The Dizzy Heights!

A Memory of Davenham.

I lived next door to the Church for 17 years and during that time, I climbed to the top of the spire just once.

In 1962 when I was 10, some neighbours were having their house decorated.
Being an outgoing (some would say nosey) child, it didn't take me long to befriend the two men who were doing the work. One day, during the summer holidays, they told me that they had got permission from the vicar to go to the top of the tower and asked me if I would like to go with them, of course I said "Yes". The older of the two came with me to ask Mum if I could go and after some persuasion and warnings of "I'll be watching!", she agreed. What a climb it was - ever upwards on an increasing tighter stone spiral staircase. We emerged out of the spire through a small doorway - and the views all around were amazing.

Looking down into our garden, I saw Mum - who, true to her word, was watching.  It was fascinating to see the houses, fields and roads that I knew so well - and I was struck by how small everything looked. The descent down the spiraling stairs made me feel dizzy, and they seemed to be a lot steeper  on the way down - but the view had been brilliant.

This photograph, taken from the spire, shows the view of Church Street, looking towards the village. At the bottom left, you can just see part of the rooftop of a property that was once flats. Through our good neighbour, Gwen Trelfa, I was introduced to a family who lived in the flats. They were a young couple who had a baby boy of about 12-18mths old and I would sometimes visit them in their flat. I remember that I had to walk up a wide staircase to reach their particular flat and I remember the large rooms, high ceilings and views of the fields behind the building. It always seemed to me, to be a very grand place to live. I felt sad when everyone moved out and the flats were knocked down - I loved that building!

On the right hand side of the photograph, just about half way up, was the entrance to Warburton's yard. Warburtons sold fruit and veg from a horse-drawn cart , but  they also had a van which they used to go further afield - like the Leftwich estate. It was a family run business and I was lucky enough to go with one family member (a son-in-law, I think) on his round on Friday mornings during the summer holidays. His name, my memory tells me, was George, and every Friday morning he would harness the horse (a Shire) to the cart, load the fruit, veg and eggs onto it and set off on his round which took in Green Lane, Hartford Road, ending in Fountain Lane. I really enjoyed walking alongside the horse and cart and my job was to go to the houses, take the shopping list off people, and then deliver the fruit and veg. Very often, having delivered the goods, I would return to the cart with not only the money but with a crust for the horse. I remember one lady who lived in Hartford Road who always insisted on giving the horse a crust herself. The round would finish at dinner time and we would return to the yard in Church Street. The horse (I can't remember his name!) was fed, the cart unloaded and the last job was to walk the horse to his field, which was on the right hand side of Church Street, past the vicarage.

The vicarage held a summer fete every year in its lovely garden, and one year they had a "Guess the doll's name" competition. Much to my delight, my dad won and I became the proud owner of a small doll, dressed in matching red dress and hat, called Lucinda.

Just past the entrance to Warburton's yard was the house where the verger and his wife lived, and just by them was the entrance to the Village Hall. I remember being taken to the hall by Mum and Dad to see the Davenham Players perform "Rose Marie". I don't remember the plot but I do vividly remember a man dressed in a bright red jacket and a black hat (a Canadian Mountie). And I recall hearing him sing - off stage - "When I'm calling you-ooo-ooo - will you answer too-ooo-ooo?". It was brilliant!

Returning to the photograph - looking at the centre and near the top, you can see a field. This field, I think, belonged to Davenham Hall and alongside it was a public footpath which brought you out at the top of Davenham Hill - opposite Fountain Lane. I always referred to this field as 'the donkey field' because there were two donkeys that lived in it. I could hear the donkeys braying when I played in our garden and that would be my cue to go and walk along the path so that I could see them.

This photograph brings many memories of the people who lived and worked in Church Street - people who made it a very happy and safe place for me to grow up in.