Preesall
| Preesall | |
| Lancashire | |
|---|---|
 Hackensall Hall, Preesall | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SD365471 |
| Location: | 53°55’1"N, 2°58’1"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 5,314 (2001) |
| Post town: | Poulton-le-Fylde |
| Postcode: | FY6 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Wyre |
Preesall is a small town in Lancashire on the eastern bank of the estuary of the River Wyre. Its civil parish includes Knott End-on-Sea, Pilling Lane and the village of Preesall itself, which parish had a population of 5,314 recorded in the 2001 census.
The beach surrounding Pilling, Preesall and Knott-End is known as Preesall Beach. Preesall is protected from high tides by a sea defence known as the "Sea Wall". There is a path on the sea wall that leads from Knott End-on-Sea to Pilling and at a point next to Preesall pumping station, the sea wall goes over an old, now filled in, stone pillbox from Second World War which is camouflaged among the rocks.
West of the village itself lies a number of bodies of water, known locally as The Flashes. These are a remnant of the brine mining industry which flourished in the area for many centuries and which William Camden describes with great interest in his Britannia.[1]
Church
The parish church is St Oswald's.
History
There is evidence that the eastern side of the River Wyre was occupied during the Viking invasions of the 9th and 10th centuries. Preesall is mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) as being a part of the Amounderness Hundred and the Domesday place name is given as Pressouede.[2]
The names Preesall and Hackensall are both probably Norse in origin, in which case Preesall may mean "a hill and a heath" and Hackensall may derive from "Haakon", a Norse personal name.
In 1190 the land was granted to a bowman in the service of Prince John, and in the 16th century, the land, like much in this area, passed into the possession of the Fleetwood family. Richard Fleetwood built Hackensall Hall in 1656 after their home at Rossall Hall was flooded. Nearby Parrox Hall was built about the same time, and has been in the possession of the Elletson family since 1690.
Preesall is mentioned in the 1916 book called "Windmill Land" written by Allen Clarke. The book is written as a journal from recollections as the author cycles around the Fylde Coast visiting windmills. Preesall windmill is one of the tallest in the Fylde along with Thornton windmill near Cleveleys.
In 1971 there was a plane crash on New Years Day. The accident happened around 15:30hrs and was witnessed by many of the local residents. There was no clear explanation on the cause of the crash in which two persons died. The deceased were Roderick Turner aged 24 years from Willows Ave, Ansdel and John Hampson-Smith aged 19 years from Queens Drive, Fulwood, Preston. The aircraft was an American Aviation Yankee Clipper.
Transport
Preesall used to lie on the long closed Garstang and Knot-End Railway which was built to provide an outlet for farmers in Over Wyre to transport their produce up and down the country. This section of the line opened on 30 July 1908, along with Preesall railway station. However, the line closed to passengers on 29 March 1930.[3][4]
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Preesall) |
References
- ↑ William Camden's Britannia, 1586/1607 (Lancashire)
- ↑ "301v Great Domesday Book". The National Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=7583269&queryType=1&resultcount=1. Retrieved 5 October 2009.
- ↑ Awdry, Christopher (19 February 1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-049-7.
- ↑ Butt, R.J.V. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-508-1.