Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 31st March, 2023)

Is this in reference to the WELL in Standish town centre has "Hic Bibi "means drink here?

The old way between Wigan and Preston before the coming of the Turnpike.
In those days to get to Chorley you needed to travel down here to Broomfield , over where the old sand holes lay , perhaps water your horse at Hic Bibi , then proceed via Old Parish.
The stony road south to Wigan continued down Church Street and the Grove , snaked by where Victoria pit once was , across modern Chorley Road into the Douglas valley , approaching Wigan by Sicklefield .
In this way the old travellers did their best to follow the contours around the hills . I imagine the odd highway man did as well .

Thanks for that explanation Poet, it adds a great deal of interest to the photo.
I 'm sure many people look at Photo a Day are not as well up on the Wigan of today or its history & find the info very helpful.

Once i drank from the Sacred , the given to me ,
the horse rode by , pasture , roam , and yonder see ,
The source where it came from ,
cut out the rock ,
chose to rise , the sacred we got .
forever flowing , until us we kill ,
the blood we need .. we someday will .
Crystal by nature , but changed by man ,
who pours within it , whenever he can ,
leaving to die , all who can swim ,
what is the sacred and who is the dim ?

Interesting stuff, Poet. Thanks, Mick, it’s good to have a closeup of the stone. More is shown of its setting in Thomas Walsh’s photo here: https://wiganworld.co.uk/photoaday.php?photo=2012-05-21

Poet, I think after the Grove it travelled down Fairhurst Lane and onto Lurdin Lane which would have gone past the old pit. As Victoria Pit had a 1901 datestone I think these roads were there before the pit. Grove Lane now ends at the old Millpond and Fairhurst Lane became Cranleigh. Have you seen the new development on Rectory Lane, Rectory Wood ?, Standish is more like a small town now, not a village.

I think this stone can be seen near the wall in front of Bramley Court opposite what used to be the TSB bank, and before that, Taylors shop. Frank did the best Jublies :)

The old road was well there before the pit WN1 , I merely mentioned the location as a reference point . What riches . You could fill your jug at the bottom of The Grove at Bessy Well too .
I've seen the Rectory Lane rape scene , but it is something I don't like to look at . I remember sitting in that field watching the last of the steam trains going by the old signal box . Then up the lane to Frank Taylor's for a Vimto lolly .
The stone in the photo is just where you say .

I'd never heard of the Rectory Lane rape, what year was that ? I also remember seeing steam trains passing the style between Rectory Lane bridge and Victoria pit. Taylors Vimto Lollies were ace, Birketts were'nt bad either.