Eccleston, ENG - Postcode - PR7 5QL

Eccleston, Lancashire

There is a small community and civil parish called Eccleston in the English county of Lancashire. Located on the banks of the Yarrow River, this community was first used for farming and eventually shifted its focus to weaving.

History 

The name derives from the Celtic word "egls," which means "church," and the Old English word "tn," which means "farmstead" or "settlement," so "church town."  There is archaeological evidence of human habitation here as far back as the 14th century AD, when St. Mary's Church was built.

For tax purposes, William the Conqueror had a comprehensive record of all English villages and farms compiled in 1086; this document, known as the Domesday Book, includes a reference to the village in question.

On the north bank of the River Yarrow stands Ingrave Farm, which was constructed on the moated foundation of a structure from the Middle Ages. The width of the waterlogged moat is 15 meters (49 feet), and the depth varies between 2 and 7 feet. Another smaller site, about 25 meters (82 feet) square, with an infilled moat can be found about 100 meters (330 feet) to the west. A swampy channel connected it to the main moat. 

Bradley Hall Farm, located on the eastern edge of the settlement, likewise stands on the moated site of a historical structure. Although it has been filled in in places, the moat can still be found on the south-east and north-east sides, where its original dimensions of 10–15 meters (33–49 feet) in width and 1–2 meters (6.6–6.6 feet) in depth have been preserved (6 ft 7 in). Three fishponds were built around the moat and linked to it by canals.

Economy

There aren't many orchards left from when the area was more agricultural, but they used to be a source of pride for the community. The two local textile factories have shut down, thus the weaving industry is dead and gone as well. The "Old Mill" structure is currently home to a shop specializing in vintage goods called "Bygone Times."

Formerly a mill, the "New Mill" is now a shopping center for a nearby community; it was recently dismantled to make way for a new, smaller shopping center, and the extra land will be used to construct new homes.  As a result, the village has taken on a more suburban role than some of its neighbors.