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Lud's Church

Natural Rock Feature

Folklore

As posted above, my Granfather was brought up in this area. He always told us that Lud's Church was used as a refuge for the Luddite movement (1811-1816). Protesters who smashed factory machinery in protest of lowering wages, due to increased mechanisation.

'Workers, upset by wage reductions and the use of unapprenticed workmen, began to break into factories at night to destroy the new machines that the employers were using'
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRluddites.htm

Maybe the name of the church and the Luddite movement were so similar that people locally associated the gully with the movement, so I can' t say that this is fact. Just another, more recent, addition to the folklore of Lud's church.

Although, the luddites were operating in this area at the time and were wanted criminals who, when caught, were often hanged....Luds church would have made a great refuge.......
Posted by Richard G
19th October 2006ce

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