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I was asked last night in t'club how "The Owlers" at Horwich End got its (their?) name.
I have no idea, but I suspect there'll be somebody on here who does, so I await your contributions with much interest.. |
Buggyite I am a yellow factioner! |
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Don't know the answer, but according to Chambers Dictionary an owler is a person who smuggles wool or sheep from England to France.
It doesn't seem to refer to someone who keeps feathered nocturnal predators.
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Someone many years ago told me that the word "Owler" was a local form of "Alder" ( the tree ). I do not know if this is true or not though. |
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I think Rock banker may be right.
I looked at the Wikipedia entry for "Owlerton" (the district of Sheffield where Hillsborough stadium is - hence Sheffield Wednesday's nickname "The Owls", although I expect you all knew that already).
Anyway, sorry to digress, but it appears that Owlerton was originally called Alderton, because of the alder trees growing there.
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Excellent detective work there, chaps and chapesses. I knew there'd be an answer out there, and you guys would know.
I'll be all knowledgeable and smug when I provide the answer later, so thanks again. |
Buggyite I am a yellow factioner! |
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A really interesting topic, Buggyite,
I can not find any information as to the origins of the name but do not forget when the Owlers was built there was a lot more woodland around that area that is the natural habitat for the Tawny Owl.
It was very dark at night in those days (few street lights etc) and modern day threats (pesticides etc) to the Tawny Owl were not so common.
I imagine that the Owlers was called after that fine bird.
Incidentally, and I think this will be of interest to Devious, if you go past Wingather Rocks to the junction at the top of the road; turn right towards Jenkins Chapel and about half way down you can pull in on the left and if you look across the field you will see a farmhouse that is called Owlers Knowle. It is surrounded by the only trees in the area.
When I was younger it was empty for years; it may still be. And it was rumoured to be haunted.
Sometimes we would go up on our bikes and walk down the track to the house. It always looked as though someone was looking out of one of the bedroom windows. It really was spooky.
There were stories of previous occupiers dashing out in the middle of the night; almost turned into gibbering wrecks. A bit like G Jackson I suppose.
There were stories of the piano playing when there was no one in the room; all sorts of objects moving from one room to another. You know the sort of stuff.
But as I say it was scary but one day we decided to go in and have a look. I think there were 4 of us and we were all putting a brave face on it but trying to push the others to the front. We pushed the front door open and crept into the front room and then opened another door which made a hell of a creak and this started such a noise upstairs that we all ran for our lives back to the road.
We never found out what it was but now I suspect we had disturbed some Tawny Owls that had got in and were roosting there. It would be more pleasant for them in the house than in the trees that they had used for years and that is why the house is probably known as Owlers Knowle.
Well maybe.
R. S-S
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Now you are nearing my subject. Forget the telegraph poles and horse's legs "owls are us" could be my motto.
Now, as R. S-S should know being a country boy, the natural home of a tawny owl is a hollow on in old tree usually where a branch has broken off. Sometimes they will use the old nest of a magpie. They have been known to use an old drey (nest) belonging to a grey squirrel; but usually they build their own. Naturalists have tried to build nesting boxes for tawnys but not with much success. May I suggest that when the young R. S-S was breaking and entering with his gang of robbers he was lucky not to be caught by the ghostbusters (very painful). Edited by user 16 December 2010 15:16:11(UTC)
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Expected, and as usual totally idiotic.
R. S-S
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A truly chilling tale, R S-S.
Whatever you disturbed at the old farmhouse must have been a bit scared.
So probably what you heard was owls of anguish.
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Dear RSS
I know the place you talk about (Owlers Knowl) and if i am not very much mistaken there is a stream very close by, which has a line of Alder growing along it
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Perhaps a line of Alders were cut down when the row of houses was built.?
I believe that the roots of alders are very useful at holding together river banks. "As a deep-rooted species, it helps to maintain the soil in river banks and reduces the effects of erosion." There a still quite a few along the path of the river through the park..
Cheers
Jon. |
Jon Goldfinch - Forum Administrator and Town Councillor Whaley Bridge Town Council - Fernilee Ward cllr.jong.wbtc@googlemail.com |
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