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.......
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I can confirm the reports of the figurehead on the walls of Lud's church. My grandfather was brought up on the old farm accross the river from the Youth hostel in Gradbach. He always told me on walks there as a young man he would often walk past the remains of the firgurehead rotting on the floor of the 'church' and always referred to her as 'Lady Lud'. He is no longer with us and would love to have known more. All I can do is confirm its prescence.
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