Penwortham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Penwortham |
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 St. Mary's Church |
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 Penwortham
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| Population | 23,047 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SD524290 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PRESTON |
| Postcode district | PR1 |
| Dialling code | 01772 |
| Police | Lancashire |
| Fire | Lancashire |
| Ambulance | North West |
| EU Parliament | North West England |
| UK Parliament |
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Penwortham is a town and civil parish in South Ribble, Lancashire, England. It sits on the south side of the River Ribble, right across from the city of Preston. Penwortham is an important crossing point over the river, with major roads and railways passing through it. In 2011, about 23,047 people lived here.
Contents
Penwortham's Past
The name Penwortham comes from old Celtic and Anglo-Saxon words. "Pen" means hill in Welsh, and "worphamm" means an enclosed home in Old English. Over time, the name changed from Peneverdant and Pendrecham to Penwortham.
Early History and the Castle
People have lived in this area since ancient times. We know this because a shallow spot (a ford) in the River Ribble was used to cross it long ago. Penwortham was even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086.
After the Normans took over England in 1066, Penwortham Castle was built. It was a "motte-and-bailey" castle, which means it had a tall mound (the motte) with a wooden tower on top, and a walled area (the bailey) below. This castle was built by Roger of Poitou to protect the river crossing. However, once Lancaster Castle was built, Penwortham Castle became less important. Today, only the mound of the castle remains in St Mary's Churchyard.
Manors and Legends
Later, the land was owned by powerful families. In the 16th century, the King owned the manor of Penwortham. In 1628, King Charles I sold it.
There's an old legend about Higher Penwortham. People used to say that seeing a "Fairy Funeral" on the road through Penwortham Wood meant someone was going to die.
Penwortham Hall
Penwortham Hall was built in 1801 by John Horrocks, who started the cotton industry in Preston. It's a "Grade II listed building," which means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. Today, the hall has been divided into private homes.
Modern Development
Penwortham was part of the Preston Rural District until 1974. Then it became part of the Borough of South Ribble. Recently, a government agency helped allow 1,100 new homes to be built in Penwortham, even though local councillors had disagreed for a few years.
Population and Homes
Penwortham is one of the largest civil parishes in Lancashire by population. In 2001, about 23,436 people lived here.
Types of Homes
The older part of Penwortham, called Lower Penwortham, has many "terraced houses" (homes joined together in a row) from the Victorian era. Higher Penwortham has more "semi-detached houses" (homes joined in pairs) built after the 1920s. The town also includes areas like Howick Cross, Middleforth, and the Kingsfold housing estate. Many new homes have been built recently in different parts of the town.
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River Ribble, Preston | River Ribble, Preston | River Ribble, Preston | |
| Ribble Estuary, |  |
Walton-le-Dale | ||
 Penwortham  |
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| Hutton, New Longton | Whitestake, Farington | Lostock Hall |
Important Places and Buildings
Penwortham Priory was a large house built for the Rawsthorne family. It was later taken down to make way for new homes as the town grew. Penwortham Church Lodge was moved from Penwortham Hill to a road in Hutton when the A59 road was made wider. Penwortham Water Tower, built in the late 1800s, has been turned into a home.
Bridges Over the Ribble
The first bridge built over the River Ribble to Preston in 1755 fell down a year later. The Penwortham Old Bridge opened in 1759 to replace it. This old bridge is still there today, but cars can't use it anymore.
Schools in Penwortham
Penwortham has several primary schools. It also has three high schools: All Hallows Catholic High School, Penwortham Girls' High School, and Penwortham Priory Academy. All these schools are located near Liverpool Road, in the middle of the town.
Community Services and Fun
Penwortham Leisure Centre is part of Penwortham Priory Academy. It has a 25-meter indoor swimming pool, a gym, and squash courts that anyone can use.
Galloway's Society for the Blind, one of Lancashire's oldest charities, has been in Penwortham since 1950. This charity helps over 6,500 people who are blind or have low vision.
In 2020, a local craft gin distillery called Fairham Gin was started in Penwortham. For every large bottle of gin they sell, they partner with the Ribble Rivers Trust to plant a tree sapling in Lancashire.
Local News and Transport
Media Outlets
You can get local news and TV shows from BBC North West and ITV Granada. Local radio stations include BBC Radio Lancashire and Heart North West. The town also has local newspapers like the Lancashire Telegraph and Lancashire Evening Post.
Getting Around Penwortham
Penwortham has great transport links across the River Ribble. Liverpool Road leads into Preston over the "New Penwortham Bridge," which opened in 1915. There used to be a railway station called Penwortham Cop Lane railway station, but the railway line closed in 1964. Now, the area where the railway used to be is a wider road called the A59 Penwortham bypass, also known as Golden Way. This road goes straight into Preston over the "Preston Flyover," which is the main way to cross the river now.
Buses run often in Penwortham, provided by Preston Bus and Stagecoach. All bus services go to and from Preston city centre.
Famous People from Penwortham
- Mark Lawrenson, a former football player and now a TV pundit, grew up here.
- Wade Barrett (real name Stu Bennett), a former WWE wrestler, also grew up in Penwortham.
- Jessica Taylor from the pop group Liberty X lived in the town.
- Andrew Flintoff, a famous English cricketer, plays for the local cricket club.
- Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Gromit, grew up in Penwortham.
Fun Community Events
Penwortham hosts many events throughout the year to bring people together.
Penwortham Gala
The longest-running event is the Penwortham Gala. It happens every year at Hurst Grange Park. It starts with a parade of floats filled with children from local schools and groups. After the parade, there's entertainment, stalls, and a funfair all day and into the evening.
Penwortham Live
Penwortham Live is a festival of music, art, drama, and poetry. It started in April 2013. During the festival weekend, you can find live entertainment in many local businesses, especially along the main street, Liverpool Road.
Penwortham Christmas Market
The Penwortham Christmas Market is a yearly event in December on Liverpool Road. It's a one-day market with craft stalls, gifts, food, drinks, and entertainment to celebrate the festive season.
