Pensnett’s beautiful Grove Pool and its own ‘Loch Ness’ monster legend

Grove Pool
View from my back garden by Linda Beech

Browsing through the Pensnett, Past and Present Facebook Group I couldn’t help admiring this photograph by Linda Beech taken from the end of her garden, and was fasinated by the legend of a giant fish.

The picture is of Grove Pool, part of the Fens Pool nature reserve.

Brierley Hill and area gets talked down too much. Often by ourselves. Yet pictures such as Linda’s shows what a fantastic place it is to live in.

Comments on the Facebook post would seem to suggest that others agree.

Folk can say what they want about Pensnett, but it’s not so bad

said Kevin Walker.

Sue Bradley agreed

I was born in Pensnett nad never left. It’s not a bad place.

I was particularly interested by the legend of Big Ben. Pensnett’s equivalent of a benevolent Loch Ness monster perhaps?

Apparently Big Ben was a huge old pike which lived in Fens Pool but was too clever to get caught. Mick Cooper commented:

All of my mates knew this to be an absolute fact when we fished there in the 50s.

and as with all conspiracy/ mystery theorists added the clincher as to Big Ben’s existence:

That nobody ever caught him proved his age and guile to us.

Pensnett, Past and Present is a really enjoyable Facebook Group and I would recommend it to those interested in the history of the area.

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