Mastodawn

A Pint-size History of the Inn at Whitewell

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/21/a-pint-size-history-of-the-inn-at-whitewell/

A Pint-Size History of the Inn at Whitewell

The Inn at Whitewell is a venerable old building with a long and storied history. It began its life in the late 14th century as a small manor-house overlooking the River Hodder and served as the re…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves 5d ago

Shining Cranesbill

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/17/shining-cranesbill/

Shining Cranesbill

Shining Cranesbill (Geranium lucidum), sometimes known as ‘gentleman’s buttons’, is a charming, glossy-leaved annual wildflower that brightens walls, banks, and rocky spots throughout the British i…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves Jun 14

Nicrophorus, the Death Carrier

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/14/nicrophorus-the-death-carrier/

Nicrophorus, the Death Carrier

Sexton beetles, also known as burying beetles, are nature’s undertakers and very good at their job. They belong to the genus Nicrophorus within the family Silphidae (carrion beetles) and play a vit…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves Jun 10

Land Use in England: A Finite Resource Under Growing Pressure

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/10/land-use-in-england-a-finite-resource-under-growing-pressure/

Land Use in England: A Finite Resource Under Growing Pressure

With a total land area of approximately 13 million hectares, this small but densely populated country supports over 58 million souls, making it one of the most tightly packed nations in Europe. Yet…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves Jun 6

The Gentleman’s Terrier

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/06/the-gentlemans-terrier/

The Gentleman’s Terrier

The Manchester Terrier is one of our oldest identifiable terrier breeds, with a lineage that can be traced back centuries. Sleek, black-and-tan, and combining the speed of a sighthound with the ten…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves Jun 3

Ragged Robin

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/06/03/ragged-robin/

Ragged Robin

Ragged Robin (Silene flos-cuculi, formerly Lychnis flos-cuculi) is a plant of many names, these include: Cuckoo Flower (because it flowers as the Cuckoo arrives,) Thunder flower (in some parts of Y…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves May 30

St Patrick’s Chapel

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/05/30/st-patricks-chapel/

St Patrick’s Chapel

Perched dramatically on its rocky headland, overlooking the wild expanse of Morecambe Bay, the ruins of St Patrick’s Chapel are one of the most evocative early medieval sites in the British Isles.…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves May 27

Opisthograptis luteolata, the Brimstone Moth

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/05/27/opisthograptis-luteolata-the-brimstone-moth/

Opisthograptis luteolata, the Brimstone Moth

Adult Brimstones are typically on the wing from April to October. In southern regions, there are often two or even three overlapping generations, while in our cooler northern parts this may reduce …

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves May 23

Common Bistort

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/05/23/common-bistort/

Common Bistort

The pink flower spikes of Common Bistort, towering over other wildflowers on their tall, straight stems, are a familiar sight to many of us who have walked the highways and byways of Northwest Engl…

Northwest Nature and History

Alex Burton Hargreaves May 19

The Pinnacle, Part Two

http://northwestnatureandhistory.co.uk/2026/05/19/the-pinnacle-part-two/

The Pinnacle, Part Two

In the shadow of Clitheroe Castle, standing alone on its Limestone mount watching over the Ribble Valley, stands a rather unlikely monument: a tall, ornate gothic spire that once graced a very diff…

Northwest Nature and History