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Saturday 10 January 2015

Tenter Tower

In deepest darkest Lancashire, standing at the top of an extremely muddy hill is a Listed building which is now derelict.


 I struggled for my art today - climbing through brambles and tramping through mud six inches deep! As usual, I managed to discover the hardest route to get to the place!



The building used to contain wooden frames on which washed cloth was stretched in order that it would stay in shape while drying. The material was held on the frame using "tenter hooks". (From the Latin "tendere" - to stretch) By the mid eighteenth century the phrase "on tenterhooks" came into use, meaning being in a state of uneasiness or suspense (stretched like the cloth on the tenter). The mill would have been in the valley below.

 
 
 


              The windows are barred but these bars made great shadows from the sunlight.


 
 
 The view from inside the tower.
 
 

 
More interesting shadows on the interior walls.
 
 
There are a set of precarious stone steps going up the side of the building. I climbed these to get a view from the top - just as a huge gust of wind blew over the hill and nearly knocked me over the edge!
 
 
 
Proof that the tower is situated in one of the muddiest fields in Lancashire! Thank goodness for the trusty Dr. Marten's boots!
 
 
The view from the tower.
 
 
Looking down the stone staircase. My boots are actually blue, not brown by the way!
 
 
 The bars on the windows.
 
 
 
I really liked this building as it's part of Lancashire's proud textile heritage.
 

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