Wigan Album
New Springs
9 Comments
Photo: DTease
Item #: 32060
I can't imagine what practical purpose it served. Is it, as Alan says, something to do with a Pit Shaft?, or was it connected with the Ironworks?
Now I'm torn between pit shaft and Ironworks.
Surely if it was protecting an old pit shaft, you would not expect to see an archway covered entrance. Sort of defeats the purpose.
I've seen elsewhere that the site was used as a munitions store at some stage. Another view I've seen was taken from the other side - showing the back left-hand corner more clearly - and it looks to me as if it could have had a defensive purpose too - with loopholes set in the corner to make a make-shift pill-box
Albion colliery was on this site but that photo is what's left of the ironworks.
AP, the old brick structure was what was left of the Albion Iron Works engine house.
I was told these are ventilation shafts... and this is only one of about four in a line.
play round there loads of times as a kid from toplock in the fifties.Kestrel was a regular nester not a pit shaft more like a engine block inside
Some interesting information here
https://www.landscapebritain.co.uk/location/albion-iron-works-aspull-ruin/
And here
http://www.wiganarchsoc.co.uk/blog/?page_id=347
Very interesting Sir Bob, particularly the map of the site. Certainly put my curiosity to rest.