Lancashire Co.

England, UK

Introduction

Lancashire is a county and duchy palatine in the North West of England, bounded to the west by the Irish Sea. It is a county soaked in history and folklore and takes its name from the city of Lancaster, though the county council is currently based at Preston. Commonly, Lancashire is referred to by the abbreviation Lancs, originally used by the Royal Mail.

     The Red Rose of Lancaster is the traditional symbol for the House of Lancaster, immortalized in the verse "In the battle for England's head/York was white, Lancaster red" (referring to the 15th century War of the Roses), and is the county flower ^[1].

     The county was established in 1183. In the Domesday Book, its lands had been treated as

part of Cheshire (whose northern boundary had been the River Ribble) and of Yorkshire. It bordered on Cumberland, Westmorland, Yorkshire, and Cheshire.

     It is traditionally divided into the six hundreds of Amounderness, Blackburn, Leyland, Lonsdale, Salford and West Derby. Lonsdale was further partitioned into Lonsdale North, which was the detached part north of Morecambe Bay (also known as Furness), and Lonsdale South.

     By the census of 1971 the population of Lancashire had reached 5,129,416, making it then the most populous county in the UK.

     A particular form of the The Loyal Toast is still in regular local use: 'The Queen, Duke of Lancaster'. See also Duchy of Lancaster.

Lancashire, England, U.K.

Surnames

The following are surnames of persons, found within our databases,

who were either born, married or died in this location.

McVicker; Moreland; Pinnell; Scruggs and allied families

Bleasdale;   Bleasdell;   Bonde;   Bracken;   Caton;  Howson;   Parker

Bozarth; Peiffer; Quigley; Rhubart and allied families

Dellinger; Knecht; Pfeffer; Silar and allied families

To find out more about each family listed here click on this link

 FAMILY SURNAMES - (General Index)  or the appropriate LINK(s) above.

Lancashire, England, U.K.

Ancestral GenSite(s)

CHIPPING

Talbot Street, Chipping

St. Bartholomew Church

 (Tower added c. 1450)

LOCATION: Chipping, Ribble Valley Borough, Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES: 53° 53′ 0″ N,    2° 35′ 0″ W

DIRECTIONS MapQuest: From London to Chipping: Total Est. Time:  3 hours, 45 minutes; Total Est. Distance: 230.84 miles.  (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s): Chipping (Lancashire) - Wikipedia;

Chipping Community Website;  Lancashire Churches - Chipping;  IGI Batch Numbers for Lancashire (A-K); 

Chipping and history society

ANCESTOR(s): Bleasdale;   Bracken;   Parker

BACKGROUND and HISTORY

Chipping

     Chipping is a village and civil parish of the borough of Ribble Valley, Lancashire, England. The village is situated on the edge of The Trough Of Bowland. A well kept secret to many. This picturesque Lancashire village has won a number of best kept village competitions over the years. The village is known to be at least 1,000 years old and is named in the Domesday book as 'Chippenden'.

Chipping really thrived during the Industrial Revolution when there were seven mills located along Chipping Brook. Today only one survives the famous chairmaking factory of H.J.Berry where furniture has been designed and made since the 1890’s.

         Chipping is a prefix used in a number of place names in England, probably derived from ceapen,    an Old English word meaning 'market', though the meaning may alternatively come from (or via) the Medieval English word chepynge with a more specific meaning of 'long market square'. Chipping Post Office and Craft Centre holds the honour of being the shop which has been used as a shop for the longest continuous time in the UK. It had previously been used as an Undertakers and Butchers amongst other trades. Chipping is also home to a small grass airstrip which is used for gliding purposes.

BACKGROUND / HISTORY

St. Bartholomew Church

     There has been a church in Chipping since at least 1230, when our first known Rector, Robert of Chepindale, was recorded in a document of Lancaster Priory. There are claims that the church was built before Clitheroe Castle, which was built in 1186. The piscina in the sanctuary wall dates from the 1230's.

     The Domesday Book does not mention a church in Chipping in 1086, but it is possible that there was a church in Saxon times. The ancient stone displayed in the Memorial Chapel may be an

old Saxon font or plague stone. The height of the graveyard above the road level indicates that burials have taken place for at least 1000 years.

     The tower was added ca. 1450 and is unchanged. The remainder of the mediaeval church was rebuilt in 1506. The rebuilding of 1873 retained much of the old materials and the design of 1506, except for the raising of the sunken chancel. Clearly villagers have worshiped here for many centuries.

THE FOREST OF BOWLAND

Heather moorland on Clougha, in the north west of the Forest of Bowland

Ward's Stone, the highest point

 in the Forest of Bowland

LOCATION:   Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES:

DIRECTIONS MapQuest: From London to Newton: Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 43 minutes; Total Est. Distance: 235.57 miles miles.  (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s): Forest of Bowland - Wikipedia;

The Forest of Bowland;  Walks and Pubs in the Forest of Bowland

ANCESTOR(s):  Bleasdale, Caton, Parker

BACKGROUND and HISTORY

     The Forest of Bowland is both a delight and a pleasure with its rolling pastures, working farmland and dense forestry. The area is classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty and it certainly lives up to expectation. The Forest of Bowland occupies most of the north east of Lancashire. It consists of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland. It's an attractive alternative to the overcrowded Lake District, and today this grouse moorland is also used for walking and cycling.

     The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal

hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the Crown. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest. The origins of the name Bowland most likely came from the long-standing connection of the region with archery - the 'land of the bow'. Just to the North of the village the access areas of Clougha, Fair Snape, Wolf Fell and Saddle Fell have been opened up to the public by access agreements negotiated between Lancashire County Council and the owners. This means that over 3,260 acres of open country is now open to walkers.

GOOSNARGH PARISH

Welcome Cottages B & B

Ye Horns Inn, built 1780

LOCATION:  Preston, Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES:  53° 49′ 28.81″ N,    2° 40′ 28.09″ W

DIRECTIONS MapQuest:  From London to Goosnargh: Total Est. Time:  3 hours, 37 minutes; Total Est. Distance:  227.40 miles,  (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s): Goosnargh - Wikipedia;  Goosnragh Parish Council;   IGI Batch Numbers for Lancashire (A-K);  Lancashire Churches - Whitechapel;

ANCESTOR(s):  Bleasdale

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

     Goosnargh is a village and civil parish on the north side of Preston, Lancashire, England. The village lies between Broughton and Longridge, and is adjacent to Whittingham.

     The name appears to derive from Gosan or Gusan (an Old Irish personal name) and erg (Norse for "hill pasture"), the name appearing in the Domesday Book as "Gusansarghe" [1].

     The nearby Chingle Hall is purported to be the most haunted place in Lancashire, and Whittingham Hospital (now closed) was once a mental hospital. Although Whittingham Hospital is closed

there is a category B secure unit located in the old Whittingham Hospital grounds called the Guild Lodge.

     Goosnargh is home to three pubs that are popular amongst local residents and passers by, The Grapes located on Church Lane, The Bushells located on Church Lane and The Stags Head on Whittingham Lane.    The village gave its name to Goosnargh Cakes, a type of caraway seed shortcake biscuit.

     Goosnargh parish includes the small villages of Inglewhite and Whitechapel, and Beacon Fell Country Park.

MELLING-WITH-WRAYTON PARISH

St. Wilfrid’s Church

Melling , street scene

LOCATION:  Lancaster City, Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES:  54° 8′ 9.24″ N,    2° 37′ 5.52″ W

DIRECTIONS MapQuest:  From London to Melling: Total Est. Time: 4 hours, 1 minute     Total Est. Distance: 252.15 miles (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s): Melling-With-Wrayton Parish Council;

Melling, Lancashire - Wikipedia;   Melling (St. Wilfrid Chruch);

IGI Batch Numbers for Lancashire (L-O)

ANCESTOR(s):  Bracken, Bleasdale

 BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

     Melling-with-Wrayton, Lancashire, in the United Kingdom, is a small settlement forming part of a cluster of sites along the Lune valley - the densest distribution of Norman castles outside of the Welsh border countryside. Each has evidence of a motte - as with Arkholme and Whittington - but Melling has no surviving bailey.

     Until 1952 Melling was served by the Furness and Midland Joint Railway. The line continued in use for through traffic. Stopping traffic ended on the branch in 1960. A tunnel took the line to Wennington were it connected to the Midland Railway, the next station being at Arkholme.

    On the edge of the first terrace 6m above the flood plain - and within St Wilfrid’s vicarage garden - the motte at Melling is located centrally in the village, some distance from the present course of the river. The mound has been damaged by landscaping activities, but former channels of the varied course of the Lune can still be detected – on the Melling side of the plain.

     Locally attributed as, “The Cathedral of the Lune Valley”, lovely St Wilfrid’s parish church, with a belfry of six bells appears, originally, to have formed the manorial chapel within the, now missing, castle bailey.

PRESTON (city)

Harris Museum

Preston Coat of Arms

LOCATION: Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES: 53° 45′ 18.97″ N,    2° 42′ 29.66″ W

DIRECTIONS MapQuest: From London to Preston: Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 33 minutes     Total Est. Distance: 220.53 miles (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s): Preston City Community Web;   PrestonOnline.com;  Preston - Wikipedia;  IGI Batch Numbers for Lancashire (P-Z)

ANCESTOR(s):  Bonde; Bleasdell

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF

Preston (city)

     Preston, is a city and local government district in Lancashire, England.  The River Ribble borders the city and the Forest of Bowland forms a backdrop to Preston.  Preston was granted the status of a city in 2002,^[1] becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

    With Chorley and Leyland, Preston forms part of a conurbation. According to the 2001 census, it had an overall population of 335,000. Of this, 184,836 lived in the Preston urban sub-area: the figure for those living within the city limits is lower at around 130,000.^[2]    

     The southern part of the district is mostly urbanised but the northern part is quite rural. The current borders came into effect on April 1, 1974, when the Local Government Act 1972 merged the existing County Borough of Preston with Fulwood Urban District and part of Preston Rural District. Preston was designated as

part of the Central Lancashire new town in 1970. The former Preston Rural District part of the district is divided into a number of civil parishes: Barton; Broughton-in-Amounderness; Goosnargh; Grimsargh; Haighton; Lea and Cottam; Whittingham; and Woodplumpton.

HISTORY:

     In Ripon in 705 AD the lands near the River Ribble were set on a new foundation, and the parish church was probably erected. Later, Edward the Elder passed the lands to cathedral at York and then from successive transfers the lands were passed round between churches, hence the name Priest's Town or Preston. An alternative explanation of the origin of the name is that the Priest's Town refers to a priory set up by St. Wilfrid near the Ribble's lowest ford. This idea is reinforced by similarity of Preston's crest bearing a lamb with St. Wilfrid's banner.

SALTERFORTH

canal at Salterforth

Autumn at Salterforth

 by Derek Jebson

LOCATION:  Pendle District, Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

COORDINATES:  53° 54′ 0″ N,    2° 10′ 0″ W

DIRECTIONS MapQuest:  From London to Salterforth: Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 54 minutes; Total Est. Distance: 241.03 miles (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s):  Salterforth - Wikipedia; Salterforth Parish Council;  IGI Batch Numbers for Lancashire (P-Z)

ANCESTOR(s):  Bracken, Bleasdale

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

     Salterforth is a village and civil parish within the Pendle borough of Lancashire, England. It lies on the B6383 road that connects Barnoldswick to the A56 road at Kelbrook. The Leeds-Liverpool Canal cuts through the village and there are several narrowboat moorings at Salterforth. The canal footpath provides a picturesque walk to Barnoldswick or to Foulridge in the opposite direction. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Salterforth used

to be within the Skipton Rural District until 1974. Some of the local area is referred to as West Craven alluding to Salterforth's cultural links to the Craven area of North Yorkshire.

     Other local towns and villages are; Barnoldswick - a mile north west, Kelbrook - 2 miles east, Earby - 2 miles north east, Thornton in Craven 3 miles north east, Foulridge - 2 miles south and Colne 3½ miles south.

SLAIDBURN PARISH

Map showing location of the Slaidburn Parish on the border between the West Riding of Yorkshire, (now North Yorkshire county), and Lancashire.

LOCATION:  Ribble Valley, Lancashire Co., England, U.K.

Coordinate: 53° 58′ 4.97″ N, 2° 26′ 1.44″ W

Decimal: 53.968047°, -2.433734°

DIRECTIONS MapQuest:  From London to Slaidburn: Total Est. Time:  4 hours, 18 minutes;  Total Est. Distance: 243.94 miles,  (see map in “Image Gallery”)

WEB LINK(s):  Slaidburn - Wikipedia;   Slaidburn Tourist Information;   NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Slaidburn;   GENUKI: Slaidburn;   Maps, Weather, Airports for Slaidburn; 

ANCESTOR(s):  William Bracken married Hannah Booker at Slaidburn Parish in 1692.  During this time Slaidburn was in the county of Yorkshire.

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

     Slaidburn is a village and civil parish within the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England.  Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Slaidburn lies near the head of the River Hodder, within the Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding National Beauty.

     The civil parish of Slaidburn includes the settlements of Newton in Bowland, Dunsop Bridge and Easington.  The following are churches located within this civil parish: (1) St. Andrew's Church,

Slaidburn; (2) St. George's Church, Dunsop Bridge; (3)St. Hubert's Roman Catholic Church, Dunsop Bridge; and (4)Congregational Chapel, at Newton.

     Slaidburn is located  9 miles NW. of Clitheroe, (Lanc.) 10 from Gisburn, and Long Preston, 12 from Settle, 20 from Lancaster and Blackburn, (Lanc.) 21 from Skipton, 62 from York.

     Farming is still a major employer, but the area attracts tourists – for walking in particular.

Lancashire,

England, U.K.

List of Localities

The list below will assist in your research regarding the matching of your ancestors birth, marriage, death dates and in what locality of this county these events may have occurred.

 Source:  Wikipedia

Regional map of Lancashire (red star indicates Chipping)

Boroughs / Districts

City of Lancaster • City of Preston • Borough of Burnley • Borough of Chorley • Borough of Fylde • Borough of Hyndburn •Borough of Pendle • Borough of Ribble Valley • Borough of Rossendale • Borough of South Ribble • Borough of Wyre • District of West Lancashire

Cities & Towns

Accrington • Adlington • Ashton-on-Ribble • Bacup • Barnoldswick • Blackburn • Blackpool • Brierfield • Burnley • Carnforth • Central Lancashire • Chatburn • Chorley • Clayton-le-Moors • Cleveleys • Clitheroe • Colne • Darwen • Earby • Fleetwood • Garstang • Great Harwood • Haslingden • Kirkham • Lancaster • Leyland • Longridge • Lytham St Annes • Morecambe • Nelson • Ormskirk • Oswaldtwistle • Padiham • Penwortham • Poulton-le-Fylde • Preston • Ramsbottom • Rawtenstall • Rishton • Salwick • Skelmersdale • Thornton-Cleveleys • Whitworth 

For a complete list of settlements in the county see: List of places in Lancashire.

For the complete list of civil parishs see:: List of civil parishes in Lancashire

Lancashire, England, U.K.

Website Resources

The following are links to websites that will provide you with specific

 genealogical  information to assist with your research for this county. 

Use the following LINKS to find more information that may pertain to this location.

·       Website & Webpages We Like

·       Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

·       Free Genealogy Search Help For Google

·       Rootsweb.com - Localities

• Cyndi's List - Western Europe
• Family Search, IGI Batches, Localities
• Genealogy.com: Places/Geographic, Europe

Lancashire, England

Image Gallery

During our research we have collected images and photographs that are of general interest to a variety of localities.  Some of them are presented on this website because we believe they tend to provide the reader with additional information which may aid in the understanding of our ancestors past lives.

A landscape view in Lancashire County, England

If you have any photographs or other images relating to this ancestral

 location we would greatly appreciate hearing from you.

Use the following LINK to ascertain whether we have any images that pertain to this location. 

ANCESTRAL LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS and IMAGES

Contact Information

Email

Pony Express:

Tom
27 Christopher Dr.
Burton, NB E2V3H4
Canada

Email

Snail mail:

Fred
889 Dante Ct.
Mantua, NJ 08051

USA