Pilling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 53.9283° N -2.9144° E Pilling is a village in Lancashire, in a part of the Fylde Coast known as Over Wyre.

Pilling means "creek". Pilling itself is a very ancient settlement, founded on what was essentially an "island" with the sea on one side and marsh on the others. There is evidence of occupation in the area as far back as the Bronze Age. There is a record of three churches at Pilling, the first one sited at Newer's wood had a moat, as had the first recorded church at Hambleton, consecrated in 1567. The Reverend J.D. Banister, Curate of Pilling 1825-1876, did a great deal of research on Pilling Moss, showing that in ancient times it was a forest. On August 20, 1835, the shock of an earthquake was felt in Lancaster, Kendal, Garstang, Pilling, Poulton, Kirkham and Carleton.

Some of the materials that went into the extension of the Garstang railway from Pilling to Knott End came from Richard Fleetwood’s first charity school at Preesall. The school had gradually become more and more dilapidated so the contractors knocked it down and used the stones for the railway. In 1808 Pilling Windmill was built, due to the fact that Pilling is below sea level the mill itself is 75 ft (23m) tall, an exceptionally high one.