Wycoller

Wycoller is a village in the civil parish of Trawden Forest in Pendle, Lancashire, England. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Colne, near to the junction of the Lancashire, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire borders.

Wycoller
Hamlet
Wycoller Hall ruins
Wycoller is located in the Borough of Pendle
Wycoller
Wycoller
Location in Pendle Borough
Wycoller is located in Lancashire
Wycoller
Wycoller
Location within Lancashire
OS grid referenceSD935395
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCOLNE
Postcode districtBB8
Dialling code01282
PoliceLancashire
FireLancashire
AmbulanceNorth West
UK Parliament

The village may date back to the 10th century BC. Central to the village are the ruins of 16th-century Wycoller Hall. The village is a conservation area, and is closed to outside traffic. There is a car park on Trawden Road and another on the east side of the village opposite Height Laithe Farm on the road towards Haworth in Yorkshire.

The name is probably from the Old English wīc "dairy farm" and alr "alder", so means "dairy farm by the alders".[1]

Bridges
Clapper and Pack-horse bridges
Clam bridge

Various ancient bridges cross Wycoller Beck, including 'Pack-Horse Bridge', a twin arched bridge in the centre of the village,[2][3] 'Clapper Bridge' (also known as Hall Bridge)[4][5] and 'Clam Bridge' (also known as Bank House Bridge).[6][7] The last is believed to be of neolithic origin (possibly 6000 years old) and is listed as an ancient monument. It consists of just a long stone laid across the river. It was damaged by floods in 1989–90, though has now been repaired. All three bridges are designated as both Grade II* listed buildings and scheduled monuments.

Wycoller Hall
Interior of craft museum at Wycoller

Wycoller Hall was originally the home of the Hartley family, and passed through marriage to the Cunliffe family in the early 17th century. The hall was built in 1550 by Piers Hartley, and was extended in the late 18th century by its last owner, Squire Cunliffe. The structure was dismantled in 1818, and reused in the construction of a cotton mill, to help repay debts owed by Henry Owen-Cunliffe, who was the last Cunliffe to live at the hall.[8] He was born Henry Owen of Sheffield and was left the Hall by a distant uncle (Cunliffe) if he changed his name to Cunliffe and educated himself. The hall subsequently fell into ruin and is reputed to be haunted by a variety of spectres.[9] Like the bridges, it is both a Grade II* listed building[10] and a scheduled monument.[11]

'Ferndean Manor' in Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre is thought to be based on Wycoller Hall.[12] The Brontë Way passes through here, leading to the Brontë sisters' home in nearby Haworth.

20th–21st centuries

Wycoller was featured in the BBC's Countryfile programme when they visited the barn in the village that has been converted to a tourist information centre. Wycoller also appears in The Railway Children a 1970 British drama film based on the novel of the same name by E. Nesbit.

Wycoller was also featured in Episode 2 of the television series Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages in 2014.[13]

Notable people from the village include Tom Emmott, who founded the Lancastrian Party while living in Wycoller Cottage.[14]

See also

References
  1. Ekwall, Eilert (1922). The Place-names of Lancashire. Manchester University Press. p. 88.
  2. Historic England. "Pack Horse Bridge (Grade II*) (1243828)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  3. Historic England. "Wycoller packhorse bridge (1005098)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  4. Historic England. "Clapper Bridge (Grade II*) (1243829)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  5. Historic England. "The Hall Bridge, Wycoller (1005103)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  6. Historic England. "Bank House Bridge (Grade II*) (1243830)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  7. Historic England. "Bank House Bridge, Wycoller (1005104)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  8. "www.hartleyfamily.org.uk HARTLEY - History Page". Archived from the original on 31 August 2004. Retrieved 3 September 2004.
  9. "Wycoller Hall 02-11-2003". Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  10. Historic England. "Remains of Wycoller Hall, including boundary wall to river (Grade II*) (1073331)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  11. Historic England. "Wycoller Hall (1003130)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  12. "Ferndean Manor in Jane Eyre". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2008.
  13. "North Wales, Cheshire and Staffordshire". Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages. Season 1. Episode 2. 2014. 28 minutes in. Channel 4. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  14. Peggy Hewitt, Bronte Country: Lives & Landscapes
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