THE LEGEND OF THE ELFIN HERMIT
The origin of the down demolished Hermit pub’s name is uncertain, but it is believed to relate to a legendary hermit who protected an ancient well near what is now Hermitage Green. The area was once a village green and continues to host Romany gypsies. According to "Ghosts of Leigh" by Cyril Ward, during the post-Roman era, a cruel overlord named Dunster built a stone fortress in West leigh. To ensure its safety, he demanded a human sacrifice—Gytha, a young woman who had rejected him. She was entombed alive within the walls, clutching her spindle.
After Gytha’s death, her spirit haunted Dunster; each anniversary she appeared, causing him great fear until his eventual death. The compassionate hermit from St. Elfin’s well cared for Dunster but ultimately dismantled the fortress and used its stones to build a new church. Gytha’s ghost continued to appear until the hermit performed a ritual: he dug a grave, and when Gytha next appeared, she dropped her spindle in and followed it, finally bringing peace to her spirit.
WOODHEAD FARM – OSWALDS PALACE AND THE CAPITAIN OF THE TITANIC
Woodhead Farm, north of St Oswald’s well, is notable for two reasons: it is believed to be the site of St Oswald’s Palace—Oswald having converted his kingdom to Christianity with help from St. Aiden before his death in 642—and as the former home of Sarah Eleanor Pennington, who married Edward Smith, captain of the Titanic, at St Oswald's Church in 1887.
LOST CITY OF SOUTHWORTH
In 1964, while constructing the M6 motorway, workers uncovered ancient graves believed to be from the Saxon era, with all bodies facing west. After archaeological examination, construction continued. In 1980, Liverpool University Archaeology Unit excavated a Bronze Age barrow near the same site and discovered more west-facing graves, strengthening the idea of a significant early settlement in what is now Southworth. These findings suggest the area held strategic importance, possibly as the base of England’s first Christian king, given the Christian burial orientation and proximity to the Mersey valley. Despite its historical significance, little remains today except Southworth Road and Southworth Hall, with past development decisions raising questions about preservation.
WINWICK CHURCH ST OSWALD AND THE PIG
Winwick Church is believed to stand on the site of an ancient Druid altar or pre-Christian temple, a theory supported by 1828 excavations that reportedly uncovered three large skeletons. The name "Winwick" may derive from the ancient British "Caer Gwentquic." On the church's west tower, a carving depicts the legendary Winwick Pig, said to have moved the church’s stones while crying “Win–ick!” This carving is next to a niche likely once holding a statue of St. Antony of Egypt, whose symbol is a pig. The original statues were destroyed during Cromwell's time but replaced in 1973 with figures of St Oswald and St Antony, with the pig to the right of St Antony.
WILLIAM HUSKISSON
William Huskisson PC (1770–1830) was a British statesman, financier, and Member of Parliament for several constituencies, notably Liverpool. He is chiefly remembered as the first widely reported railway fatality, having been struck by Stephenson's locomotive Rocket during the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Despite warnings to remain on board, Huskisson left his train at Parkside station to greet the Duke of Wellington. Distracted, he failed to notice the approaching engine, panicked, and fell onto the tracks. Severely injured, he was transported to hospital, received treatment, made his will, and died shortly thereafter.
PARKSIDE COLLIERY
Shaft sinking began in 1957, resulting in at least one fatality before coal surfaced. The site opened in 1959 after groundworks costing the National Coal Board over £13 million. [2] The first coal was not brought up until 1964, seven years after work began. [3] Two 200-foot (61 m) concrete Koepe winding towers were installed but demolished shortly after closure. At its peak in the 1970s, Parkside employed over 1,600 miners and produced more than 760,000 tonnes (840,000 tons) of coal annually. The deepest shaft reached 882 yards (807 m), and longwall mining was used. Methane from coal faces was utilized for boilers or vented and later piped to a Warrington chemical works via a 7.5-mile (12 km) pipeline carrying 12–15 million therms per year. In its final years, the mine employed 750–800 people. Coal was transported by merry-go-round trains to Fiddlers Ferry power station in Cheshire. The mine closed in 1993.