Brightholmlee

The name Brightholmlee originates from the Old English language: Bright is probably a modern derivation of an Anglo Saxon personal name, such as Brihtric or Beorhtweald, holm indicates land surrounded partly by streams, while lee means a woodland glade.

The earliest documented reference to the hamlet were in 1309 and 1314 when Ralph de Brightomlee witnessed deeds at Westmondhalgh and Wigtwizzle.

[1] The hamlet is split into two by an old packhorse route called Townfield Road which comes up from the south and continues onto Bolsterstone.

Local historian Joseph Kenworthy believed that Old Hall dated back to the Tudor period because of the design of the fireplace.

The present-day Swinnock Hall, which stands 0.5 km south of the main hamlet, was built on the site of the original building which dated from 1416.

The hamlet also has ancient water troughs and a grade II listed milestone inscribed with the Ordnance Survey benchmark and a date of 1860.

Seen from the south with the Ewden valley behind.
Old Hall Farmhouse is grade II* listed.
Rose Cottage at the junction of Thorne House Lane and Brightholmlee Road; the 19th-century milepost is bottom right.