Penwortham

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PENWORTHAM, a village, a township, and a parish, in Preston district, Lancashire. The village stands on the river Ribble, near the Northwestern railway, 1½ mile S W of Preston; and has a post-office under Preston. The township contains also the village of Middleforth-Green, and the hamlet of Charnock-Moss; and comprises 2,277 acres. Real property, £7,221; of which £30 are in fisheries. Pop. in 1851, 1,487; in 1861, 1,506. Houses, 271. P. Priory, P. Hall, P. House, the Oaks, Hurst Grange, White Friars, and Swallow House are chief residences. An ancient castle stood here, to guard the navigation of the Ribble; but was long ago erased. A Benedictine priory, a cell to Evesham abbey, was founded here, in the time of the Conqueror, by Warine Bussel; was given, at the dissolution, to the Fleetwoods; and has left no remains. The parish contains also the townships of Howick, Hutton, Longton, and Farington. Acres, 11,317; of which 1,450 are water. Real property, £26,169. Pop. in 1851, 5,722; in 1861, 5,488. Houses, 996. The property is subdivided. Bricks and tiles are made in Howick; and brewing and malting are carried on in Longton. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Manchester. Value, £125.* Patron, L. Rawstorne, Esq. The church is of the 14th century; was partly rebuilt, partly enlarged, in 1856; consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with porch and low tower; and contains handsome monuments of the Fleetwoods and the Rawstornes. The p. curacies of Longton and Farington are separate benefices. A chapel of ease, a Wesleyan chapel, a workhouse for female children, an endowed grammar school, and charities £70 are in P. township; and dis-senting chapels and public schools are in the other townships.

John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72)