Upholland

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Upholland, is a civil parish and small town in Lancashire, England, situated approximately three miles east of Skelmersdale and two miles west of the Orrell area of Wigan. The town is situated on a small hill rising above the west Lancashire plains. There are views towards Ormskirk and to Southport in the north-west and towards Manchester and on to the High Peak of Derbyshire in the east.

The name Upholland differentiates it from another place locally called Downholland, 10 miles to the west (on the other side of Ormskirk). Both derive their names from the manor of Holland, a possession of the de Holland family until 1534.

One of Upholland's claims to fame is that George Lyon, reputed to be one of the last English highwaymen, is said to be buried in the churchyard of the Church of England parish church of St. Thomas the Martyr.

This church was previously a Benedictine monastery, the Priory of St. Thomas the Martyr of Upholland. The churchyard contains evidence of tunnels used by the monks as escape routes.

A Catholic seminary, St Joseph's College, used for training Catholic priests, was once based in Upholland. The college closed down in 1987 after over 150 years of serving the Northern Catholic dioceses of England. Former students include Tony Brindle, Paul Addison, James T Hull, John Barber, Bernard Boylan, and the comedian Johnny Vegas. Other celebrated students were comedians Kenny Everett and Tom O'Connor, the libel lawyer George Carman, pop musician Paddy McAloon of Prefab Sprout, the editor of the Jerusalem Bible and British Member of Parliament John Battle).