Lancashire

Lancashire is a county of England, lying on the Irish Sea, and bounded by Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cumbria, West Yorkshire, and Cheshire. Its population in 2000 was estimated as 1,429,450. Its name comes from Lancaster + shire.

Towns, cities, villages in Lancashire

• Accrington, Adlington[?]
• Bacup, Bamber Bridge[?], Barnoldswick[?], Bickerstaffe[?], Blackburn[?], Blackpool, Burnley[?], Burscough[?]
• Carnforth[?], Chipping[?], Chorley, Cleveleys[?], Clitheroe[?], Colne[?]
• Dalton, Darwen[?]
• Fleetwood[?], Freckleton[?]
• Garstang[?], Gisburn[?], Goosnargh[?], Great Harwood[?]
• Haslingden[?], Heysham[?], Hoghton[?]
• Kirkham[?]
• Lancaster, Lathom[?], Leyland[?], Longridge[?], Lytham[?]
• Mawdesley[?], Morecambe[?]
• Nelson[?]
• Ormskirk[?], Oswaldtwistle[?]
• Padiham[?], Parbold[?], Pendle[?], Poulton-le-Fylde[?], Preston
• Rawtenstall[?], Ribchester[?], Rufford[?]
• Silverdale[?], Skelmersdale[?], St Annes[?]
• Thornton[?], Trawden[?], Tyldesley[?]
• Upholland[?]
• Whalley[?]

Places of interest

• Astley Green Colliery Museum[?], Tyldesley[?]
• Astley Hall
• British Commercial Vehicle Museum[?], Leyland[?]
• East Lancashire Railway, a heritage railway
• Helmshore Textile Museum[?]
• Hoghton Tower[?]
• Samlesbury Hall
• Lathom Park Chapel[?], site of Lathom Hall[?], seat of the Earls of Derby
• Lancaster Castle

• Forest of Bowland AONB[?] - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• RSPB Leighton Moss nature reserve, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

(Morecambe Bay[?]

• WWT Martin Mere, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust reserve, Burscough[?]
• Wyre Forest NNR[?] National Nature Reserve

• Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Ribble Link[?]
• River Ribble[?], River Douglas, River Tawd[?], River Lostock[?], River Irwell[?], River Roch[?],

Historical Geography

Lancashire was reduced in area as a result of the Local Government Act[?] 1972. From April 1, 1974 the Furness area (the area of Lancashire north of Morecambe Bay) became part of Cumbria, the south east became part of Greater Manchester, and the south west became part of Merseyside county. Warrington town and surrounding districts including the villages of Winwick and Croft and Risley and Culcheth were moved into Cheshire. A part of what was the West Riding of Yorkshire near Clitheroe[?], was transferred into Lancashire.

External links

• Lancashire County Council - http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/