Lancashire Georgian and Victorian Halls
Hurst Grange, Penwortham Once the private ground of a Victorian mansion, now a public park
Penwortham Priory Gatehouse Once in Penwortham, now moved to Hutton
Leighton Hall, near Carnforth The seat of the Gillow family, the hall features a wealth of the firm’s furniture
Astley Park Curiosities The parkland at Astley was laid out in the Georgian era, with Victorian and Twentieth Century additions
Cuerden Hall, Bamber Bridge A late Georgian Hall with a large historic parkland
Cuerden Hall Gardens, Bamber Bridge An American garden and pinetum are just two of the features of this country estate
Cuerden Valley Curiosities Hidden history around the historic parkland
Elmfield Hall, Accrington Home of Frederick Gatty, pioneer cotton dye maker
Turton Tower Curiosities Lots of Victorian heritage in the grounds of the much older tower
The Hall at Lostock, Lostock Hall near Leyland The new Park of St Catherine’s incorporating nature, history and commemoration
Worden Hall and Park, Leyland Georgian and Victorian parkland and buildings much loved by the locals
Worden Park Walled Garden, Leyland A recently restored kitchen garden with original Georgian and Victorian features
Worden Park Icehouse and Folly Arch, Leyland Picturesque buildings hidden in the park
Platt Hall, Platt Fields Park, Rusholme A superb Georgian House that doubles as Manchester’s Museum of Costume
Lytham Hall, Lytham The finest Georgian Hall in Lancashire ?
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Ruined Georgian and Victorian Halls
Ribbleton Hall ruins, Preston The footprint of this large Victorian mansion can still be seen in Grange Park
Arden Hall ruins, Accrington A Victorian hall that has been excavated and now reclaimed by nature
Moss Bank House and Ainsworth Bleachworks, Halliwell, Bolton A prosperous bleaching dynasty and what remains from their time
Feniscowles Hall ruins, Blackburn From a distance can be spied the old hall, but there are lots of other buildings and landscape features you can visit nearby
Witton House ruins and remains, Witton Park, Blackburn Although the hall has gone, there’s much to explore at this site
Hollinshead Hall ruins and Well House, near Tockholes The woodlands encroach on this idyllic setting
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Lancashire Notable Georgian and Victorian Churches
The Lost Church of St Stephen’s, Astley The graveyard stands as a memorial to a church struck by disaster
St Stephen’s Church, Holden Wood and Haslingden Grane The church that moved…
Becconsall Old Church, Hesketh Bank A small Georgian Chapel on the edge of the Hesketh Marshes
St Walburge’s Church, Preston An impressive building with tallest church spire in the country
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Lancashire Civic Buildings
A History of the Judges’ Lodgings, Lancaster A Georgian Town House that hosted visiting judges on the Northern Circuit
Singleton Fire Station A tiny Victorian building, which once held the village’s fire engine
Marshside Fog Bell Set up after a terrible tragedy, as a guide to those lost in the fog
Lancaster’s Georgian Customs House Now the Maritime Museum, this building has an interesting history in establishing the wealth of the town
Formby Lifeboat Station Not just the first in Britain, but the first worldwide
Holker House : Darwen Heritage Centre A grand Victorian house, formerly home of two doctors is now the hub to promote Darwen’s history
Tottington Dungeon, Bury A Victorian town lock up with intriguing carvings on the stonework
Mount Pavilion, Fleetwood A Victorian garden and viewpoint, restored back to its original splendour
Fleetwood’s Victorian Lighthouses Two are in fantastic condition, one is probably not long for this world…
St George’s Hall, Liverpool A huge grade I Neo-Classical Victorian building
Brindleheath and Old Jewish Cemeteries, Pendleton, Salford Hidden away close to the city centre is a small historical and wildlife site
Lancaster Castle : The Prisons and Courts The castle has been a prison and a court right from the very beginning
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Lancashire Canal History
Enfield Wharf A late Georgian warehouse and stable block on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal
Worsley Delph A relic from the canal age, that now has a look of the picturesque
Worsley Green and Fountain Monument A monument to a vanished way of life
Halsall Navvy A commemorative sculpture, remembering the work of the navvies on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Wyre Aqueduct From above or below, an impressive bridge that carries the Lancaster Canal over the River Wyre
Portland Basin Warehouse One of the largest canal warehouses to be constructed and now an excellent museum
Preston Dock Curiosities There still plenty to see at the modern Riversway development, if you know where to look
Foulridge Wharf and Lime Kiln Superb restored cotton warehouse and nearby kiln
Burscough Wharf, West Lancashire From canal horse hospital to retail therapy…
Aqueduct, Thompson Park, Burnley The tunnel vaulting contains a range of intriguing carvings
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Lancashire Windmills
A History of Lytham Windmill The iconic Fylde coast windmill, that is open to all
Preesall Windmill An early Victorian mill in need of some renovation
Pilling Windmill A formerly derelict mill now restored as a residence
Parbold Windmill A fantastically preserved Georgian mill, now home to an art gallery
Kirkham Windmill Now converted to a house, this Georgian windmill is well worth a look
Marsh Mill, Thornton The only working windmill in the whole of the north west of England
The Dub and Windmill, Wrea Green near Preston A village with a large rural green and a host of historical features including a converted windmill
Clifton Windmill, near Preston A late Georgian windmill, saved from demolition and now converted to a public house
Craggs Row Windmill, Preston Many locals don’t know about this well hidden secret, but it’s easy to find…
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Watermills
Barton Corn Mill A rare surviving example of a watermill in Lancashire
Black Rock Waterwheel, Edgeworth A monument to the bygone age of watermills
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Social Justice in Lancashire
The Winter Hill Trespass 1896 A series of marches for access to the moorlands, long before the more famous Kinder Scout protest
The Co-operative Pioneers, Rochdale Cemetery The stories and graves of the men that helped inspire a world wide co-operative movement
Plug Riots and Chartists, Preston A memorial to the Preston Martyrs
Kersal Moor Chartist Meeting A historic mass gathering attended by local campaigners for democracy
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Lancashire Mills
Galgate Silk Mill The first and last silk mill in England
Beal Vale History Trail A guide to the local streets and the location of where the mills once stood in Shaw
Burrs Mill, Bury Constructed by Robert Peel senior, who tried to enact legislation to protect child workers, while shirking responsibility for those that worked for him
Bradshaw Hall and Bleachworks, near Bolton A historic house that had a bleachworks built right next to it
Birkacre Mill, near Chorley Arkwright’s early pioneering factory, that met with an early demise
Cheesden Lumb Mill, near Heywood An impressive ruin, which had a variety of uses in the textile industry
Cinder Hill Engine House ruins, Bury A rare discovery of an early mill site in Holcombe
Tentering Tower, Ramsbottom An eye catching building that played an interesting role in the town’s textile industry
Ellenroad Engine House On steam days visitors can still see the huge twin engines of Victoria and Alexandra in action
Kem Mill The extensive ruins of a print works and bleach croft that came to a dramatic end
Plantation Mill, Accrington The ruins of a Victorian calico printing factory
Moss Bank House and Ainsworth Bleachworks, Halliwell, Bolton A prosperous bleaching dynasty and what remains from their time
Kirkham’s Last Loom An Edwardian loom that stands as testament to Kirkham’s textile industry that stretches back to early Victorian times
India Mill Chimney and Darwen’s Victorian Machinery Italian architecture and Victorian mill machinery, all on the street to be seen for free
Higher Woodhill Mill ruins, Bury Industrial heritage preserved for all to see
Tottington Mill Print Works ruins, Kirklees Valley, Bury Once almost lost to the woodlands, but now reclaimed
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Lancashire Steam Engines
Fred Dibnah Statue and Corliss Steam Engine, Bolton The famous steeplejack memorialized in bronze stands before a Bolton built steam engine
Ellenroad Engine House On steam days visitors can still see the huge twin engines of Victoria and Alexandra in action
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Lancashire Railways and Tramways
West Lancashire Railway Bridge When the railway was dismantled, the bridge still had an unusual other function
Steam Tram Turning Triangle and Twin Waiting Rooms, Darwen At the cutting edge of steam powered transport
Longridge Station, Longridge Trains don’t run here anymore, but there’s plenty of heritage still…
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Monuments and Follies
James ‘Treacle’ Sanderson Monument Remembering the trailblazing Victorian runner
The Mexico Disaster A daring rescue and the biggest lifeboat disaster in the history of the RNLI
The Witch’s Grave, Lytham An isolated grave in a woodland setting
Worsley Green and Fountain Monument A monument to a vanished way of life
Peel Monument or Holcombe Tower This Victorian monument can be seen for miles around Bury and affords great views over the countryside
Scotsman’s Stump Many people have passed this memorial and wondered how and why the Victorian traveller George Henderson was murdered…
Grants Tower, Rambsottom, Bury A ruined folly is saved from total collapse
Jubilee Tower, Quernmore, near Lancaster A folly view tower on the road to the Trough of Bowland
Parbold Bottle Monument An unusual structure, with stunning views
Ellen Strange Memorial and Cairn A stone pillar and cairn of stones are a present day reminder of a terrible crime
The Starting Chair, Moor Park, Preston It looks like a rough wayside cross, but has had a more recent use…
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Lancashire Reservoirs
Cowm Reservoir and Deserted Valley The story of the emptying out of a valley to meet Rochdale’s demand for drinking water
Ashworth Moor Reservoir, near Heywood In a stunning setting, this reservoir led to the closure of nearby mills
Piethorne Valley Reservoirs Six reservoirs built near Rochdale for the people of Oldham
The Lost Village of Haslingden Grane Three reservoirs were to seal the fate of this once thriving community
Watergrove Reservoir and Drowned Village A Victorian village and mills destroyed to make way for clean drinking water for Rochdale
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Roadside Wells
Cann Street Well, Tottington An old coaching road well, still in very good condition
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Bridges
West Lancashire Railway Bridge When the railway was dismantled, the bridge still had an unusual other function
Penwortham Old Bridge, Preston A vital link that replaced the dangerous fords on the Ribble
Brungerley Bridge, Clitheroe A scenic beauty spot for over a hundred years, this site once witnessed the dramatic capture of a king
Sawley Bridge, Sawley A Georgian bridge over the River Ribble
Edisford Bridge, Clitheroe Both a battle and a medieval leper hospital mark this important ford and bridge crossing
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Turnpikes
Garstang Toll House and Roman Milestone A north-south route, as important in the Georgian times as it was in Roman times
Preston to Garstang Turnpike Milestones An impressively long sequence of milestones from the Georgian era
Two Unusual Sign Posts Bury Rare survivors of a time before local maps were commonplace
Georgian Miscellanea
Searching for Benjamin Franklin in Lancashire The American scientist, inventor and statesman had strong connections with the county