OT Keppels Column

[Grumpy King of the West]

When my Dad died in 2015, me and my Sister took a walk to retrace the many walks we'd been on as kids and to scatter his ashes. Starting in Birchwood and the Roman Banks in Monkwood where we were brought up and Dad lived until his death, we walked to the Rockingham Pottery ponds in Swinton, then down through Wath Wood and across Abdy to Hoober Stand, along Street Lane to the Needle's Eye, into Wentworth for a well earned refreshment and then on past Wentworth Woodhouse, Greasbrough Dams and back through Nether/Upper Haugh and home. It was a long walk on a cold winter's day but still some beautiful places. I'll see if I can find the link to the photos I posted on here (Just looked and seems posts > 5 years old are removed )

Growing up in the area Cam, I took the Greasborough Dams and Wentworth for granted. It's only as I've got older that I've realised that we have absolute gems right here in our town. Put Wentworth in the Cotswolds and imagine how people would fawn over it. We just shrug our shoulders 😒

[rolymiller]

I remember mi old mum telling me that coming up to Keppels column and climbing to the top of it was like a day out for kids. Think its good the old girl is being revived but I can understand some parking probs the locals might object to.

[Nogbad]

I think it closed to the public in the early 60s, but I climbed to the top before that a good few times in my youth.

Memory sometimes plays tricks, but ISTR that towards the end of that period it was largely kept locked, but you could pay (a penny per person?) and pick up the key from the lodge at the corner of Scholes Lane. (That building looks rather bigger now, but I think there is evidence of the rather smaller original having been somewhat extended). I have fairly distinct memories of walking over there with visiting relatives.

[Redshank]

I think it closed to the public in the early 60s, but I climbed to the top before that a good few times in my youth.

Memory sometimes plays tricks, but ISTR that towards the end of that period it was largely kept locked, but you could pay (a penny per person?) and pick up the key from the lodge at the corner of Scholes Lane. (That building looks rather bigger now, but I think there is evidence of the rather smaller original having been somewhat extended). I have fairly distinct memories of walking over there with visiting relatives.

I can remember going up with my Dad and Uncle when I was very young. Paid a penny to an old guy sat at the bottom of the stairs. The column closed sometime in the 60s but the local kids (including me!) found ways to get in. Initially by climbing up to the lowest windows, before they were bricked up. After that, through the small hole that someone knocked out of the bricked up door way. From our house, well into the 70s, you'd often see figures at the top.

There's the "halfway house" as we called it - a central room half way up with an open ventilation shaft right up to the top. The last time I went up the column two or three steps had dropped out part way up and we had to jump over these to avoid the drop down to the spiral staircase below. The railings at the top were corroded and clearly dangerous... even to us kids! Looking back, I go cold thinking of the daft stunts that we got up to. Bloody happy days though

Top of my bucket list .... going back up Keppel's Column. Can't wait

[Shark27]

Used to work in the McLean (now Taylor Wimpey) offices next to Kepple until we knocked them down and built apartments and houses there!!!

[Steve Miller]

When my Dad died in 2015, me and my Sister took a walk to retrace the many walks we'd been on as kids and to scatter his ashes. Starting in Birchwood and the Roman Banks in Monkwood where we were brought up and Dad lived until his death, we walked to the Rockingham Pottery ponds in Swinton, then down through Wath Wood and across Abdy to Hoober Stand, along Street Lane to the Needle's Eye, into Wentworth for a well earned refreshment and then on past Wentworth Woodhouse, Greasbrough Dams and back through Nether/Upper Haugh and home. It was a long walk on a cold winter's day but still some beautiful places. I'll see if I can find the link to the photos I posted on here (Just looked and seems posts > 5 years old are removed )

Lovely to read the reminiscences of a fellow Raw Martian and Monkwoodian! I played left back for Monkwood juniors... wasnt quite in the league of Colin Clish though 😁

[CAMiller]

Lovely to read the reminiscences of a fellow Raw Martian and Monkwoodian! I played left back for Monkwood juniors... wasnt quite in the league of Colin Clish though ��

What year? I played in the Totty Cup winning team in 1972 and if you did and your name is actually Steve I know who you are.

[Lolmorgan]

That brings happy memories back, defo love to go up again with the Grandkids.

[Lolmorgan]

What year? I played in the Totty Cup winning team in 1972 and if you did and your name is actually Steve I know who you are.

I think he posted that it was Tom on a previous post CAM.

[Steve Miller]

What year? I played in the Totty Cup winning team in 1972 and if you did and your name is actually Steve I know who you are.

Sadly not me - I was about 10 years before you and Steve Miller comes from Abracadabra... which i hope we will be invoking 2mora 😂
I was in Monkwood team with one Phil Hamshaw though!!