The Crofters

The Crofters HotelA6 CabusGarstang

LancashirePR3 1PH

t: 01995 604128

Contents

Welcome to The Crofters ............................................................................... 2

Local Services ................................................................................................ 5

Local Transport .............................................................................................. 6

Garstang History ............................................................................................ 8

Fairtrade Town ............................................................................................. 14

Greenhalgh Castle ........................................................................................ 16

Greenhalgh Walk ......................................................................................... 17

Garstang Activities ....................................................................................... 15

Explore River Wyre ..................................................................................... 19

Churchtown History ..................................................................................... 20

Beacon Fell .................................................................................................. 22

The Forest of Bowland ................................................................................. 24

Claughton on Brock ..................................................................................... 28

Garstang - Barnacre Circular ....................................................................... 18

Explore Scorton ........................................................................................... 27

St Michael’s on Wyre .................................................................................. 31

Forton ........................................................................................................... 32

1

Black & White Media Services Ltd.132 Bond Street

Blackpool

FY4 1HW

T: 01253 406814

F: 01253 530022

E: [email protected]

www.blackwhitemedia.co.uk

Publishers NoteThis publication, it’s title and content, is wholly owned

by and copyright of Black & White Media Services Ltd.

It is entirely independent and does not endorse, and is

or organisation. Reproduction in whole or in part by any

means without written permission from the publishers is

strictly forbidden. The publisher accepts no responsibilty

for errors, omissions or the consequences thereof. The

publishers cannot accept responsibility for the views

expressed by contributors, or for the accurcy of claims

made by advertisers appearing in this publication.

Introduction Situated within a short walk of the historic market town of Garstang and close to the cities of Preston and Lancaster, the Crofters Hotel is the ideal base to explore and enjoy the local areas of natural beauty such as Trough of Bowland, Beacon Fell and the Lake District. Blackpool with its many attractions is also within easy reach.

The unique atmosphere, warmest of welcomes and superb brasserie makes the Crofters the venue of choice for weekend breaks, meetings and weddings alike. The AA 3 Star independent hotel boasts 25 relaxing bedrooms for the most discerning of guests, an elegant cocktail bar and conference and wedding facilities to meet the widest range of needs.

Nearby AmenitiesBeing centrally located in Lancashire, The Crofters Hotel at Cabus near Garstang is within an hour’s travelling distance of most areas of the county. Situated between the cities of Lancaster and Preston, the hotel is also in an excellent position for visitors wishing to explore Lancashire’s coastal areas, including Blackpool and Morecambe. Head out east and you could find yourselves within the Trough of Bowland, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Travel north and within a two-hour drive you could be in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

Lancaster and PrestonThe lively cities of Lancaster and Preston are within 20 minutes drive from the hotel and offer great shopping, restaurants, café bars, nightlife and culture. You’ll be spoilt for choice with the multitude of amenities available.

Seaside ResortsThe Crofters Hotel is also situated within a 30-minute drive of the seaside resorts of Blackpool and Morecambe. The famous Pleasure Beach theme park and “Golden Mile” at Blackpool offers an action-packed and fun day out for all involved. Morecambe’s recent renaissance is seeing new investment in the town and a number of festivals, especially throughout the summer months, ensure the family will be kept well entertained.

Lancaster UniversityLancaster University is a mere 10-minute drive from the hotel and many visiting parents use the Crofters for accommodation during their stay. Being located on the A6 (the same road as the Crofters), it is nearly impossible to find yourselves lost when visiting the University for the first time. Regular bus services are available to and from the Uni, although there is parking space for visitors on campus for those wishing to travel by car.

Accommodation All 25 bedrooms are attractively furnished to a high standard with colour LCD flat screen TV with integrated DVD, direct dial telephone, radio alarm clock, hairdryer, hospitality tray and ironing facilities.

Double, twin or single rooms are available with a number being suitable as family rooms.Wifi broadband available in all rooms.

Resident InformationAn Iron and Ironing Board can be requested for guest use by contacting Reception by dialling (0) from your internal telephone.

Should you require any extra Pillows, towels, or extra Tea and Coffee then please do not hesitate to ask us.

A Shoe Polishing Machine can be located on the landing next to the hotel stairs.

A photocopying service is available at Reception, please ask for up to date charges.

The nearest shop is a mere 5 minute walk from the hotel, and this is a Spar Shop and Post Office. Please ask us for directions.

T.V. INFORMATIONAll free digital channels available.

DiningTHE CROFTERS RESTAURANT

BREAKFASTWeekdays: 7.30am – 9.30am

Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays: 8am – 10am**********

TAVERN BAR OPENING TIMESMonday – Friday: 12pm - 11pm

Saturday: 12pm – 11pmSunday: 12pm– 11.00pm

TAVERN FOOD SERVICEMonday – Friday: 12noon – 9.30pm

Saturday & Sunday: 12noon – 9.30pmChildren’s Menus also available

Please see menu inside folder**********

The Crofters Tavern menu is available for room service.This service operates during normal dining until 10pm,

A Selection of Sandwiches available on White or Brown Bread for residents from 12pm to 10pm.Deli Wrap £6.95

Ham, chicken, salami, lettuce and cheese, all wrapped in a so! "our tortilla.BBQ Beef & Onion Baguette £7.50

Topped with melted cheese.Chicken, Bacon and Cheese Baguette £7.50

Classic Bacon Butty £4.95Croque Monsieur £6.95

Lancashire cheese and ham toasted sandwich topped with cheese sauce and grilled, with dressed house salad.Croque Madame £7.95

As above and then we top it with a so! poached egg.Sandwiches £6.75

Served on sliced white or brown bloomer choose from:

Eggs Benedict £7.50

Alcoholic Beverages also available on request

Please contact the Tavern by dialling “211” to place your order.If you require any further information, or in an emergency please do not hesitate to contact Reception by dialling “0”.

TavernSandwiches and Wraps

Deli Wrap ....................................................................................................... £6.95Ham, chicken, salami, lettuce and cheese, all wrapped in a soft flour tortilla.BBQ Beef & Onion Baguette ....................................................................... £7.50Topped with melted cheese.Chicken, Bacon and Cheese Baguette ....................................................... £7.50Classic Bacon Butty ...................................................................................... £4.95Croque Monsieur .......................................................................................... £6.95Lancashire cheese and ham toasted sandwich topped with cheese sauce and grilled, with dressed house salad.Croque Madame............................................................................................ £7.95As above and then we top it with a soft poached egg. Sandwiches ................................................................................................... £6.75Served on sliced white or brown bloomer choose from:

Eggs Benedict ............................................................................................... £7.50

StartersPrawn Cocktail .............................................................................................. £6.95A classic dish that will live forever. Lettuce, Prawns, Tomato, Cucumber and Marie Rose sauce.Chicken Liver Pâté ........................................................................................ £5.50Homemade smooth pâté with crispy tortillas and chutney.Tavern Soup of the Day ................................................................................ £3.95Served with a crusty roll and butter.Garlic Mushrooms ......................................................................................... £4.50A bowl of sautéed mushrooms in garlic butter with crusty bread for dipping.Poached Haddock Tart ................................................................................. £6.95Poached haddock with a cream and chive sauce in a light pastry case.Sauteed Chicken livers ................................................................................. £5.95

Black Pudding ............................................................................................... £5.95With poached hens egg and wholegrain mustard cream sauce.

FavouritesLancashire Hot Pot ....................................................................................... £9.95

with pickled red cabbage.Beer Battered Cod ........................................................................................ £8.95Crisp battered cod, mushy peas, tartar sauce, crispy chips.Home made Lancashire Cheese and Onion Pie ........................................ £8.95Served with a selection of vegetables and your choice of potatoes.Seabass Fillet ..............................................................................................£12.95

Stuffed Peppers with Goats Cheese and Pesto ........................................ £8.95Sweet peppers stuffed with sautéed mushrooms, pesto, pine nuts and topped with goats cheese. Served with a house salad.Steak and Moorhouses Premier Cask Ale Pie ........................................... £8.95

vegetables and your choice of potatoes.Poached Salmon ........................................................................................... £9.95Served on creamed leeks with a selection of seasonal vegetables and your choice of potatoes.Coq au vin ...................................................................................................... £9.95Chicken breast roasted with onions, mushrooms, bacon and red wine, served with new potatoes and seasonal vegetablesBreaded Scampi ............................................................................................ £9.95Deep fried to order, served with chips, garden peas and tartar sauce.Chicken Nearly Kiev ....................................................................................£10.95Made by Jack from Slupsk, about as close as you will get to kiev. Chicken breast stuffed with garlic butter and breaded. Served with your choice of potatoes and a selection of seasonal vegetables.Moules Mariniere ......................................................................................... £8.95Large bowl of mussels in a white wine, cream and leek broth served with crusty bread.

Grill SectionGammon Steak ........................................................ (5oz) £6.95 or (10oz) £8.95Thick cut and topped with your choice of egg or pineapple and served with chips and garden peas.Mixed Grill ...................................................................................................£15.95

and grilled tomato.Rump Steak Served with your choice of potato, sautéed mushrooms and cherry tomatoes. Sauces £1.75 Peppercorn, Red wine Jus or DianeGourmet 8oz Burger ..................................................................................... £8.95Served with chips and coleslaw, chicken, beef or veggie. Choose 2 toppings from

Cajun Chicken ................................................................................................ £8.95Skewered Cajun dusted chicken breast served with rice, salad and chilli dip.Cajun Chicken ................................................................................................ £8.95Skewered Cajun dusted chicken breast served with rice, salad and chilli dip.

SidesGarlic Bread ................................................................................................... £2.95Garlic Bread with Cheese ............................................................................ £3.95Chips ............................................................................................................... £2.55Dressed Side Salad ....................................................................................... £2.25Onion Rings ................................................................................................... £2.55Corn on the Cob ............................................................................................. £2.55Coleslaw ......................................................................................................... £1.95Selection of Seasonal Vegetables .............................................................. £2.95Tomato and Mozzarella Salad .................................................................... £4.95

Sweet ThingsClassic Sherry Trifle ...................................................................................... £4.95Sticky Toffee Pudding .................................................................................. £4.95With Wallings vanilla ice cream and butterscotch sauce.Hot Chocolate Fudge Cake........................................................................... £4.25With Wallings vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.Warm Apple Tart ........................................................................................... £4.25With creamy custard.Daily Cheesecake .......................................................................................... £4.25Ask for todays flavour. Served with whipped cream and red berry coulis.Strawberry Pavlova ...................................................................................... £4.75

Lemon Tart .................................................................................................... £4.25Tangy lemon tart served with whipped cream and a strawberry.Wallings Ice CreamSee our specials board for this weeks flavours.1 Scoop £2.55 £3.25 £3.95

Coffee and Hot DrinksAsk for your regular as you like it - or why not try one of our speciality coffees from

the blackboard

Have a look at our excellent specials board too.Make a note of your table number and place your order at the bar.

We do a great value Sunday Lunch menu and daytime specials.

FunctionsHaving decided to hold your Function or Dinner Dance at The Crofters,

you can make a provisional reservation by telephone and the date will

then be held for two weeks. To confirm the reservation we require a

completed booking form together with a non-refundable deposit of

£300.00.

Ten to Twelve weeks before your function, we will arrange a mutually

convenient appointment with you to discuss menus, timings,

speeches and any other details for your Function.

50% of the estimated account is required twelve weeks prior to the

date of the event. The remaining balance to be paid four weeks prior

to the event, with final numbers of guests attending. If payment not

received by these dates we will presume the Event is not going ahead

and will make the date available for re sale. Any monies paid are non-

refundable.

Payments made by Credit Card are subject to a 2% handling charge &

VAT is inclusive at the current rate.

All cancellations must be confirmed in writing and

sent by recorded mail.

ConferencesThe Crofters Hotel is the ideal location for your business conference, meeting, training workshop or seminar. With numerous function rooms ranging from large to small, we will ensure your business event is a resounding success. We offer excellent food and equally high levels of service with all our conference packages, which can be tailored to your budget.

We are able to customise the layout of our function rooms to suit your requirements. The table below outlines the maximum number of guests per layout. Our smaller venues are ideal for training seminars and product launches, whilst our larger rooms are more suited to conferences or dinner meetings. We are able to cater for up to 200 guests theatre-style in our Ballroom, the largest of our four function rooms.

Our function rooms are equipped with multiple power sockets necessary for handling projectors and computer equipment that you may wish to use during your event.

The hotel is situated in an enviable location between the cities of Lancaster and Preston in Lancashire, and enjoys excellent transport links, being close to the M6 motorway and Lancaster and Preston railway stations, which are on the West Coast Main Line.

For business guests looking for accommodation, up to 25 attractively furnished bedrooms are available, with a Wi-Fi broadband Internet connection available in all rooms.

Room Layouts Theatre Classroom Boardroom U-ShapeBALLROOM 200 120 50 50LANCASTER 50 30 20 20BOWLAND 60 40 30 30BRASSERIE 100 60 40 40

DAILY CONFERENCESTea, coffee and biscuits on arrivalMorning coffee/tea and biscuitsTwo course hot and cold buffet luncheonAfternoon tea/coffee and pastries

Full day £21.50Half day £16.00

RESIDENTIAL CONFERENCES (24 HOUR)Full english breakfastMorning coffee/tea and biscuitsTwo course hot and cold buffet luncheonAfternoon tea/coffee and pastriesThree course table d’hote dinnerOvernight accommodation with en-suite bathroom, radio, television, trouser press, hairdryer and hospitality tray£95

CROFTERS CONFERENCE PACKAGESOur conference packages are stated below, however please ask if these do not fit your requirements as we can tailor make packages to suit many different events and conferences.

INCLUDED IN BOTH PACKAGESMain conference room hirePaper and pens flipchart stand and padOverhead projector and screen table refreshments

We have a good range of audio visual equipment for use at your event. Please ask at time of booking.

© Ziepo. www.sxc.hu

Local ServicesAccident and emergencySharoe Green Lane NorthFulwood PrestonPR2 9HT01772 716565

DoctorsGarstang Medical CentreKepple Lane GarstangPR3 1PB01995 603355

DentistOasis3-6 Rope WalkGarstangLancashirePR3 1NS01995 606572

ChemistsKepple Lane PharmacyKepple LaneGarstangPR3 1PB01995 604800

Post O!ceGarstang Post O!ce39 High StreetGarstangPR3 1EA01995 603320

Optician Mark Gibson Opticians1 Market PlaceGarstangPR3 1ZA01995 605621

GarageGreen Lane GarageGreen Lane WestGarstangPR3 1NJ01995 606040

PoliceNone Emergency: 101Emergency: 999

Attribution: Dr Greg - commons.wikimedia.org

Garstang Medical CentreKepple LaneGarstangPR3 1PBTel: 01995 604800

Opening timesMonday 07:00 - 22:30 Tuesday 07:00 - 22:30 Wednesday 07:00 - 22:30 !ursday 07:00 - 22:30 Friday 07:00 - 22:00 Saturday 07:00 - 22:00 Sunday 08:00 - 16:00

KeppleLane Dispensary

Local Transport02/917Garstang to Fulwood School terms only, (1 trip)Via Catterall-Barton-Broughton

40Morecambe to Preston Mon to Sun (every 60 mins)Via Lancaster - Galgate - Garstang - Catterall - Bilsborrow - Broughton - Fulwood

41Morecambe to PrestonMon to Sat (every 60 mins)Via Lancaster - Galgate - Garstang - Catterall - Bilsborrow - Broughton - Fulwood

42Lancaster to BlackpoolEvenings only, Mon to Sat (3 trips)Via Galgate - Garstang - Churchtown - St Michaels On Wyre - Poulton le Fylde

42Lancaster to BlackpoolMon to Sat (every 60 mins) Sun (6 trips)Via Galgate - Garstang - Churchtown - St Michaels On Wyre - Poulton le Fylde

Nearest Train StationPrestonFishersgatePrestonLancashirePR1 8AP

Ticket o!ce openingMonday-Friday 05:45-22:00Saturday 04:45-21:00Sunday 08:00-22:00

Station Car Park - 939 spacesMonday-Sunday 24 hoursMonday-Friday 24 hoursSaturday 24 hoursSunday 24 hoursWeekends will be £2.00 per day and Bank holidays

Virgin Trains (Operator)Charges: £10.00, 03:00am - 09:59am peak, £5.00, 10:00am - 02:59am o! peak

6

Local History Garstang

Garstang is a small market town, which grew up where Lancashire’s great north-south main road crosses the Wyre. !e town stands on the River Wyre, the Lancaster canal, and the West Coast mainline railway and is 10 miles south of Lancaster and 11 miles north of Preston. Being on the Great North West Highway between London and Edinburgh, Garstang was in the 18th century an important staging post for mail and passenger coaches, with thirteen public houses and taverns at one time in the town. During the 19th century Garstang was famous for its cattle and Cheese Fairs when some 3000 head of cattle were brought down from the north each November for sale.

!e history of Garstang goes back thousands of years with Neolithic and bronze Age artefacts found in the area. !e name Garstang may have sprung from the Saxon word “Gaerstung” meaning common land or meadowland. !e Doomsday Book describes it as ‘Cherestanc’.

History of Garstang - Old Ordnance Survey map of Forest of Bowland In 1310 Edward II "rst granted the Market Charter to the town. In the centre of the Market Place stands the Market Cross, which is probably the most famous landmark in Garstang. It was "rst erected in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s diamond

jubilee. Nearby were the stocks where wrong-doers were placed to sit out the allotted hours thought necessary to expiate their crime. !e stocks were destroyed by "re in 1939 whilst in the lo# of the Old Town Hall. What a pity we now do not possess them as they would be perfect for dealing with modern day hoodlums! Near to the stocks were large "sh stones which were used to lie out "sh for sale. In the centre of Garstang by the Market Cross, are the Old Town Hall and Market House, which was partly demolished in 1755, and following the 1939 "re was then restored retaining its original characteristics. At the north end of the High Street opposite the Council O$ces stands the Old Grammar School, which was founded in 1602. Leading from the High St. are numerous ‘Weinds’ (narrow alleyways) old pathways which at one time led from the river to the pastures adjoining Back Lane now Park Hill Rd.

!omas Stanley, the 1st Earl of Derby built nearby Greenhalgh Castle in late 1400’s, under licence from King Henry VII. It was constructed in the form of a square with one tower. It’s presence contributed to the peace and stability of the surrounding country during those di$cult times and remained until the Civil War. A#er the war ended the Parliamentarians ordered the castle to be dismantled and local farmers were not slow to make use


Horse & Country Supplies

Bridge St Garstang, Just off the high streetT: 01995 600007 | E: [email protected]

www.bhequestrian.co.uk

The Great Season

A6, by Pass Road,Garstang,Preston,LancashirePR3 1PH

Chinese Restaurant

Tel: (01995) 601797Please book in advance to avoid disappointment

Opening HoursTuesday - Thursday 5.30pm - 11.00pmFriday & Saturday 5.30pm - 11.30pmSunday 4.00pm - 11.00pmWe are open on Bank Holiday Mondays, closing instead, on the Tuesday

[email protected]

No 4. Menswear

4, Bridge Street,Garstang.PR3 1YB

Tel: 01995 606 677

Top Quality Menswear.Branded Labels.


of it as an uno!cial quarry. Only the ruins of one of the four corner towers survive to this day. It is said that the castle was blown out by Cromwell’s cannon from a point on which now stands Cromwell House.

In 1679 King Charles II renewed Garstang’s charter, making Garstang a free borough to be governed by a baili" and seven burgesses. #is continued until the new Municipal Corporation Act meant the creation of the Rural District of Garstang in 1894. #e parish contained the townships of Claughton, Catterall, Kirkland, Nateby, Winmarleigh, Cabus, Barnacre-with-Bonds, Nether Wyresdale, Forton, Holleth, Cleveley, Bilsborrow, and Pilling. #e Council O!ces on the High Street were erected in 1913 by the Board of Guardians and acquired by the Garstang & Rural District Council in 1946. In 1974 the re-organisation of local government meant that Garstang RDC disappeared to be replaced by Garstang Town Council and all existing administrative functions passed to Wyre Borough Council.

History of Garstang - Bowgreave Workhouse #e Parish Church of Garstang is St. Helen, which dates from 1160 and is situated in Churchtown, about one and a half miles west of Garstang. In 1769 a church was built on the present site in Church St. and consecrated in the name of St. #omas in 1848 being created a separate parish in 1881.

In Garstang you can $nd the Lancaster Canal. #is was originally designed by an engineer named John Rennie, construction began in 1792 and it was o!cially opened in 1797. #e canal was used to transport coal, slate, timber, food, rope and limestone and later o"ered a passenger service between Preston and Kendal. Garstang rope was transported to many docks including Lancaster, Glasson and Preston. #e Lancaster Canal has one of the longest lock free canals in Britain running for 51 miles (82km) with 199 bridges. #e canal was prosperous until 1840

when the Lancaster and Preston railway began operating. #e main line by-passed Garstang until in 1870 a junction line was built from Garstang to Knott End but it was deemed not pro$table and was closed in the 1960’s.

Garstang started to increase in size from the 1960’s and this has continued to present day. #e population of the parish is now approximately 5000 and many of Garstang’s residents work locally or in the nearby cities of Preston and Lancaster.



Dante’s

Italian Take-Away01995 606674www.dantestakeaway.co.uk

68a Church StreetGarstangPrestonPR3 1YA

SparlingIn Barton

Restuarant & Barm

“Our aim is to provide Michelin style food with a traditional English twist.”

Fresh food, Fresh taste, Fresh ideas.

Gillian Tripp, Owner

807 Garstang Road, Barton,

Preston, Lancashire,

PR3 5AA

Monday: 11.30-22.00Tuesday: 11.30-22.00Wednesday: 11.30-22.00

Friday: 11.30-22.00Saturday: 11.30-22.00Sunday: 11.30-22.00

Food Served,

01995 [email protected]

www.pipersrestaurant.co.uk pipers restaurant page

pipers46

On a visit to Looking Glass Art you can see mirrors and glassware being made in our workshop in the Art Deco and Charles Rennie Mackintosh styles or browse around our large range of local arts, crafts

and gifts.

www.lookingglassart.co.uk


Every !ursday the streets of this historical market town come alive with the hustle and bustle of Garstang’s traditional, colourful street market. !e market dates back to the early 1300’s and the days of Edward II when local farmers and producers used to sell their wares in the area between the Royal Oak Pub and the Market Cross above. Today you can "nd anything from gorgeous curtain fabric, stylish glass jewellery and a vast array of greetings cards to a pair of good strong walking boots, hats, scarves, jackets and other clothing items to suit all the family, a new duvet and beautiful bedding sets. Buy a new rug for your lounge, take some treats home for your pets or get a new key cut. You can buy tree’s and plants for your garden, sturdily constructed wooden garden furniture and choose a book to read whilst you put up your feet in a new pair of slippers. You can even get advice about your PC or laptop and buy new so#ware.In addition to the outdoor market you will "nd traditional stalls in the Market House from Wednesday to Saturday. !e stalls include British and Continental cheeses and delicatessen products, homemade cakes and biscuits, fresh fruit and vegetables and a traditional butchers o$ering local produce.

!e markets are run by Garstang Town Trust, one of the oldest local charitable organisations and the proceeds are ploughed back into community groups and used towards the upkeep of the historical buildings under their care, these being the Town Hall, the Market House which used to be the Fire Station many years ago, the Old Grammar School which is now home to the Arts Centre and the Market Cross.

Visit Garstang High Street and see if you can spot these historic land marks.

Scott’SFARM ASSURED

At Scotts’s Farm Assured we are passionate about delivering quality, traceable butchers meat.

Because of this we have developed a partnership with a local farm to produce what we believe to be the !nest beef and lamb in the North West.

You can now purchase online at:

www.scottsfarmassured.co.ukthe

Mixing Bowl

GARSTANG MARKET HOUSE OPEN WEDNESDAY – SATURDAY 8.30AM – 4PM

HOMEMADE CONFECTIONERY & CELEBRATION CAKES WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES WELCOME

JENNA: 07876 523 865 RACHEL: 07510 269 391

Sample our selection of loaf cakes, fruit or cherry scones,

Also stockists of Greenhalgh savoury Pies And freshly made bread from Halls Bakery, Pilling

GARSTANG�� MARKET�� HOUSEFRESH�� FRUIT�� &�� VEG

MARKET HOUSE, MARKET PLACE, GARSTANG, PR3 1ZATEL: 07958 711 794

OPEN WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY & SATURDAY

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT SINCE AUGUST 2012

GARSTANG MARKET HOUSE FRESH FRUIT & VEGARE PURVEYORS OF A GOOD SELECTION OF FRESHLOCAL PRODUCE ALONG WITH MORE EXOTIC FRUITS

FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

FRUIT BASKETS MADE TO ORDER

ALSO STOCKISTS OF LOCALLY MADE BONDS ICE CREAMAND A SELECTION OF GARDEN PLANTS

Garstang Cheese StallMARKET HOUSE, MARKET PLACE, GARSTANG, PR3 1ZA

TEL: 01772 783086 or 07702 043929Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Purveyors of British and Continental Cheesesand Delicatessan Products

OVER ONE HUNDRED CHEESES AVAILABLELots of choice from local cheeses of Lancashire, Britain

and around the Continent.

Also a large range of JAMS, HONEY AND CHUTNEYS,HAND CARVED COOKED MEATS,

OLIVES, SALADS, PATES AND LOCAL BUTTER,FRESH FREE-RANGE EGGS, HAND MADE BISCUITS

CHEESE WEDDING CAKESA SPECIALITY

Come and talk to us - we’ll find the right one for you!

Fairtrade TownFair trade is a method of trading that ensures the world’s poor are not exploited and that they receive fair and stable wages for their products.Fairtrade in this format refers to the FLO system of Fairtrade, i.e. the FAIRTRADE Mark. Although this is perhaps the best known fair trade system today it is not the only one and not all fair trade products can be labelled Fairtrade. !e FAIRTRADE Mark came to the UK in 1994 and the big increase in fair trade occured a"er 2000.Garstang was voted as !e World’s First Fairtrade Town in 2000 at a parish council meeting on April 27th. Fairtrade towns such as Garstang were in#uential in raising the popularity of the system.Garstang received government approval for being a Fairtrade town on June 8, 2000, when George Foulkes visited to congratulate the town on its achievements. During his visit, Foulkes said, “!e beacon that has started here in Garstang can spread like wild$re across the whole of the country and

beyond.” And that is exactly what has happened. Since then, Fairtrade and the awareness of this practice, has increased.Today, Fairtrade products are available in mainstream supermarkets and other retail shops.Fairtrade has evolved from the co%ee and bananas that marked its inception into a gamut of products that fall under the green and blue label of Fairtrade, including beauty products, clothes, shoes, linens, wine, fruits and vegetables, chocolate and even gold. Furthermore, Fairtrade has spread around the globe with 554 Fairtrade towns in the UK following in Garstang’s footsteps and 1269 Fairtrade towns in 24 countries becoming recognised Fairtrade cities, villages, zones, boroughs, islands, countries and universities.Other Fairtrade cities following Garstang’s example include London, Rome and Manchester. !e Fairtrade Town movement was initiated in Garstang by Bruce Crowther and the local Garstang Oxfam Group. Crowther and the Oxfam group were highly successful, for within months, over 70 percent of the town was aware of Fairtrade and sales of certi$ed Fairtrade products saw a signi$cant increase.

Come and visit !e FIG Tree; the world’s $rst international Fair Trade Visitor Centre located centrally in the world’s $rst Fair Trade Town. !e people of Garstang voted for their unique status at a public meeting in April 2000 and since then over 1,269 Fair Trade Towns in 24 countries worldwide, including London, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Brussels, Copenhagen, Oslo, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Vancouver and Wellington in New Zealand have all followed in Garstang’s footsteps.Garstang also forms a part of the Fair Trade Triangle with the cocoa farming community and Africa’s $rst Fair Trade Town of New Koforidua in Ghana and Media, Pennsylvania, the $rst Fair Trade Town on the American continents. !e modern day Fair Trade Triangle replaces the three corners of the infamous slave trade triangle of the past.To celebrate Garstang’s international success the FIG Tree Centre now provides;

Fair Trade ExhibitionIn the world’s $rst heritage and visitor centre that focuses exclusively on fair trade and trade injustice by exploring the four themes; Fair Trade, !e Atlantic Slave Trade, Quaker Heritage in ‘1652 Country’ and Chocolate.

Café and Shop!e café uses exclusively local and fair trade ingredients in all products where possible and provides a community hub for both residents and visitors to Garstang using our triangular link with New Koforidua, and Media, PA. !e gi" shop sells fair trade items and musical instruments from Ghana including custom made Djembi drums.

Chocolate Making EventsAn educational outreach and learning centre for all ages: including our innovative and unique interactive chocolate making events using cocoa from New Koforidua and live video links.

Fair Trade WayFairtrade refreshments, souvenirs and information for ramblers at the start of the Fair Trade Way; the world’s $rst long-distance fair trade heritage trail that links Fairtrade Towns between Garstang and Keswick.

© Duskbabe | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Discover some of the most beautiful countryside in Lancashire, explore on foot or by bike, why not begin your journey in one of the many picture postcard villages in and around Garstang and the Forest of Bowland AONB. Experience Woodland trails, delight in spectacular views of wild heather moorland or meander down the banks of the Lancaster Canal. You could even take your binoculars and try your hand at birdwatching or even visit one of our farm attractions. Garstang is situated on the banks of the River Wyre and it’s here that many walkers can start and !nish one of the many local walks, some guided, some not, some strenuous and some gentle. In fact if you visit in May you can enjoy the Garstang Walking Festival over a 9 days period. Parts of the Wyre Way can be picked up and followed from the historic town of Garstang. "is 41 mile walking route closely follows the River Wyre as it winds its way from the Estuary up to the Bowland Hills.

Did you know that Garstang is also home to the fabulous Garstang Show in August and Garstang Victorian Christmas Market in December and there are spectacular year round events and festivals for the whole family to enjoy."e Garstang itself is teaming with history and has a wonderful historic market every "ursday, you could even stop at one of the many cosy cafes for tea and cake too! "e town has an excellent Heritage Trail which follows most notable landmarks aswell.For things to see and do, where to stay and where to have a bite to eat as well as items to purchase such as walking books, maps on the local area and unusual gi# ideas, plus countryside events and theatre tickets contact award winning Visit Garstang TIC 01995 602125 or [email protected]

Visit Garstang Centre (TIC) Unit 1 Cherestanc SquareO! Park Hill RoadGarstangLancashirePR3 1EFTel: 01995 602125E-mail: [email protected]

Opening TimesMonths TimesApril to October 10:30am to 4:30pmNovember to March 11:00am to 3:00pm

councilwww.visitwyre.co.uk


Greenhalgh CastleHenry VII gave permission to !omas Stanley, the "rst Earl of Derby, to build a castle near Garstang as a reward for his military services on the "eld of Bosworth. !is was granted in 1490, when construction was started on a small hill, half a mile south east of the town. !e castle is thought to have had four towers connected by a curtain wall. It possibly had a portcullis and drawbridge, and may have been surrounded by a circular moat. It was strongly built, and having only one entrance was di#cult to approach. Sadly very little remains of the Castle these days. !e ruins stand on private property, protected by English Heritage.During the Civil War the town of Garstang supported the cause of Parliament, whilst James, the Earl of Stanley, garrisoned the Castle for the King under the command of Captain Christopher Anderson. !e town raised four Companies of Foot under John Fy$e of Wedincar Hall, Christopher White of Claughton and Richard Whitehead of Garstang. In 1644, following the battle of Marston Moor, Parliament sent forces under Sir John Meldrum into Lancashire to pursue the %eeing Royalists. In August orders were given to Colonel George Dodding and Major Joseph Rigby to beleaguer the castle. Very little is known of the siege, but the garrison were able to sally out to plunder the countryside, even capturing "ve barrels of powder from the besiegers. !e sandy soil made undermining the castle walls very di#cult, and what ordinance Dodding had was reported as having little or no e$ect on the strong walls. !e lengthy siege continued until May 1645.!e "nal surrender came with the death of the governor, when the garrison became disheartened and sued for terms, so they could return safely to their homes. Orders were given that the Castle was to be ‘slighted’ - made untenable - and all its timbers were removed and sold. Later local builders used materials from the castle in the construction of new dwellings around the town.A colourful story from the period is of a Puritan man by the name of Peter “Hallelujah” Broughton,

known as such for his habit of crying “Hallelujah” when going into battle. On the eve of the "rst attack on the castle he took a walk up the Lancaster road, stopping at Gubberford Bridge over the River Wyre. He saw a woman wearing a white garment approaching the bridge. To his surprise he recognised her as she came near - it was his wife! Some "ve years previously she had deserted him, going o$ with another man. Her personality and charms gave her the ability to attract other men, which was to be her eventual downfall. She exerted her wiles to make Peter take interest in her again, putting her arms around his neck, upon which a man sprang from a nearby thicket and stabbed her, mortally wounding her. !e assassin was Captain Rupert Rowton, a Royalist. It appeared that the ill-fated Mrs Broughton, having le& her husband, had taken a maid’s job at the Royal Inn at Lancaster and fallen in love with Captain Rowton, who she bigamously married. !e Captain then to his distress found out that she was showing favour to a fellow Royalist, Captain Lord Alban.Both Broughton and Rowton agreed to keep their counsel and together buried the body on the banks of the River Wyre. On his deathbed Peter “Hallelujah” Broughton told the story to his employer. Since then regular sightings have been reported of a ghostly Lady in White at the Calder Dale Bridge.

© Dr Greg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dr_Greg

© D

r Gre

g ht

tp://

com

mon

s.wik

imed

ia.o

rg/w

iki/U

ser:D

r_G

reg

Greenhalgh Castle Walk

Starting Point!e walk commences from the board beside the Millennium

Mosaic at the river end of the main car park situated behind

!e Discovery Centre on the High Street in Garstang. Grid

Reference 494 455.

© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Wyre Borough Council

Licence No. 100018720 2004 Refer to Ordnance Survey Material

(Based Upon)

TerrainA short, circular walk along the River Wyre, a quiet lane, "elds

and a disused railway line. !e walk involves using stiles.

DistanceAllow approximately up to 1.5 hours to complete the walk.

!e RoutePlease observe the Countryside Code at all times.

1. !e walk follows the distinctive green waymarkers. It starts at

the board by the Millennium Mosaic and follows the riverside

path to Bridge Street and Bonds Bridge.

2. A#er crossing the bridge turn le# along Castle Lane and

continue on to Greenhalgh Castle Farm. !e castle is on your

le# just before the farmhouse. Please do not walk up to the

Castle as it is private land and the ruins are unsafe.

3. Walk through the farmyard, and continue to a stile on your

le#. A#er crossing the stile keep to the le# hedgerow of the "eld

to another stile. Go over the stile and across the "eld to another

stile, which leads to the former Garstang to Knott-End railway.

4. Follow the old railway until you have crossed the River Wyre.

Look for the steps on your le# or the access ramp further on

the right and walk down to the riverside path and around the

cricket "eld back to the Millennium Mosaic.

Millennium Mosaic

!e mosaic depicts the sandy banks of the River Wyre,

Greenhalgh Castle standing above the meadows, surrounded

by trees and $anked by heathery hills, with a sun-tinged sky

behind - complete with a bird.

!e design was taken from the Soroptimist Presidential chain

adapted (slightly) to re$ect the view from the mosaic. All

materials were from authorised sources - much of it recycled

from the local area. Over two tons of stone was hand sorted,

twice, to select material. !e mosaic was completed by

Soroptimists, local people and visitors. A book recording

participation is available at the Discovery Centre.

!e mosaic was a Millennium gi# to Garstang from Soroptimist

International of Garstang.

Greenhalgh Castle

!e Castle was built in 1490 by !omas Stanley, 1st Earl of

Derby. He was given permission to build by his step-son

Henry VII for his assistance in defeating Richard III at the

battle of Bosworth Field. During the Civil War the castle was

garrisoned by James, Earl of Derby in support of Charles I.

It was one of the last garrisons in the north to succumb

following a bitter siege in 1644/45 by Oliver Cromwell’s forces.

Dismantled around 1650, the castle’s stones were reused in local

buildings. All that remains standing is part of one of the four

original corner towers.

Greenhalgh Castle FarmCastle

Wood

OldRailway

Line

Remains of Castle

Cricket Field

Ramp

FoodGates

Greenhalgh Castle Walk

St Mary & Michael’s

Sch

Market Cross

Wyre WayMilennium

Mosaic

1 2

3

4

B6430 LANCASTER RD

HIGH STREET BRIDGE STREET

RIVER WYRE

Activities GarstangFishing is the most popular sport in Britain and has been a major attraction at Claylands Park for some years. For this relaxing pastime we have four ponds which are landscaped and fully stocked with a large variety of !sh, predominantly Tench and Carp. Many big !sh are now being caught and competition is !erce, with specimens up to 15lb. Day tickets are purchased at the reception, with reduced rates for long term !shing.

"ere are four lodges named, Top Pond, Twin and New Pond.

"e Top Pond is so named because it is near all amenities and is well fenced for safety reasons.

"e pond has approximately 12 pegs, all the pegs are #agged and very easy to !sh. "e pond has an average depth of six feet. "e most common !sh in this pond are Carp being the most common, with an average weight of 4lbs. Trench, Roach and Crucian Carp can be found in this pond but in small numbers. To !sh this pond you !sh in the margins, around the reeds under your rod. "e best baits to use are maggot, bread #ake, sweetcorn and luncheon meat. Floating bread is very good in warm weather but look out for the ducks!

"e new pond is so named because it was made three years a$er the other ponds. "e New Pond is a carbon copy of the Top

Pond. Here the !sh are bigger, carp having an average weight of 5lbs with more Trench and Crucian Carp being present. "e New Pond has an average depth of nine feet. With all the ledges and drop o% it makes a very interesting pond to !sh, and being further away from the park it is a peaceful place to !sh. "e baits and !shing tips are the same as the Top Pond.

"e last two ponds on the park are called "e Twin, so named because they are together. Both have an average depth of four feet. "e smaller of the two ponds has a lot of Trench, with Carp and Crucian Carp in smaller numbers. "e larger pond has a good selection of !sh with Roach being the most proli!c. Baits and !shing tips are the same.

© Npage | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

© Erwinova | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Lancashire is home to England’s longest river whose estuary can be seen from its source, the River Wyre.

!e River Wyre snakes through Lancashire on a path of drumlins and small hills, in an area shaped by glaciers from the Ice Age. !e 45 kilometre-long river eventually empties into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood, a former major "shing port.

!e river’s water is a mix of fresh water and salt water, which creates a unique habitat for animals and plants that can withstand changes in the saltiness of the water, due to the river tides ebb and #ow. It is this type of special environment that initiated the River Wyre being considered a Lancashire County Biological Heritage Site.

!e title of County Biological Heritage Site is given to the most important, non-statutory wildlife sites in Lancashire, many of which provide a refuge for rare and threatened plants and animals, according to Lancashire County Council.

!e River Wyre and other sites like this, making up eight percent of the county, are irreplaceable and are part of a strategy to conserve Lancashire’s biological richness.

!e River Wyre and its banks are home to a plethora of wildlife and trees including some of the most rare and endangered species of "sh.Along the river’s banks you can "nd a variety of trees and shrubs including alder, ash, broom, hazel, oak and willow.

Many birds make their home along the river banks as well, including shelducks, mallards, curlews and redshanks.One of the River Wyre’s most popular species of "sh is the salmon, which travels thousands of miles from the Atlantic Ocean to spawn in the river annually.Other "sh species include barbel, bream, chub, dace, eels, perch, roach, sea trout and trout.

!e river is also home to rather unusual creatures. Just last year, an otter was photographed having a swim in the Lancashire river.

!e River Wyre rises into two distinct tributaries in the Forest of Bowland: the Tarnbook Wyre and Marshaw Wyre.Other tributaries include the River Calder at Catterall and the River Brock at St Michael’s On Wyre. Just below the weir at St Michael’s On Wyre, the river becomes tidal.

A number of bridges cross the River Wyre including a 40-pence toll bridge at Cartford and Shard Bridge, a former toll bridge, close to Poulton-le-Fylde.

!e Lancaster Canal also crosses the River Wyre via a small aqueduct. A pedestrian ferry runs along the river from Fleetwood to Knott End.

Today, the River Wyre has a low level of pollution although it has had many dealings with industry over the years. For instance, an alkali works system removing brine from mines and wells existed in and around Preesall. !ere was also a stint of industry involving vinyl chloride monomer, but this was later moved to Runcorn. Industrial activities do continue near the river, but on a much smaller scale.

!ere are at least 20 settlements along the River Wyre including the towns of Garstang, Skippool, Dolphinholme and Tarnbrook. !ere are dozens more settlements along the river’s tributaries.

!e River Wyre presents a variety of activities for visitors including the Wyre Borough Council’s Knott End Circular Walk.

A number of caravan parks and camping sites have also cropped up on the River Wyre’s banks over the years, providing guests the up-close opportunity to revel in some of the river’s wildlife.

Explore River Wyre

©BigTallGuy http://www.#ickr.com/photos/bigtallguy/

©BigTallGuy http://www.#ickr.com/photos/bigtallguy/

Local History Churchtown

St Helens ChurchSt Helen’s is situated close to the banks of the River Wyre.Historically, the village of Churchtown (once known as Kirkland) was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Garstang, with St Helen’s as the parish church.!e oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century, these are the piers and responds in the chancel, and the arch piers in the nave. !e church was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1736, an over"ow of the River Wyre "ooded the churchyard and damaged the church, necessitating its restoration. In 1811 the roofs were replaced, the walls were raised and a clerestory added. Further restoration work took place in 1866–1869 at a cost of £1,372 (£100,000 as of 2013).ArchitectureExteriorSt Helen’s is constructed in the Perpendicular style of rubble with ashlar dressings. Its plan consists of a clerestoried nave with aisles to the north and south, a chapel and porch to the south, a tower to the west, and a chancel, which has north and south aisles and a north vestry. !e roofs are low-pitched. !e chapel and aisles have a plain ashlar parapet.!e west tower has six stages. It has angled buttresses on the west side and a crenellated parapet. !ere is a turret on its north-east corner, which has a spire. !e belfry louvres have trefoiled two-light openings with square heads. !ere is also a small, square window at the level of the bell-ringing chamber.

Interior and !ttingsInternally, the tower measures 11 feet (3.4 m) square. It is entered from the nave through an arch of two hollow chamfered orders. !e nave measures 55 feet 6 inches (16.92 m) by 21 feet 9 inches (6.63 m). It is separated from the north and south aisles by #ve-bay arcades, with pointed arches and round piers. !ere is a recumbent e$gy in the nave to Alexander Butler (d. 1726). !e Lady chapel south of the south aisle is accessed through two pointed arches. It was founded by Margaret Rigmaiden (d. 1516) of Wedacre. !e chapel contains a piscina (basin), which has a cusped head. On the wall there is an inscription in Latin warning of “idle chatter in church”.!e chancel measures 36 feet 9 inches (11.20 m) by 19 feet 3 inches (5.87 m). !e pointed chancel arch separating the chancel from the nave is in the Decorated style; it has two orders with wave moulding. !e vestry at the north-east corner of the building is mostly constructed of dressed stone, which contrasts with the rubble of the rest of the church.!e stained glass in the church dates mostly from the 19th century. It includes work by Ward and Hughes, William Wailes and Heaton, Butler and Bayne. !e tower houses a ring of six bells hung in an iron frame, that are rung from the ground "oor. !ey were cast in 1828 by !omas Mears at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London.

© eamoncurry123 http://www."ickr.com/photos/eamoncurry/

Pure Indulgence Beauty Spa

RyburnTarnacre LaneChurch TownGarstangPR3 0TB01995 679752www.pureindulgencebeautyspa.co.uk

Beacon FellHistory !e high visibility of the fell made it an ideal location for a warning beacon. A beacon on the fell has been recorded as early as 1002. !e fell formed part of a chain of beacons to warn of the approach of the Spanish Armada in 1588, and of French forces between 1795 and 1815. More recently, beacon chains have been lit in celebration of coronations and jubilees.In 1909, Fulwood Urban District Council bought the fell, which until then had been farmland, as a water supply. Water from the fell was collected in the existing Barnsfold Reservoirs, 1 mile (2 km) to the south west, and from there piped to Fulwood via Horns Dam Reservoir in Goosnargh parish and a small covered reservoir in Haighton. Conifer woodland was planted on the fell to help manage drainage. From 1959, the fell was no longer required for water, and was le" to fall into disrepair.Lancashire County Council acquired the site in 1969 and opened it, in October 1970, as one in the #rst tranche of country parks in the United Kingdom. A new road was built connecting the existing single-track roads on the fell to form a circular route around the fell, to be operated as a one-way system. Car parks were added, and on the site of a farmhouse a visitor centre was built.

Today !e park is popular with visitors. It has a network of well-maintained footpaths through largely coniferous woodland. !e Bowland Visitor Centre provides information about the fell and the Forest of Bowland, and serves refreshments. Wildlife that may be observed on the fell includes rabbit, hare, roe deer, stoat, weasel, red fox, badger, hedgehog, mole, grey squirrel and the otter. 11 species of dragon$ies and damsel$ies have been found around the fell’s tarn.Charges were introduced in the car parks nearest to the visitor centre in 2011, but parking on other parts of the fell is still free.

Sculptures !e fell features a number of sculptures by local artist !ompson Dagnall, including Black Tiger and Kissing Seat (2006), Walking Snake (1998), Hanging Bat (1998), Spruced up Heron (1996) and Orme Sight (1996).Lancaster artist Richard Shilling is artist in residence who creates short-lasting sculptures from surrounding materials.

Cheese Beacon Fell Traditional Lancashire cheese, named a"er the Fell, and currently manufactured in Longridge and Garstang, has Protected Designation of Origin status. Only cheeses made with milk from the Fylde or the Preston area, and conforming to the published method of production, may use this name.

© D

r Gre

g ht

tp://

com

mon

s.wik

imed

ia.o

rg/w

iki/U

ser:D

r_G

reg

© Dr Greg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dr_Greg

BARTONBANGLA

BRASSERIE

913 Garstang Road BartonPreston PR3 5ABT | 01995 640236

Opening Times:Monday to Friday -5.30pm-11pm

Saturday and Sunday - 1pm - 11pm

10%

Discount

Indian Restaurant

on mention of your accommodation

The Forest of Bowland!e Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area is in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. Once described as the “Switzerland of England”, it has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) since 1964, and is used for grouse shooting, walking and cycling, though it is relatively unfrequented by tourists.

!e Forest of Bowland AONB also includes a detached part known as the Forest of Pendle separated from the main part by the Ribble Valley, and anciently a forest with its own separate history. One of the best known features of the area is Pendle Hill, which lies in Pendle Forest.

In total, 13% of the AONB is designated a Site of Special Scienti"c Interest for its important areas of heather moorland and blanket bog. !e area is nationally and internationally important for its upland bird populations – the hen harrier is the symbol of the AONB. !ere are over 500 listed buildings and 18 scheduled monuments within the AONB.

!e name “forest” is used in its traditional sense of “a royal hunting ground”, and much of the land still belongs to the British Crown as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest.

Bowland survives as the northwestern remainder of the ancient wilderness that once stretched over a huge part of England, encompassing the Forest of Bowland, Sherwood Forest (Nottinghamshire), the New Forest (Hampshire) and Savernake Forest (Wiltshire). While the Trough of Bowland (the valley and high pass connecting the Wyre (at Marshaw) and Langden Brook and dividing the upland core of Bowland into two main blocks) represents the area, to many, on account of its popularity, it is in fact only a small part of the wider Forest of Bowland area.

!e hills on the western side of the Forest of Bowland attract walkers from Lancaster and the surrounding area. Overlooking Lancaster is Clougha Pike, the western-most hill. !e hills form a large horseshoe shape with its open end facing west. Clockwise from Lancaster the hills are Clougha Pike (413 m, 1,355 #), Grit Fell (468 m, 1,535 #), Ward’s Stone (561 m, 1,841 #), Wol$ole Crag (527 m, 1,729 #), White Hill (544 m, 1,785

24

The Forest of Bowland!), Whins Brow (476 m, 1,562 !), Totridge (496 m, 1,627 !), Parlick (432 m, 1,417 !), Fair Snape Fell (510 m, 1,670 !), Bleasdale Moor (429 m, 1,407 !), and Hawthornthwaite Fell (478 m, 1,568 !). Considerable areas of the Bowland fells were used for military training during World War II and there are still unexploded bombs in some areas.

"e area contains the geographic centre of Great Britain which is close to the Whitendale Hanging Stones, around 4 miles (6 km) north of Dunsop Bridge. "e historical extent of Bowland Forest is divided into two large administrative townships, Great Bowland (Bowland Forest High and Bowland Forest Low) and Little Bowland (Bowland-with-Leagram), but the modern-day AONB covers a much larger area.A region of the British kingdom of Rheged, Bowland was absorbed into Northumbria in the 7th century. In turn, as Northumbrian in#uence waned, the westernmost areas of Bowland became part of Amounderness, a territory forged by the Norse hold Agmundr in the early 10th century.

In 926, Amounderness was annexed by Aethelstan, king of the West Saxons, as a spoil of war. In 934, he granted it to Wulfstan I, Archbishop of York. According to Aethelstan’s grant, Amounderness at that time stretched “from the sea along the Cocker to the source of that river, from that source straight to another spring which is called in Old English, “Dunshop”, thus down the riverlet to the Hodder, in the same direction to the Ribble and thus along that river through the middle of the

channel to the sea”. As such, Amounderness encompassed a signi$cant portion of western and south-western Bowland.

Ekwall thus describes the eastern boundary of Amounderness as “being formed by the fells on the Yorkshire border”; a description which places the ancient boundary $rmly within the modern-day Forest of Bowland. While it is di%cult to pinpoint Dunshop, the con#uence of the rivers Dunsop and Hodder at Dunsop Bridge seems a likely locale, situated as it is close to the eastern mouth of the Trough of Bowland whose Grey Stone marks the line of the pre-1974 county boundary.

Contrary to the popular histories, the origins of the name “Bowland” have nothing to do with archery (“the land of the bow”) or with mediaeval cattle farms or vaccaries (Old Norse, buu-, farmstead). "e name derives from the Old Norse boga-/bogi-, meaning a “bend in a river”. It is a 10th century coinage used to describe the topography of the Hodder basin, with its characteristic meandering river and streams.

"e Domesday Bogeuurde is an instance of this usage – the placename thought to designate Barge Ford (formerly known as Boward), a ford that sits on the wide, pronounced bend of the Hodder at its con#uence with Foulscales Brook, due southwest of Newton.

Prior to the Norman Conquest, Bowland was held by Tostig, son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. However, as feudal entities, the

©Purple sea donkey http://www.#ickr.com/people/purpleseadonkey/

25

The Forest of BowlandForest and Liberty of Bowland were created by William Rufus sometime a!er Domesday and granted to his vassal Roger de Poitou, possibly to reward Poitou for his role in defeating the Scots army of Malcolm III in 1091-92. In all likelihood, it was this grant that subsumed the eastern portion of Amounderness into the Lordship of Bowland for the "rst time.

By the end of the 11th century, the Forest and Liberty came into the possession of the De Lacys, Lords of Pontefract. In 1102, along with the grant of the adjacent fee of Clitheroe and further holdings in Hornby and Amounderness, they came to form the basis of what became known as the Honor of Clitheroe. In 1311, the Honor of Clitheroe was subsumed into the Earldom of Lancaster. Between 1351 and 1661, it was administered as part of the Duchy of Lancaster. By the late 14th century, Bowland comprised a Royal Forest and a Liberty of ten manors spanning eight townships and four parishes and covered an area of almost 300 square miles (800 km2) on the historic borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire. #e manors within the Liberty were Slaidburn (Newton-in-Bowland, West Bradford, Grindleton) Knowlmere, Waddington, Easington, Bashall Eaves, Mitton, Withgill (Crook), Leagram, Hammerton and Dunnow (Battersby) . Pendle Forest was also part of the Honor of Clitheroe, but administered as part of the Forest of Blackburnshire, entirely in Lancashire.

In 1661, the 28 manors contained within the former Honor of Clitheroe, including the Forest and Liberty of Bowland, were granted by the Crown to General George Monck as part of the creation of the Dukedom of Albermarle. Monck had been a key "gure in the restoration of Charles II. #e Lordship of Bowland then descended through the Montagu, Buccleuch and Towneley families.

Bowbearers of the Forest of Bowland have been appointed since the 12th century. A Bowbearer was originally a noble who acted as ceremonial attendant to the Lord of Bowland, latterly the king, by bearing (carrying) his hunting bow, but over the centuries the Bowbearer’s role underwent many changes. At an early date, the Bowbearer was a “forester in fee”, holding his own feudal lands within the forest. #e "rst record of such a Bowbearer, Uchtred de Bolton, dates from sometimes a!er 1157 (claims for an earlier holder of the o$ce, Edwin, Comes de Bolton, in the late 11th century cannot be substantiated). At this time, the o$ce covered the Forests of Bowland and Gilsland in Cumberland. #e Boltons were Bowbearers across "ve generations until 1311 when the Forest of Bowland was inherited by #omas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster as the result of a marriage settlement.

While the Bowbearer retained his forest fee well into the 16th century, he became subordinate to a Master Forester appointed by the Crown and his responsibilities grew nearer to those of a chief verderer – an unpaid o$cial appointed to protect vert and venison and responsible for supervising and assisting in the enforcement of forest laws. Perhaps the most notorious Bowbearer during this period was Nicholas Tempest, executed at Tyburn in 1537 as one of the northern leaders of the Pilgrimage of Grace, the Catholic uprising against Henry VIII.

By the second half of the 17th century, two Bowbearers were being appointed as o$cers of the Bowland Forest courts. Over the course of the next three decades, as the last remnants of the ancient forest vanished, the o$ce of Bowbearer was reduced to little more than an honori"c. #e Parker family of Browsholme Hall today claim to be “hereditary Bowbearers of Bowland” but this claim cannot be supported by the historical evidence. While the Parkers certainly served as Bowbearers over a number of generations up until 1858, they were always subject to grants made by the Lord of Bowland and hold no hereditary right. #is became apparent in April 2010 when it was reported that the current 16th Lord of Bowland had revived the o$ce of Bowbearer and appointed Robert Parker the "rst Bowbearer of the Forest in almost 150 years.

#e Forest of Bowland had its own forest courts – woodmote and swainmote – from early times. #ese appear to have been abandoned in the 1830s around the time of Peregrine Towneley’s acquisition of the Bowland Forest Estate. #e halmote court at Slaidburn was disbanded following the abolition of copyhold by the Law of Property Act in 1922. General forest law in Britain was "nally repealed by statute in 1971, more than 900 years a!er its introduction by the Normans. #e original Bowland Forest courts appear to have been held at Hall Hill near Radholme Laund before moving to Whitewell sometime in the 14th century.

St Hubert, the patron saint of hunting, is also patron saint of the Forest of Bowland and has a chapel dedicated to him in Dunsop Bridge. #is chapel was founded by Richard Eastwood of #orneyholme, land agent to the Towneley family. Eastwood was the last known Bowbearer of the Forest of Bowland. An acclaimed breeder of racehorses and shorthorn cattle, he died in 1871 and is buried at St Hubert’s.

© Purple sea donkey http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleseadonkey/

© tallpomlin http://www.flickr.com/photos/paultomlin/

Local History Claughton on Brock

An ancient chapel is known to have existed in Claughton. In 1357 Ellena died, the widow of Roger de Brockholes, having held lands in Claughton, Bilsborough and Catterall on condition that she paid an annual stipend of 66s 8d to a chaplain for the celebration of Mass at Claughton. !is chapel fell into disuse, perhaps when the family’s chantry chapel at Garstang was founded in 1499, but the building survived until the time of Elizabeth I. !e tradition is that the building was sited at Chapel Cro", a portion of heavily wooded ground that lies to the east of the house known as !e Street, in the area between that house and the present Claughton Hall. !e discovery of a portable altar in this area in the mid-nineteenth century added extra weight to this surmise.

By the early 16th century, as the wave of Protestantism rolled across northern Europe and the Reformation was introduced by Henry VIII to England, families who adhered to the Catholic faith became a minority in the country, and became subject to persecution for a period of over two centuries. In parts of Lancashire these di#culties were a prominent issue. Although the Protestant faith was adopted by many - the region was, a"er all, to provide a cradle for Quakerism - many people remained loyal to the old religion. !e $rst evidence of this came in 1536-37, when thousands of Lancastrians were involved in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a revolt against the suppression of the major religious houses such as Furness, and Lancaster’s “gruesome career as a place of slaughter for political and religious dissidents” began with the executions that followed the crushing of the Pilgrimage.

!e situation worsened under Elizabeth I. Early in her reign substantial $nes were imposed on those who would not attend the Church of England. Later on, unrest centring

around Mary Queen of Scots, the anti-Elizabeth Papal Bull of 1570 purporting to depose Elizabeth, and the threat to the country’s security from attempted invasions by Philip II of Spain, all raised the political temperature. In addition, in 1568 a Lancashire man, Cardinal William Allen, of Rossall near Fleetwood, founded an academic centre for English Catholicism with a college at Douai, and similar seminaries opened elsewhere in Europe. From these, beginning in the 1570s, came a steady %ow of seminary-trained priests, highly motivated and committed to ful$lling their mission of upholding and advancing the Catholic faith in England. !e Act of Persuasions of 1581 was a reaction to this in%ow, making the conversion of English people to Catholicism an act of high treason, punishable by hanging, drawing and quartering: this act was followed by another of 1585 that made it high treason for a priest ordained abroad to be found in England, and a capital o&ence to shelter such a person. Under these acts prosecutions were readily made, and $"een Catholic martyrs were executed at Lancaster between 1584 and 1646.

!e $"eenth of these, the Blessed !omas Whitaker (alias Starkey), was born in Burnley in 1611 and educated at Valladolid at the expense of the Catholic gentry family of Towneley, where he was ordained in 1638. He returned to Lancashire and, based at Goosnargh, undertook peripatetic missionary work in the area. He was $nally arrested at Blake Hall, near Barton, a $ne house still extant and at that time the home of Mr Edward Midghall. A"er three years’ imprisonment at Lancaster Castle, !omas was hanged, drawn and quartered at the gallows site near the town on 7 August 1646. Monsignor Gradwell in 1882 erected the statue of him that stands in the cemetery at Claughton, the pose echoing the one adopted in a

Bob Jenkins www.geograph.org.uk/pro$le/3877

portrait in the dining room of the presbytery, and a sermon for the occasion was preached by the Rev. Isaac Webster. Built into the base of the statue, are plaques commemorating local martyrs: !omas Cottam of Bilsborrow ay Tyburn om May 30 1582, Willaim Marsden from Beacon Fell on the Isle of Wight on 25 April 1586, William Plessington of Dimples at Chester on 19th July 1679.

Despite this hostile environment, the Lancashire laity were able between them to sustain the practice of their faith, especially through a network of gentry and minor gentry families. !e Brockholes family were of crucial signi"cance for the survival of Catholicism in Claughton, and the Towneley and Midghall families also deserve mention in this respect. Besides setting an example of steadfastness in adversity, keeping in touch with other Catholic strongholds around the country, and o#ering safe houses to priests, such families made funds available and later operated practical schemes as the establishment of endowments for apprenticing Catholic boys and girls: a local arrangement covered Lancaster, Aldcli#e, and !urnham.

We do well to remember the severity of the conditions under which these families lived. Besides the laws against

priests, Papists were inter alia forbidden to educate their children in their own religion and any children so taught in turn su#ered more penalties; heavy "nes were imposed for saying Mass or hearing it; Catholics could not hold public o$ce or employment, or keep arms in their houses; they could not practise law or medicine; and double land tax was levied on them. Furthermore, for their refusal to attend Protestant parish worship they were labelled `Papish Recusant’ and were liable to crippling "nes of 20/- per month. !ere was also a law that entitled Protestant next-of-kin to claim the property of their Catholic relations, a clause (unsuccessfully) invoked against the Brockholes family in 1737 by a Mrs Davies, the widowed sister of !omas Brockholes. Fortunately, the enforcement of these laws and of the occasional additional proclamations that accompanied them was spasmodic, in part because the Protestant gentry were mindful of their Catholic neighbours, and frequently because government o$cials acted with circumspection. For example, Roger Kenyon (c.1640-1710) who held the post of Receiver-General of Papist Fines and Forfeitures in Lancashire, was prepared to negotiate with local Catholic families and reach an accommodation on the level of "nes to be paid that was less intolerable for them, while satisfying his masters and enabling him to pay o# a not inconsiderable mortgage of his own.



Even so, the overall environment for English Catholics in the 16th and 17th centuries was hostile, and yet the practice of the faith was maintained without a break in much of what is now mid-Lancashire, with Claughton as one of the strong holds of Amounderness Hundred, in Preston’s hinterland. In 1590 Lord Burghley drew up his report, View of the County of Lancashire, in which the Brockholes of Claughton were reported as Papish Recusants.In 1591 the Bishop of Chester investigated the family and complained that “!e number of the Recusants is great, and do the dailie increase... !e Papists everywhere are growen so con"dent, that they contempne Magistrats and their authorytie”. !e examination extended to the ancient chapel still standing at Chapel Cro#, to see whether the lands were given for superstitious uses, and an action to that e$ect brought in Preston in 1595. Although !omas Brockholes (d. 1618) was prepared to o$er some nominal conformity, his second wife Dorothy was sister of James Leyburne,

who had been executed for his faith at Lancaster in 1583: she, like many Catholic women of the period, was not prepared to temporise, and "nes had to be paid for her recusancy.

!e chantry chapel at Garstang had been suppressed in the time of Edward VI. !ere are repeated references to a chapel in the Brockholes family household, which would of course have been very much in line with the practice in other gentry families, but because the mansion built at Claughton Hall in 1817 by William Fitzherbert-Brockholes almost entirely replaced an earlier building, and is itself now the site of a modern house, there are no physical building remains to be seen.From the 1680’s, however, a priest’s house was available. !is building, now known as Duckworth Hall, but previously as Priestshome, was occupied in the 1860s by one Peter Brown and by the early twentieth century had become a post o%ce.

Garstang - Barnacre Circular

Starting Point!e walk commences from the river end of the main car park situated behind !e Discovery Centre on the High Street in Garstang. Grid Reference 494 455. © Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Wyre Borough Council Licence No. 100018720 2004 refer to Ordnance Survey Material (Based Upon)TerrainMainly easy with a little uphill walking. Some areas on farmland may be muddy.DistanceApproximately 3.2 miles (5.1km). Allow 2 to 3 hours to complete the walk.!e RoutePlease observe the Countryside Code at all times.1. Follow the riverside path around the playing "eld until you reach the water pumping station and bridge. Climb the stone steps situated in the stone wall.2. Turn right at the top of the steps and walk straight ahead. Leave the tarmac road and continue along the footpath until you reach a stile which follows the line of !e Pilling Pig Railway. Cross this stile and the next one and continue onto the third stile which is located underneath the power pylon. Ascend the railway embankment on the le# hand side.3. Follow the hedge line until you reach a stile at the end of a hedge on the le# hand side. Here you can view the ruins of Greenhalgh Castle on the right. Note also, the conservation area known as Wildgoose Wood.4. Climb the stile and cross over the "eld. Head towards the far corner where the footpath crosses the rail and motorway bridge via a ladder stile.5. Cross both bridges and continue ahead. Just before you reach the "rst house on the right, turn le# and proceed down the track. Go through the "eld date and follow the hedge line until it bears to the right. As the hedge bears right, continue straight ahead, following the motorway fence, until you reach a stone ladder in the corner of the "eld. Climb over the stile and turn right to cross another stile at the opposite end of the fence.6. Proceed across the "eld, keeping the hedge and stream on your right hand side, until you reach a gate. Climb the stile, turn right and continue along the road for 300 - 400 yards. Keep walking uphill until you see a red post box on your le# hand side.

7. Immediately before the post box, the path leads you down some stone steps and onto a footbridge. Cross the bridge and continue to your le# following the riverside shrubbery. As youreach a stile, climb over it and proceed uphill to the right, heading towards the wood (note the former quarry on the le#, which is now a home for rabbits).8. On reaching the wood, the path descends steeply alongside a fence until you reach a stile in the corner. Once over the stile turn right and follow the fence line until you reach a large Alder tree (on the le# beneath the tree you can see the remains of Lady Hamilton’s Well). Continue across until you reach the "eld fence stile. Having crossed the stile, turn le# and proceed along the track until you reach the farm gate and Keepers Lane.9. Turn right and proceed up Keepers Lane until you pass Crosby Cottage on the le#. Locate a stile in the hedge on your le# hand side. !is is situated next to the "rst "eld gate.10. Once over the stile, follow the hedge line towards the motorway footbridge. Climb the small ladder stile in front of you and proceed across the bridge. Once over the bridge, climb a similar stile and bear slightly right as you cross the "eld. A ladder stile provides you will access to the railway line. Cross with great care – this is a main line.11. On the other side of the line you will reach a ladder stile. Climb over it. Once in the "eld, follow the hedgeline and continue ahead until you reach a footbridge.12. A#er the footbridge, turn le# onto the road and walk past the farm building on the le# hand side. Here the road bends sharply to the le#. Turn right at this point into the unsurfaced lane (Lingart Lane). At the junction adjacent to the farm, continue straight ahead and locate a stile situated between 2 gates on your le# hand side.13. Cross the stile and follow the hedge line for a short distance, about half way across the "eld, the hedge bears slightly towards the right. Continue straight ahead for a short distance until youlocate a stile in the hedgerow. 14. Cross the adjacent "eld on a diagonal, bearing le#. Climb a fence stile and continue through the next "eld in the same direction. A "nal stile is located in the corner, under the embankment. !is leads you up onto the tarmac road of the pumping station.15. From here, retrace the route over the weir and back to the car park.!e Pilling Pig Railway!e line was named a#er the plaintive whistle of one of its trains. It opened in 1870 to serve the rural areas of the district, running from Garstang to Knott End. !e line was never pro"table. By 1930 passenger transport was discontinued and the line was "nally closed in the early 1960’s.Greenhalgh Castle!e corner tower is all that now remains of this stronghold built by !omas Stanley, "rst Earl of Derby in 1490. Many of the castle’s stones were used in building the adjacent Castle Farm.Wildgoose Railway Cutting!e wood is part of a conservation area containing a variety oftrees within the railway cutting. !e landowner allows concessionary access. !e whole stretch of this old line has become a ‘green corridor of wildlife’. A walk along here in summer will reveal the splendour of wild $owers and butter$ies.Lady Hamilton’s WellA spa well reputed to have possessed medicinal properties and used to bathe in by members of the Hamilton family. Originally square in form with steps leading down, much of the stone work has now collapsed but the water still $ows freely.

Explore Scorton

1. Starting from ‘!e Priory’ Cafe car park, go up the steep incline known as Snowhill Lane, past the church, over the M6 bridge and continue along the country lane for 600m.

2. At the entrance to Wyresdale Park (on your le") the road forks. !e main circular trail follows the road to the right, but there is an option here (Trail 4) to carry straight on along the road/track sign posted ‘Private No Vehicular Access - Footpath Only’ for a further 700m. Continuing straight on along this optional trail huge ancient oak, beech and ash trees overhang the track before giving way to the splendid Wyresdale Lake on your right frequented by mallard, geese, coot and grebe. Beyond the lake the land rises sharply to a hilltop known as ‘Nicky Nook’.

3. At the end of the track Tramper users will have to re-trace their route back to point 2. From point 2 the circular trail crosses Tithe Barn Brook over the narrow stone bridge before gently rising to a T-junction.

4. At the road junction turn right and a"er a few hundred metres the splendid panoramic views of the Fylde coastline are revealed from BlackpoolTower in the south to the Lake District peaks in the north. Across Morecambe Bay on a clear day the Isle of Man is visible.

5. Take the #rst turn on your right and proceed down Tithe Barn Lane. Look out for a source of renewable energy on your le". Continue under the M6 and at the T-junction (6), turn right heading back to the village and !e Priory.

6. At point 6 there is an option to turn le" and follow the Millennium Way down to Gubberford Bridge (Trail 2). Follow the pavement down Gubberford Lane and under the railway bridge. Take care here as the road is narrow and there is no pavement for 30m.

7. Just beyond the railway bridge take the concrete ramp on the right onto asurfaced path ‘Scorton Millennium Way’.

8. Beyond the memorial seat carved in the shape of a salmon the trees shadow the river and trout may be seen taking $ies o% the water surface. (At point 8 there is a lay-by available for parking and Tramper access).

9. At Gubberford Bridge you will have to re-trace your trail.

A circular trail with two optional extensions. Trail 2 is a pleasant ‘ramble’ in its own right, starting from Scorton village onto the Scorton Millennium Way and down to Gubberford Bridge.Scorton is a picturesque village protected as

a Conservation Area that lies in the Wyre valley on the edge of the Forest of Bowland AONB. !e main circular trail takes you along quiet country lanes with magni#cent views over the Fylde coast in the west, to the rugged moorland tops of the Forest of Bowland in the east.!e village has all the facilities to cater for your needs including public toilets and children’s play area. !e Priory is a café/restaurant, bar and village store.!e Barn has a large gi" shop, co%ee bar and a plant centre specialising in hardy herbaceous perennials, together with an orchard garden open to the public. !e pretty church of St. Peter’s (c.1876) o%ers good Tramper access.On the edge of the village are Wyresdale Park and Lake. In 1853 Peter Ormrod bought part of Nether Wyresdale and built a large country house called Wyresdale Park. He became owner of a cotton mill that provided employment for the villages.His brother, James, built Scorton Church in his memory. !e church has a superb Victorian lych-gate and 150 foot spire. When James’ son Captain Ormrod inherited Wyresdale Park he developed a #sh hatchery and kept a herd of deer and hunting hounds. Wyresdale Lake was created in 1897 for #shing and is fed by Tithe Barn Brook. Scorton Millennium Way is a concessionary footpath provided by the people of Scorton as a lasting memorial to the Millennium. It meets a long felt need for a safe route away from the tra&c on Gubberford Lane.

0.5 Mile 1 Mile0 Miles0 Km 1 Km

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

© C

row

n C

opyr

ight

.A

ll ri

ghts

res

erve

d.L

anca

shir

e C

ount

y C

ounc

il Li

cenc

e 10

0023

320,

2007

.

N

27

Local History St Michael’s on Wyre

St Michael’s-on-Wyre is in the heart of the lovely Fylde countryside almost equidistant from the towns of Preston, Blackpool and Fleetwood. !e ancient parish church, situated close to a safe crossing point on the south bank of the river Wyre, was dedicated to St Michael the Archangel around AD 627-640. It was one of only three churches mentioned as being in existence in the Hundred of Amounderness when the Domesday survey of 1086 was carried out. Most of the present church structure dates from the 16th century with parts dating back to the 12th century.!e date of the "rst settlement is not known but Stone Age implements have been found nearby. Since the 12th century the village has taken its name from the church and the river but its former name of Upper Rawcli#e with Tarnacre is still used in local government circles.

During the last century, many thatched whitewashed cottages bordered the tree-lined roads. Cottagers were provided with allotments where fresh vegetables and $owers were grown, whilst some kept a cow and became members of the United Cottagers Cow Club -a form of insurance in case a cow should die. Insured cows, a%er a six month probationary period, were branded on the horns with the letters CC. Some cottagers had the right to cut turf from a moss dale and turf stacks were a common sight outside each cottage.St Michael’s is one of only a few parishes where the parish registers have been transcribed and indexed and they reveal a number of interesting occurrences. In June 1738, a most unusual event took place in the village. Ralph Dickinson and his wife Jane were blessed with quadruplets, or, as the parish register puts it, ‘twin sons and twin daughters at one birth’. Sadly, the eldest only lived until he was six years of age. !eparish registers also reveal times of great tragedy. !e burial registers for the winter of 1728/9 record burials taking place at the rate of one a day. !e most recent tragedy to occur to the inhabitants of the village took place on 23rd May, 1984 when 16 people were killed and many more badly injured in a dreadful explosion in a Water Authority outfall station at Abbeystead, when a party from St Michael’s were being shown round. A memorial plaque to the memory of those killed can be seen inside the parish church.

!rough the ages, a number of wooden bridges have been built across the river. !e "rst stone bridge was built c1696 and was replaced by the present stone bridge in 1803. Large volumes of tra&c now pass over the bridge and the present inhabitants are pressing the County Council for a bypass which will restore the village to its previously peaceful condition.

!e lovely river Wyre provides an idyllic setting on long hot summer days, with the lovely mature beech trees overhanging the weir. However, this tranquil scene can quickly change, for the river has a much darker side to its character. In periods of heavy rain, it can quickly become a raging torrent, for just upstream from St Michael’s, the river Brock joins the river Wyre and large volumes of water have o%en burst through the banks and $ooded out the inhabitants. !e last major inundation occurred in October 1980 since which time the Water Authority have completed a million pound scheme which it is hoped will eliminate this risk.

St Michael’s has become the base for a microlight aircra% school and enthusiasts can be seen over the village at regular intervals. A number of local people have ‘de"ed the elements’ and have been for a trip in one of these strange cra%. !ree "shing lakes have recently been opened where large trout and carp can be caught, which are proving to be a very popular venue for many "shermen.

© Wyre Council http://www.wyre.gov.uk/site/

Local History Forton

Forton should be proud of its United Reformed Church, for there are few other institutions in the village that can match its three hundred years of continuous life. Of course, the building itself is not that old, being built originally in 1778 and signi!cantly modi!ed in 1870 and 1932, but the site remains the same - and, most important of all, the membership of the Chapel can trace their life together over that whole period in unbroken line. "is gives the Chapel a special value to them, and to all members of the Free Churches, because it takes them back to their origins, when their particular beliefs, organisation and commitment were forged. It is, as their forebears would have said, using a biblical text, ‘the rock whence ye are hewn’. But the origins of the Chapel are of interest for wider reasons, for they are deeply embedded in the history of Forton and Lancashire and re#ected in a very profound way, the lives of those who lived in the village three hundred years ago. Who were these people and why did they establish this Chapel?

"e Chapel was !rst built in 1707, but not out of the blue. It was far more the outcome of wider changes that had been taking place over many decades. In the seventeenth century, Lancashire saw great change in its life. "e growth of the textile trade helped families to become independently prosperous as they combined weaving and spinning with their small agricultural holdings. "is was most important in the south and east of the county, but in the area north of Preston, linen production became important and this included Forton. In any event, it is clear that the village was becoming a vigorous place with an independent population. "e leading yeoman farmers came together to buy out the landlord’s manorial rights in 1642, which freed up land sales and encouraged the growth of many smallholdings that could support weavers and other small tradesmen. "is led to local population growth, which caused problems for the Church. Lancashire had been sparsely populated in the middle ages, so its parishes had been very large, so the new settlements were o$en at a distance from the local parish church, making it inconvenient for people to attend

services. Forton was in Cockerham parish, several miles from the parish church. Sometime before 1520 Shireshead Chapel had been built as a Chapel of Ease to relieve this problem. However, it is very likely that there was little funding for the local curate and this would have made it di%cult to ensure proper pastoral care. In any case, many of the independent farmers and tradesmen were unhappy to attend Anglican churches that were supported by large landlords and part of the county establishment. "ey preferred to shape their own spiritual lives.

"ese problems lay behind the growth of Puritanism, which was especially strong in Lancashire. Its ideas emphasised the importance of each individual’s relationship with God, and the need to organise the Church in ways more sensitive to the inspiration of laymen and women, rather than control by bishops. "ese were very attractive to the newly independent families. Puritanism tried to reshape the Church of England in the hundred years a$er 1560. During the Civil Wars and Commonwealth, Presbyterians and Independents, the most committed Puritans, e&ectively took over the Church of England. In Lancashire the parish system was run on a Presbyterian pattern through congregational assemblies linked to synods. Parliamentary Committees appointed Presbyterian and Independent ministers to serve parish churches. In 1646 the Vicar of Cockerham and his Curate at Shireshead were dismissed because of their High Church and Royalist sympathies and by 1648 Peter Smith, a strong Presbyterian, had been appointed as Curate in Shireshead. Shortly a$er, in 1650, parliamentary commissioners reported that the minister was John Fisher, and he was given extra !nancial support from o%cial sources, which at that time must imply that he was of strong puritan persuasion. William Ingham, another parliamentary appointment in 1652, replaced him. Many parishes were served by puritans through the Commonwealth, but a$er the restoration of Charles II, most who were not prepared to conform strictly to the Church of

Darren Riley www.#ickr.com/people/darrenriley/

WHINNEY BROWEATING HOUSE

Whinney Brow LaneForton

LancasterPR3 0AE

Tel: 01524 792526www.whinneybrow.co.uk

Tuesday and Wednesday 10:00am till 5:30pm

!ursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am till 10:00pm (please note our last orders are at 9:30pm)

Monday Closed

Traditional Dishes...where we capture the heart and soul of what made Great British Classics great


England’s episcopal and royalist settlement, were ejected from their livings in 1662. !is did not happen at Shireshead. We do not know the exact course of events or even whether the old Shireshead Chapel remained in use. In any event, it was not taken back under the control of Cockerham parish. Perhaps there was too little "nancial support to attract a priest. It seems likely that local people still used it in some way, perhaps occasionally and very uno#cially, for at times non-conformity to the established Church was rigorously persecuted. It is possible that Robert Waddington, a nonconformist minister based in Winmarleigh, provided undercover pastoral care, as he did for other congregations in North Lancashire. When toleration was introduced in 1689, a$er the Glorious Revolution, a congregation of nonconformists was registered as meeting at Shireshead Chapel under his leadership. Its existence was probably partly due to the Five Mile Act, which had made it illegal for nonconformist ministers to live in larger towns or for Chapels to be built there. Shireshead was therefore ideally placed for Independents and Presbyterians from Lancaster, who could not meet in the borough itself.

Under the more relaxed toleration regime it seems that

a more permanent arrangement could be established. William Aspinall, a Lancashire clergyman, who had been ejected from his Nottinghamshire parish in 1662, began to minister at Shireshead from 1690. His appointment was made possible through "nancial support from a Common Fund established to support Presbyterian and Independent (Congregational) ministers - and this was supplemented by an additional payment from Sir John !omson, later Lord Haversham, a leading Independent politician. He probably ran a smallholding alongside his ministerial activities, leaving a signi"cant sum in his will when he died in 1702. He was quickly replaced by Eleazar Aray who had recently trained as a minister at Richard Frankland’s famous Dissenting Academy, when it was based at Rathmell in North Yorkshire. Eleazar became the central "gure in our story. Not long a$er his arrival, probably in 1705 or 1706, the congregation at Shireshead was forced to leave the Chapel. !e legend is that the Duchess of Hamilton, a north-western heiress who had brought Wyresdale into the ducal estates, took her baili%s to the chapel one Sunday morning and drove the congregation out with a horsewhip. !ere’s little solid evidence for this "ne story, but the underlying position is clear. !is was a


chapel her family had supported !nancially in the past. It must have been a provocation to have it set in her family estate, being used by dissenters who were antagonistic to the Church and County establishment, and a challenge to aristocratic control. "e Shireshead congregation retreated back to Forton, where the village was more open. "e congregation established a trust that purchased land from Robert Gardner for a new chapel in Springwell Meadow, Forton, in March 1706. By midsummer 1707 a group of trustees petitioned the Quarter sessions in Lancaster to register ‘a certain edi!ce or building newly erected in Forton in the Parish of Cockerham intended for a meeting place for an Assembly of Protestants dissenting from the Church of England for the Exercise of their religious worship.’ "ese men were Edmund Briggs, "omas Davis, "omas France and Richard and Robert Bourne. While some of them have Forton family names, others came from further a!eld. We know something of Robert Bourne. He was a yeoman with a signi!cant estate in Nether Wyresdale. His commitment remained right until his death in 1717, when he le# one hundred pounds in trust with the interest to support a ‘Protestant Dissenting Minister and Preacher of God’s word according

to the Presbyterian Persuasion as shall o$ciate at the new Chapel in Forton within the Parish of Cockerham’. "is is rather interesting as it suggests that even at this date there was some lack of clarity as to whether the Chjapel was exclusively Independent or Presbyterian. Eleazar Aray remained at Forton as Minister until his death in 1729 and was buried in the Chapel yard, though his gravestone has been lost. "e only sad reminder of this !rst minister is the grave of his little son who died aged ten years, which can still be seen behind the Chapel.

"is is the story of the foundation of Forton Chapel. "e congregation continued life with the ups and downs of any society of individuals, but remained a central part of Forton’s life. Established in the turmoil of the religious disputes of the late seventeenth century, its life has re%ected the changing society in which it was set. But without those strong-minded and independent men and women who took risks to live the spiritual life they believed to be right, Forton would not have had at its heart a much loved institution that links us with England’s turbulent past.

Old Rollei www.%ickr.com/people/oldweston/

Documents

The Crofters