THE WITCH’S GRAVE – LYTHAM.

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I was in Lytham a couple of days ago seeking out the memorials relating to the Mexico ship disaster of 1886 which led to the deaths of 27 lifeboatmen. The worst loss of life in the history of the RNLI. Chatting to one of the locals on the Lytham Promenade, he enlarged on the Cliftons of Lytham Hall, an interesting family by all accounts, and the influences they had had on the town over the centuries. He mentioned the mysterious Witch Wood.

Witch Wood is what’s left of The Big Wood, a 5,000 acre site, once part of Lytham Hall Home Park. The Cliftons ran into financial trouble and sold off the estate to Guardian Royal Exchange in 1963. Somewhere along the line the local council gifted the remaining derelict Witch wood to Lytham St. Annes Civic Society who proceeded to create a narrow strip of woodland, a green corridor in the heart of the town. Undergrowth was cleared and new native trees planted.  A plaque says the woodland was officially opened by Prince Phillip in 1974.

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The Western Exit, notice the cobble wall of Lytham Hall estate.

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My visit, with cycle in tow, was going to be brief. The approach, after visiting St. Cuthbert’s Church, was along an old private driveway, now open to pedestrians, over the railway into the old Clifton Estate.

I’d been told of the Witch’s Grave inside these woods. Spoiling the story, not a female scary Witch but a horse belonging to John Talbot Clifton, the squire of Lytham Hall. The horse, Witch, had an accident in 1888 within the woods and a gravestone apparently marks its resting place.

Once in the woodland strip do I go left or right to find the grave? I go left, westwards, along a well-used path, no cycling allowed says the sign. Fair enough. The narrow wood is bounded on the south by the railway and to the north by a largely hidden housing estate. It should be easy to spot the grave especially at this time of year with little undergrowth. Of course, I don’t really know what I’m looking for. After walking a few hundred yards I have not found the gravestone. I turn around and head back.

A local couple are walking towards me – “excuse me, do you by any chance know where the Witch’s grave is?” ” Yes you must have passed it back there – it’s on the right in the trees” They offer to show me where, and I retrace my steps once more. It is evident they are very proud of their wood and extol the virtues of the Lytham Civic Society and all the good work the volunteers do. They are not too keen on irresponsible dog owners or cyclists. I wheel my bike quietly beside me. Next thing my guides and I are at the far western end of the wood where it joins the road without encountering the grave. They apologise, explaining they were distracted by our conversation. I apologise for troubling them and turn tail to try again.

Along the way I gather up more ‘knowledgable’ locals in my quest. “I think it is in the other half of the wood” is a popular opinion. So over the driveway and into the eastern half of the wood, we spread out scouring the undergrowth. They begin to lose interest but say they will shout if they find it as they scatter off onto side paths. I retreat to the western half as advised by the next group of locals, one who had walked these paths as a child believing in the Witch and fairies in the trees. For a while I follow them but begin to doubt their reliability and hang back, bicycle still in tow. That’s about a dozen locals I’ve consulted so far, it can’t be so difficult, surely. Back to the central driveway.

At last a pleasant lady with spaniel, must be local. I repeat my request and all of a sudden positivity arrives. She marches me without any fuss to the spot maybe a hundred yards away which I must have passed half a dozen times. I thank her profusely, she looks at me wondering whether I will be able to find my way out.

To be honest the gravestone is small and not that obvious in the trees. The stone is inscribed  – The Witch. Died Jan 5th 1888Satisfied, I can continue on my way now, not daring to mount my bike till well out of the wood. I cannot give you a grid reference for the stone – best of luck if you go in search. Try asking a local.

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tempsnipwitch

13 thoughts on “THE WITCH’S GRAVE – LYTHAM.

  1. George Kitching

    Haha. Sounds as if asking a local is good for keeping fitness levels up. My wife’s family live in Lytham so we are often down there. Sandy’s brother is a reserve lifeboatman. I didn’t know the story of the Mexico disaster, but I’ll asking him about that next time. Her Mum lives near Lytham Hall and often walks in the woods that surround it. I wonder if they joined up with Witch Wood originally?

    I’ll ask Sandy if she knows where the Witch’s grave is (and pack provisions for a long day out if I go in search)!

    Reply
    1. bowlandclimber Post author

      The history of the hall and the Clifton family is interesting. At one time their lands covered most of the area. Now some is housing, so they have done well to preserve the strip of Witchwood.

      Reply
  2. conradwalks.blogspot.com

    It’s good to have an objective for a walk, especially if you intend to post on the blog. I have had similar searches, some successful and others not so. In the latter category was Pinhaw Beacon when I had noticed on the map nearby “Robert Wilson’s grave.”:
    https://conradwalks.blogspot.com/2021/09/trigs-103-delf-hill-plus-3-shocking.html
    From my blog, Sept 2021 (link above)
    “It seems Robert Wilson was a keeper of the beacon in 1805. Running short of food in his hut he set off in a snowstorm to re-provision and perished. Details can be read (I think) on the photo below.”
    “I spent some time trying to find Wilson’s grave but after tiresome struggling about in deep heather gave it up as bad job.”

    Reply
    1. bowlandclimber Post author

      That walk was part of a bike ride and I felt embarrassed pushing my bike through the hallowed Witch Wood.
      I was not aware of Robert Wilson, probably few are, which possibly explains your negative search.
      I was eventually proud of my positive search. C’est la vie.

      Reply
  3. Michael Graeme

    Your perseverance does you credit. I don’t know much about Lytham at all, other than the shore and Fairhaven lake. I shall have to look those woods up.

    Reply
    1. bowlandclimber Post author

      “Elementary, my dear Watson” as the misquote often says.
      I’ll be back to have a look around Lytham Hall and grounds, but I think I will leave the bike at home.
      Lytham is on the wrong side of the estuary for you. But there are links from the lifeboat disaster in Southport. Closer for your detective unearthing.

      Reply
  4. Eunice

    Well after reading this account of your search for the Witch’s grave it sounds like I’m going to have fun looking for it later in the year 🙂

    Reply

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