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S-Z Guide to Villages

SABDEN

Looking towards the pretty village of SabdenOn the fringe of Pendle Forest is Sabden, set beneath the impressive bulk of Pendle Hill. This is the site of Pendle Ski Club's dry slopes, where tuition is available to visitors (by appointments only on 01254 822347).

Pendle Hill itself is where George Fox, founder of the Quakers, had a vision, which led to the foundation of that movement. The local handloom weavers of old were said to weave parkin using oatmeal as the warp and treacle as the weft! Pendle Antique Centre is a popular attraction. Housed in an old mill the centre has a constantly changing stock of Antique Furniture and bric-a-brac from British and European sources, most of which are refurbished on the premises.

Also in Sabden - Pendle Antiques Centre, Pendle Hill

SAWLEY

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Sawley's delightful Spread Eagle InnThe ruins of Sawley Abbey, a Cistercian establishment founded in 1147 by William de Percy, dominates this tranquil spot. Homes and cottages straddle the road through to the river. A popular hostelry overlooks the Ribble making this village a popular choice for discerning diners.

Also in Sawley - The Spread Eagle

SLAIDBURN

Slaidburn War Memorial at the heart of the villageSlaidburn is a picturesque grey stone village set on the banks of the Hodder in the moorland region of the Forest of Bowland. The 10th century 'Angel Stone' carving can be seen at Slaidburn Heritage Centre. The centre provides tourist information and houses displays, artifacts and an audio-visual presentation about the village's heritage and the Forest of Bowland. The church of St. Andrew is mostly fifteenth century but has a history that can be traced back over ten centuries. Here you can see an 18th century three-decker pulpit complete with fringed cushions, massive ancient doors, a Jacobean chancel screen and unusual undisturbed Georgian box-pews which still retain the makers adze marks. Much of the woodwork is seventeenth century.

The Hark to Bounty Inn still houses the Halmote Courtroom of the Forest of Bowland, thought to have been used by Cromwell and still in use into the 1930s (it is not the original courtroom). Nearby is a well-established village pottery, and a village shop with a range of gemstones. Just out of the village a range of hand painted pottery and crafts are to be found at Myttons Farm Crafts. Fishing can be enjoyed in fine surroundings at the nearby Stocks Moor reservoir. Visit Slaidburn's own website which includes the 'Villager Magazine'.

Also in Slaidburn - The Hark to Bounty Inn,


TOSSIDE

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On the edge of the Forest of Bowland, half in Lancashire and half in Yorkshire, Tosside may be some way from the main visitor centre, but is nevertheless well worth a visit. The Gisburn Forest features cycle trails and good footpaths to suit every ability. United Utilities have recently opened a footpath circling the Stocks Reservoir. There is ample car parking provided for visitors. St Bartholomew's church dates back to 1694 and features a 17th Century octagonal font made of stone from the Forest of Bowland and a Jacobean pulpit dated 1701.

Also in Tosside - Crowtrees Park

WADDINGTON

Amble through the Coronation Gardens at WaddingtonIts babbling brook and the beautiful Coronation Gardens have earned this village the title of 'Best Kept Village in Lancashire' on many occasions. King Henry VI (Henry the Good) lived for 12 months at Waddington Hall before being betrayed to the Yorkists in 1465. He escaped via a secret panel and staircase from the dining room but was captured down river at Brungerley Bridge on the outskirts of Clitheroe. The Almshouses in the village were originally built in the 1700s, and then rebuilt on their present location around the green. Robert Parker founded them for the widows of local dalesmen and farmers.

Also in Waddington - Waddington Arms, The Lower Buck, The Country Kitchen Cafe.

WHITEWELL

Treading carefully in WhitewellKnown locally as 'Little Switzerland', where the river Hodder winds its way along the wooded valley. A church, an Inn and a few cottages grace this very attractive spot. Cave dwellers lived here around 1000 BC and Middle Bronze Age relics were found in the 'Fairy Holes' cave a few years ago. Roman remains have also been found in the area and a long straight roman road over the valley is still partly in use. The manor, now known as the "The Inn at Whitewell", used to be the location for a thriving market, which was held on the forecourt. The Inn, situated on the banks of the River Hodder, has the rights to six miles of the river's best fishing.

Also in Whitewell - The Inn at Whitewell

WISWELL

Riding in Wiswell, near ClitheroeA small village on the edge of Whalley and home to another popular inn, Wiswell is said to have taken its name from Old Molly's Well, later known as the wise woman's well. The first record of Wiswell is in a charter of 1193, in the reign of Richard the First. The village's most famous resident was the last Abbot of Whalley, John Paslew, who came to a sticky end in 1537 for providing help to participants in the Pilgrimage of Grace, a northern protest against the policies of Henry VIII.

Also in Wiswell - The Freemasons Country Inn

WORSTON

Biking in WorstonA village seemingly far removed from the nearby A59. Worston is a peaceful place with one street and a welcoming hostelry and many links to the past. A pre-historic burial ground was found on Worsaw Hill. In 1778, workmen widening the road to Chatburn found 1,000 Roman silver Denarii. Fragments of the ancient Sawley Abbey were incorporated into the building of Worston Hall. In a small meadow behind the main street are the remains of a bullring, where the stone and bronze ring to which the bull was tethered can still be found.

Also in Worston - The Calf's Head

 

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