Ste when did you live there? as i did the same thing
This is late 1970s early 1980s - when one could visit the outdoor stables along Childwall Lane. There were some good chestnut trees there too. Smashing conkers. But with all the mud, you risked your footwear trying to retrieve them.
Same time as me mate. I helped out in the riding stables. do you remember the grave for the dog in childwall woods?
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Faintly... now you come to mention it. Was it also a ghost dog after dusk? And then there was something about a fallen tree that attracted devil worshipers. Hmm.
I will share with you two of my worst experiences in them there woods, and both of them very real. On one occasion, myself and two friends thought it an excellent idea to build a 'super secret' den (our last effort compromised). Everything was carrying on as normal until a strange male shot out before us: 'What on earth do you think you are doing,' he barked at us. 'Mr, we're only building a den,' we responded somewhat nervously. This individual then identified himself as an undercover police officer, and he proceeded to speak firmly into a handheld radio. Um, except it wasn't a personal radio -- upon closer inspection, I recognised it as a portable shaving appliance! 'Please God help me,' I thought. 'This guy is talking into a battery charged shaver'. He was obviously disturbed. The first of my two friends recognised the danger and we both looked at each other as if to say 'let's get out of here.' Unfortunately my third friend was awestruck and he kept asking questions about the police. It took ten minutes before we could pull him away, and then we legged it out of the woods to safety.
On a separate occasion, a few years later, myself and a friend stumbled into a large group of children approximately our own age and size. It quickly became obvious they were not there to play nice. For no apparent reason, one of them punched my friend in the face, and he bolted out of the woods at great speed, crying. I wanted desperately to run off with him, but was unable, being far too slow. So I remained behind in a frozen state, opting instead to appease this group by maligning my friend. 'What a wuss!' It didn't work. Soon they were pairing me up with a chubby chap for a bare-knuckle fistfight. I stood motionless as he landed several blows to my body and head. What the hell. I collapsed to the floor, pretending to be fatally injured. It worked, and they decided that I had taken enough.
I didn't return to Childwall woods until a long time after that. People went there looking for fun, but all too often they found themselves dodging trouble.
Thats horrible Ste, so sorry it happened.
I know what you mean some right gits hung around there at times. It happened to 2 of us on the loopline. a gang of lads and girls came along as we where swinging on a rope from a tree and started pelting us with the stones from the track( track still down then ) i remember the girls egging them on to kick our heads in. we had to push through bushes and climb into someones garden to get away. places that seemed exciting where so dangerous really.
Tony. Didn't you tell me once that you had a Remmington R10?
I just remember you saying you escaped by a whisker.
Just been up to the Church for a public meeting to find out what is going on with the rumoured plans for demolition work!
The facts so far is that the PCC have decided that the Church Hall is to be demolished (opposite the pub) and sold off for houses! The new church hall may well be built on the Bloody Acre next to the Graveyard destroying the wildlife and view of the rolling countryside.
There may also be a side extension to the church which will run through the graveyard too.
I've got to get my facts and figures and maps and drawings correct so I think this may be all be explained better in a website, but as you can imagine, this will destroy the village feel to the area, and a massive blow to the area in which we will lose even more green space!
Is Bloody Acre Field actually used for anything? Last time I was down there (a few months ago) it was just a overgrown bramble field - hardly a spot of natural beauty, especially considering Childwall fields just up the road where there are some splendid views on a clear day.
Unless the people of the parish get together and keep bloody acre in a nice state and use it for recreation I can't see any reason why the authorities would want to keep it. If it was actually used for something then I think your task Cad would be easier.
The bloody acre is home to a family of foxes that come 'home' each year as they have done for the last 10 years that I've been taking pictures of them. The land is actually owned by Lord Salisbury and has never been built on since the 'Childwall riots' in the 1600's. The deed states that this land would only ever be used as an extension to the graveyard when needed and not for any building at all. If they wanted to build, they would have to demolish the 'pub' car park, but seeing that the car park is owned by the City Council and was put there in the 1930's 'purely for somewhere to park for people visiting Childwall', I don't think they've got a hope.
The authorities want to keep it simply because of the scores of people who died on that field and there is a covenant on the field that it cannot be built on.
I don't know if this site has been posted before - apologies if it has - but I found the pics very interesting.
Childwall
Hiya Dave. It's a great site isn't it and is Cadfael's who posted just above you.
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