Barley
OS Grid ref:- SD821405
The quaint Lancashire village of Barley lies between Black Moss Reservoirs and Ogden Reservoirs, near Pendle Hill and is surounded by stunning countryside.
The popular Pendle Way a 45-mile circular long-distance trail which commences Barrowford, passes through the village. The village is also a popular starting point for the steep climb up Pendle Hill.
The Upper and Lower Ogden Reservoirs lie half a mile to the west of the village. Surrounded by forests covering more than 57 acres. Lapwing, curlew and redshank, stonechat, sand piper and reed bunting can be sighted at Upper and Lower Black Moss Reservoirs, during the winter months it is home to several different species of wildfowl, these include Goldeneye, goosander, teal and pochard. Ihe village has a children's playground, located by the stream. There is also an inn, the Pendle Inn, (pictured left) which was built in the 1920's and a restaurant, the Barley Mow. The Pendle Inn's award winning food is home cooked using local produce.
The village car park has a cafe and an information centre and there is a pleasant picnic area which lies adjacent to the stream.
Barley was once an agricultural village until the eighteenth century when textiles began to be manufactured there. The many streams around Barley offered a good source of waterpower which led to the growth of several cotton factories.The cotton twist mill at Narrowgates, which was built by William Hartley to spin cotton warp thread, and the adjacent weavers cottages survive to the present day, a witness to Barley's invovement in the cotton industry in the eighteenth century.
In 2011, a seventeenth century cottage was discovered by water engineers from United Utilities during a routine construction project. The cottage lay under a grass mound near Lower Black Moss reservoir. It is thought that it could have been the home of one of the Pendle witches. The building contained a sealed room, where the bones of a cat where discovered bricked into the wall by archaeologists. It is believed the cat was buried alive to protect the cottage's inhabitants from evil spirits. Simon Entwistle, an expert on the witches, said: "In terms of significance, it's like discovering Tutankhamen's tomb.
A circular walk from Barley to Newchurch in Pendle and the Ogden Reservoirs
Distance- about 4 miles
*Exiting the public car park at Barley turn right and proceed a short distance to a t-junction. Go straight across following the sign to Barley Green. Continue to follow the road passing between two pillars to arrive at Nelson water works.
* Just after the waterworks, cross the wooden footbridge over the stream on the left and pass through a gate, continuing head uphill to cross a stile. Turn diagonally left uphill through the field to reach a marker post. Cross over a broken wall to reach another marker post, then turn left continuing to ascend the hill to a gate and a stone pillar.
* Pass through the gate and turn left, following the Pendle Way, pass over the brow of the hill and decend into the village of Newchurch in Pendle. Turn right down the road to visit St. Mary’s Church.
* Turn left on exiting the churchyard and continue along the road to the junction at which point turn rightfollowing the sign for Sabden Fold. Continue along the road passing Faugh’s Quarry on the right, where it was claimed that 20 years before the Lancashire Witch Trials, Elizabeth Demdike, one of the accused, met the devil. Proceed along the road, the passing the Shekinah Christian Centre.
*Just after a large house and a drive way on the right turn right through the gate and ascend the steep hill by the side of the dry stone wall on our right and not the track going to the left.
*Pass through a gate with a yellow arrow and continue to the brow of the hill. Proceed downhill still with the wall on your right towards Upper Ogden Reservoir.
*On reaching the reservoir pass over a stile and go down the steps on the right, pass through a kissing gate on the left, turn right and follow the track to Lower Ogden Reservoir.
*Follow the track with the reservoir on your right to return to the car park at Barley.
Nearby Places of Interest
Pendle Heritage Centre set in a range of tastefully restored Grade II Listed farm buildings and .consists of a museum, art gallery, gift shop, tea-room, an eighteenth century walled garden, cruck barn with farmyard animals and tourist information.
Whalley Abbey- founded by Henry de Lacy, third Earl of Lincoln on the 4th April 1296.
Lancaster Castle founded in the tenth century
Ashton Memorial in Williamson Park, Lancaster was commissioned by James Williamson, Baron Ashton as a tribute to his second wife, Jenny and was built between 1907 and 1909.
Butterfly House, Lancaster
Clitheroe Castle-Norman castle keep and museum, said to be one of the oldest buildings in Lancashire, and one of the smallest keeps in England,