Sunday, July 15, 2007

A Public Apology…

Okay…an extra, albeit short, posting this week (there might be another on Wednesday yet if you’re really unlucky) because I seem to have caused a bit of trouble by opening my big mouth without checking the facts first (or to put it another way, without consulting Michelle).
Several weeks ago, when I posted the first of the ‘Most Haunted at Mains Hall’ video clips I incorrectly stated that Mains Hall was actually in the Wyre. To be honest I thought it was. However, as it transpires, Mains Hall is, in fact, within the Fylde.
The Fylde and Wyre boundaries around Little Singleton get a bit confusing to say the least but, as the map below clearly demonstrates (just click on the thumbnail for the larger version), at Skippool the boundary moves into the Wyre, follows it for a distance, and then remerges on the south bank at Great Eccleston.

(You watch...I'll get into trouble for breach of copyright with Ordnance Survey now)
So, I owe an apology both to Adele at Mains Hall and Dorothy of Singleton (who quoted what I'd written over at the BBC website in a recent argument about the aforementioned boundaries) and I sincerely hope that there hasn’t been too much blood shed.

Again, many apologies…I shall be consulting Michelle a bit more before I post these things in future.

Brian (hangs head in shame and shuffles off quietly) Hughes.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

And to think, we trusted you....


I now have to cancel my thesis, as it was based solely on the aforementioned blog. Maybe in the future you'll take the idea of 'facts' more seriously!

Still, you apologized, so all is forgiven.

Now, point us to that BBC blog, so we can all follow the battle. :0)

Brian Hughes said...

John,

In my own defence Mains Hall does stand on the banks of the River Wyre...and Poulton-le-Fylde is the administrative centre for the Wyre, which seems a bit daft considering its name...and the fact that part of the River Wyre is, as far as the local authorities are concerned, not in the Wyre at all but in the Fylde...it's easy to see where the confusion arises. Having said that, I really ought to have known better, especially considering that these little errors can lead to arguments between other people.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2005/10/05/spooky_mains_hall_feature.shtml

Naturally I've written 'I must get my facts straight before opening my big gob' out 1,000 times and have promised to try harder in future.

Brian Hughes said...

Okay...let's try that again...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire
/content/articles/2005/10/05/
spooky_mains_hall_feature.shtml

I've no idea whether the html code for links works in these comments boxes, so the best bet would be to copy it out and paste it in the address bar...

Anonymous said...

Cheers Brian,
Im not anal at all, but my hackles rise when others accuse me of being historically incorrect or worse - a liar! Yikes. As a qualified teacher...and yes I do have a degree! - I hereby excuse your detention and lines need not be written on this occasion :)
I think your site is great and will continue to visit..Meanwhile, the offer still stands for you and your team of 'diggers' to come and help me find my moat [ now where did I put that...?]

Brian Hughes said...

Adele,

Again I must accept full responsibility for my glaring error and hope that Dorothy of Singleton forgives me as well for landing her right in it.

As for the 'Moat finding' offer, we'll certainly be taking you up on that. We're quite good at finding archaeology on the whole...just not too good when it comes to locating district boundaries that are clearly labelled on modern maps.

In the meantime I'd better get on with these lines. You might have let me off, but Michelle hasn't.

Brian

BwcaBrownie said...

my dear Ms.'adele' - to lose a pond is unfortunate, but to lose a moat is absolute carelessness!

Ann ODyne said...

The heroic
Sir Brian Of Wylde & Fyre, gallops off to rescue the moat-less Lady Adele.
We salute you Sir, and a pox on those Lancashire hotheads arguing at the beeb.

Brian Hughes said...

Not so much 'gallops off' as 'catches the bus to Shard Bridge'...