Mysterious stone heads have been found in and around Bolton, some presumed to be ancient, others not so old but still of interest.
My own interest started when I was a kid and someone brought me a newspaper clipping that had an excerpt from a book or pamphlet about “The Stone Heads of Bolton”, I don’t have the clipping anymore and can’t find much online today. Back then I noted that one of the ‘mysterious’ heads was located not far away at Hodgkinson’s Farm.
I’ve found a few here and there in the wider area so I’ll list them here.
Holy Well stone angels image by munki-boy
The small barn that is the only building that remains standing from New Hall Farm, also on the site of the ‘old’ New Hall once had a fine “Owl Hole”, which is exactly as expected - a hole for owls to use to enter barns. I expect it was a good way to keep rodents from stores in the barn. Below the owl hole was a strange looking stone head.
The Face on the Wall used to be fun to find when I was a kid and was often visited on a once popular walk from Rivington village, down along the Dean Brook and round the Yarrow reservoir.
The stone heads of two angels are located close to the re-covered Holy Well spring, once placed either side of a stone arch, one remains in-situ with the other known to be close-by.
