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Lancashire
The River Ribble
I was born in Whalley on the border with the West Riding of Yorkshire and so include in my web site this little piece of Heaven, named "Lancashires Hill Country".
Here are the Towns & Villages of my youth, where I was born and raised, played and worked.
Photographs of most of these towns and villages can be found in the Photo Album and it would be great to include your own photos if you have any of the towns and villages, events and such like in the album.
You will also see in the towns descriptions books that I would recommend anyone to read and collect. So look out for these images.
This new 'Discovery Walks' guide contains 30 routes of assorted lengths suitable for all abilities - from the most hardy of walkers to casual family strollers. All walks have a heritage theme and enable you to appreciate both Lancashire's rich historical legacy as well as its ever-changing landscape. The walks visit Roman remains, medieval castles and abbeys, nature reserves, country parks and many monuments to the country's role in the industrial revolution.
All the walks contain information on types of terrain, distance and degree of difficulty, refreshments and public transport. To add to the variety, three urban walks in Lancaster, Liverpool and Manchester are included.
This guide contains 30 routes of varying lengths and terrain, suitable for both seasoned walkers and casual family strollers. They take in Roman remains, medieval castles and abbeys, nature reserves and country parks.
Pendle Hill
Old Pendle, Old Pendle thou standest alone
'Twixt Burnley and Clitheroe, Whalley and Colne
Where the Hodder and the Ribble's fair waters do meet
With Barley and Downham content at thy feet.
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(Folksong by Milton-Allan)
Catherine Rothwell has been interested in cookery, since, as a toddler, she set up a doll's teaset in her mother's Lancashire kitchen. Here, she watched the preparation of traditional dishes, remedies, drinks, preserves and pickles being prepared for a family of six. Since then she has amassed a huge collection of recipes - including many old, hand-written ones which have been part of the family life for decades. There are 180 recipes in this book, ranging from early simple cookery to more sophisticated contemporary dishes - all arranged in a logical easy-to-use format. This cookbook is designed to take Lancashire's cookery into the millennium. From early simple cookery to more sophisticated contemporary dishes, the work contains 180 recipes in an easy-to-use format. Features include tips from Lancashire-born chefs and a section on healthy eating. Lancashire;Rivers, ancient villages, Forests, meadows and moorland fells all go to make up the Ribble valley about two hundred square miles of the most majestic countryside set in the Lancashire pennines.
This is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Situated to the West of the Yorkshire Dales and stretching upwards towards the Lake District, the Ribble valley is still a my most favourite place. Here you will find a wonderful landscape of rolling hills and wooded valleys, quiet lanes and uncrowded villages. The Ribble valley has a fascinating history, a Norman castle keep in Clitheroe, a Roman garrison in Ribchester, ancient abbey sites at Whalley and Sawley, and the magnificent splendour which is Stonyhurst college.
Most of the countryside is unchanged from the days when witches roamed the area. Over these hills Cromwell marched his men towards the Battle of Preston. On Pendle Hill, George Fox had a vision which was to be the start of the Quaker movement.
Every village has a story to tell, Slaidburn still has an old Moot courtroom preserved in the upstairs room of the Hark to Bounty. King Henry V1 made is home in Waddington for about a year. In Bolton by Bowland you will find the original village cross and stocks and in the church you can see the magnificent tomb with the carvings of Sir Ralph Pudsey, his three wives and the figures of his twenty five children.
It is a delight to walk along the footpaths found along river banks, tracks over the moors and peaceful country lanes passing villages founded in Saxon times.
Accrington; is the main town of the Borough of Hyndburn named from the river which flows through a culvert beneath the Victorian shopping arcade. This is one of many locations used in the popular television detective series Hetty-Wainthropp. Accrington is one of the few towns which had the foresight to retain its Victorian Market Hall. The Town Hall was once an institute built to celebrate the life of Sir Robert Peel, a Lancashire lad who became Prime Minister and was responsible for the establishment of the Police Force hence the old names of Peelers and Bobbies. There is an excellent town trail devoted to Accrington and which is called the Acorn Trail. This describes an ancient abbey, the line of an old Roman Road and later a Turnpike route with Coaching Inns still in evidence. Look out also for the Haworth Art Gallery with its world famous collection of Tiffany glass. Even the name Acorn Trail is a tale of history and a natural history because the town is named after the oak dominated forest Acer-ing-tun. This translates as a settlement near meadows and close to an oak wood. The Accrington Pals was one of the most renowned of the first world war regiments. The colours of the regiment are displayed in St. James church. The church also houses memorials to Sir Robert Peel, the 19th century Prime Minister and Sir James Hargreaves, inventor of the spinning jenny.
Recommended reading:
Accrington's Changing FaceAighton and Bailey;Along with Chaigley; these three form an extended parish with the Northern border defined by the courses of the river Hodder and the river Ribble, the Southern border is defined by the Ribble which, having cut across the neck of the parish continues the parish as far as Starling Brook. The boundary then turns up the Starling Brook to a maximum elevation of 1, 149 feet above sea level on Longridge Fell, and then it runs in a North Westerly direction to conclude its delineation where the River Loud flows into the Hodder.
It is near this location that remains of what was the important Roman road from Chester, through Manchester and Ribchester to Carlisle and Hadrian's wall can be found. At Winckley Rowes, where the Hodder flows into the Ribble you will find prehistoric burial mounds that are now classified as ancient monuments. Nearby the river is crossed by the Lower Hodder Bridges and the approach road from Hurst Green was one of the first in the country to be built and surfaced by the process which has taken its name from the inventor John Macadam.
The Lower bridge is still known as Cromwell Bridge as the Parliamentarian army marched this way on the eve of the battle of Preston, dated from 1562 when it was built by Sir Richard Shireburn at a recorded cost of £70
Tea Shop Walks in LancashireAltham;Altham village dates back to Saxon times and is now a Conservation Area. The picturesque Parish Church of St. James is mainly 16th century with a 19th century tower. The Walton Arms is a former coaching inn and dates back to Tudor Times. Nearby is Altham Corn Mill, Mill House and Cottages. The present structure dates from 1816, though there have been mills on the site since the 12th century. Milling ceased in 1880. The hamlet of Altham still looks pretty and stands on the fertile banks of the River Calder, which offer excellent walking opportunities. its large churchyard is sliced in two by the busy modern road between Burnley and Blackburn. The lovely old church contains a font donated by Abbot John Paslew the last abbot of Whalley. It is beautifully and ornately carved and depicts. the tools associated with the crucifixion including a hammer and vicious looking nails. A gravestone celebrates the life of James Hacking even students of the early cotton industry ask who was James Hacking? He invented a carding machine which accelerated the preparation of yarn prior to it being worked on the loom. This saved local mill owners a great deal of money and there is no doubt that Hacking deserves his memorial although he may have preferred the industrialists to part with more of their brass while he was alive. In the churchyard, there is also a memorial to more than 100 miners killed on November 7th, 1883 by an explosion at the nearby Moorfield Colliery. All trace of these mines has now vanished.
Barnoldswick;Barnoldswick the birthplace of my brother David can trace its history back to Saxon times. It grew with the coming of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the textile industry. It is a small town with an attractive cobbled square. It retains its country air, surrounded by rolling hills and with outstanding views into Yorkshire's limestone country. Visitors to the town should not miss the opportunity to visit Bancroft Mill Engine Museum ,on Gillians Lane. to see the mill's 600 horsepower steam driven Mill Engine, and experience the sights and sounds of a Lancashire weaving shed as the looms weave genuine Lancashire tea towels.
Barrow;Lying astride the main road between Clitheroe and Whalley is the Jollie Memorial Congregational Church, perpetuating the Reverend Thomas Jollie, Vicar of Altham, who in 1662 left the established church and then held secret services at Whymondhouses, a farm on Wiswell Moors. Services were held there until 1831, when the congregation moved to Wiswell and they moved again in 1887 to Barrow itself, and built the church to commemorate their first minister.
Bashall Eaves;Near this small hamlet can be found the Fairy Bridge said to have been built one night by fairies to help an old wood cutter who was being chased by witches. Browsholme Hall is one of the most historic mansions in the district, and for centuries has been the family seat of the Parkers, former bow-bearers of Bowland. The Hall is a handsome structure dating from the time of Henry V!!, and contains a wealth of wood carvings, arms and armour, period furniture, textiles, rare books and stained glass. Amongst the collections of paintings is one of Thomas Parker, former Lord Chancellor of England. One relic of the Hall which visitors are not allowed to see is the human skull kept in a locked cupboard, legend says that disaster will strike if anyone but members of the family see it.
Billington;This parish can trace its history to Saxon times when, in the year AD 798 a battle was fought at Billangahoh the names Billington and Langho were derived. The Church at Old Langho, which was built of stone taken from the ruins of Whalley Abbey, is of great antiquity, for it is recorded that in 1684 John Slater of Billington contributed to the endowment of Langho Chapel.
Today Billington is quite a flourishing community, there are about 30 farms engaged mainly with cattle. From the Old Whalley Road, which runs across a high ridge of land facing Longridge Fells there is an extensive view, not only of the Ribble Valley but some of the higher peaks of the Pennine Range.
These flourishing communities are today mainly residential, but trace their history back to Saxon times. Billington is home to St Augustine's RC High School whose pupils (and I am proud to say I was one of them from age 11 in 1964 to age 15 in 1968) have achieved international fame through their music and songs to benefit the World Wildlife Fund. Musicals first staged at the school are now performed by youngsters worldwide.
Blackburn;was mentioned in the Domesday Book, and recorded as a small farming community. However, it is perhaps better known for it's later role as a woollen weaving town. The Imperial Mill on the East of the city was one of the biggest mills in the world, having one hudred thousand spindles at work at one time. Hargreaves, inventor of the Spinning Jenny was a local man as was William Hornby, the town's most prominent industrialist, who also served as MP and mayor. A statue of Hornby can be seen next to the Town Hall.
The Church of St Mary, completed in 1826, became the Anglican Cathedral in 1926. It is best recognised from it's original lantern tower. A church was first recorded on this site in AD596. Modern art is well represented in the Cathedral with work by Josehina de Vasconcellos and a sculpture by John Hayward.
The local market still retains it's traditional feel and is the second biggest in the country. The market offers Lancashire specialities such as locally produced cheeses and black puddings. However, a trip to the market isn't complete without a visit to the Walsh's Chemist stall where glasses of traditional sarsaparilla are served. You can buy a small jar of Sarsaparilla extract and make this herbal beverage in the comfort of your own home. The indoor market also boasts an excellent fish market.
On the outskirts of the town can be found Witton Country Park, over 400 acres of woods and open parkland.
The city's Museum has an impressive collection of Japanese prints, medieval manuscripts and rare books. However, it is best known for it's collection of Eastern European icons, said to be the largest in the world. The Asian population of the city is represented in ever changing displays of Pakistani and Gujerati culture. A permanent display of East Lancs Regiment memorabilia sits alongside 19th century scenes showing the industrial history of the area. The best example of the industrial past can be found in the Lewis Textile Museum across from the museum. The museum which was given to the town by Thomas Lewis in 1937 and the exhibits include a flying shuttle, spinning mule and spinning jenny.
Part of the original Thwaites Brewery, built in 1807 remains at the site of the new one. The brewery was founded by Daniel Thwaites and his tomb can be found in the churchyard of St John the Evangelist near the Georgian style Richmond Terrace.
Aspects of BlackburnBolton-By-Bowland;;This village is very peaceful, with a village green, stone cross and old stocks. The church has many ornamental carvings and a tomb dating from 1500 which has the arms of Pudsey, Percy, Tempest, Hammerton and other families. The famous Pudsey tomb has an engraved figure of Sir Ralph Pudesy in full armour with the figures of his three wives and 25 children. Overlooking the river Ribble is Rainber Scar, known locally as Pudsey's leap where William Pudsey is said to have made the leap on horseback when being chased by soldiers for illegally minting his own coins, according to legend he was later pardoned by his godmother, Queen Elizabeth 1.
Walking Roman Roads in BowlandBolton-Le-Sands;Bolton Le Sands Known as 'Bodeltone' in the Doomsday Book was once a Fishing Village on the Morecambe bay Shoreline although the sands are now some 1/2 mile away due to the shoreline receding. The 17th century Old Grammar School is worth a visit together with Church of the Holy Trinity formerly St Michaels at the top of Main Road in the Old Village mainly 17th & 18th century cottages. The Packet Inn stands at the lower part of the village at the junction of Main Road & Packet Lane adjacent to the canal. Maureen and I managed what was then the Willow Tree Restaurant owned by Mr & Mrs Manchester in the early eighties'.
Carnforth;Recorded as 'Chreneforde' in The Domesday Book of 1086, believed to mean 'a ford where cranes frequented'. Situated in the north of the County of Lancashire this beautiful area combines superb countryside and coast with a rich and fascinating history including the Lancaster canal .It has important international connections being the ancestral home of George Washington. Dominated by Warton Crag the area encompasses towns and villages such as Carnforth, Warton, Yealand Conyers and Beetham, each with their own distinctive character. It is widely believed Carnforth derived its name from its position by the ford crossing the River Keer. Settled by invading Danes, many of the place names in the surrounding district suggest Scandinavian origin - Hallgarth, Grisedale and Thrang End are examples. Shifts in the salt marsh occasionally reveal shipyard artefacts including remnants of tools and half wrought ship yard timber.
Ancient Saxon courts were held on a nearby hills known as Moot-How. Charles II encamped his army at Carnforth in 1651 on his way to Scotland. Carnforth developed in Victorian times around an ironworks built near an important railway junction. Carnforth Haematite Iron Company had four blast furnaces at work in 1870. Now more famous as a railway town Carnforth Station was the location for the filming of the well known film `Brief Encounter' starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson.
A range of specialist shops, newly refurbished War Memorial Square and pubs and restaurants make Carnforth the ideal base for a tour of the area and a gateway to the Lake District.
Carnforth has a long association with the railways dating back to 1846, when the first station opened. The Town further expanded when it formed the junction of 3 railway lines. Later, Carnforth was also linked to the coalfields of Durham by the South Durham and Lancashire Railway.
Chaigley;;A beautiful hamlet with many interesting features, one of which being the nearby Lower Hodder Bridge. Thought to date from 1562 and known as Cromwell Bridge because the Parliamentarian Army marched this way on the eve of the Battle of Preston. The bridge is now an ancient monument.
The Centre of Great Britain was originally at Cromwell's Bridge on the River Hodder, Chaigley;; which is a couple of miles due west of Clitheroe in Lancashire. It was then found that the calculations failed to include all the islands around Britain and the centre was finally pinpointed ten miles (16km) further north at a point near Whitendale Rocks.
Chatburn;Chatburn is 400 feet above sea level, situated in a hollow between two ridges which slope towards the Ribble just off the A59 Clitheroe to Skipton road on the outskirts of Clitheroe. The stately spire of the Parish Church dominates the building which was erected about 1838.
The line of the Roman road between Ribchester and Ilkley, built two thousand years ago, lies between Chatburn and Worston to where it crossed Heys Brook. A large quantity of Roman coins was discovered here in the eighteenth century. The village also boasts two excellent pubs, The Brown Cow and the Black Bull, which was built in 1855. Hudson's popular ice cream shop is also to be found in the village, housed in what was originally the toll bar.
CHIPPINGA beautiful village on the slopes above the Loud. Chipping had 5 water mills along Chipping Beck in medieval days, this is a conservation area with stonebuilt cottages. The 17th century schoolhouse and the almshouses were endowed by John Brabin, a cloth merchant and dyer. The 13th century church was partly rebuilt in 1505 and again in 1706, the font has been in use for over 400 years.
Chipping has a chair factory, cheesemaker and craft center. Lizzy Dean was a serving wench at the Sunn Inn, she was engaged to marry a local man. On the morning of her wedding, hearing the church bells, she looked out and saw her intended bridegroom leaving the church with another bride. She hanged herself in the attic of the pub, her last request was that her grave be dug in the path of the church so that her intended had to walk over it every Sunday. She died in 1835 aged 20 and is said to haunt the Sun Inn.
Church;Church Kirk, near Accrington was established by Oswald, King of Northumbria as a temporary place of worship. a community grew up around the church, it took its As name from what was almost certainly its first building. The oldest part of the current building dates back to the latter half of the fourteenth century and. the massive masonry of the tower bears witness to its use as a watch tower during the War of the Roses. A much later addition to the church were two beautiful art nouveau windows, designed by the renowned Edward Burne Jones and installed in 1891. The Lords of Clitheroe owned the area until the 13th century when the Rishtons followed by the Walmesleys of Dunkenhalgh held sway. Once the railway and canal came to the area in the 18th century the community grew rapidly. The uncle of Sir Robert Peel owned a calico works in the town. In the churchyard of what was once St. James lies the grave of James Simpson, the 19th century president of the Vegetarian Society.
Clayton-Le-Moors;Between Accrington and Great Harwood is Clayton-le-Moors, `clay town in the moors'. It is perhaps no surprise that brick making is still practised in Hyndburn, with Marshall's Clay Products, who make the world famous red Accrington NORI bricks, being based nearby in Altham. Calico printing dominated Clayton-le-Moors early industry but soap was also made locally, including the famous Dr. Lovlace brand. The town is also the half way point of the 127 mile Leeds-Liverpool Canal.
Clitheroe;The old market town of Clitheroe is the commercial and administrative center of the area, and lies at the heart of the Ribble valley, the town retains much of its old character and customs. Many of its shops have been passed down through the generations, and they have a unique quality. Some have gained National regonition, the local wine merchant has been a family run firm for one hundred years and has been judged the best in the country by "Which? Wine Guide". The local butcher makes and sells forty two types of sausages. A popular open market is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The main street of Clitheroe is dominated by a massive rock of limestone crowned with the keep of an ancient castle at least eight hundred years old. The castle grounds contain formal gardens, tennis courts, bowling green and a cafeteria. In summer music ranging from brass band to rock can be heard in the auditorium.
Once a battle site between the Normans and Scots Edisford bridge is now a family area on the banks of the river with a miniature railway and the old quarry sites of Crosshill and Salthill are now a wildlife conservation area.
Downham;Sitting snugly under the bulk of Pendle Hill, Downham has to be one of the lovliest villages in Lancashire, quite and unspoilt with a babbling brook running past the village green and stone-built cottages. The church tower is a magnificent example of 15th century architecture.
Generations of the Assheton family have lived at Downham Hall since 1558, the present squire is Lord Clitheroe of Downham. A large stone by the entrance to Downham Hall is said to mark the final resting place of two legionnaires who died on the Roman Road during trouble with the Brigantes. The village was used as the location for the film Whistle down the wind. It also has associations with Mother Demdike and other Lancashire witches.
Dunsop BridgeLying in the Forest of Bowland, is the official centre of the kingdom and is a good place to start exploring the Hodder Valley on foot. The settlement is set around the river Dunsop & the village green. A phone box on the edge of the green marks the spot that is shown on OS maps as the centre of Island. The road leading up the hill out of the village marks the beginning of the Trough of Bowland. A milestone from 1739 at the junction shows the distance to local market towns in old miles which are 40 percent longer than modern ones. The Towneley family from Burnley used to own nearby Thorneyholme Hall and were responsible for the building of the Catholic church of St Hubert the patron St of hunters. The churchyard has a large white angel as a memorial to the Towneley family. Inside the church are many carvings and statues of horses. This is because the church was built from the winnings of Colonel Townelys 1861 Derby winner Kettledrum.
From the church the road leads you to Sykes Farm and then it climbs to the top of the pass where a boundary stone lies between Lancashire and Yorkshire. It was along this route that the Lancashire Witches where taken to be tried at Lancaster Castle.
Dutton;lying on the south eastern side of Longridge Fell about 11 miles from Preston and 6 miles from Blackburn is where you will find this very much agricultural village and one of the must places to visit, the countryside is very attractive and the high ground offers wonderful views of the area, it does tend to become a little wild and the main stream which is Duddel Brook flows rapidly to the Ribble. Dutton Hall is about the only historic building of any note, it was built in the time of Charles 11 for the Townley family and stands on a commanding site in this unspoilt and beautiful area.
There is a Roman Catholic Chapel at Dutton Lee, which has close associations with Stonyhurst College.
Gisburn;A village with a long and glorious history, straddled astride the A59, between Clitheroe and Skipton, it is home to a large and long-established auction mart, which is the focal point for the farming community from miles around. Hotels include the Ribblesdale Arms, dating back to 1635, and the newly-restored White Bull, reputedly named after hornless wild cattle. It's wide main street still retains some of it's cobblestones.
The parish church has Norman windows and arch and stained glass dating back to the 14th century. Gisburn Park is home to a private hospital and Guy of Gisburn, of Robin Hood fame was said to have come from here.
Glasson Dock;As the ships grew bigger the port of Lancaster was no longer able to accommodate them due to navigation problems caused by the silting up of the River Lune. This led to the development of Glasson Dock. Financed by Lancaster merchants it needed two acts of Parliament in 1738 and 1749 to allow the construction of walls and quays. The Lancaster Canal was extended to Glasson in 1826 making it one of the few locked docks in the Country. Fro Glasson goods could move along the canal network to Lancaster, Kendal, Preston and beyond. The dock is now a busy marina and is home to both sea going craft and canal boats. One can wander along the dockside by the old fisherman's cottages and watch boats entering the locks from the sea. Two caravan sites are discreetly hidden away and three pubs cater for the thirsty. I always looked forward to a drive out with my father on a Sunday as a visit to Glasson Dock was always a possibility.
Glasson DockGreat Harwood; If you hear "Arroder's" talking about Snuffy `Arrod they're referring to Great Harwood, which once had a snuff factory. Here is a record of a church at Great Harwood as early as 1335 when it was governed from Blackburn and then known as St Laurence's Chapel. The area must have been rich in terms of agriculture (and almost certainly textiles) and the monks of Whalley Abbey were determined to own it, but they were always beaten off by the influential Hesketh family who then lived at Martholme, which has been lovingly restored but cannot be visited, but it can be seen without any intrusion by looking down on it from the disused viaduct oh the old railway line between Great Harwood and Read. The disused line is now a splendid walk, a sort of nature reserve seen at its best in May when the bluebells are in bloom.
Another excellent walk starts from Great Harwood Church (dedicated to St Bartholomew in the 15th century) and is signed to Whalley and the Nab. Time, however, should be spent exploring this wonderful church and the town of Great Harwood which is best pronounced as Harrod but dropping the `H'.
Look for the piscina paid for by the Hesketh family in 1521 when the Roman Catholic mass was the focal point of all English churches. A piscina was a type of washing sink used to clean the sacred cups and chalices used in the services, as this one at St Bartholomew's, which is beautifully carved.
John Mercer (1791-1866) whose inventions made him famous and rich, was made a Fellow of the Royal Society and it was him who was responsible for the word `mercerisation' becoming part of the cotton industries history.
What John Mercer succeeded in doing was adding caustic soda to the cotton fabric which made the fibres swell and become almost translucent. This gives the material a gloss which is still much sought after. He deserves the accolade of the Mercer memorial clock unveiled to his memory in 1903. In 1913 his daughter, Mary, gave money to the town. This was used to build Mercer Hall, now the home of Great Harwood swimming baths.
Grindleton;Grindleton commands a wide panoramic vista of the Ribble Valley and Pendle Hill. Many of the houses hugging the hillside were originally weavers cottages, dating from the pre-industrial days when all cloth was produced on handlooms and often transported by pack horse over the fells to market. The village has two well established public houses. The Duke of York and The Buck Inn.
Hoghton;This is another parish with long historical associations, mostly linked with Hoghton Tower which was erected between 1562 and 1565 by Thomas de Hoghton, replacing an earlier manor house. Its lords have maintained an unbroken line of descent from pre-Norman days, the baronetcy being the second oldest in the kingdom. Legend has it that King James I, when dining there, knighted a fine loin of beef which appeared on the table, and an inn within the parish is now called `The Sirloin' in remembrance of the event. Hoghton Tower is open to the public. Once more this was a regular place to visit with my father, my god father lived and still lives here.
HURST GREENHurst Green is the home of Stonyhurst College, a world famous Roman Catholic boys boarding college. The buildings are set in extensive parkland with two huge ponds that were excavated in 1696. The college house a wonderful museum collection including private seals of James !!, and the embroidered cap of Sir Thomas More. A superb library has many priceless volumes including the oldest English bound book in existence, a 7th century copy of the gospel according to St. John, and books printed by Caxton. Cromwell stayed here in 1648. In 1811 the building became the first public building to be lit by gas. Conan Doyle is amongst the many famous ex scholars of the college.
The Shireburn Arms is a 17th century hotel, named after Richard Shireburn who owned that land around the village, also at Hurst Green is the beautiful St. Peter's church, where some of my wife's ancestors are buried.
Knowle Green;A small hamlet situated on the fringe of the township of Longridge, amidst extensive pastureland and affording lovely views of the surrounding fells. Father Thomas Cottam a catholic martyr resided at Manor House at Knowle Green which is a 17th century Manor House. there was an earlier house that stood on this site known in the 14th Century as Dilworth Hall.
Langho;The church of St Leonard was built around 1557, with stone from Whalley Abbey, and partially rebuilt in 1879. Langho is believed a shortened spelling of 'Billangahoh. the early spelling of Billington meaning 'place of the Billinge'.
Longridge;The birthplace of my wife Maureen, the market town of Longridge is situated on rising ground 300 to 500 feet above sea level and commands a view of the whole Fylde Plain. From the top of Longridge Fell it is possible to see The Ribble Valley, the Welsh mountains, the Isle of Man, Ingleborough and the Loud Valley. Cromwell and his army passed this way on their way to the battle of Preston. Once famous for stone quarrying, Longridge supplied the stone for Lancaster Town Hall and the docks at Liverpool. Stone used to be carried by a railway, which was operated literally by horse power. The horses had to pull the wagons uphill from Preston to Longridge, but on the return journey downhill they rode back on the wagons.
Longridge is the shopping and social centre of the local farming district and has an interesting mixture of shops and antique galleries. The first houses in Britain to be purchased with Building Society Mortgages are to be found in Longridge. The street of terraced houses are on the towns Club Row now Higher Road (Maureen was born at number 16. Longridge has a popular sports centre, which is open to visitors and an open air market is held near the sports centre every Thursday.
Comprised of two ancient parishes Alston and Dilworth it has many historical connections. Oliver Cromwell is said to have slept at Sharley Fold Farm at the top of Berry Lane before the Battle of Preston in 1648.
Mellor;The name Mellor derives from the Celtic meaning 'Bare Hill'. The moor was the site of a Roman encampment, an outpost of the one at Ribchester. St Mary's Church, built in 1829 and with internal woodwork of English oak and beautiful examples of woodcarving, is worthy of a visit. In 1855 an 8 inch axe hammer was found at Mellor made of Langdale origin volcanic rock. (Now in Blackburn Museum).
Mitton;A small hamlet on a limestone rise above the River Ribble, near its junction with the Hodder. Mitton or Mytton, as it was once known, is named after "the farm at the mythe". The church of All Hallows features the Shireburn Chapel. I worked at the Aspinall Arms when younger, and spent many an evening at Mitton Hall when courting Maureen.
Newton-In-Bowland;Well worth a visit, the attractive hamlet is home to a good hostelry, the Parkers Arms, and a thriving village hall. The views from here are excellent and John Bright, the Quaker, spent two years of his early life here. The Friends Meeting House dates from 1767. Excellent walks start from here and the United Reformed Church is -worth seeking out.
Osbaldeston;A scattered agricultural parish with several ancient buildings, including Tudor style Osbaldeston Hall, which was originally built in stone from the Roman ruins of Ribchester.
Paythorne;The River Ribble sweeps under the arched bridge on a beautiful approach to this hillside village, a popular spot for salmon-watching. The Buck Inn is a calling spot for cyclists and mountain bike enthusiasts and an extensive caravan site attracts year-round visitors.
Pendleton;Home to a number of halls, of which Pendleton, Little Mearley and Standen Halls are just three. The Swan with Two Necks is a well-frequented public house and also doubles as the village post office. This is a thriving rural community, with families spanning several generations. The church dates back to 1848.
Read;Read Hall, mentioned in the book "Mist Over Pendle, ` was originally the seat of the Nowell family, of whom Dean Nowell, of St Paul's Cathedral was probably best known. A pleasant village, steeped in history, where a skirmish in 1643, between a Royalist army and local Parliamentarian levies resulted in the downfall of the Lancashire Royalist cause.
RIBCHESTERThis ancient riverside village is built on the site of Roman "Bremetonacum". It is estimated that "Bremetonacum" covered six acres of ground, a large portion of the remains lie under the old church and churchyard. The Roman museum has been extended, and provides interesting displays about Roman life in the area. Many artifacts from this time are on display, including copies of a highly detailed Roman helmet found in Ribchester by a small boy in 1976. The original is in the British Museum.My wife Maureen and I held our wedding reception at what was then The New Inn at Ribchester and as a child I spent many a pleasant hour in Ribchester. The parish church of St Wilfrid existed in the 12th Century, the current building being restored in 1925. The remains of an ancient Norman chapel at Stydd, a mile from the village, house a 16th Century font, bearing the arms of the de Lacys, with several ancient coffins and incised tombstones.
Dating from 1707 and once used as a courthouse the 'White Bull Inn' stands in the centre of Ribchester. The 2 columns by the main door are said to have come from the Roman Fort.
There are also many fine examples of 18th century handloom weavers cottages to be found in Church Street.
The Ribchester HoardRimmington;Home for many years to composer Francis Duckworth, whose hymn tune "Rimington" is still regularly heard at Martin Top Chapel, this village and the small hamlets of Newby, Middop, Martin Top and Howgill nestle in delightful countryside. Many archaeological finds have been made in this area and near Stopper Lane is the disused lead mine, reputed to have produced the silver for "Pudsey's Mint," which attracted interest recently when exploration work was again carried out. The Black Bull Inn is home to a model transport museum and, next door, Cosgrove's House of Colour attracts fashion-conscious men and women from a wide area. The village Memorial Institute is a thriving meeting place and attracts local snooker enthusiasts.
Rishton;The town's name comes from the Saxon `Risctun' or `village amid the rushes'. In the 17th Century Rishton was noted for its linen cloth and in 1766 the town made history as the first place to weave calico. In the town centre the attractive Roebuck Inn dates from 1753, whilst the Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (1877) has fine stained glass. The original bridges (1810) can still be seen over the Leeds and Liverpool canal.
The Leeds and Liverpool CanalSabdenOn the fringe of the Pendle Forest between the Ribble and Calder rivers. The local handloom weavers used to weave parkin using oatmeal as the warp and treacle as the weft. Visit Sabden Treacle Mines to meet the small furry treacle miners now immortalised in a childrens television series.
The impressive bulk of Pendle Hill dominates this close-knit community. Pendle Hill is where George Fox, founder of the Quakers, had a vision which led to the foundation of the movement. Today it is regularly visited by hundreds of hikers, particularly on Halloween, when its witches are said to roam. Pendle Antiques Centre is a popular attraction, housed in an old mill and featuring a changing stock of antique furniture and bric-a-brac from British and European sources, much of which is refurbished on the premises. Why not walk the Sabden Way. A Circular Walk Round the Beautiful Sabden Valley - 9 miles. The walk starts at the rose gardens situated at the centre of the village next door to Sabden Primary School by the Whalley/Clitheroe-Padiham junction.
Salesbury; The name Salesbury means burh by Sale Wheel (burh being an Old English word). Sale Wheel is the name of a pool in the River Ribble where the river winds, contracts and foams over huge rocks and boulders within the channel and means "pool where willows grow". Wheel comes from the Anglo-Saxon word "weal" meaning a whirlpool. The Old English name is Salebyry dating from 1246 AD and Salewelle dating from 1296 AD.
SAWLEYRenowned for the ruins of Sawley Abbey, this pleasant village on the banks of the River Ribble is where I spent sometime working at The Spread Eagle with views overlooking the river from its dining room, it attracts food-lovers throughout the county.. The Abbey was a Cistercian Abbey founded in 1147 by William de Percy and like Whalley housing the White Monks. The last Abbot, thought to be Thomas Bolton, was concerned in the Pilgrimage of Grace along with Abbot Paslew of Whalley.. Sawley Abbey is open to the public, dawn to dusk each day.
Simonstone;Its hall dates back to the 18th Century, but little remains. An earlier Mansion was on the same site in the 12th century. Trapp Forge is a working forge listing the royal family among its customers. The Higher Trapp Hotel, sited nearby, is a popular wedding and dining venue.
SLAIDBURNA picturesque grey stone village set on the banks of the river Hodder in the moorland region of the Forest of Bowland. The church is mostly 15th century but has a history that can be traced over eight centuries, here you can see a three decker pulpit, massive ancient doors, a Jacobean chancel screen and pews which still retain the makers adze marks. Most of the woodwork is 17th century.
The Hark to Bounty inn still houses the original Moot Courtroom of the Forest of Bowland which is said to have been used by Cromwell.
Tosside;Half in Lancashire and half in Yorkshire, Tosside is a rural hamlet and the gateway to many of the cycle tracks and walks within Gisburn Forest. St Bartholomew's Church with Jacobean pews dates from 1694. It has a 17th Century octagonal font made of stone from the Forest of Bowland and a Jacobean pulpit dated 1701.
Tottleworth;(near Rishton) The hamlet of Tottleworth dates back to Saxon times and still reserves its ancient Layout. Now a conservation area, its most important building is the 17th century Manor House Farm. Other places of note include Cow Hill Fold with Parker's farmhouse (1600) and its cottages, Whitebirk Moss (early 17th century) and Higher Side Beet (1699).
Thornley with Wheatley;is bounded by the course of the River Loud from near the hamlet of Priest Hill until it joins the Hodder. The fells climb to over 1.000 feet near Jeffry Hill and on a clear day the view extends to the Lancashire coast.
Twiston;Delightful walks abound from the small parish of Twiston, which rises to 1,134 feet on Twiston Moor. The lordship of the manor passed from the Starkie family to the Ashetons long ago. The name of Twiston spelt earlier as Twyssulton and Twysilton, probably means of boundary township, as Ings Beck marked the division between the kingdoms of Northumbria and Mercia.
Waddington;The Coronation Gardens and the babbling brook have earned Waddington the title of Best Kept Village in Lancashire many times. Henry VI lived at Waddington Hall for a year, before betrayal to the Yorkists in 1465 and was said to have escaped via a secret panel and staircase from the dining room, but was captured at Brungerley Bridge, on the outskirts of Clitheroe. Features ancient Church of St Mary's with a 15th century tower but the remainder was largely restored in 1901. The village Almshouses, also built in the 1700's the rebuilt on their present location around the green.
West Bradford;A series of quaint stone bridges give access to houses bordering the village beck in a community existing prior to the Domesday Book, completed in 1086. Mention is made of West Bradford in the reign of Richard 11 (1367-1400) when 32 inhabitants paid £11 tax, and there were 30 labourers or small farmers and two skilled craftsmen.
Whalley;A beautiful village, with interesting shops and galleries, where old cottages rub shoulders with Tudor and Georgian buildings along the main street. Whalley is famous for its church and abbey. Whalley abbey was a large and important Cistercian monastery, it moved here in 1296, when Abbot Gregory of Norbury and 20 monks arrived. Construction began on the site about 1320. The ruins of the abbey are open to the public and are protected as an important ancient monument. In the grounds of the abbey are a visitors center and a "Memory Lane" exhibition. There is thought to have been a wooden church in Whalley as early as 600. Todays parish church is famous for its pre-conquest crosses and beautiful interior. The nearby railway viaduct was a triumph of victorian engineering, the 49 arches are constucted from bricks hand made on the site, it was finished in 1852.
Wilpshire; The name of Wilpshire possible means the estate of someone nicknamed Wilps, "The one who lisps". The Old English name is Wlypschyre or Wilipscyre dating from 1246AD - from the Saxon Scyre for a shire or share. It was known as Wylppeschyre from about 1300AD and Wilpschire dating from 1311AD. It is recorded that on the 2nd November 1648 "The Towne of Wilpshire is fined 12d, because they have not repaired the new bridge betwixt the woods in Wilpshire and that they have not kept the water in the right course".
Wiswell; A small village on the edge of Whalley in a quiet rural location. It is said to take its name from Old Molly's Well. The Vicarage House is of medieval origin and one of the finest sections of Roman road to be seen in Lancashire lies between Lamb Roe and Wiswell.
WHITEWELLKnown locally as "Little Switzerland", where the river Hodder winds its way along the wooded valley. A church, an inn and a few cottages grace this very attractive spot. Although known as the inn at Whitewell it was called the Whitewell Hotel when I went to work there as second chef in 1970, the chef at that time was named George McGuire and was quite a character famous for his food and ordering two pints of mild at a time. The tennants of the hotel were Mr & Mrs Kenneth Wright they lived in the Hotel along with their two daughters Carol and Angela and one son Andrew, the hotel had one permanent resident a Mrs. Smith. Local characters to frequent the inn were a Mr Seed a local farmer and Joe Pye the gamekeeper.
It was at the hotel that I met and courted my wife Maureen, she worked there part-time as a waitress, and the banns of our marriage were read out at the catholic church in Dunsop Bridge.
Cave dwellers lived here around 1000 BC. Middle Bronze Age relics were found in the "Fairy Holes" cave a few years ago. Roman remains have also been found in the area and a long straight roman road over the valley is still partly in use. For centuries the pastures and enclosures of the Hodder Valley were used for the fattening of venison. The manor, now known as "The Inn at Whitewell" used to be the location for a thriving market on the forecourt. In 1682 Nicholas Walne, a Quaker, took his wife and family from the area to America by way of the Mayflower. He became one of the founding fathers, being a member of the first Assembly at Philadelphia on March 12 1683 and subsequently a member of the first Grand Jury, Sheriff and Justice of the Courts of Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Many American's with the name Waln are descendants of Nicholas Walne. Today the Inn at Whitewell just about makes up the village. The Inn is situated along side the River Hodder & has the rights to 6 miles of the Rivers best fishing.
Worston;Unspoilt, this was one of the locations used in `Whistle Down the Wind' and today it is still a quiet one-street village. A few hundred yards off the A59, it has many links with the past. In 1778, workmen widening the road to Chatburn found 1,000 silver denarii. Fragments of Sawley Abbey were incorporated into the building of Worston Hall.
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