Penwortham, ENG - Postcode - PR1 9UD

Description of Penwortham, England

Located on the southern bank of the River Ribble opposite Preston, Penwortham is a town in South Ribble, Lancashire, England. The town sits on the westernmost river crossing, where major highways and railroads traverse the waterway. In 2011, the town's population was recorded as 23,047.

History of Penwortham

Peneverdant and Pendrecham in 1200; Penwrtham in 1204; Penuertham in 1212; Penwortham in 1260; and Penewrthamn in 1292 all share the distinctive origins of pen (meaning a hill or head), wort (meaning green), and ham (meaning settlement).

Archaeological finds indicate that the Middleforth ford was already in use to cross the Ribble in prehistoric times, providing a foundation for the town's long and storied past. The name "Penwortham" comes from a misspelling of "Penverdent," which appears in the Domesday Book. King Edward II of England held the Barony at the time of the Norman invasion and subsequent conquest in 1066. During the 12th century, Warine Bussel controlled a large portion of the area now known as Leyland Hundred, as well as several manors in West Derby and Amounderness, of which Penwortham was the seat. After the Norman Conquest, Roger of Poitou constructed Penwortham Castle, a motte-and-bailey castle, on a bluff above the Ribble and its ford. The castle's primary purpose was to protect the estuary and the crossing of the river at that point. Because of Roger's construction of Lancaster Castle, Penwortham gradually lost its significance. In St. Mary's Churchyard, only the mound indicates that this castle once stood there. A manor house may have been constructed in later centuries, but no traces of it survive today.

Since its purchase by Roger de Lacy in 1205, the barony has passed through the hands of the Earls and Dukes of Lancaster and the Crown as part of the Honour of Clitheroe.

Disagreements arose amongst the fee members in the 16th century over suit and service, which were ultimately resolved by the court of Penwortham. The Faringtons of Worden, Leyland, acquired the royal manor from Charles I, who sold it to Edward Ditchfield and others in 1628. The last court session was held in the 19th century. Worden Hall is where all of the official court records and books are kept. In the western part of Penwortham, you'll find the priory that was founded there.

There's an old myth connected to Higher Penwortham. A death omen, the Fairy Funeral was spotted on the road through Penwortham Wood.

John Horrocks, who established the cotton manufacturing industry in Preston, constructed Penwortham Hall (then known as "The Lodge") in 1801. Peter, his son, sold it to William Marshall after Frederick, William's son, passed away in 1889. Frederick left it to his sister, the wife of the Reverend T. Ross Finch. The property, which has a Grade II listing, is currently being used as multiple residential units. From its inception in 1894 until its dissolution in 1974, the parish was a part of the Preston Rural District that it was located in. The parish was annexed by the Borough of South Ribble in 1974, so it has a distinct history within the municipality.

Geographical description of Penwortham

The large number of Victorian-era terraced houses along Leyland Road and the surrounding streets attest to the Victorian-era development of the Lower Penwortham neighbourhood. Houses in Higher Penwortham were built in the 1920s and later, after World War II. Howick Cross, Middleforth, and the Kingsfold neighbourhood all make up the town.

Broad Oak Farm, Bee Lane, Kingsfold Drive, Stricklands Lane, and Factory Lane are just some of the areas that have seen new housing construction in recent years.