Horwich Advertiser Issue 639

Page 4 September 2026 AD SALES 01204 478812 Kevin McKeon, mayor of Horwich, shares his latest insight into his role as the town’s first citizen including taking part in a piece of history 10 11 Monday Tuesday The Mayor’s Diary THE MAYOR’S DIARY MONUMENT OF THE PAST IS A SNAPSHOT IN TIME THE Two Lads on the moors above Hor- wich is one of our best known and loved local monuments. Its existence was first recorded in 1776 and it has been included on maps since 1787. However, its origins are a mystery. One the- ory was that its name, Two Lads, indicated that it is the burial place of two boys who died in a snowstorm. There is no evidence of the truth of this story. Some historians have speculated that a Roman watchtower may have been on the site. Perhaps the most plausible theory is that its origins stretch back to Neolithic times, maybe 2000 to 3000 BC because there is evidence throughout the area of Neolithic settlement and cairns. Although, we love the Two Lads, we haven’t always treated it or them (sometimes there have been two) very well. At times they have been rebuilt sometimes because of vandalism. It is wonderful to be able to report that the Two Lads are going to be totally rebuilt in the beehive shape in which Lancashire cairns were traditionally built. The work has been commissioned by the Woodland Trust on whose Smithills estate land the monument sits. A team of skilled dry stone wallers will spend roughly three months piecing the stones together. It will be like a jigsaw! The Woodland Trust invited me to place a time capsule in the base of the main cairn. It was an honour and pleasure to be able to take part in such an historic event. Items in the capsule ranged from a book on local Horwich history to a can of coke! At the event I thanked the Woodland Trust and its local workers for the effort they’ve made to deliver what I’m sure will be a memorable pro- ject. Thanks too go to the Heritage Lottery which has provided funds for the project. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Vera and David Yorke who were celebrat- ing their 50th wed- ding anniversary. I presented the cou- ple with a card and some flowers wishing them very best wishes on behalf of the Hor- wich family.