Ramsden Wood

The walk leaves Vicarage and continues along Foul Clough Road as far as the properties at Thornsgreece and Brown Road. Thomas Barker of Inchfield, a 4 x great grandfather, was living at Thornsgreece when he died in 1821 - see the post of 8th November 2021.

Thornsgreece and Brown Road

The path then heads down to Ragby Bridge and along Ramsden Clough to Ramsden Wood. This is location no. 3 on the map of this walk. 

Ramsden Wood reservoir

In 1841, John Highley, a 3 x great grandfather, was recorded in the Census as living at Ramsden Wood with his wife Mally (nee Unsworth) and children Charles, Thomas, James and Hannah. John worked as a Cotton Mule Spinner. Charles, James and Hannah were Cotton Power Loom Weavers and Thomas was a Cotton Stripper and Grinder. 

There were two mills in Ramsden Wood - Ramsden Wood Mill, known as T' Top Shop and Spring Mill, known as T' Bottom Shop. 

The two mills of Ramsden Wood

In 1844 John's son Charles married Betty Harrison and their first child Grace was born. Grace's baptism record shows the family living at Spring Mill in Walsden. 

In 1851 John and Mally were recorded as living in Spring Mill. John's occupation was shown as a Scutcher of Cotton.

The cottages at Spring Bottom built for workers at Spring Mill
John and Mally lived in one of these

John died in 1854 and Mally in 1860. They were buried in the graveyard at St Peter's Church in Walsden. There is no gravestone to commemorate their names, but the walking stick in the picture below shows where they were buried.