Bitey and I went for a lunchtime walk in the drizzle and found ourselves surrounded by knobs at what's left of the End-of-the-Line. Bitey didn't seem fussed, but I was thrilled, let me tell you! And I'm sure at least one of you will be, too.
There were mini chalk mountains to traverse.
These "ruins" (probably more aptly described as rubble) are, I suspect, what's left of Beck Hythe fishing station.
They're not usually on show, but the seasonal rough seas have swept away much of the sand leaving behind all sorts of interesting objects.
If one is actually interested in such things, anyway...
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Googling "Skiers Spring bricks near Barnsley" almost led me down a rabbit hole of brick-spotting madness (who knew such a thing existed?)!
The End-of-the-Line!
From above...
... and below.
And I shall leave you with two of the more prominent old knobs. Enjoy!
[More crusty old groynes can be found here. Some of them even featured in a calendar!]
I’ve been down a brick rabbit hole before - weirdly compelling.
ReplyDeleteAlways lovely to see some knobs from you.
Sx
P.S What breed of dog is Bitey again?
I shouldn't have been surprised at people's fascination with bricks. I mean, some people are obsessed with chocolate covered engineers who frolic with Beluga whales...
DeleteWhat breed is Bitey? A very annoying one! (Half Parson Russell, and the other half is made up of Jack Russell, Border, and Lakeland)
Knobs and groynes, knobs and groynes - you lead that poor innocent dog astray! Jx
ReplyDeletePS You found an "interesting brick" - but nary a shag in sight...
"Poor innocent dog"?? Why, he's the very devil itself! In fact, proof of his demonic nature can be seen in the penultimate photo: Bitey has a fifth leg (not that sort)!
DeleteI'm sure there must be some correlation between brick fancying and a lack of shags...
Is all of this landscape a result of the recent storms there, sweetpea? It's all so captivatingly gorgeous! xoxo
ReplyDeleteWell, the storms have certainly "helped" - the extra rain causes the cliff falls, and the rough seas carry away more of the sand. However, the End-of-the-Line got smashed to smithereens five years ago, though - as you can see here.
DeleteBrick spotting !!? Endless wonders of England.
ReplyDeleteCliff's a bit of a slacker I think, he crumbles every day, his posture may mirror his attitude, tah !
The End of the Line seems to have taken a good beating by the last storm(s).
BTW what has it with this "Fishing Station" ? I find it mentioned in the article you gently linked, but I have no idea what kind of "station" is meant. Are there facilities for fishing boats, sheds ? It surely is just for work, not residential ? Sorry, I have simply no idea what this is.
Train spotting has had its day. It's bricks all the way, now!
DeleteAh, the fishing station, Beck Hythe, was what the east-end of the village was previously known as, I believe. I imagine it was a few flint buildings just as you mentioned (perhaps some residential). There are some local history books on the shelves downstairs, so I'll see what I can dig up, so to speak, and report back.
Too kind of you to have a look.
DeleteI remember your pictures of flint buildings, impressed me. And there was a house with a humming witch.
Ah, yes, the Electric Witch's cobblestone cottage! (There's another photo somewhere on this blog, but its whereabouts escapes me at the mo)
DeleteI took a photo of the village map when I was out walking Bitey this morning - it has some pertinent info that I'll share a bit later. I haven't got around to looking in those old books yet. This weekend, perhaps.
Have you ever come across any lascivious exhibitions on your beach wanders? Is Bitey your dog's real name, the reason why I'm asking is I'm thinking of changing my maid of all works name to something short and nippy like Pip so she could be quicker called to heel.
ReplyDeleteI had a gentleman friend from Barnsley, he wanted me to live there with him in an end of terrace house, can you imagine that?
Sadly, no. No lascivious exhibitions. There used to be a few nudists having picnics in the east beach dunes occasionally, but never worth looking at, never mind a second glance. (I thought I saw a penis once, but it could have been a cocktail sausage as it was a rather cold day.)
DeleteBitey's real name is Bertie. Bertie Bloody Biteface! He does not tend to come to heel no matter what I call him. Good luck with Carmen!
Oh, and no. I can't imagine you in a terrace. Even and end one with stone cladding and space for a car in front!
I too am interested in Mago's Follow up questions! I love historical photos. I also love bricks but I can't say I've ever gone brick sleuthing on the internet. I have however been done a rabbit hole when identifying old nail heads. We have an old woodshed with nails that have the heads of old US pennies on them. I couldn't find when or why this was a thing, but the house was built in 1967 and they did a big remodel in the 1980s. The original owner was quite the do-it-yourself for better and worse. His carpentry skills were fine, but he really should have left the electrical work to the professionals! Crazy old coot! It's a wonder the house didn't burn down.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I always love your Beach & Bitey pictures!
Heh heh! Crazy/silly/daft "old coot" always amuses me.
DeleteI was down on the beach with my sister & co. the other day, and before we reached the ruins my brother-in-law started going on about the bricks, too!
I'll have some historical stuff for the blog sorted out soon. I hope!
I am confused !
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a beach but the sky is the wrong colour, there are no parasols and no one serving sangria.
Having said that your beach wins hands down in the Groinage department and it looks like Bitey had a whale of a time.
PS. I the brick thing is very interesting. As I walk around London the type of brick used, the way that they have been laid and indeed sometimes even the absence of brick is a good measure of the age and quality of a building that has taken my fancy.
And a dearth of totty not wearing very much! Give it 5 or 6 months though, and there'll be plenty more groinage.
DeletePPS
ReplyDeleteResults from my broken bricks rabbit hole!
Skier Springs brickworks in Hoyland, Barnsley
Originally established by James Smith in 1877 known locally as Smith's Brickworks.
The Earl FitzWilliam of Wentworth Woodhouse (owner of the land the brick works was on) took over the Skier Springs brickworks in Hoyland, Barnsley in the early 20th century. He had his initials EFW stamped onto his bricks.
You should now be able to date your hoard of broken bricks (no initials 19th century, with initials 20th century)
Ah, thank you for your research, Madam A! It appears these bricks are from the 19th century, then.
DeleteI love how you keep rediscovering things... revealing something new. You must have quite a collection by now...
ReplyDeleteEvery time I start thinking I'm getting bored of the beach, it reveals something worth ogling - whether that's wildlife, ruins, or groynes!
DeleteThis was a wonderful walk on an oddly familiar shore. As a beachcomber and trash-picker I was fascinated by the ruins, and the chalk, and particularly the bricks (XXOO Bitey) I fell into brick collecting when i was gardening out in the country, where formerly there were a multitude of brickworks. The things just kept turning up in the oddest places, all of them bearing mill marks, all of them destined to be featured edging in my front yard - and people would come in and exclaim over them! How odd and kind of wonderful that this cozy, microhistory thing kind of crosses the waters. I thought I was a lone nut all this time. I love your pictures sweetheart XOO
ReplyDeleteI remember your brick edging from various garden photos, Ms Nations. And very effective it was, too!
DeleteThese photos seem to have brought all us nuts out. Speaking of...
Thank goodness you're carrying on the tradition of posting crusty old groynes and knobs now that I'm not doing it anymore.
ReplyDeleteWell, someone has to pick up the slack, Very Mistress. I was rather hoping to come across some younger, firmer specimens but, alas, it doesn't seem like it's meant to be.
DeleteBarnsley. That takes me back to Tazzy and Piggy. Days of bloggery past.
ReplyDeleteI first read that as "days of buggery past". Which also works!
DeleteI was driving home from Town last week at low tide and I saw a two shags on a groyne! Yes, TWO shags, hanging out with gulls. Of course, I thought of you.
ReplyDeleteTwo shags at the same time?! How exhilarating!
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