Rope Walk

As so often happens while looking for one thing I turn up something else. I was checking something on the 1887 map and noticed 'Rope Walk' mentioned on Victoria Street Newton, I recalled also seeing this near Floweyfield, it got me to wondering why. 

It seems that a rope-walk was a long straight narrow lane, or a covered pathway, where long strands of material were laid before being twisted into rope. 

One inch rope required 72 strands of ‘binder twine’, so for 100ft of 1 inch rope, 7.200ft of twine was needed. That sounds like a lot of twisting and work.

Hand spinning was a skilled job, the spinner had to walk at just the right speed to keep the yarn smooth and make sure it was the correct thickness.

 The rope made locally could possibly have been sold to farmers, mine and mill owners, hopefully a bit was left over for granny to have some fun