Derelict farm on what is now ASDA

[knife_edge_loop]

Good day to all forum members

 

Forty years ago I was in my early teens and spent every weekend with friends shooting our air rifles on what is now Sankey Valley Park. It was empty waste ground in those days apart from an old barn just about where ASDA is now. There were also the remains of an old pig sty and a pile of red brick rubble that I suppose used to be the main farm building. Fifty yards from the barn was a tiny white concrete building. I assume that this was used for storage as it was not big enough to house animals of any size. Next to the pig sty was a stagnant pond which is now the small pond directly opposite ASDA?s entrance. The narrow cinder track that led past the farm is now Cromwell Avenue. The whole place was completely abandoned even then so it must have ceased to be a working farm soon after the war. To us it was a playground paradise that would never end. Sadly, none of us ever thought to take any photographs at the time.

 

Does anybody have any information about this farm?

Does anybody else here remember it?

Does anybody have any photos of any of the derelict buildings or perhaps even the buildings in their working days?

[Wingnut]

The places I am thinking of are "The Old Barn" which belonged to Jones's farm at the end of Longshaw Street Dallam (Dallam House Farm). I lived next to the farm as a child.

 

"The Old Barn" was just over the canal bridge just past Shakies Pitt, I think it is still used as a fishery today. It was just a barn with no farm house, except for a pile of rubble where the house once stood. Air rifle battles yes, I remember them, were you the enemy?

I also remember a hand water pump amidst the rubble that was still in working order at that time.

 

A good few hundred yds further up the cinder track was another disused farm. The farm house its self was in a bad state, but a chap called Alfie Hatton lived within the grounds in a caravan with his wife and daughter. Farmer Jones used to store his hay in the barn, so we always assumed that farm belonged to him also. It did have a pig sty, and there was also a small stagnant pond in the orchard.

[Wingnut]

There is a photograph here which was put up by Byrdy.

 

It is of Ivy Cottage Dallam. I am sure it was connected with Dallam House Farm which was also called "Ivy House". Can't just place where it was though. Although I had a slight feeling it "might" have been the house that was attatched to The Old Barn. Scroll down the link to find the photo.

 

www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=171876&highlight=#171876

[byrdy]

here we go Wingy--

 

[Wingnut]

Nice one Byrdy mate. And The old Barn was close enough to the railway line to get a picture like that.

[knife_edge_loop]

Many thanks guys, it's amazing to see a pic of the pile of rubble that I used to play about in all those years ago.

 

Sadly, the current "shakies" pit is not the original one, that was filled in a long time ago. The recently dug shakies is about 75 yards from the old one which I fished many times before i could afford to join Warrington angling club.

 

thanks again.

[knife_edge_loop]

Well guys and gals I want to thank you all for your help in finding information on my old haunts as a child. I came here specifically to do that, NOT to discuss politics with a moronic, loony left, Marxist crank.

 

So I will thank you all once more and bid you farewell.

[Eagle]

Thank you for gracing us with your fact finding visit, now bugger off to your cosy self centred world where there are no naughty political bogeymen to frighten you.

[Legion]

used to live in hodgkinson ave, just near the canals.

 

if I remember correctly the farmland that is now callands/cromewell ave used to be referred to as Rigby's farm in the early 70s'