52 residents # 44 Scary Stuff

Springhill doesn't really do this sort of thing, so here's one from half a mile down the road…including very scary dog in upstairs window.


Halloween 640

52 residents # 43 Quite the Character

The Rev. James Barton Turner A.T.S., minister at Sion Baptist Church for over 25 years in the mid 20th century.

A committed pacifist, he was once accused of saying that 'it did not matter if we were ruled by King or Kaiser' and ran classes on how to face conscription tribunals.

52 residents # 42 Proud

There are many Springhill residents who have cause to be proud:

EH Holden, the second headmaster of Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, was doubtless proud of many of his students.

Many parents would be proud of their children, often the first in their families to go to university.

Near-resident Jim Meadowcroft would have been proud of his snooker career.

Rev Thomas Jenkins would have been proud of those in his congregation who wrestled with their faith when times were difficult.

Rev James Barton Turner, pastor of Sion Baptist, would have been proud of those in his congregation who objected to conscription on conscientious grounds.

Jack Watkins who was born to a long line of cotton weavers, left school aged 14 in 1942 with no qualifications, took a job in an office, rose to be Company Secretary (of Riley's snooker, another link between Springhill and snooker), sat his bar exams but never practised as a barrister, did a BA in music and studied theology in the Methodist Church. Amongst other things. Pictured here c 1965.


John Watkins 2 640

52 residents # 41 Newest

The 'newest' property in the Springhill area, New Croft House, wasn't expected to be completed by this time but after planning permission was granted in February 2020 there was an expectation that work would be progressing over the summer. Well covid, and possibly other issues, put paid to that and seven months later the only progress is half a dozen trees felled, a wall dug out and three patches of the lane edge cleared of grass. These latter are rapidly recolonising, as nature is wont to do.

In the meantime the expectation is that it will look something like this.


front elevation

52 residents # 40 Oldest

The oldest surviving building in Springhill is Polefield Cottage, dated 1642.

polefield front

datestone Polefield

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