Eccleston, Lancashire

Eccleston
Lancashire
St Mary's Church, Eccleston
Location
Grid reference:	SD521169
Location:	53°38’49"N, 2°43’34"W
Data
Population:	4,263  (2011 Census)
Post town:	Chorley
Postcode:	PR7
Dialling code:	01257
Local Government
Council:	Chorley
Parliamentary constituency:	Chorley

Eccleston is a village and parish in the Leyland Hundred of Lancashire. It is beside the River Yarrow and was formerly an agricultural and later a weaving settlement.

History

Its name came from the Celtic word "eglēs" meaning a church, and the Old English word "tūn" meaning a farmstead or settlement - i.e. a settlement by a Romano-British church. Evidence of the settlement dates back hundreds of years; St Mary's Church dates back to the 14th century AD. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Population

According to the United Kingdom Census 2011 the parish has a population of 4,263.

Economy

In agrarian times the local speciality was fruit from orchards, few of which now remain. The more recent weaving industry has also passed, as the two local textile mills are now closed. The "Old Mill" building is now being used as an antique, collectable and nostalgia retail space called "Bygone Times". The "New Mill" has been converted into a small village shopping centre, recently redeveloped to provide extra space for housing. Consequently, the village has developed a more suburban role than some of its neighbours.

Transport

The town is served by an hourly bus service to Wigan, Preston, Croston and Chorley (daytimes only) with more infrequent daytime services available to Southport and Ormskirk. The nearest railway stations are at Croston and Euxton Balshaw Lane.

Education

The village has two schools, Eccleston St Mary's Church of England Primary School and Eccleston Primary School.

Religion

There are three churches in the village, the 14th Century St Mary the Virgin Church of England Church to the north of the village (until the reformation this was formerly the Catholic Church), constructed from distinctive Liverpool sandstone, similar to Euxton Parish Church, Eccleston Methodist Church in the village centre and St Agnes Roman Catholic Church to the south.

Social

The post box painted gold to celebrate resident Bradley Wiggins' gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics

The village public house scene has consolidated in recent years to two pubs. The Farmer's Arms is predominantly an eatery located at the Northern end of the village and there is another pub at the Southern end: The Brown Cow. The village is also served by the Working Men's Institute Club ("th'insty") and the Eccleston Cricket Club (game days only). The site of the former Blue Anchor pub has been converted to the Anchorfields housing estate. Pubs just outside the village include the Rose and Crown (Ulnes Walton), Farmers Arms (Heskin), Robin Hood (Mawdesley). The village also has a popular children's play area situated adjacent to the football pitches, popularly known as "the rec", an abbreviation of recreation area.

Notable people

• St John Rigby, martyr
• Sir Bradley Wiggins, professional cyclist

References

• "The parish of Eccleston". A History of the County of Lancaster. 6. British History Online. London: Victoria County History. 1911. pp. 155-162. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol6/pp155-162. Retrieved 26 October 2017. 

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Eccleston, Lancashire)

• Eccleston Parish Council