Rufford, Lancashire

Last updated

Rufford
Rufford.JPG
View across St Mary's Marina towards the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin
Location map United Kingdom Borough of West Lancashire.svg
Red pog.svg
Rufford
Location in West Lancashire
Lancashire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Rufford
Location within Lancashire
Population2,049 (2011)
OS grid reference SD458155
Civil parish
  • Rufford
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ORMSKIRK
Postcode district L40
Dialling code 01704
Police Lancashire
Fire Lancashire
Ambulance North West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Lancashire
53°37′59″N2°49′08″W / 53.633°N 2.819°W / 53.633; -2.819

Rufford is a village in West Lancashire, England, where the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway, the A59 and the River Douglas meet.

Contents

Rufford is also a civil parish, which includes the neighbouring village of Holmeswood, [1] and in 2011 had a population of 2,049. [2]

History

Rufford's name derives from the Old English rūh and ford, the rough ford. [3] It was a crossing place over the River Douglas. Rufford was recorded as Ruchford in 1212, Rufford in 1285, Roughford in 1318, Rughford in 1332 and Roghforth in 1411. [4] [5]

Part of the manor was granted by Richard Bussel, baron of Penwortham to Richard Fitton in the reign of Henry I. In 1278 his descendant and heiress Dame Maude Fitton married Sir William Hesketh. Sir William's grandson married the daughter of Edmund Fitton, who owned the other moiety of the manor which then descended with the Heskeths. [5]

In 1339 Sir William Hesketh was granted a charter for a weekly market and annual fair. He fought at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and was knight of the shire in 1360. [4]

In the late 15th century the Heskeths built Rufford Hall. It was altered in 1661 and redeveloped in the 1820s. The family built Rufford New Hall in 1760 and enlarged it around 1798–99 when the family left the old hall for the new.

Governance

Rufford was a chapelry in the parish of Croston from which it was separated by act of parliament and became a parish in 1793. [4] It was part of the Leyland hundred and after 1837 became part of the Ormskirk Poor Law Union which built a workhouse and took responsibility for the poor in that area. [5] [6]

Rufford is a ward in the borough of West Lancashire, and elects one member to the council. [7] It also has a parish council that meets in the village hall. On Lancashire County Council, Rufford is combined with Burscough and Scarisbrick for the West Lancashire West ward. [8] In 2004, the public could not vote for a new mayor of Rufford, so to decided who would take charge, they held a Duck Pond Derby. This Derby lasted 28 days and was a test of both endurance and strength. The strongest willed people won and the weak minded failed to contest in the Duck Pond Derby. The Derby was that destructive that it was vowed to never take place again.

Geography

Rufford is 5½ miles north east of Ormskirk and covers 2,996 acres of mostly flat land which rises slightly towards Holmeswood in the north. [4] The soil is loam over sand and much of the land is used for arable farming or pasture. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the railway between Liverpool and Preston pass through the township and the River Douglas separates it from Croston. [5]

Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve, managed by the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside is a situated to the northwest. In medieval times this area was on the edge of Martin Mere and was drained by the Heskeths. Sand from this area was used for glass-making and extraction companies quarried the site between 1974 and 1982 after which it was restored as a nature reserve. The reserve is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, (SSSI), because of its geological features and a Lancashire Biological Heritage Site. [9]

Population

Population in Rufford from 1801–1961
YearPop.±% p.a.
1801853—    
1811998+1.58%
18211,073+0.73%
1831869−2.09%
1841866−0.03%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1851861−0.06%
1881905+0.17%
1891816−1.03%
1901782−0.42%
1911794+0.15%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1921765−0.37%
1931922+1.88%
19511,130+1.02%
19611,427+2.36%
Source: Rufford CP/Ch/AP [10]

Economy

The village is largely rural with little or no industry. The farmland is grade one agricultural land. In the early 20th century the village was described as "one of the prettiest in South Lancashire" and was a destination for day trips from neighbouring towns. [4] Tourism began in Victorian times and today visitors are attracted by the National Trust property Rufford Old Hall, Mere Sands nature reserve and the marinas on the canal. There are tea shops and cafes in the village, a public house, the Hesketh Arms, and a hotel and restaurant, the Rufford Arms on the outskirts of the village. [11]

Transport

Rufford lies on the A59 road linking it with Southport, Ormskirk, Preston and Liverpool. The nearest motorway is the M6 at Parbold. The Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway constructed its line through the village between 1847 and 1849, and Rufford railway station opened on 2 April 1849. The Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through the village to the east of Rufford Old Hall and there are two marinas, Fettlers Wharf [12] and St Mary's which provide moorings. St Mary's Marina has a dry dock for repairs. [13]

Landmarks

Rufford's two halls lie within a conservation area. [14] Rufford Old Hall has belonged to the National Trust since 1936. It was home to the Hesketh family for over four hundred years until Rufford New Hall in Rufford Park was built. [15] New Hall was bought by Lancashire County Council in 1920 and in 1926 it became a pulmonary hospital for the treatment of tuberculosis. [16]

Another landmark is the parish church built in 1869. The red brick Church of St Mary the Virgin, built in the Gothic style with a steeple, is a Grade II Listed building. [17] The three-storey Hesketh Arms was probably built in the late 18th century of scored stucco on brick with low-pitched slate roof. The inn is painted white with stone quoins. The old inn is a Grade II listed building. [18] The Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes on the east side.

Religion

A chapel was founded before 1346 when Sir Robert Hesketh was licensed to found a chantry. The chapel was rebuilt in 1735. It was a plain brick building with a bell cupola. A gallery and an organ were installed in 1829. [5] The chapel was replaced in 1869 by the present church dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, built of red brick and stone in the Gothic style. [4]

There is a Wesleyan Methodist church on Brick Kiln Lane, which was founded before 1893.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ormskirk</span> Market town in Lancashire, England

Ormskirk is a market town in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It is located 13 miles (21 km) north of Liverpool, 11 miles (18 km) northwest of St Helens, 9 miles (14 km) southeast of Southport and 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Preston. Ormskirk is known for its gingerbread. In 2011 it had a population of 24,073.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adlington, Lancashire</span> Village and civil parish in Lancashire, England

Adlington is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England, near the West Pennine Moors. It is 3 miles south of Chorley. It became a separate parish in 1842 then grew into a township around the textile and coal mining industries until these closed in the 1960s. It had a population of 5,270 at the 2001 census, and risen to 6,010 at the 2011 census. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through the village, where it holds White Bear Marina, the largest marina on the Canal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Lancashire</span> District of Lancashire, England

West Lancashire is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. The council is based in Ormskirk, and the largest town is Skelmersdale. The district borders Fylde to the north, over the Ribble Estuary; South Ribble, Chorley, and Wigan to the east; St Helens and Knowsley to the south; and Sefton to the south and west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burscough</span> Town in West Lancashire, England

Burscough is a town and civil parish in the district of West Lancashire, Lancashire, England. The town is located approximately 14 miles (23 km) north-northeast of Liverpool and 13 miles (21 km) southwest of Preston. Its northern part is called Burscough Bridge, and was originally a separate settlement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lathom</span> Human settlement in England

Lathom is a village and civil parish in Lancashire, England, about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Ormskirk. It is in the district of West Lancashire, and with the parish of Newburgh forms part of Newburgh ward. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 914. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through Lathom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarleton</span> Human settlement in England

Tarleton is a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It is situated approximately 19 miles (31 km) north-east of Liverpool and 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Preston. The parish includes the village of Mere Brow and the hamlets of Sollom and Holmes, and is an agricultural area. It had a population of 5,959 at the 2021 Census. Tarleton village, Holmes, and the villages of Hesketh Bank and Becconsall to the north form a single built-up area with a population of 8,755.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Croston</span> Human settlement in England

Croston is a village and civil parish near Chorley in Lancashire, England. The River Yarrow flows through the village. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 2,917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aughton, Lancashire</span> Village and parish in West Lancashire, England

Aughton is a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It is located between Ormskirk and Maghull, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Liverpool and 17 miles (27 km) south-west of Preston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bretherton</span> Human settlement in England

Bretherton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, situated to the south west of Leyland and east of Tarleton. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 669. Its name suggests pre-conquest origins and its early history was closely involved with the manor house Bank Hall and the families who lived there. Bretherton remained a rural community and today is largely residential with residents commuting to nearby towns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Lancashire Coastal Plain</span>

The West Lancashire Coastal Plain is a large area in the south west of Lancashire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufford Old Hall</span> Grade I listed house in Lancashire, UK

Rufford Old Hall is a National Trust property in Rufford, Lancashire, England. Built in about 1530 for Sir Robert Hesketh, only the Great Hall survives from the original structure. A brick-built wing in the Jacobean style was added in 1661, at right angles to the Great Hall, and a third wing was added in the 1820s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holmeswood</span> Human settlement in England

Holmeswood is a small agricultural village in West Lancashire, in the north-west of England. It lies just north of the Martin Mere Wetland Centre and to the south of North Meols about six miles east of the Irish Sea coast at Southport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Much Hoole</span> Human settlement in England

Much Hoole is a village and civil parish in the borough of South Ribble, Lancashire, England. The parish of Much Hoole had a population of 1,851 at the time of the 2001 census, increasing to 1,997 at the 2011 Census.

Hesketh Bank railway station was a railway station on the West Lancashire Railway (WLR) in North West England, which served the village of Hesketh Bank. The station, originally known as 'Hesketh Bank and Tarleton', opened on 20 February 1878 and was located on the western bank of the River Douglas near a dock where the WLR operated a steamship across the River Ribble to Lytham St Annes. By 1882 the station was referred to as 'Hesketh for Tarleton', but by 1895 the station appears to have been formally renamed to just 'Hesketh Bank'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mawdesley</span> Human settlement in England

Mawdesley is a village and civil parish in Lancashire, England, which had a population of 1,702 as per the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rufford New Hall</span> Building in Rufford, England

Rufford New Hall is a former country house that belonged to the Heskeths who were lords of the manor of Rufford, Lancashire, England. It replaced Rufford Old Hall as their residence in 1760. From 1920 to 1987 it was used as a hospital and has subsequently been restored and converted for residential use. It was designated a Grade II listed building in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sollom</span> Human settlement in England

Sollom is a hamlet in the parish of Tarleton, in Lancashire, England. It lies south of Tarleton and north of Rufford on the A59 road, giving the village good links to Preston, Southport and Liverpool.

Rufford is a civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It contains ten buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. Of these, one is listed at Grade I, the highest of the three grades, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade. The parish contains the villages of Rufford and Holmeswood, as well as the surrounding countryside. The most important building in the parish is Rufford Old Hall; this and associated structures are listed. The Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the parish and a lock on it is listed. The other listed buildings include houses, a church and a cross base in the churchyard, and a public house.

Tarleton is a civil parish in the West Lancashire district of Lancashire, England. It contains 19 buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England as designated listed buildings. Of these, one is at Grade II*, the middle grade, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade. The parish contains the village of Tarleton, the hamlets of Holmes, Mere Brow and Sollom, and surrounding countryside. The Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Douglas pass through the parish, and bridges crossing these are listed. The other listed buildings include farmhouses, farm buildings, other houses, a medieval cross base, a church, a war memorial, and a canal warehouse.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Rufford Township Boundaries, GenUKI, retrieved 18 March 2011
  2. ↑ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Rufford Parish (E04005313)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Mills 1998 , p. 293
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Farrer, William; Brownbill, J, eds. (1911), "Rufford", A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6, British History Online, pp. 119–128, retrieved 17 March 2011
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Lewis, Samuel (1848), "Rufford", A Topographical Dictionary of England, British History Online, pp. 711–716, retrieved 18 March 2011
  6. ↑ Workhouse, Workhouses.org, archived from the original on 28 June 2009, retrieved 18 March 2011
  7. ↑ Council members, West Lancashire Council, retrieved 11 June 2012
  8. ↑ "County Councillors Areas (A-Z)". Lancashire County Council. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  9. ↑ Mere Sands Wood, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, archived from the original on 26 January 2011, retrieved 18 March 2011
  10. ↑ Rufford CP/Ch/AP : Total Population, Vision of Britain, retrieved 19 March 2011
  11. ↑ Rufford Parish Plan October 2005 (PDF), Rufford Parish Council, archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2008, retrieved 19 March 2011
  12. ↑ Fettlers Wharf Marina, Fettlers Wharf Marina, retrieved 19 March 2011
  13. ↑ St Mary's Marina Rufford, St Mary's Marina, retrieved 19 March 2011
  14. ↑ Rufford Park Conservation Area (PDF), Lancashire County Council, retrieved 18 March 2011
  15. ↑ Rufford (PDF), Lancashire County Council, retrieved 18 March 2011
  16. ↑ Extract Treatment of tuberculosis in Lancashire, BMJ, retrieved 18 March 2011
  17. ↑ Church of St Mary the Virgin, Rufford, Listed Buildings Online, retrieved 18 March 2011
  18. ↑ Hesketh Arms, Listed Buildings Online, retrieved 19 March 2011

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.