Tonight I was watching a programme on antique restoration and was reminded of my childhood as someone brought in a pair of PenDelfin bookends. Unfortunately my PenDelfin collection consisted of a few rabbits tucked up in cosy beds, much like others in the UK who had been given them in the 60's & 70's.
It also reminded me of the moment, only a few years ago when I discovered that PenDelfin rabbits and other collectables were actually made near Pendle Hill a stones throw from where I grew up. Yes I know, the fact that the names are pretty similar should have been a bit of a clue but for over 40 years I remained ignorant.
This is a picture of Pendle Hill pretty much as I saw it every day from my bedroom window in a small village called West Bradford. It is pretty impressive as it rises as a huge ridge from the ground, tapering off to mingle with other less significant hills at the other end.
It's funny how something like this becomes something pretty ordinary when you look at it every day. I could tell what the weather was going to be like from looking at it, was it dull and damp or bright and colourful. If I couldn't see the top for mist or cloud it was going to rain. If the 'white snow witch' was visible on the side (you can see the crevice to the right) in the side of the hill there was more snow to come.
It's funny how something like this becomes something pretty ordinary when you look at it every day. I could tell what the weather was going to be like from looking at it, was it dull and damp or bright and colourful. If I couldn't see the top for mist or cloud it was going to rain. If the 'white snow witch' was visible on the side (you can see the crevice to the right) in the side of the hill there was more snow to come.
But despite this, I thought little of living in the shadow of Pendle.
There is a lot more to know about this ancient landscape. You may have heard of the Pendle Witches. A group of women from local villages accused of casting spells and murdering people who were marched to Lancaster for trial and later hanged. It is buzzing with activity on Halloween when the masses arrive to experience the pitch blackness and ghost stories.
It also featured on 'Most Haunted' on Halloween 2004 and got a lot of press for being one of the most scary episodes. I know many people think MH is a load of tosh, but Pendle Hill is definately an eerie place, even driving in daylight over the 'Nick' of Pendle makes you wonder what went on up there. I certainly wouldnt want to be up there at night.
There is also a small spring still called 'George Fox's Well' where the founder of the Quaker movement was supposed to have rested and drank after his vision from God from the top of Pendle.
A Bronze Age burial site was also uncovered at the summit of the hill and local villages were featured in the film 'Whistle Down the Wind' with Hayley Mills. My best friend's uncle was one of the child 'extra's ' in that film too!
I now have the urge to take a trip back to Lancashire and Pendle Hill, take photos and make notes to add to my life story before I'm too old to do it. I wish someone had tried to make me realise the importance of what was around me when I was young. I doubt I would have done anything about it but maybe I would have collected a few postcards or photos along the way.
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