Eccleston, Lancashire

For other uses, see Eccleston (disambiguation).

Eccleston
St. Mary's Church, Eccleston
Eccleston  Eccleston shown within Lancashire
Population	4,353 (2001 Census)
OS grid reference	SD521169
Civil parish	Eccleston
District	Chorley
Shire county	Lancashire
Region	North West
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CHORLEY
Postcode district	PR7
Dialling code	01257
Police	Lancashire
Fire	Lancashire
Ambulance	North West
EU Parliament	North West England
UK Parliament	Chorley
List of places: UK • England • Lancashire

Eccleston is a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England. It is beside the River Yarrow and was formerly an agricultural and later a weaving settlement. Evidence of the settlement dates back hundreds of years; St. Mary's Church dates back to the 14th century AD. The village has also been mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the book ordered by William the Conqueror to detail all settlements and farms in England for the purpose of tax collection.

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.

Population

According to the United Kingdom Census 2001 it has a population of 4,353. Under certain definitions the village could also be classified as a small town.

Governance

Since 2010, Eccleston has been in the South Ribble constituency for Westminster elections. Before this, the village was in Chorley constituency. However, Eccleston will soon be re-incorporated into the South Ribble consituency

Economy

Eccleston's two 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. Unlike its local neighbours the village is developing a more suburban role through a series of land use planning decisions taken by Chorley Borough Council over the last 40 years.

Pontin's formerly had its head offices at Sagar House in the village. Following approval of outline planning permission for redevelopment of the site as a residential site. Trevor Hemmings, Northern Trust Property Development has recently cleared the site, to ultimately provide a mix of low cost and upmarket homes for sale. Redevelopment of the site is locally unpopular, despite approval from local Councillors. Hemmings' Northern Trust is generating further controversy with recently announced proposals to redevelop the Carrington Centre (the aforementioned "New Mill"), with plans including a residential component to the site.

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 (the older aspects of which resemble Euxton Parish Church), Eccleston Methodist Church in the centre and St Agnes Roman Catholic Church to the south.

Social

The village public house scene has consolidated in recent years to three pubs. The Farmer's Arms is predominantly an eatery located at the Northern end of the village and there are two pubs at the Southern end: The Windmill and 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) and Brook House (Wrightington).

Notable people

• St. John Rigby, martyr
• Bradley Wiggins, Olympic and Road Racing Cyclist
• John George Aulsebrook Kitchen, Inventor

External links

• Eccleston chorley.gov.uk.
• Junior Football Eccleston Amber Junior Football Team
• Available Football Pitches in Eccleston Eccleston Football Pitches