Location of Brook Hall Ditches / Brook Hale Ditches (General)

by PEG , Monday, September 12, 2011, 11:22 (4825 days ago) @ terry2424

I agree with Terry in his location of Brookhall Ditches (frequently referred to as Brocca Ditches / Broccal Ditches). I used to live in the "old doctors house" (now called "Newhaven") - the 2nd last house on the right when leaving Parkend when travelling up the Fancy Rd (New Fancy Rd) towards the Barracks / left turn to Speech House junction. I recall seeing some old property documents relating to Newhaven & there was mention of Brookhall Ditches in the description of the location of the house. I also seem to recall some references to coal mines in the Brookhall Ditches area as well. As a young lad in the late 1960s I remember dropping stones down what my father (Eric Gwynne) told me was a mine air shaft, just across the road from Newhaven & hearing them splash into the flooded shaft many seconds later. The shaft was eventually filled with numerous truckloads of old tyres & capped with concrete in the late 1960s / early 1970s.

Regards,
PEG