mystery of the stone on Woodhead Pass Derbyshire

[david flint]

Does anyone know the history of the stone which is embedded in the wall on the Woodhead Pass Derbyshire, the first line has been removed the rest reads 'BURNED DOWN TWO CHILDREN BURNT TO DEATH AGED 3 and 5 YEARS AUGUST 17th 1858.

[Lonnie]

A tragedy, I found this, which I think, gives you what you want. www.carlscam.com/tintwistle/burned.html

[Lonnie]

Sorry the link never worked, but the story is,

Construction worker James Forshaw went out to work at dawn, a little later, his wife Ann, wet out to work in the vegetable patch, the two children, Joseph and Robert were left alone, still asleep close to the open fire.

Thats where the story ends, so what happened next can only be conjecture, but I would think that, as it was an open fire, possible an ember fell from it, and caught the place alight.