What was/is this area in LS16 used for?

The green spaces and places of Leeds
CathJ
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 14 Oct, 2011 6:32 am

Post by CathJ »

Jon, I look forward to seeing your images from Clayton woods and the quarry, I'm sure they will bring back some good memories. As for your tunnel images, very interesting. I was brought up in Yeadon but spent a lot of time in Horsforth where my grandparents lived and I was told that the Kirkstall Abbey tunnel came out in some woodland at the side of Outwood Lane, but this was also along side a story of a ghost monk who would appear in the middle of the road so it probably is just a story. It would be good if you could go the complete length of the tunnel to see where it does go.

jonleeds
Posts: 717
Joined: Thu 31 Jan, 2008 4:59 pm

Post by jonleeds »

Interesting to hear that CathJ, I only heard about the Kirkstall Abbey tunnel since I posted these pics, but if you;ve been hearing it since you were a nipper it must be ingrained in the local psyche as an urban legend. Where I was brought up in Morley we had local legends about there been a ghost of a 'grey lady' in Morley Hall which was a 17th century manor house which was turned into the maternity hospital for Morley Borough before Morley became part of Leeds. Also on the outskirts of Morley and Batley was Adwalton Moor and Howley Hall - places which saw action in the civil war and there were tales of people out on the misty country lanes at night who saw ghostly spectres of roundhead soldiers without heads etc.
Have your fun when you're alive - you won't get nothing when you die... have a good time all the time! - Chumbawumba!

And no matter how things end, you should always keep in touch with your friends - Dave Gedge

The Parksider
Posts: 1581
Joined: Sat 10 Nov, 2007 3:55 am

Post by The Parksider »

jonleeds wrote: About a mile and a half away in Hawksworth Woods I also uncovered the entrance to the genuine Kirkstall Abbey Tunnel that many people have tried to dismiss as being an old explosives store from the quarrying days. OK Jon, guilty, you got me.I found the gold many years ago but as I have a penchant for wine women and song there's not much left.If you remind me where the entrance is I'll put what's left back!!

CathJ
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri 14 Oct, 2011 6:32 am

Post by CathJ »

Jon, Horsforth has a fair few ghost stories that have floated (no pun intended) around for as long as I can remember. There is supposedly a blue boy who appears at the bottom of Town Street (next to the old graveyard with the fallen clock face). The Black Bull pub is supposedly haunted but I worked in the kitchens there for a while and never saw or heard anything, did get that awful feeling of being watched when I went upstairs though. I think I remember someone once saying the library or the area around the library was haunted too but can't remember the details. I'm also sure that rumours of clayton woods being haunted used to go around too, probably just kids stories though as again I can't remember details.I suppose with a village/town as old as Horsforth you will always get urban myths and ghost stories. The stories of the Kirkstall Abbey tunnel have definitely been around for a long time, with a fair few exit points from what I've read on here and like I said I doubt there is much truth to the one I heard as it was alongside the ghost story and I couldn't really imagine why the monks would want to escape to the woods on Outwood Lane.    

jonleeds
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Joined: Thu 31 Jan, 2008 4:59 pm

Post by jonleeds »

Yes I like to think there might be something behind the Kirkstall Abbey secret tunnel, although in all likelihood its a myth and more likely to have been caused by people seeing old drains from the abbey and then imagining it was a tunnel and other tales. Although in the times the abbey was built and was operating there was a tendancy to create these secret passageways / tunnels / priest-holes etc. Perhaps there was some need for the monks to have a clandestine method of exiting the abbeys grounds via a subterranean tunnel that emerged somewhere from where they could make their escape.The other locations I've heard people say are the end of the Kirkstall Abbey secret tunnel either seem unlikely as they are either too far away (Dean Farm on Scotland Lane) or on the opposite side of the river (Abbey Inn) or even at a much higher elevation than Kirkstall Abbey is (cellar of The Outside Inn in Horsforth). The only credible contenders I think are the rumoured entrance in the basement of the old Newlaithes Manor - if it even exists, although its been said in other posts online. And this entrance in Hawksworth Woods. Until some concrete (or probably masonry in this case!) evidence is uncovered it will always remain an urband legend.
Have your fun when you're alive - you won't get nothing when you die... have a good time all the time! - Chumbawumba!

And no matter how things end, you should always keep in touch with your friends - Dave Gedge

Leedslad31
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 3:04 pm

Post by Leedslad31 »

Hi everyone...I've just registered for this forum after a very enjoyable few hours of reading - ta very much for some fascinating posts!I grew up on Spen Lane,and used to play in Clayton Woods as a youngster. My brothers used to go fishing at the ponds and we were all warned to stay out of the water as (we were told) several folk had drowned in there over the years...something about a submerged ledge which traps the unfortunate victim?Certainly,the lads who lived opposite us found a corpse floating in the pond in the early 70s. They thought it was a tailor's dummy at first and fished it to the side with a large branch,hoping to be able to get up to mischief with it. Their laughter soon stopped when they turned the "dummy" over! Another friend who lived on Parkstone Avenue was unfortunate enough to stumble upon the gruesome remains of a chap who'd apparently committed suicide by jumping into the quarry,plunging from the highest ledge onto the rocks below.On a (thankfully!) much lighter note,the woods were generally a safe and fun place to play,and used to echo with the sounds of kids taking full advantage of this natural amusement park,especially during the summer holidays.Jon,I managed to locate the stone hut circles (2 of them) several years ago,and I'm pretty sure I could show you the location if you're still keen to view them? They are pretty indistinct at first,but become perfectly visible once you're stood inside them! I'm so pleased to hear that they are recognised by English Heritage,and woud love to learn more about them.Once again,many thanks for the fascinating posts on this and other topics.Best wishes,Gary
I'm interested in lots of stuff!

jonleeds
Posts: 717
Joined: Thu 31 Jan, 2008 4:59 pm

Post by jonleeds »

Hi Gary,Yes I'd love to know the location of the stone hut circles, I dont really know what to look for, I mean I'm not expecting it to be like Fred Flintstones house or anything, I have got an idea where they might be, but that part of the woodland is very overgrown with a lot of holly / bracken and thickly wooded with birch saplings. If you wouldnt mind either showing me on the map or meeting up there sometime that would be great, let me know. Cheers! - Johnny
Have your fun when you're alive - you won't get nothing when you die... have a good time all the time! - Chumbawumba!

And no matter how things end, you should always keep in touch with your friends - Dave Gedge

headingleylad
Posts: 57
Joined: Tue 18 Mar, 2008 10:04 am

Post by headingleylad »

I also lived on Spen Lane in the late 1960s and early 70s (between the Ring Road and Otley Old Road when I was in my teens and used to ride my bike through the woods at Clayton Woods but never went there after dark, some of my friends used to go fishing in the ponds, I believe one of the "Jack Frost" episodes was filmed in and around Clayton Woods.John
Lived in Leeds all my life, Cookridge Headingley

Leedslad31
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed 28 Dec, 2011 3:04 pm

Post by Leedslad31 »

Hi Johnny,Either way of directing you to the hut circles is fine with me...they are practically invisible as you wander through the woods,but only very slightly off the beaten track. You're looking for very slightly raised grass and moss covered circles of rubble,about 15ft diameter. They are quite close to (and slightly to the left of) the Iveson Lawn entrance to the woods. Please feel free to give me a call on 07802 190166 anytime! Hiya John,You must have grown up very close to our family as we moved to Spen Lane in the late 60s. Did you know any of the Hewitts at all? We lived halfway up the hill on Spen Lane,mid-way between the shops and the old Police Station.Best wishes,Gary.
I'm interested in lots of stuff!

grumpybloke
Posts: 180
Joined: Sat 25 Sep, 2010 6:44 pm

Post by grumpybloke »

In my youth I found a beehive quern, for grinding flour, in Backhouse Wood just down the road from here. They date from the Iron Age I believe which ties in with the remains that you mention.

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