Besides great sights, an interesting history and many exciting destinations, Walton Le Dale has a lot more to offer. Here you will find many helpful tips to enjoy your vacation in Walton Le Dale.
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Sights in Walton Le Dale
In the center of England, on the banks of the River Darwen, lies the historic market town of WaltonleDale. For centuries, the town has been a stopover for travelers between Lancashire and Yorkshire. Today, WaltonleDale is a thriving community with a rich history and a variety of things to see and do.
The most notable sight in WaltonleDale is its 12thcentury parish church, which is one of the oldest buildings in the town. The church, dedicated to St. James, is built in the Norman style and includes a unique carved doorway and stained glass windows.
Near the church is the Market Cross, a 14thcentury structure that was once used as a meeting place for townspeople and a platform for town criers. Today, the Market Cross is a Grade II listed building and a scheduled ancient monument.
Just down the road from the Market Cross is the River Darwen, which flows through the town and is a popular spot for fishing, walking, and picnicking. The River Darwen is also home to the centuryold Swan Bridge, which is the only remaining bridge from WaltonleDale’s medieval days.
For a taste of local history, be sure to visit the Heritage Centre, which is housed in a converted Victorian schoolhouse. The Centre has a range of exhibits on the history of WaltonleDale and the surrounding area, as well as a gift shop and a cafe.
If you’re looking for a place to stay in WaltonleDale, there are a number of bed and breakfast options, as well as a holiday park just outside of town. And no visit to WaltonleDale would be complete without sampling some of the local produce, including the famous Lancashire black pudding.
History of Walton Le Dale
Until the 19th century, what is now WaltonleDale was a rural Lancashire hamlet, with a population of less than a hundred. In the early 1800s, the LeedstoLiverpool Canal was constructed close by, and the village began to grow. By the mid19th century, there were several mills in the village, powered by the River Darwen, which runs through WaltonleDale. The growth of the village continued in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the construction of housing for mill workers and other industrial developments.
The name WaltonleDale first appears in records in 1246, although the settlement is probably much older. The name means ‘village on the river Dale’, with Dale being a local name for the River Darwen.
In the early medieval period, the area which is now WaltonleDale was part of the large parish of Blackburn. This parish was divided into several smaller parishes in the 14th century, and WaltonleDale became a separate parish in its own right in 1398.
The village has a long history of industry, with the first recorded mill being built in the early 14th century. Throughout the medieval period and into the early modern period, the village was home to several corn mills and fulling mills powered by the River Darwen. The Industrial Revolution saw a decline in the village’s textile industry, but the construction of the LeedstoLiverpool Canal in the early 1800s led to a growth in trade and industry.
By the mid19th century, there were several mills in the village, including a cotton mill, several flax mills, and a dye works. The village also had a brickworks, a coal yard, and a number of shops and businesses. The population of the village grew rapidly in the 19th century, from around 300 in 1801 to over 2,000 by 1901.
The 20th century saw further growth and development in WaltonleDale. The village was incorporated into the Borough of Preston in 1974, and the population continues to grow. Today, WaltonleDale is a thriving community with a variety of shops and businesses, and a wide range of housing. The village is also home to a number of parks and open spaces, including the riverside Parkgate Community Park.
Vacation in Walton Le Dale
WaltonleDale is a civil parish in Lancashire, England. The parish has a population of 8,925, and covers an area of 1,781 hectares (4,410 acres). It is bounded to the north by the River Darwen, which forms the border with Blackburn, to the east by the River Ribble, which forms the border with Preston, and to the south and west by farmland.
The parish includes the villages of WaltonleDale and Higher Walton, and the suburbs of Lostock Hall, Buckshaw village, and Cuerden.
The parish church of WaltonleDale is dedicated to St James the Great, and is a grade I listed building. The village has a number of other listed buildings, including the Grade II* listed Walton Hall.
The M65 motorway passes through the parish, and Junction 29 provides access to the A6 road.
The Leeds and Liverpool Canal passes through the parish, and there are three former railway stations: Lostock Hall, Buckshaw Village, and Cuerden.
WaltonleDale was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Waltone, and was a manor of the hundred of Amounderness.
The name “Walton” is derived from the Old English for “settlement on the weald (forest)”; the “le Dale” suffix was added at a later date.
The earliest known settlement in the area was a Roman fort on the site of the presentday Cuerden Hall. The Roman road from Ribchester to Warwick passes through the parish.
WaltonleDale was the scene of a battle in the English Civil War in 1643.
The manor of WaltonleDale was owned by the honor of Lancaster until the 13th century, when it was granted to Robert de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln. The estate then passed down through the de Lacy family, and was held by the Duchy of Lancaster from the 14th century until the 20th century.
The oldest part of the village is around the Church Lane and Market Street area, where there are a number of timberframed buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries.
A market charter was granted to WaltonleDale in 1469 by Henry VI, and a market cross was built in the village square. The market was held every Wednesday, and was supplemented by a fair on the feast of St James the Great.
The population of WaltonleDale increased rapidly in the second half of the 19th century, due to the growth of the cotton industry in the area.
The parish council was created in 1894, and WaltonleDale was made a civil parish in the Preston Rural District in 1900.
In 1974, the parish was transferred to the Borough of South Ribble.
Today, WaltonleDale is a commuter village for Preston and Manchester. There are a number of schools in the village, including WaltonleDale High School, which was ranked as “outstanding” by Ofsted in 2013.
There are a number of parks and open spaces in WaltonleDale, including Cuerden Valley Park, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
The village has a number of shops and businesses, as well as a library, health centre, and police station.
WaltonleDale is twinned with the French town of IllkirchGraffenstaden.
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