Wigan Album

Must be clever photography...I remember Abbey Lakes, more of a Corporation Bus terminal than a fishing location, nice pic Martin.

Not been round that lake for about 30 years.

As well as the bus terminus, there is a large pub, the lake & was a very big dance hall, behind the pub.. Remembering my stag night now, over 50 years ago..Aaah! ;o)

As a youngster we frequently visited the lake and threw a rope over a strong tree branch to make a swing, happy days eh! Oh and there was some angry swans that were on the lake too. Is it still accesible i wonder?

the lake has had a new footpath all around it recently, and has quite a number of fishing pegs around it. the gates are locked around 8 o clock.

A girl that worked with my wife once told us that her father had found with a metal detector a lot of religious artefacts around that area, one being a very large and ancient brass crucifix which was worth a lot of money, most likely these came from when there was a monastery there. Whether it closed of it's own accord or it was demolished by Henry the eighth's mob or Cromwell's mob I don't know.

It was always my impression-(although I am open to correction) that the lake was created by the monks,to be stocked with fish for consumption at the Priory. And I believe the Benedictines were removed before the dissolution because of "undesirable behaviour". Again, I am open to question on the matter.

Concern was espressed regarding the conduct of the monks in 1497, but the priory finally went at the time of the dissolution, in 1536, at which time the conduct of the Prior and two of the monks was described as 'exceedingly loose' .

Thanks Mick.I don't know where or when I came by my ideas,but it must have been when I was quite young,and didn't really know what was actually meant by "loose" behaviour.How naive we were in those days!

Some interesting stuff here, Ellen:-
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=38346

Thanks,Mick. Will certainly follow up on this. I find this period very interesting. Am currently reading Ken Follet's sequel to "The pillars of the earth", and really liking it.