Gamblers Caves .........memories!

[moonbyter]

I used to visit a little known jem, tucked away above and over the coppice and moleside, a place I knew as "Gamblers Caves". As a child, then as a teenager, I, along with my friends, used to visit this place and explore and play around the caves that were situated there. i often used to wonder why nobody ever capitalized on this area of natural beauty with its unusual caves, one of which had an entrance larger then a large house. I used to walk up there with my mates, walk up there with my faithful boxer dog, camp, picnic, explore, I had such fun and such happy memories. I often thought that picnic tables could have been sited here, possibly toilets, a car park could have been made, and the area could have been turned into a tourist attraction for walkers and visitors to our town. but alas all that happened in future years was that someone conducted a survey, realised the rock was worth mining, and took it upon themselves to blast the rock, distroy these natural caves and basically decimate what was a wonderful place, high up above the town. Now I have to explain to my son that we can never visit the caves ever again, I think its sad that what was a natural, potential attraction has been effectively "blown up", and i think its typical of this council to miss the very things that are staring them in the face, the things that make this town what it is, or what it was, the old grammer school has long gone, scared heart church, the old baths, the mansion in oakhill park, victoria hospital....... these and others, all gone. Would be interested to hear from other local folk with memories of gamblers caves and hope councillors take note of the distruction their decisions cause and to consider their actions in future, otherwise we will also see the loss of maybe the arcade, the market hall and any other few things we have left that we can have pride in. Take note this town is in your hands, lets leave something for future generations before it is to late!

[swingbrig]

After spending many childhood days at Gambler's Caves sometimes instead of school, I can echo your sentiments. I was fortunate enough to go there with my own daughter and her cousin about three summers ago when it was more or less as it always had been. Got some photos too. There was the odd broken pallet piled with stone for crazy paving or stone slates I thought. Never thought anything of it until she pestered me the following summer to go back to the caves with the dog. Imagine our dis-appointment on dropping into the area: NO CAVES! There was a guy machining the stone floor at T-time on a Saturday.
One older friend told me how his father used to go up there with others after the pubs had closed for gambling and clog-fighting. Don't know how true this is but perhaps the older generation may have some interesting tales.

[cashman]

never knew the caves had been blasted to oblivion, aint been up that far for about 6yrs, glad ive seen this,was contemplating this xmas,so ya saved me a trip for nowt,have many happy memories of " Japs @ Commandos, Cowboys @ Indians, n was also a good place to take a lass, ahhh well, another treasure gone.

[katex]

Has been discussed before Moonbyter in other threads, sure in others too, here is one :-

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...ves-29781.html

Your opening statement, however, says it all I am afraid :- "I used to visit a little known gem" Exactly, only a small proportion of the populuation of Accrington ever used to visit these caves, even with the plan you suggested of picnic tables, etc., don't think would be utilised so much. Better to use this site in a more economic way. Would sooner see any monies being put into the front of the coppice on restoration of the shelter, monument, etc., as being discussed on another thread at this moment.

Take comfort in the fact, that the caves live on in the form of our Town Hall.

As for places like Sacred Heart, well, this was up to the church, wasn't it .. would not have liked to have seen public money wasted in holding up a crumbling place of worship. As for the Grammar School; they moved on to build a more modern one .. quite rightly so or would have been much criticism by the people, again of crumbling facilities. Obviously, no private buyer was prepared to come forward to buy this property and convert into ? So down it had to come to make way for housing. Better for us all, I say.

Victoria Hospital still there and isn't the mansion in Oak Hill Park ?

Can't ever see the Market Hall, Arcade and certain other buildings coming under the demolishers swinging stone in the near future .. in fact, plans afoot to ensure it stays there for a long while to come.

So take heart Moonbyter, we still have some grand old buildings which will be around for some time yet, albeit converted into flats, etc.

[Nickelson]

Was up moleside yesterday was planning on going there but delayed it till christmas eve probably take some photo's.

[notts]

i to used to go up gamblers instead of going to school

[Mitchells]

I usedto train for Mountain biking competitions and remember going up one day to find the site fenced off and a huge bull dozer in the middle of the plot, i spoke to a farmer who said they were there illegally and that he had reported it to the police and the council who had taken no action. Its a real shame because the whole area is brimming with natural history and is a haven amongst the bustling townships around.

[Bonnyboy]

Originally Posted by Mitchells

I usedto train for Mountain biking competitions and remember going up one day to find the site fenced off and a huge bull dozer in the middle of the plot, i spoke to a farmer who said they were there illegally and that he had reported it to the police and the council who had taken no action. Its a real shame because the whole area is brimming with natural history and is a haven amongst the bustling townships around.

Do you by any chance know a farmers lad called Danny Smith, lives over Trawden way, he is into your mountain biking sport

[Retlaw]

Although it has been called gamblers caves, it never was a cave, it was an old disused quarry. The gambling used to take place on the grassy part in front of the opening in the quarry face.

The last time I saw any gambling take place was in the 1950's, usually on a Sunday, they had lookouts posted round the rim of the quarry. I used to sit on the banking watching them. Never saw any police raids, saw quite a few fights and arguments about cheating.

Try Google earth, it shows a road to it, there also seems to be a lot going on between Blue Slates Cottages and West farm.

Retlaw.

[Mitchells]

Originally Posted by Bonnyboy

Do you by any chance know a farmers lad called Danny Smith, lives over Trawden way, he is into your mountain biking sport

Ye, well i know of him my mate Danny sez he nows him well, he lives in rising bridge and does quad biking at the quarries near mitchells lodges.