footpath taking you into the trees on your left, Walk down and along here, near the bottom of the tree-line above the walling."So probably a bit of rummaging around in the undergrowth required! If I could find rumours of a POW tunnel as well I reckon there would be an army of secret leeds followers straight up there!    

[C]

I walk, run or cycle through Calverley Woods every day to and from work. What a fabulous place which can be enjoyed by all. Such a shame that the 'Calverley Eye' was demolished, I can only imagine how spectacular this must have seemed when it was built.The recent improvements made to the path along the cutting have made a big difference.The only annoying feature which has been installed in recent years is the gate from Clara Drive down to the cutting, the one at the top near the road. It seems so pointless and quite dangerous on a dark night. I can fully understand the need to place a gate at the bottom of the 'slipway' but I'd love to know what purpose if any that the gate at the top serves.    

[stutterdog]

Spackler wrote: Shame I missed the comment before it was deleted but what a strange way this thread has gone for no apparent reason after such a harmless and witty comment! And there I was feeling pleased that I'd worked out what the well had been used for.Anyway back on topic. I was just looking at the council website and found this:'The surviving remains of a World War II training camp in Calverley Wood are of historic significance. There is potential for further prehistoric archaeological finds in the area, following the discovery of a Neolithic cup-marked rock.'Do we know where this rock is? Also I notice holly grows next to the previously mentioned well and I like this little piece of history from the 'Calverley Murders' -The mediaeval hall, one time home of the Calverley family, has recently been restored. It retains a fine l5th Century roof and is judged the best surviving example of a mediaeval manor house in the West Riding. It was here that, in 1604, Walter Calverley murdered his two sons while in a drunken rage. He was tried, convicted and pressed to death at York. His ghost, seen galloping at night on a headless horse, was said to have been "laid" by a Calverley vicar. Walter was not to reappear while "holly grows in Calverley wood". Holly still grows in abundance in the woods. I would have thought someone would have chanced a jocular remark about the ghost getting "laid" by the Vicar of Calverley!

[Uno Hoo]

[I would have thought someone would have chanced a jocular remark about the ghost getting "laid" by the Vicar of Calverley! Presumably it would then become The Holy GhostI can guarantee this remark to have been made in the right spirit.

[chameleon]

Uno Hoo wrote: [ I would have thought someone would have chanced a jocular remark about the ghost getting "laid" by the Vicar of Calverley! Presumably it would then become The Holy GhostI can guarantee this remark to have been made in the right spirit. That spirit wouldn't be Brandy by any chance then would it

[DerekJ]

I was born in Calverley and spent many hours in the woods in the early 60s.The circular well can be found by walking down the cutting, under the bridge of Clara Drive then down to the end of the Cutting, where the route steepens forwards, there is a path right into the woods.The Well is off that path, about 200 yards into the wood and uphill towards the steep climb up to the back of the houses on Clara Drive.One day I'll go an get a proper GPS fix.ttfnDerekJ

[JayJay]

I lived in Calverley in the early 70's as a child and lots of the older locals told us about the firework factory in the woods and the explosion that ended it, when we asked questions about the ruins in the woods.There are some tunnels near the firework factory ruins, we found them one summer and spent a while exploring through them. They were brick walled inside so seemed to be the same brick as the foundations so we assumed they were the celars of storage of the factory.As an 8 year old they were quite scaryBy the way what a great forum this is

[BarFly]

I would have loved to have found those tunnels when I cycled and generally messed around in the woods in the early '90s. I think they were probably filled in before then but I may have to go back some time and take a look anyhow.

[Spackler]

So where was the firework factory situated in the Woods? Im guessing its the remains that are on the right if you continued on from Clara Drive into the woods. However I thought that some of these buildings are from the war, or was the factory using the same buildings from the war?

[BarFly]

I was always told that it was those buildings on the left at the end of Clara Drive also. I think there were some on the left too though.