PENDLE HILL

'Pendle Hill' (summit 557 m above mean sea level) is located in the north-east of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Burnley, Colne, Nelson and Clitheroe. It gives its name to the Borough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill, separated from the Pennines to the east and the Forest of Bowland to the northwest. It lies to the southwest of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is a detached part of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Contents

History

The Pendle Witches

The Quakers

See also

External links

History

The naming of Pendle Hill is unusual in that it says the same thing in three different languages. In the thirteenth century it was mentioned as ''Pennul'' or ''Penhul'', apparently from Cumbric ''pen'' and Old English ''hyll'', both meaning "hill"; the meaning having become opaque, the modern English word ''Hill'' was again appended.
In geological terms, the hill consists of an ancient plateau of millstone grit, over softer shales, on an underlying limestone bed. The historic decomposition of sphagnum moss on the hill has led to it being covered in peat.
It is famous for its links to two events which took place in the 17th century: the Pendle Witches and the claimed visitation to George Fox, leading to the foundation of the Quaker movement. A Bronze Age burial site has been also discovered at the summit of the hill.
The most popular starting point for climbing the hill is the village of Barley to the east, which also provides the steepest ascent. Other nearby villages include Downham, Newchurch-in-pendle and Sabden.
The area is now popular with many ghost hunters after Living's top show Most Haunted visited the hill for a Live investigation on Halloween 2004 and for an investigation during the series of the show.

The Pendle Witches

The story of the Pendle witch trials is the best known example of alleged witchcraft in English history. The hill continues to be associated with witchcraft, and every Hallowe'en large numbers of visitors climb it.

The Quakers

In 1652, George Fox claimed to have had a vision while on top of Pendle, during the early years of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Today, the name Pendle remains strongly linked with the Quakers, giving its name to their centre of learning in the USA.

See also

★ Firbank Fell

★ Forest of Bowland

External links

★ Ribble Valley Borough Council Tourist Information on Pendle Hill

★ Walking Pages: Pendle

★ A circuit of Pendle Hill from Downham

★ A circuit of Pendle Hill from Barley

★ Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

★ Computer generated summit panorama Pendle Hill index

★ George Fox - An Autobiography

★ Pendle Hill - Walking Guide