A VILLAGE street, whose name is reputed to be unique, has a fascinating tale behind it.

The main-road stretch in question is Clipsley Lane, Haydock. And the name, corrupted from the word 'eclipsed', reaches back in history to 1168.

This knowledge comes to hand via some ancient notes inherited by an old pal of mine who is a fellow local history buff.

It all came about more than 900 years ago when Orme de Haydock, first of a ruling line which held power in Haydock until 1425, became so financially embarrassed that he couldn't foot a royal bill.

He was demanded to pay 10 marks "as an aid to the King when his princess daughter married." Orme coughed up with only two marks, so a part of his domain was eclipsed (witheld from him) until he paid in full.

The debt was finally settled in 1171, but that obscurely-named street, said to have bordered the eclipsed parcel of land, still remains.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.