A few yards down the road and looking over the other side of the valley again we see Allers Lea at the bottom of the left photo, Birch Hill in the centre and Low Moss at the top. The photo on the right shows Low Moss with the zoom on. My maternal ancesters used to live at Moss, as well as Rush. The track I followed past High & Middle Rush continues past the wall at the bottom of the photo and then onto Low Allers, right next to the river.
I've just enjoyed going through all your posts - we have bought Low Moss cottage and are currently renovating it. Once we've finished we'll have to invite you over to tell us some history about it!
ReplyDeletethat would be lovely, hope to see you soon
ReplyDeleteHello Heather, my maternal ancestors lived in Allers Lea, in fact I think my Grandmother's Grandfather, Milburn English, built it. I understand the family lost it when he put it up as security for a failed business venture, possibly by his brother, and the family never lived together again. There was a collective yearning for it, and I often heard the name mentioned when we visited my Gran. In fact her childhood house in Shotley Bridge was named by her mother as "Allers Lea" in stained glass above the door (now lost to the modern vandalism of double glazing and extensions).
ReplyDeleteHave you ever visited Allers Lea? There is a coffee morning in the village every Saturday if you would like to meet and chat to some locals. Cowshill and Lanehead Village Hall
ReplyDeleteHi there, sorry for late reply, I have never been to visit Allers Lea sadly as it’s not on a public footpath and I would not want to trespass. I recently found an old online sale listing for the house, not sure how long ago that would have been, and got to see inside for the first time….still had stone slab floors. My grandmother would have loved to see those pictures, as would have my daughter who was very interested in our family history. Sadly I have lost both of them and as my family is slowly petering out I’m not sure if it will be of interest to anyone much longer. A lot of the information I got from a distant relative, Mary English, wife of Norman, who I corresponded with briefly before she passed away without meeting her, 2011 I think it was. She is buried in the churchyard. That was the last time I was in the village hall, I got a history booklet and met some older folk who were in it, some of whom have passed now. I met Mary Bell and visited her a few times more until COVID - I hope she is still OK? She knew my distant family and lives I think in the same house as my great great aunt “Polly” Featherstone, who I think sh was a career for in the 60s. Mary had a lovely house, still with the old range that I suspect a few of my forebears would have huddled around in the dark……my grandma used to go for holidays up there during school breaks, and would be told to save candles after 9pm because “you can see to talk”!!
ReplyDeletePS I moved up to the Scottish Borders (Coldstream) last year so visiting will be a bit harder, but I will still make the time soon. Funny enough I walked into an antique shop recently and got chatting to the chap behind the counter, and he had the same surname and was a distant cousin, Small world the North East.
DeleteSorry that should read Connie English, not Mary above. She still had some artefacts from Allers Lea, some wooden cutlery belonging to Milburn English’s wife. I still have a bible.
DeleteThank you, yes Mary is still in the same house, I just saw her this morning! She often talks about Polly Featherstone. I have an old photo of Polly in the village hall cutting a cake, maybe her 90th? if you email me heather.ross9@btopenworld.com I can send you a copy
ReplyDeleteThat would be nice thankyou. My Grandmother Ruby Vickers (Emerson) used to tell me of receiving the most wonderful sausages (in the post!) when the family pig was slaughtered each year, I think from Polly's side. If my memory serves me right, I was told she suffered from blindness in her later years? All a little before my time though. There must be something in the dales water for longeveity, my grandmother lived to 96, and her sister, my great aunt Norah who was born in Cowshill and is in the church record, lived to 94.
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