Photo-a-Day  (Friday, 27th June, 2025)

Haigh Post Office was in Aspull then. Why was it not called Aspull Post Office? That's like Dicconson Lane Post Office being in Bolton Road.

My favourite area of Wigan and district, lovely.

The triangular marker stone is actually the boundary in-between Salford and West Derby Hundreds.
The stone dates back to ancient times, but it location as now been spoiled by the litter bin, surely the Haigh council could have choose a more suitable for it.

That's a lovely view and I didn't know about the boundary stone. If I was on holiday in an English village somewhere I would envy the residents such a view......we don't always appreciate what is on our own doorstep. Lovely photo, Dennis.

I was christened in that church 65 years ago, lovely pic Dennis thanks for sharing.

One of my favourite parts of Aspull/ Haigh.
It’s as if time has stood still. I always liked driving through here.

They could have donated it to Shevvy Parish Mick. There is probably more need for it there.
There is no litter on the street in this picture, unlike Shevvy La which has more than it’s fair share.

I have a photo in my wedding album taken June 1968 under that Lych Gate. It was a lovely sunny day then. We went across the road to The Balcarres for the reception.

The residents pick the litter up if they see any.
It’s not allowed to lie on the ground longer than five minutes. The folk who pick the litter up are disguised as trees and bushes (just like Dad’s Army!) and even waste bins have hidden legs and arms to pick the litter up. It’s done so discreetly that nobody ever catches them at it.
It’s marvellous really -every year they win cups for being the tidiest and cleanest village in the North West but they don’t brag about it….

Thanks Dennis my favourite place Haigh, just hope that it stops like this in the future lovely tranquil and beautiful.

Irene you should go and visit this lovely village at teatime and observe the heavy traffic doing a rat run from the M6 to the M62 motorways, I think you might change your mind.

Mick, the M6 runs through the middle of Shevvy La!

What lovely memories you must have of this church Kath. It's a beautiful summer photo of an English village and parish church. Thank you Dennis.

I believe the Parish Council are thinking of having toll bars at the entries and exits to Aspull and Haigh. In future only horse and carts, bicycles ( but not lazy electric ones) and tractors will be allowed. Plus the litter bins with arms and legs, but the bin wagons will be replaced with horse and carts - naturally! I’ve heard this from a horse’s mouth that lives in one of the beautiful rolling fields around Aspull. I believe it escaped from Howfen as soon as the fields were being turned over for the £500,000 houses being built there…. Sad but true….

No thankyou Mick..... I can see heavy traffic through my window in Abram every morning and every teatime from the comfort of my couch; sadly that's how things are in most urban villages at those times these days. I will go through Haigh and Aspull when it's quiet.

Mick, you'll find the litter bin was put there by Wigan council, not Haigh council. That explains why it's on the Aspull side of the old marker stone. The Haigh council probably wouldn't want it put in front of the church, and rightly so.

Yes Pat lovely memories of weddings and christenings, but also sad ones of funerals. Lovely photo Dennis.
Can’t believe I’ve never noticed that stone before.
Will look next time we go to the graves.

Perhaps Royal Mail couldn't even give you an answer to that Michael. A lot of nice greenery surrounding the shop front, also a climber with yellow flowers, a Chinese clematis perhaps, the one that has the fluffy haired seed heads throughout winter, and which look superb in a coating of sparkling hoar frost.
Whenever I was passing, I would often call in to get postage stamps or a road tax licence, the staff were always friendly and efficient, and when closed it was a loss to a lot of folks besides locals.

Mt family members are in this lovely church grounds. My ancesters came from the brecon beacons in wales and settled in Aspull

Sour grapes again Mick?This area is much more aesthetically pleasing than Shevvy-La

Cyril, the plants were all plastic, not there now because the shop is now a flooring company.
For those of you who haven't noticed the marker stone, I'm not surprised because it's hidden by the litter bin if you are approaching it from Aspull.

Irene, what you should avoid are the villages like yours, Aspull, Standish, Ince, Orrell, Pemberton, Ashton, which are all on A Roads. If you look at the map, you will see the parish of Shevington is on a much quieter B Road; this is why it's so popular.

Hey Biggadike ! ….
We’ll have a little bit less of the " lazy " if you don’t mind .

It isn’t only Scorchmarks that rides an electric bike … I ride one an ‘ all tha knows .

I’ll come round yonder and box thi ears fo’ thi if tha doesn’t buck up .

Electric bikes are for doddering oldies not youthful oldies like wot I am I’ll have you know……Mind you it’s my eyes that play tricks so I don’t cycle these days. I sold a lovely bike last year and the fellow who bought it was over the moon with it. He tried to ‘knock’ me down but I was not having any of it! If I can’t ride a normal bicycle I don’t want a leccy one…so there you have it Ozy . Anyway Aspull won’t allow leccy chargers messing up the marble pavements. It’s no use I shall have to get back swimming.

Mick, this photo was taken on the 15th of June 2025. The plants are still there plastic or not.

It’s still there Mick, that big hole through the middle of Shevvy, better known as the M6 Motorway is still there. You can’t pretend it isn’t real.

Mick, I am perfectly happy in Abram thankyou, and I wouldn't have chosen to live here for over 50 years if I didn't like it, and there is ONE particular reason why I wouldn't like to live in Shevington.....I wonder what it is? And for your information the road past my house is the B5237. I love every square inch of Abram, warts and all, and I envy no-one. Home is where the heart is.

Teasy might run through Shevy, but it's great having it there with J27 being only 1 mile from the village centre.
Irene, was the reason you didn't choose to live in Shevy because it didn't have enough pubs.

How the mighty have fallen Ozy, from driving big lurries to riding a twelve candle power postman’s conveyance.
Mind you, you’ll not be short of spare parts considering the speed that the Royal Mail is going downhill.
I wouldn’t bother buying a lock fer it Ozy they’ll be giving them away in a bit just to get rid of them.
The damage that them razor blade saddles do to your nether regions is something else that you have to give serious thought to. If your eyes start watering for no apparent reason it’s time to get off and walk fer a bit, if you can still walk that is.

That's true, Mick. You can't move in Abram for pubs. (Actually there is ONE and I haven't been in it since 1981 when my daughter was christened in the church next door and we had a buffet there).

Speaking of pubs Mick , I was in that conservative club in Shevvy the other week .

No doubt about it … It’s a very nice place , and I may even consider going again , but I’ll have to go down into Wiggin and re-mortgage the house again first .

If those plants are plastic Mick, then they have done well not to have become tattered with the winters winds and the winds from passing traffic, also ice and rain throughout winter too, but looking at the magnified leaves I doubt that they are, plus they do serve to enhance the photo by Dennis.

Why is everyone having a go at Mick? Leave the poor lad alone.

You may have hit on something there actually DTease .
I normally sing baritone in the Sally Army choir , merely to keep myself occupied you understand …. It has nothing at all to do with the free bar and buffet afterwards let me assure you .

But just recently I find that I can go an octave higher .

At first I thought it may have had something to do with that massive bag of pre loved Y fronts that my neighbour donated after her husband croaked ,
but since you’ve mentioned the bike saddle , it’s set me thinking .
I wonder if there might be a slight connection there ?

I really hope not as the major tells me that they don’t have a slot for another soprano at the moment .

I would hazard a guess at him being an obnoxious snob about Shevvy-La, that's why he gets the 'Mick' taken !

Ozy, you would be able to see our house from the Tory club back window.
When I moved into my four bed detached house some 40 odd years ago I would find bits of broken clay pipes and parts of a stone wall, in the corner of the garden, they must have just chucked what little rubbish they had in them days over the wall.
Yes it's is a nice place and it's got one of the best crown green bowling greens in the north of England.

Just like to add the Shevington Tory club was once named the Victoria Bowling Green pub.

I bet they look on you as their tame Rigsby in there don’t they Mick?

You forgot to mention the two garages and room for a pony Mick. They like to hear about these things down at the Tory Club Mick.

Yeah , I think you were away in London or the Cotswolds at the time Mick , so I took the opportunity to nip round and strip the lead off your roof .

So just keep an eye on the weather forecast and next time it gives rain , make sure to take an umbrella with you when you go to bed .

Yeah the two garages and the spare bedrooms would hold 2 dozen boatmen easily and still have room for a pony. Although it would probably get roasted on a barbecue.

That’s funny Ozy, made me laugh that did.

I understand that there's a by - law which prohibits the burning of car tyres on barbecues in Shevington Veronica .

Fortunately I happen to live in Marsh Green which has no such restrictions .

We con brun what we want on our barbecues here , railway sleepers , waggin tyres , medical waste … owd engine oil … you name it and we’ll brun it .

You’d have to sample the end result to appreciate the exquisite flavour and delicate aroma of the food .

The residents of Shevington don’t know what they’re missing .

Ozy, that was hilarious about pinching the lead! I was just in need of a good laugh and that was it!

So you’ve moved to MarshGreen with your shelter Ozy after all the work you’ve put in there.
I hope you don’t get any Gypsies poking round. Moving from Wigan Lane which is so historic an all! Canon Balls and arrows are still being found you could have made a bomb with all that scrap and shrapnel.