"White Nancy", a Grade II listed 18ft high local landmark, is at the top of the northern end of The Saddle of Kerridge. Built in 1817 by John Gaskell Jr of North End Farm, as a summer house for the Gaskell family who lived below the hill at Ingersley Hall and is thought to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo.
It is built of stone with external rendering and usually painted white in order to maintain it's high visibility. Internally there is a seat all round the wall with a large circular table in the middle. A small rectangular door, now covered over, used to provide entry.
It is believed to have been constructed by a man named Dod who is supposed to have celebrated his work by enjoying a tot of brandy and then reciting a jingle:
Here's to the mountain of Nancy
That's built upon Ingersley Hill
Here's good health, wealth and fancy
And give Dod another gill!
As to the origin of the name 'White Nancy', there are several theories but none has any firm evidence to support it. It may have been named after one of the Gaskell daughters, Nancy. Then again, maybe after the horse that is said to have hauled the table top up the hill. Take your pick!
In the 1980s, at Christmas, Nancy was painted in artistic form such as a Father Christmas or Plum Pudding! In more recent years it has suffered at the hands of vandals with graffiti and on one occasion it was painted overall in pink! In May 2009 it was repainted in time for the Festival with a fresh coat of white and, for the first time in many years, with a black top. This colour certainly aids ones view of the whole monument on cloudy days.
Nancy was beautifully decorated in the appropriate insignia for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in June 2012. Today it is back to being all white.
White Nancy provides a focus on the ridge of the Saddle of Kerridge and from it there are extensive views across the Cheshire Plain towards the mountains of North Wales to the west, the hills of Shropshire to the south and the Pennines to the north and east. The Gritstone Trail passes close to it.
For more information visit the Happy Valley website, White Nancy page
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