| Pendle Hill | |
|---|---|
 Pendle Hill from theRibble Valley | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 557 m (1,827 ft) |
| Prominence | c. 395 metres (1,296 ft) |
| Parent peak | Kinder Scout[1] |
| Listing | Marilyn |
| Coordinates | 53°52′08″N2°18′00″W / 53.869°N 2.3°W /53.869; -2.3 |
| Geography | |
  Pendle Hill Location in the Forest of Bowland AONB Show map of the Forest of Bowland Pendle Hill Location in Lancashire Show map of Lancashire Pendle Hill Location in Ribble Valley Borough Show map of the Borough of Ribble Valley Pendle Hill Location in Pendle Borough Show map of the Borough of Pendle Pendle Hill Location in England Show map of England | |
| Location | Lancashire, England |
| OS grid | SD804414 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 103 |
Pendle Hill is in the east ofLancashire, England, near the towns ofBurnley,Nelson,Colne,Brierfield,Clitheroe andPadiham. Its summit is 557 metres (1,827 ft) abovemean sea level. It gives its name to theBorough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill in thePennines, separated from theSouth Pennines to the east, theBowland Fells to the northwest, and theWest Pennine Moors to the south. It is included in a detached part of theForest of BowlandArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The name "Pendle Hill" combines the words for hill from two different languages (including two from the same language at different stages of its history) - as doesBredon Hill inWorcestershire. In the 13th century it was calledPennul orPenhul, apparently from theCumbricpen andOld Englishhyll, both meaning "hill". Themodern English "hill" was appended later, after the original meaning of Pendle had become opaque.[2]
Neolithic andBronze Age burial sites have been discovered at and around thesummit of the hill.[3][4]
There is an ancient local legend that theDevil once jumped fromHameldon Hill to an outcrop overlookingSabden, on the southwest slope of Pendle, leaving footprints in the sandstone. Here he gathered rocks in an apron, and after proceeding the short distance to Apronfull, threw a boulder aimed atClitheroe Castle. At that moment the apron string broke causing the boulder to land nearPendleton and creating the pile of rocks atop the slight prominence there.[5]
The hill is famous for its links to three events which took place in the 17th century: thePendle witch trials (1612),Richard Towneley'sbarometer experiment (1661), and thevision ofGeorge Fox (1652), which led to the foundation of theReligious Society of Friends (Quaker) movement.[6]
In his autobiography,George Fox said he had a vision on Pendle Hill in 1652, during the early years of theQuakers:
As we travelled, we came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire. From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered.
— George Fox: An Autobiography,Chapter 6
Pendle continues to be linked to the Quakers, who takepilgrimage there and use the name for thePendle Hill Quaker Center for Study and Contemplation nearPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.[7]
The story of thePendle witches is a notorious and well-documented example of cases brought against allegedwitches in 17th-century England.[8]
The area became popular withghost hunters afterLiving channel's showMost Haunted visited it for a live investigation onHalloween 2004.[9] The show's presenter,Yvette Fielding, said it was the scariest episode they had made.
Pendle Hill and the surrounding area are the setting for 1951's classicMist Over Pendle byRobert Neill, and also for the fourth book inJoseph Delaney'sSpook's series, calledThe Spook's Battle.
"The Witchfinders", the eighth episode of the eleventh series of the British science fiction television programmeDoctor Who, takes place during the 17th-century Pendle witch trials.
To mark the 400th anniversary, in January 2012 local artist Philippe Handford created a huge installation by putting '1612' on the side of Pendle Hill using 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) of horticultural fleece.[10][11]
Pendle Hill is separated from the nearby main bulk of theBowland Fells by theRiver Ribble. This isolation means that Pendle Hill is in fact the mostprominent child summit ofKinder Scout, far away in thePeak District, rather than a child ofWard's Stone, the highest point in Bowland.[1] It is included in a detached part of theForest of BowlandArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[12]
Pendle Water, which runs through Ogden Clough, has its source on the summit plateau, heading southwest before turning back to the east as it falls into the Ogden valley. It joins theLancashire Calder nearBurnley, a few miles upstream from the confluence withSabden Brook, which drains the southwest slopes of the hill.Mearley Brook cuts a large clough onto the northwest face, with its tributaries and those ofPendleton Brook draining this side directly into theRiver Ribble.[13]
The slopingplateau summit of Pendle Hill is formed from thePendle Grit, a coarseCarboniferous agesandstone assigned to theMillstone Grit Group. It overlies a thick sequence ofCarboniferous Limestone beds.[14] Inchronostratigraphy, the Britishsub-stage of theCarboniferous period, the 'Pendleian' derives its name from Pendle Hill where an exposure in Light Clough is taken as thetype locality.[15][16]
Much of the lower slopes are mantled by thick deposits ofglacial till or boulder clay dating from thelast ice age. The historic decomposition ofsphagnummoss on the hill has led to it being covered inpeat.
The steep slopes of its eastern and southern flanks have given rise to a series oflandslips.
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