First published January 1997

DID the Roundheads ever reach the Blackbrook area of St Helens? That's the mystifying question raised by a Rainhill reader, W. Fletcher.

Having read my earlier Cromwellian pieces, referring to possible Sutton and Thatto Heath connections, W.F. writes: "This made me wonder if Cromwell's troops had ever been over at Blackbrook, in view of the finds of lead balls, made with my metal detector in that vicinity 12 years ago.”

These, he explains, were found in open land on the south side of the East Lancashire Road between Haresfinch and Blackbrook.

All are heavily corroded and covered with carbonate deposits and, strangely, of varying sizes, from 10.45mm for the smallest to 16.35mm for the largest.

"In the course of my meanderings, I met various people. One volunteered the information that Cromwell's troops had camped in that area. Another said that deer were once hunted on that land.

"Perhaps," he ventures, "some of your readers could give an opinion as to their origins. Analysis by a friend, in a laboratory, resulted in the view that they were very old, as the lead has had all traces of silver removed - which would not have been done in modern times when silver became more easily obtainable.”