#Lancashire – Northwest Nature and History

St Patrick’s Chapel

Perched dramatically on its rocky headland, overlooking the wild expanse of Morecambe Bay, the ruins of St Patrick’s Chapel are one of the most evocative early medieval sites in the British Isles.

The pink flower spikes of Common Bistort, towering over other wildflowers on their tall, straight stems, are a familiar sight to many of us who have walked the highways and byways of Northwest England in spring and early summer.

The Pinnacle, Part Two

In the shadow of Clitheroe Castle, standing alone on its Limestone mount watching over the Ribble Valley, stands a rather unlikely monument: a tall, ornate gothic spire that once graced a very different skyline.

A Brief History of Lancashire Cheese Production

Lancashire cheese is one of Britain’s most traditional cow’s-milk cheeses and renowned for its distinctive creamy-to-crumbly texture and a mild, buttery flavour that develops complexity with age.

Here we look at the history of this cheese’s production from the earliest records to the modern day, concluding with a nice, simple recipe for a traditional cheese & onion pie.

The Duties of a Gamekeeper; Spring on the Moors

For the Upland Gamekeeper spring is a season of intense activity, a critical time of fast change at the fulcrum between the wild & windy months of winter and the more benign months of summer, when the moors become vibrant with life.

The History of Read Park

Tucked away on the outskirts of the quiet village of Read, in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley, sits Read Park, a 450 acre estate surrounding Read Hall, a Grade II listed manor house that has been a local seat of power for over half a millennia.

Northern Shores: The Common Tern

Adults are very smart and distinguished in their breeding plumage, sporting a silvery-grey back and upperwings, a clean white underbody, and a distinctive black cap. Their bill is long and orangey-red with a black tip, while their legs are short and red. In flight, they show a buoyant, floating style with narrow, angular wings, often hovering before plunging to catch prey.

A Brief History of St Leonard’s Church in Padiham

St Leonard’s Church stands proudly in the heart of Padiham, Lancashire, and is a striking example of Victorian Gothic Revival architecture that continues to serve its original purpose. While its current building dates from the late 1860s, the story of worship on this site stretches back further, more than 570 years, and traces the changing fortunes of the community from medieval village through industrial mill-town to the place we know and love today.