Ginnels of Leeds

Middleton Sheriff · Post by **Middleton Sheriff** » Thu 11 Jun, 2009 12:51 pm

In the early eighties I used to work in Headingley and found a splendid ginnel!It started near the bottom of Cliff Lane and ran at an angle across Grosvenor Road and Cumberland Road to come out at the top of Meanwood Ridge.A splendid cut through useable only on foot as it was barely wide enough for two people to pass.Anybody know if it still exists?

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Thu 11 Jun, 2009 1:30 pm

Yup it does.I was told a snicket is for pedestrians and a ginnel is big enough for a cart or laden donkey.There's one from From the Back of Armley Ridge Terrace/Road to Cockshott lane. Very overgrown.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Thu 11 Jun, 2009 3:18 pm

Middleton Sheriff wrote: In the early eighties I used to work in Headingley and found a splendid ginnel!It started near the bottom of Cliff Lane and ran at an angle across Grosvenor Road and Cumberland Road to come out at the top of Meanwood Ridge.A splendid cut through useable only on foot as it was barely wide enough for two people to pass.Anybody know if it still exists? Aye that one still exists, I used to use it at least once a week to get to my mates house in Meanwood. Can be a bit spooky after dark though.

Post by **cnosni** » Thu 11 Jun, 2009 8:39 pm

Cardiarms wrote: Yup it does.I was told a snicket is for pedestrians and a ginnel is big enough for a cart or laden donkey.There's one from From the Back of Armley Ridge Terrace/Road to Cockshott lane. Very overgrown. Weve been over the snicket/ginnel bit before.a Ginnel is a narrow passageway of man made material /construction.a snicket is a narrow track bordered on either side by high vegetation such as bushes and privet,so a snicket is clearly the older variant.I think they have snickle,snickleways in York

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Thu 11 Jun, 2009 8:55 pm

Oh my! Snicket?http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=snicket

Crazy Jane · Post by **Crazy Jane** » Fri 12 Jun, 2009 12:17 am

There's the one that opens onto Burley Road near the viaduct, at the side of the flooring factory building thing.The other end might be on Cardigen Lane somewhere but i;m not sure. It's usually very overgrown and looks like such a good place to get mugged, i've tended to avoid it.

zip55 · Post by **zip55** » Fri 12 Jun, 2009 4:54 am

wiggy wrote: Si wrote: cnosni wrote: wiggy wrote: i think of ginnels,i think of the short one on stwilfrids avenue that runs between the houses onto easterly road,with the old farm gate post still in the middle of the path,the long one on the same street,that runs down toward the fforde grene,and used to be a railline from gipton pit,used to transport coal to the waiting wagons on harehills lane.then my favourite ginnel of them all,the one that runs from the junction of arlington road and oakwood lane,all the way through to elmete hill.this has an old manor house en route complete with what were stables,some houses that we all called the army barracks (look at em you will see why),a lovely old run of sandstone wall with bricked up doorways and stairs and another ginnel running perpendicular to it that once went to the archery fields.yes cnosni,thats what i call a set of ginnels! Is that one still there between St Wilfreds and Easterley Road,i forgot about that one.Now i would have called that a snicket as its pretty much "open",apart from when it goes between the houses on to Easterley Road.Its all about what you used as a kid i suppose,my circle of friends in my youth used the term ginnel for a "passageway" between buildings and streets,where as paths on open ground between one area and another was a snicket. That was my understanding, too, Cnosni. they are not open,as you will see if you have a gander,the short one on st wilfrids avenue could be a snicket,as this is a short path used to connect two areas but the others are definately ginnels. My grandad lived at the corner of Easterly Mount / St. Wilfred's Ave, and we always called it a ginnel.

FLOJO · Post by **FLOJO** » Fri 12 Jun, 2009 9:23 am

I can remember a ginnel when I went to Manston schools in late 50s/60s it went from near the school right down to the Cock Beck pub, I don't know if it is still there has I left the area 69.

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Fri 12 Jun, 2009 10:18 am

(IF) I can post these Google street view images.Anyway the ginnel leading from Easterly road at the corner of Amberton place has an original wooded gate post to what i believe was the entrance to Gipton pit.Just see if i can attach them now

Phill_dvsn · Post by **Phill_dvsn** » Fri 12 Jun, 2009 10:30 am

No i can't post the pictures here on S.L with my browser.I've posted them in the Flickr Secret Leeds group instead.I think only members of the group might be able to see them tho.Perhaps mastermind techno Brandy can put them on S.L for me.The pics are here anywayhttp://www.flickr.com/groups/secretleeds/