History of the Stone Cross

Does anyone know who the children are in the above photo?

"The children sat on the stone in the play ground are (L) Carol Atkinson (R) Christine Barlow, I was in the same class 1951-62."
from Eileen Todd nee Haselden

Does anyone have any old class photos or school photos?

there are some old photos of St Pauls in the album of Wigan world

The following article was taken from an old Manchester Newspaper (date unknown), and mentions the Stone Cross that stands in the school car park.

Pemberton's Ancient Roads.

A Manchester paper devoting every day a column of its space to the discussion of matters outside the run of general news, and which are often quite as interesting, noticed one day last week the custom in olden times of the provision in the wills of both laymen and ecclesiastics of money for the repairs of roads and bridges, and the writer of the notes further remarked that such bequests were looked upon as charitable acts, by which it my be supposed that they were of merit equal to bequests to the poor or to the Church itself.

But whatever my have been the reason for such testamentary dispositions in old wills they my certainly be frequently met with in the abridged copies of wills which we printed by some of the County Societies throughout England. A local will containing such a bequest is worth quoting, as it may perhaps have awe little bearing upon a matter which has occupied considerable space in the Wigan papers lately, namely, the question of the Roman road through Wigan.

In the will of a Wigan tradesman, the witnesses to which were Sir William Astley, chaplain to Miles Gerard of Ince, and Sir Ralph Scott, chantry priest of All Saints Church, proved in the year 1557, the following appears: - "Also I give towards the mending of the lane between the Stone Cross and Landmaryhead Green, a shilling."
Where the Stone Cross was it is perhaps difficult at this time to locate, but the remains of a Stone Cross, consisting of the pedestal and upright shaft, are yet in existence, and probably safe from destruction by having been re-erected in a school-yard at Goose Green.

There is a residence known as Stone House bearing a date in the 17th century not very far away and there is likewise a Tunstall Lane, which latter name is a corruption of Town Stead, the place where in olden times the town or village business was transacted and its workmen's tools etc., were kept or stored. Landmaryhead Green is not difficult to locate, but the origin of the name, which was probably in existence long before even the 16th century, is a mystery which may never be solved.

The main roads around Wigan, as we know them today, have only existed from about the 18th century. In a few cases some portion of the old roads were lowered, raised or widened as might be practicable, but in most instances, new roads were taken over entirely new routes. In Pemberton a portion of the ancient road ran in a shingle opposite the entrance to Norley Hall, and for many years it remained m a ditch running parallel with the present highway; but a few years ago, it was filled up and a block of cottage property erected upon the site.

The Roman road, from Wigan to Warrington is described by a gentleman who traced it about the year 1820, as passing down Wallgate, and turning to the left bend somewhere about the Newtown of the present day, and proceeding through the fields past Hindley Hall Farm, a little to the left hand of the Corn Mill at Smithy Brook, crossing the present road near Ben Jonson Inn, and going on through the fields to Ashton.

It is here suggested that the Pemberton Cross originally stood at the junction of the lane coming from "Landmaryhead" now Lamberhead Green, with the Roman road from Wigan to Warrington, which junction probably took place in the fields near Hindley Hall Farm, and that when the new roads were made in the 18th century the Old Cross wan removed by someone who had a little reverence for an ancient relic, to its present situation in Goose Green School-yard. The present road from the end of Tunstall Lane to Robin Lane Ends would probably be made at the same time.